"THE DEPTH CHART" --Who's On The Team?"

"THE DEPTH CHART" --Who's On The Team?"

To All the KING's Men,

Do you recall the closing scene in the movie, Friday Night Lights?  The senior players were in the stadium parking lot sharing their farewells and good wishes.  Coach Gary Gaines, (played by Billy Bob Thornton) was in the locker room pulling the magnets with last year's team names and replacing them with those who were waiting to be called up next.  One season over; another unfolding. The 'depth chart' was changing once again.  Is there a lesson to be learned here for pastors and men?  Sure. Let's do it!

Who are the men in our churches?  How did they get there?  Why do we find ourselves rubbing shoulders with them season after season, year after year?  Why do they stay?  What is the 'worth-while-ness' of it all?  Do we have a need or desire to 'be perfect' as that high school coached schooled his players?   Jesus gives us a clue when he said, "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." (John 12:32 NIV) and since we believe this to be true, then we can blame him and then give thanks as we take a hard look to see what men God has drawn to the team.  Do we know who's there?  Who practices faithfully?   Who the leaders are?  What guys are really hungry to be 'in life's game?' Which guys are urging others to 'come and see' and come and play on God's team?  Do we really know, really?  Who's on the IR (injured reserve list?) needing to rest a bit and who's ready for a new position?  Do we even know how to prepare the team for the next opponent?  Do we let others in on who the opponent is?  And IF we can honestly say that 'every man in the congregation is part of our men's ministry,' (not just the ones who come to the breakfast on Saturday morning) then tending to our congregational depth chart will help us plan and execute an effective ministry with men and for men and those they love and live with!

For those who know me well, they can tell you that I quit playing organized football when I was in the 7th grade.  I never even played on the 8th grade team let alone the Varsity!  Now don't get me wrong; it wasn't because I was no good.  Truth be told, I was known to catch 30-40-60 yard touchdown passes and I had a strong foot allowing me the good fortune of punting a ball 72 yards once (well, there were witnesses to say God had a good wind at my back and the ball took a really, really good bounce!)  I quit because I liked playing basketball better and made one of those hard choices many boys have to make in large suburban high schools and that is sticking with one sport to get that chance to play.  I made mine, so I write this with no 'street cred' about football nuances except to say that much of the gleaning about the details listed here come from a conversation with Texas 5A State Championship Coach Tony Heath, head football coach at Pearland High School.  I've know him for 15 years and he coached two of my sons and as a faithful Christian man and leader of young men he was quick to help!

Coach Heath and I both agree there are great similarities to football teams, coaches and players and life and ministry in the church.  But, to make a full comparison will not serve the church in this generation well nor is my intent here to minimize the efforts and accomplishments of all involved in what we call Friday Night Lights in Texas or any other corner of God's Kingdom!  Despite life being brutal, full of hurt and pain, the goal of football and ministry is not to seek to harm another.  The values learned and lived out in the difficulty of the preparation and the moment to excel is what counts.  It's what Jesus said right after that promising comment of 'drawing all men to himself'...

“For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light,

so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not

 know where he goes. “While you have the Light, believe in the Light,

so that you may become sons of Light.”

Isnt' this a goal for us?  As men of faith?  To lift Christ up before one another?  To walk in his light and be Sons of Light?  To watch out for the 'darkness' in us and around us and tend to the work of ministry for this generation? Of course!  Even Martin Luther echoed this when he wrote...

  “It is the work and the glory of the ministry to make real saints out of sinners,

living souls out of the dead, saved souls out of the damned,

children of God out of servants of the devil.”

Seems like each generation has its task.  So, as the coach (and St. Paul) say... "today is the day of salvation.  It's our time; it's our turn."

Coach Heath runs a tight ship. He's earned the respect he has and is a good student of the game now serving as a mentor to many.  Many of his players have excelled in NCAA Division I, II and IIII college football and some are now even playing in the NFL. His motto is simple.  It includes words like 'teamwork,' 'respect,' 'dedication,' and 'giving everything one has for 48 full minutes!'  He tells parents at the "Introduce the Team' night... "If your son comes out and practices every day he will suit up for the game on Friday."  He means that.  He also reminds parents that the goal of football is to win the game and therefore guarantees no one will play except for the ones he thinks can help accomplish that goal.  So, Coach Heath's 'depth chart' includes everyone who shows up.  Like life in the church, there are no try-outs and no cuts from the roster.  Those who show up are on the team and anyone else who does and seeks to participate is as well!  We should all take note of that. God's men for mission and ministry are the ones who show up and the ones who God continues to draw into the walk and light of Christ!

So, here's how the local high school coach can help the pastor...recognizing that there are some huge distinctions that need to be noted...

Each season is unique.  No surprise here.  Any high school coach who hangs around a school district for 5-10-15 years as Coach Heath has knows that one day his 8th graders will be on the varsity and then a year or two later off to other goals and a new wave of players comes up.  Pastors who do the same may sense that this is true, too, even though many of our men may be on the varsity for 10-15-20 or more seasons.  And yet, as Coach Heath has a need to "bring people along" pastors and men's ministry leaders are smart to recognize this.  People die.  People move.  Spots open up on the roster and we need to know who's going to fill in and pick up the load.  Teamwork.  Dedication.  Patience.  Persistence.  These are words that work for us!

