Serving in Strength and Winning

There are days, months, seasons, or even eras when all is going well, the team is winning, we are enjoying favor widely, and all seems right with the world. These moments are even sweeter when they have been preceded by losing streaks, pain, or clumsy transitions. Such was the expression of the psalmist in Psalm 126.

When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem,

    it was like a dream!

² We were filled with laughter,

    and we sang for joy.

And the other nations said,

    “What amazing things the Lord has done for them.”

³ Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us!

    What joy!

What joy, indeed! We can almost hear the laughter, the shouts of joy, and the music bumping in the locker room when reading these verses. The newspapers, television commentators, on-line sports outlets, and even social media is full of praise for our team. Those with perspective even give the Lord credit for having blessed the fruit of their labors.

After the immediate rush of emotions, we eventually calm down and begin to look ahead. The psalmist does similarly in the second half of Psalm 126.

Restore our fortunes, Lord,

    as streams renew the desert.

⁵ Those who plant in tears

    will harvest with shouts of joy.

⁶ They weep as they go to plant their seed,

    but they sing as they return with the harvest.

With renewed perspective and a forward look, the psalmist seeks the Lord’s blessing for restoration. He reflects upon the recently completed and continual process of painful and occasionally grievous preparation, followed by joyful and bountiful harvest reaping.

Such is the process experienced by the men and women of sport. May we be a source of godly perspective for those we serve, even as we experience both the pain of preparation and loss as well as the joy of strength and winning with them.

Chapel Talk - Men are Needed

On Saturday morning, October 13, 2018 I delivered a chapel talk to the Southern Illinois University Football team and coaching staff. Its title was, Men are Needed. Our head coach wants the entire program to be built on the foundational idea of, “Be a Man.” I have been entrusted with the task of defining terms in this process. A large majority of our young men grew up in one parent families, without their fathers in the homes, thus making the idea of being a man more than a little difficult to grasp.

Friday night, as I was preparing, I sent a text message to many friends, colleagues, and my mentor asking for prayer. I could already feel the weight of this message for these young men. More than some sort of hype message, or a pregame rah rah talk, I intended to speak to their hearts about the value of their being the men they were made to be.

I began by asking the men to think about this question, “Who are the important men in your life?”

Secondly, I asked them to consider when they need those men. I offered suggestions like:

·        When making big decisions.

·        When in trouble.

·        When confused.

·        When in need of guidance.

·        When achieving greatly.

·        When failing.

·        When feeling thankful.

·        When needing affirmation.

I said, “Men are needed, by all of us in the room, and by all those around us.”

I asked one of our leaders, a junior running back, to pray.

I introduced and read the day’s scriptural text, Philippians 1:21-24.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

I explained that the apostle was ready to leave this life and to be with Christ in Heaven. He was very aware, however that his friends in Philippi needed him. He, therefore, was committed to stay where he was, for their sake.

I then stated the following ideas with strong conviction and a commanding tone of voice:

·        Men are needed by their friends.

o   When they need someone to trust.

o   When they need someone to encourage them.

o   When they need someone to believe in.

o   Men are needed by their friends.

·        Men are needed by their parents.

o   For their lives to have a legacy.

o   For security.

o   For a sense of family pride. “That’s my son.”

o   Men are needed by their parents.

·        Men are needed by the women in their lives – mothers, sisters, girlfriends, wives.

o   For security.

o   For provision.

o   For comfort.

o   For stability.

o   For courage.

o   For direction.

o   For confidence.

o   Men are needed by the women in their lives.

·        Men are needed by their children.

o   Your children need you. Hear these statistics:

§  63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes.

§  90% of all homeless and runaway children are from fatherless homes.

§  85% of all children who show behavior disorders come from fatherless homes.

§  71% of all high school dropouts come from fatherless homes.

o   My son is 41 years old. He still needs me and I need him.

o   Men are needed by their children.

·        Today, Men are needed by their teammates.

o   To compete.

o   To battle.

o   To overcome.

·        We are men. We need each other. Let’s compete like champions. Let’s be the men we were created to be.

·        I prayed to wrap things up and to bless our pregame meal.  

I was pleased with how things turned out, and I sent a thank you text message to those who had prayed for me. I pray that this message had its designed impact upon our coaches and players, and I pray it is some value to you and those you serve as well.

Raise Your Game.

