One thing I’ve noticed about myself these last months since John’s accident is my tendency to play defensively. Because of fear and uncertainty, instead of attacking a problem, I sit back and let the game come to me. The idea is not to lose the positive progress you have made. That is not always bad, but if we are defensive on a consistent basis, other people and our circumstances control our future.
I’ve noticed this in sports teams. A team can get a big lead in the first half, and then, instead of playing offensively, they try to protect the lead. They do the least amount possible to get by, and hope the clock runs out while they’re still in the lead. They don’t want to make a mistake. They play based on fear instead of faith. They play “not to lose” instead of playing to win. This almost never works.
The question becomes “what bad can happen next” instead of “how sweet can the victory be?” It’s a focus on the negative instead of the positive. It’s all about maintaining ground, instead of taking new ground.
Over the last 3 years, our church has been through a lot of transition. During transition, it's possible to focus on survival and not on taking new ground. If we’re not careful, this can cause us to play defensively.
On Tuesday, I shared with the staff, that we are not going to play defensively. It’s time to play offense, to throw the deep ball, to run trick plays. We’ll run it when we need to, and punt if necessary. It doesn’t mean careless, but it does mean reckless abandon. The mission of the church has never been to hold your ground. The mission is to advance the kingdom of God.
As any pastor should, I think we have the greatest people at Stonecreek Church. We have the best staff and the best volunteers. We have a great culture. Even our building is awesome.
So, we have to put that to work. In Proverbs 21:31, God says to be prepared. Here’s what we need to do:
Pray offensively. You need to pray for the lost, and you need to pray for laborers. See Matthew 9:35-38. You should have been praying for your “One Life” since August 5. Keep praying. We are the church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail.
Plan offensively. You need to plan how you’re going to be involved. With our recent growth, we need people to volunteer in many areas. Plan to do that.
If you are a volunteer, you need to play offensively. Don't be on time. Be EARLY. Be ready for that first time guest who is scared to death to come to church. They are always early. Be ready for that new parent who has NEVER left their child in a classroom. They need to hear about Jesus. Their life needs to be changed. You are key.
Plan to give offensively this Sunday. Our Raise Your Game projects are underway – Splash, parking, student theater, compassion ministries, missions, etc. However, our ministry operations are the foundation of our mission. Don't neglect giving to the daily mission of Stonecreek as you give to the special Raise Your Game offering. If you’ve been gone this summer, you can give here. Remember, you are giving to see marriages restored, addictions healed, loneliness removed, sight restored to the blind, and the proclaiming of life through Jesus Christ. What's that worth to you? What's that worth to people who are hurting? What’s that worth to God?
If you’re a regular attender, plan to PARK far away from the building so that our guests can park closer. Plan to speak to someone for the first time. Plan to come and worship. Plan to sit close to the front – guests like the back!
Plan on bringing your "One Life."
Oh yeah, forward this blog post to as many people as you know.
Look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
