Friday, April 27, 2018
Football Drafts and Church Politics
Last night was the first round of the NFL Draft and -- because I am really weird -- I found myself thinking about church politics.
So here are a few thoughts.
Every team got exactly who they wanted in the draft. It all worked out just like they planned. So our team is smarter than everybody else.
Listen to church leaders talk to the congregation. Everything is good, wonderful, and working out exactly as planned. Every church has the best staff, the greatest programs, and we all love each other and buy in to the vision of the leaders.
So why doesn't every team win the Super Bowl? I mean I know there is only one winner, but most teams do not really compete for the Championship. How can that be when every draft worked out just like they wanted?
Same reason every church is not growing like it should. Truth is your preacher is not better than every other preacher. Your elders are not smarter and more in tune with their flock than the other churches around. You are not smarter than everyone else.
Every year at the draft I am reminded that football is a simple game. Offense, defense, special teams. The problem is that the game is played on the field. And that is not as easy as it seems in the Draft War Room.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Make disciples. Simple. Except this has to be done in the world. And that is not as easy as it seems in classrooms, offices, and meetings.
Someone is in charge of the draft. It may be the GM, or the coach, or the owner. But someone is in charge. No matter how much they talk about all working together.
Someone is running your church (and yes I know every church says it is Jesus but, ...). It may the elders, or a small group of elders, or an elder, or the preacher, or the staff, or the elder's wives. But trust me, someone has the power. No matter how much the talk is about working together.
After the draft, real games will be played. And someone wins and someone loses.
Churches grow or they do not. They are functional or they are not. They are healthy or they are not.
And in football, someone eventually takes the blame. Usually a coach. They are the easiest to fire. Not always their fault. Sometimes of course it is their fault.
Maybe like the preacher. Sometimes not their fault at all. Sometimes of course it is.
But here is the one difference that really matters.
In a thousand years it will not matter to anyone what happened in this NFL draft.
But be careful about church politics. In a thousand years, it still really does matter.
So here are a few thoughts.
Every team got exactly who they wanted in the draft. It all worked out just like they planned. So our team is smarter than everybody else.
Listen to church leaders talk to the congregation. Everything is good, wonderful, and working out exactly as planned. Every church has the best staff, the greatest programs, and we all love each other and buy in to the vision of the leaders.
So why doesn't every team win the Super Bowl? I mean I know there is only one winner, but most teams do not really compete for the Championship. How can that be when every draft worked out just like they wanted?
Same reason every church is not growing like it should. Truth is your preacher is not better than every other preacher. Your elders are not smarter and more in tune with their flock than the other churches around. You are not smarter than everyone else.
Every year at the draft I am reminded that football is a simple game. Offense, defense, special teams. The problem is that the game is played on the field. And that is not as easy as it seems in the Draft War Room.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Make disciples. Simple. Except this has to be done in the world. And that is not as easy as it seems in classrooms, offices, and meetings.
Someone is in charge of the draft. It may be the GM, or the coach, or the owner. But someone is in charge. No matter how much they talk about all working together.
Someone is running your church (and yes I know every church says it is Jesus but, ...). It may the elders, or a small group of elders, or an elder, or the preacher, or the staff, or the elder's wives. But trust me, someone has the power. No matter how much the talk is about working together.
After the draft, real games will be played. And someone wins and someone loses.
Churches grow or they do not. They are functional or they are not. They are healthy or they are not.
And in football, someone eventually takes the blame. Usually a coach. They are the easiest to fire. Not always their fault. Sometimes of course it is their fault.
Maybe like the preacher. Sometimes not their fault at all. Sometimes of course it is.
But here is the one difference that really matters.
In a thousand years it will not matter to anyone what happened in this NFL draft.
But be careful about church politics. In a thousand years, it still really does matter.