It was a unique privilege to be invited by Sports Chaplaincy United Kingdom CEO, Warren Evans, to speak at their annual conference in Bradford, England earlier this summer. Throughout the conference the attendees were challenged to “Raise their Game.” I talked with the gathered men and women about what it is to inspire and to be inspired. I then spoke with them about how we challenge and receive challenges. Lastly, I spoke with them about how sports chaplains must stretch and be stretched to serve effectively. Below is the outline from each talk. No frills, no stories, just the essentials.

Raise Your Game.

Ø Inspire

Ø  Challenge

Ø  Stretch

I n s p i r e

·        Who inspires you?

·        Context for inspiration: Fear, ambition, & jealousy. Mark 10:42-45

o   Inspired to be great? Serve.

o   Inspired to be first? Be everyone’s slave.

o   Inspired to be like Jesus? Sacrifice.

o   To what are you inspired?

Ø To be great?

Ø To be first?

Ø To be like Jesus?

C h a l l e n g e

·        Elisha is challenged to follow.

o   I Kings 19:19-21

o   II Kings 2:1-2

o   II Kings 2:8

·        Elisha requests a double challenge.

o   II Kings 2:9-12

·        Elisha receives a double challenge.

o   II Kings 2:13-14

·        Serving as a sports chaplain is very challenging.

·        Accept the challenge!

S t r e t c h

·        To Raise Your Game will require you to stretch and to be stretched.

·        Stretch by holding tightly to your faith.

o   Hebrews 10:23

·        Stretch by stirring up your colleagues.

o   Hebrews 10:24

·        Stretch by gathering for encouragement.

o   Hebrews 10:25

Raise Your Game.

Ø Inspire

Ø Challenge

Ø Stretch

October 2018 Sports Chaplain / Character Coach Conference Call

October 2018 Sports Chaplain / Character Coach Conference Call - 

Click on this link to access the recording.

October 2018 Sports Chaplain / Character Coach Conference Call

The Source of Joy

During the days of 17-20 September, I was in Havana, Cuba to train 100+ men and women as sports chaplains. They were very hungry to learn and we spent two full days discussing how this role of ministry can be of greatest effect in Cuba. We wrapped up the training by praying for their Cuban and FCA ministry leaders, then commissioning them all into service as sports chaplains.

At the end of the trip we took a ride to the Jose Marti airport. My colleagues and friends, Eric Anderson, Alex Roque Martinez, and I were discussing the source of joy for people's lives. My contribution to the discussion, now expanded, follows.

It is my observation that the closer one is to death and dying, day to day, the simpler life is, and that life requires fewer entanglements to have joy in living.

Inversely, the more remote death seems to be, daily living requires more stuff to produce a sense of joy, and one's life becomes increasingly more complex.

When asked, "What brings joy to your life?" my friends from the USA usually trot out a list of creature comforts, foods, drinks, or electronic devices. Their daily existences require a massive amount of support, both emotional and electronic. 

My friends in the more impoverished and daily perilous nations of the world simply say, "Jesus." Their relationships with the risen Lord supply all the joy necessary to navigate their precarious journeys through life with abundance in their souls.

As I have walked with USAmerican friends and family through battles with terminal disease and the immediate prospect of death, they begin to apprehend the simple and unencumbered joy experienced by our less prosperous global brothers and sisters. They too can reply, "Jesus", when asked about their source of life-giving joy and fulfillment.

Let us join them. Let's unclutter our lives. Let's protect and clarify our springs of joy. Let's reject every rival to Jesus' centrality as our soul's river of living water.

Reflections Upon my Sixty-second Birthday

         In June of this year I turned sixty-two years of age. My father retired from his career with a railroad at age sixty-two. My wife retired over four years ago. A couple of weeks ago my wife and I were in the car and I said, “Okay, baby, here’s the deal. I just turned sixty-two, but I have absolutely no interest in retirement. I aim to go as hard and as fast as I can until seventy, then we can think about it. I have way too much juice, lots of vision, and plenty yet to accomplish.” She has no complaints as she certainly doesn’t want me hanging around the house being hyper with nothing to do. If I retired, I would just volunteer doing the same things I do now.

          Below are some simple reflections on how things look at sixty-two.

Family –

Earlier this year I went with my father to Washington DC on a Veterans Honor Flight. Dad is a Korean War veteran and the whole day, 4:00 am to 9:30 pm, was tremendous. Both my parents have had knee replacements, but still live in the home they have owned for over sixty years. My son and daughter-in-law are wonderful, loving, and wise parents.

