I love football. There is something about this time of year that brings out the high school kid in me.
The last game that I attended in person was a game between my Vanderbilt Commodores and the Kentucky Wildcats about 10 years ago. As expected, we lost. Maybe this year will be different. Said that for a few years now. "Hope springs eternal..."
This blog, however, is not about football, but about one of football's interesting moments: the fourth quarter.
What I like about football's fourth quarter is the excitement as the clock winds down to the final seconds. I've seen games lost by two touchdowns in the final four minutes of play. Fans get more excited. Players sharpen their skills. Coaches send in more fantastic plays. The announcer gets more animated and searches for statistics to predict what could happen. Have you noticed on television more timeouts so that more ads can run for the sponsors. It is just part of the essence of the game to pay more attention as the clock winds down.
Some might say that I am in my "fourth quarter" of ministry. After all, when you are 66 moving toward 67, some would say that you've had your day and now it's time to move aside. In terms of leadership that is probably true. However, life and ministry aren't counted by seconds, minutes, hours nor years. Ministry is counted by moments. There are younger, more agile players. Unfortunately, our team has not done the best job of recruiting many younger players. We missed almost a whole generation according to some and I respect their opinion.
I look forward to this next moment as I, like many my age, have been shown the value in coaching some newcomers to the game. Many will spend a lot of time fumbling around - just like I did. Others will not keep up their spiritual "wind sprints" - just like I didn't. Some will try to follow a different play book - just like I did. A few may even leave the field - just like I did. But ministry continues to happen beyond even our own experience and presence "on the field."
Ministry is not about a single person, nor even about a single team. It is about the whole exciting experience of following Christ. Some would even call it a game. But in this game, there are only winners - no one loses!
Our world-wide church may be facing its own "final quarter." But, we should not go to the sidelines. We are not driven by the wild plays to catch the crowds attention. Nor are we particularly interested in the announcer's stack of statistics that seem to prove that we should not even be on the field, and certainly no where near victory.
The only play in our play book is the play of service to those who have not yet begun to catch the excitement of ministry for and with Christ.
Don't look now, but the trainer may be sent in to be the quarterback. Those options are up to our coach - the God of Creation! I'm sure that our coach has many plays left before the clock winds down.
Whenever that is, of one thing I am certain: It's not the score that counts, it's how you played the game.
Still watching from my flagpole. It's getting interesting.
The last game that I attended in person was a game between my Vanderbilt Commodores and the Kentucky Wildcats about 10 years ago. As expected, we lost. Maybe this year will be different. Said that for a few years now. "Hope springs eternal..."
This blog, however, is not about football, but about one of football's interesting moments: the fourth quarter.
What I like about football's fourth quarter is the excitement as the clock winds down to the final seconds. I've seen games lost by two touchdowns in the final four minutes of play. Fans get more excited. Players sharpen their skills. Coaches send in more fantastic plays. The announcer gets more animated and searches for statistics to predict what could happen. Have you noticed on television more timeouts so that more ads can run for the sponsors. It is just part of the essence of the game to pay more attention as the clock winds down.
Some might say that I am in my "fourth quarter" of ministry. After all, when you are 66 moving toward 67, some would say that you've had your day and now it's time to move aside. In terms of leadership that is probably true. However, life and ministry aren't counted by seconds, minutes, hours nor years. Ministry is counted by moments. There are younger, more agile players. Unfortunately, our team has not done the best job of recruiting many younger players. We missed almost a whole generation according to some and I respect their opinion.
I look forward to this next moment as I, like many my age, have been shown the value in coaching some newcomers to the game. Many will spend a lot of time fumbling around - just like I did. Others will not keep up their spiritual "wind sprints" - just like I didn't. Some will try to follow a different play book - just like I did. A few may even leave the field - just like I did. But ministry continues to happen beyond even our own experience and presence "on the field."
Ministry is not about a single person, nor even about a single team. It is about the whole exciting experience of following Christ. Some would even call it a game. But in this game, there are only winners - no one loses!
Our world-wide church may be facing its own "final quarter." But, we should not go to the sidelines. We are not driven by the wild plays to catch the crowds attention. Nor are we particularly interested in the announcer's stack of statistics that seem to prove that we should not even be on the field, and certainly no where near victory.
The only play in our play book is the play of service to those who have not yet begun to catch the excitement of ministry for and with Christ.
Don't look now, but the trainer may be sent in to be the quarterback. Those options are up to our coach - the God of Creation! I'm sure that our coach has many plays left before the clock winds down.
Whenever that is, of one thing I am certain: It's not the score that counts, it's how you played the game.
Still watching from my flagpole. It's getting interesting.
