Thursday, March 28, 2019
Opening Day and Church
Opening Day is one of the greatest days of the year for a baseball fan. Coming out of Spring Training every team is undefeated. Everyone that had good stats in the Spring is certainly going to carry it over into the regular season. Those that did not do so well are going to really come around when the games count. Young players are about to break out. Older players have one more good year in them. And the veterans are going to be as good -- or even better -- than ever. You don't think about injuries, you look forward to those in the minor leagues who are going to make it to the show this year.
But when you have played ball, watched it, and been a fan for a long time ... here is what you learn. Opening day is not really the key to the season. It is one game out of out 162. There will be players who have exceptional opening days that will be out of the league by July. And all-stars that will not hit opening day. It is a long season. There are even a few players who get too amped up for opening day and do not perform at all like they will.
But good teams are not built for opening day. They are built for the season. Even for seasons. Really good teams think in terms of the end result. They build to contend for championships.
Churches have things similar to opening day sometimes. New preacher. New building addition. Easter. Christmas. Sunday worship. Everybody looks good. Everyone says the right thing. And all of these are exciting, motivating, and inspiring for some.
But living in community for Jesus is not about those kind of days. It is about the long haul. Every day. Living as a forgiven follower. Serving others. Speaking about Jesus. And real Christianity is seen and done way more outside of the big days.
Healthy churches focus on the big picture. They keep the end goal in mind.
So for churches: look at the big picture. Remember we are strangers in this world living as ambassadors to bring others into the kingdom that is not of this world.
And as for my opening day. I am a Texas Ranger fan. I am a little more optimistic than most about our chances. I think we play around .500 ball and stay on the edge of the play-off race. Though I suspect the front office will trade players for prospects in July. But looking at the big picture, we are a good team is early as 2021. Not just contenders for the play-offs. But contenders for the Series. Because I think the Rangers get it. Long haul. Big picture.
Go Rangers.
More importantly. Go God.
But when you have played ball, watched it, and been a fan for a long time ... here is what you learn. Opening day is not really the key to the season. It is one game out of out 162. There will be players who have exceptional opening days that will be out of the league by July. And all-stars that will not hit opening day. It is a long season. There are even a few players who get too amped up for opening day and do not perform at all like they will.
But good teams are not built for opening day. They are built for the season. Even for seasons. Really good teams think in terms of the end result. They build to contend for championships.
Churches have things similar to opening day sometimes. New preacher. New building addition. Easter. Christmas. Sunday worship. Everybody looks good. Everyone says the right thing. And all of these are exciting, motivating, and inspiring for some.
But living in community for Jesus is not about those kind of days. It is about the long haul. Every day. Living as a forgiven follower. Serving others. Speaking about Jesus. And real Christianity is seen and done way more outside of the big days.
Healthy churches focus on the big picture. They keep the end goal in mind.
So for churches: look at the big picture. Remember we are strangers in this world living as ambassadors to bring others into the kingdom that is not of this world.
And as for my opening day. I am a Texas Ranger fan. I am a little more optimistic than most about our chances. I think we play around .500 ball and stay on the edge of the play-off race. Though I suspect the front office will trade players for prospects in July. But looking at the big picture, we are a good team is early as 2021. Not just contenders for the play-offs. But contenders for the Series. Because I think the Rangers get it. Long haul. Big picture.
Go Rangers.
More importantly. Go God.