Grandchildren –

Our granddaughters are lovely girls, seven years of age and four. Both are involved in dance, the younger one with a much more competitive mindset. One is very compliantly natured, the other quite strong willed.

Forty-three years of marriage –

My wife, Sharon, and I are more committed to each other than ever. That’s surely how we have made it this far. I am a much better husband than I was twenty years ago. I am more understanding and accommodating. We have a better handle on our finances than ever. We now contribute more to various ministries and charities than we ever could have imagined.

Physical changes –

It’s harder to sleep soundly in recent years. I have more joint pain than ten years ago. I can still play racquetball competitively. I carry some pounds that I would like to lose, but am not really obsessed with my waistline. 

When I shave, I see my maternal grandfather looking back at me in the mirror.

Church and volunteerism –

No Greater Love Ministries and the NGL Network continue to be an important part of my life as a man, a leader, and as a life-long learner.

My involvement is now mostly through facilitation of the Camp Leaders during the Mardi Gras outreach and in as many NGL board meetings as fit with my busy schedule.

The longer I serve Christ Jesus in sporting culture, the harder it is to fit in with church culture.

Global travel –

I have now traveled to or through twenty-nine nations in the last eighteen years. In the years that remain, I intend to be available to serve anyone, anywhere I am called that fits my life's purposes, as the Lord reveals them.

Ministry in sport –

This facet of my life is constantly changing. I still lead FCA Camps, but in a less direct manner than ten years ago.

I find great joy and fulfillment in serving in sports chaplaincy, locally, nationally, and globally. I serve, lead, write, and network in these initiatives.

I lead ministry with coaches in professional, college, high school, junior high, and club sport, in a variety of sports. Some of this is done by direct relational contact, others are via conference calls, still others via text messages, many more by writing books, and still others by visiting annual coaching conventions.

Summary –

Life at sixty-two is rich, fulfilling, and joyous. I love my family, my friends, my colleagues, and those I am privileged to serve. Let’s crack on for a few more decades.

Engage, Equip, Empower

Earlier this year, Fellowship of Christian Athletes rolled out some new language regarding our strategies for ministry. Whereas we had before talked about ministry with nouns – Coaches, Camps, Campus, and Community, we have now begun to talk about it in verbs – Engage, Equip, and Empower. Being an active person, I like verbs far better than nouns and was excited to see what would result from this shift. Those details are being worked out at every level of the ministry, from the board room in Kansas City to the most remote posts of our service, even Carbondale, Illinois (USA).

As the weeks and months progressed, several discussions with colleagues had me thinking about the dynamics of how this works in my network of coaches and sports chaplains. As we talked I could envision a funnel.

At the top end of the funnel it is quite broad, but at the bottom end it is very narrow. I drew the illustration on a piece of paper and continued to think about it. I analyzed my approach to ministry and it is quite broad as I seek to engage people from a very wide radius. As many of these are first meetings we have little depth of relationship. This is what it is to Engage and we do it broadly.

In the middle of the process, the funnel’s center section, it is narrower than the top, but still broader than at the bottom end. The relationships I have with coaches who seem hungry for more, I Equip. I give them a book, recommend a website, a blog, a podcast, an app, invite the coach to an event, or some other way to facilitate their growth. The number we Equip is properly smaller than those we engage. We Equip strategically.

At the bottom end, the outlet of the funnel, it is quite narrow. The number of coaches we Empower is vastly smaller than those we Engage, and even smaller than those we Equip. This development process continues as we provide these coaches with the authority, resources, encouragement, and investment to lead various portions of our ministry. These are the coaches who lead team huddles, multi-sport huddles, coaches huddles, and more. We Empower intensively. Many of our sports chaplains and character coaches have progressed through the same Engage, Equip, and Empower process.

Further, I surmised that the commodities that push one through the process are spiritual hunger and depth of relationship. The hungry coach, just engaged will express the desire to be equipped (if we are listening), and we invest more time in him or her. Once equipped and still hungry, we can approach the coach about being empowered to serve his colleagues, team, families, and community. Our job is to perceive hunger and offer to feed it with time, energy, and resources.

My colleague and friend, Bob Pankey, took my crude illustration and improved it significantly. It is below and attached. It very well graphically describes the process and the factors that animate it. Thanks, Bob, for your contribution to the development of this concept. Please give this some thought and let me know what you think. Thanks.