1, 2, 3, 6!
I love football! I don’t get to watch much anymore as I am on the road most weekends. With satellite technology, however, I do get to listen to a few games as I travel around our District on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. When I was a kid, college football was played only on Saturday and the NFL was only on Sunday and Monday Night. Over the years, college football can be on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. The NFL can be on four or five days and nights depending on what time of the season it is.
Years ago, in the NFL, you could only score one point for an “extra point” after a touchdown; three points for a field goal, and six points for a touchdown. Into that mix, thirty years ago, in 1994, the NFL added a two-point conversion opportunity after a touchdown. Scoring has changed, and rules have changed for kickoffs, on-side kicks, and much more. As I was driving back recently from a particular long road trip in one day I thought of how life and ministry have also changed a lot.
Our scoreboard — what we counted — has perhaps remained similar through the years — salvations and baptisms. Those have been the hallmark items for Alliance Churches for as long as I can remember. And they should remain so! However, they are not the only markers for our local church ministries. Just like college and the NFL have more than two ways to score (touchdown and field goal for instance) we too would look well to have markers like changed lives and growth in the fruit of the spirit and using the gifts of the Spirit.
We can have our plans, our hopes, and our desires for this upcoming “season of ministry” that will likely kick off in September to perhaps May 2025. Just as a college football program or NFL team might have their plans, strategies, plays, and goals for their season. They do not know all the twists and turns a season may take — season-ending injuries, nagging injuries, trades, a coach leaving mid-season, and on and on. Neither do we know all that could happen between now and the end of our upcoming ministry season. Wouldn’t it be great if Christ came back first? We’d all trade our plans, strategies, and scorecards for that! Yet, as we go forward into this next ministry season, I trust, with high hopes, optimism, and strength from the Holy Spirit to engage in what God has laid out for each of us.
1, 2, 3, 6!
My hope is that in this next ministry season, we can see many people come to faith in Christ!
My hope is that in this next ministry season, we can see many people follow the Lord in obedience and be baptized!
My hope is that in this next ministry season, we can see many people take the next step in discipleship and show forth the fruit of the Spirit!
And my hope is that in this next ministry season, we can see many people using their spiritual gifts to the glory of the Lord!
If that all were to occur, what a great ministry season it would be!
~ Jonathan