During the Spring drills Coach Heath tries to secure three lists on the depth chart.  Who will be the starting 11 on each side of offense and defense?  Who will be the 2nd wave?  And who will be the starters on the JV Maroon team?  This will be his "go to" guys.  Some players have jobs to lose as they had that position the year before and what the coaching staff will look for is that one or two or three guys who will surprise them because of their off-season work and find a way to play.  The JV team, normally made up of sophomores, will be the 'go to' players over the next two years. 

Coach Heath also sees the success of the Jr. Hi teams as a reflection of the overall program.  How well they do will show up four to fives years later.  I find this an interesting note.  In a congregation like mine, that "Jr Hi" squad would be our HS and college age boys and young men.  This has deep implications for our overall Youth and Family Ministry network and ministry for the long haul. What are we doing for the young men in our churches to help prepare them for the faith work that stands in front of them?   NOTE: I was at the 2006 ELCA National Youth Gathering in San Antonio and attended the 'Father/Son+Men/Boys' breakout session.  We met for about 90 minutes and there was no mention of Lutheran Men in Mission or any pointing to LMM's Master Builder's Bible as a tool for faith development.  So, this is not just a local thing.  It's a opportunity for each pastor and synod leader to address.

Part of the working of the depth chart includes introducing the players to the 'language' and 'concepts' of the team.  The Bible speaks of this in images of 'milk' and 'meat.'  Younger players learn certain plays and particular schemes and formations.  Each year more info is added and each year the ones who do the work get rewarded with playing time.  Unlike the church, if a player misses a block or a tackle, his replacement comes in to do better on the very next play.  When that happens for men in the church, we exercise a certain kind of grace and forgiveness and take the necessary time to teach or re-mind the value of what we are trying to accomplish.  Just the for the record ... I've never kicked a guy out of church for refusing to 'feed the hungry' even though Jesus made it clear it is always on our 'to do' list as Christians... all of us... no exceptions.  Hopefully, like on that football team, others will follow along the actions of the leadership and do what leaders do.  Good behavior is contagious.

Someone close to me once said, "I can't teach what God didn't give."  How true.  I will never be a rocket scientist or a ballerina... so included in the working of the depth chart of ministry is knowing skills people have and what influences they are able to make.  One guy may not be able to sing in Praise Band, but certainly could pay for the bass player to make the band a bit more tight.  Get it?  My sons learned that posture playing football at PHS.  Kenneth played defense, even though he wanted to be a wide receiver.  The coaches found out in 8th grade he couldn't catch and moved him to DE where he found a home a few accolades to go with it.  Nathan wanted to be a DE like his brother but the coaches learned that he was smart and wouldn't forget the plays run in from the sidelines.  So, he played wide receiver and used his wide arm span and strong legs to catch passes and to block the safety so the fast RB could score a touchdown.  In men's ministry we find out what people can do and then help them do it well by placing them in arenas of life where their gifts are best-needed.  Here's the classic example of how we blow that in churches.  We find a guy who owns his own plumbing company and we put him on the church council to be in charge of the 'property committee.'  What's wrong here is that the man OWNS his own company and instead he should be groomed to be the congregational president to help keep the unity and harmony of the congregation in tact!  So, the hard question is... 'As pastors and as leaders of men, do we really know our men and what they do?"  That's a meeting all by itself. Get out your magnetic name tags!

I'm getting to the end here... well, actually, I hope this will be a beginning for most... and that is to say there is plenty for us to do as men devoted to the mission of Christ.  Our churches are not and can't be the local high school football team.  And yet there are certain lessons to glean!  And it goes like this...

• All are welcome!  For those who have been given much; much will be required! There are guys we know who resist God's call.  There are men we know who take seriously God's call when it is convenient for their own life and agenda.  There are men we know who are willing to lay down their lives and die (that is what Jesus was really talking about in John 12!) for another?  There are men who are willing to teach others and so we provide them the means and events to do just that!  We know men who are on the IR list as they are 'hurting' and broken for all kinds of reasons.  They, too, are welcome and needed for even in our brokenness we have value in God's eyes...
• The are no 'try-outs' or 'cuts' on God's team.  The skinny guy who is slow and short of stature may not get the full ride to Ohio State (my safe choice!), but he may be the guy who keeps the star out of trouble and brings a certain kind of humility to the team! All of us have been blessed with gifts to share!
• We all need to practice.  We all need to show up for practice.  Christian learning is life-long learning!  Can we help those who show up for practice be a bit more 'perfect' than they were the day before?  Who will hold each man accountable? The pastor?  The men?  The mission?  God?  Self?  All of the above.
• Leaders gain trust and are identified.  They also need a blessing.  Do we acknowledge the men in our congregations who excel?  Should we have Societies of St. Joseph the Worker for men who go beyond the call of duty?  Should we create a Society of St. Nicholas for those who demonstrate a certain kind of generosity toward those who have less?  Just asking.
• Our success will be determined by identifying the opponent!  Our work is holy, Godly and necessary!  We love God, ourselves and our neighbor... with all our heart and strength and mind. We protect the children.  We respect those older than us.  We seek justice, kindness and mercy for those in need.  We are not at odds with God, ourselves or other men.  Faithlessness, greed, laziness, narcissism, selfishness, apathy remain high on the list of what we are 'versing' each day... work for each of us internally and around us. Men's ministry is not about a Saturday morning breakfast and Bible study.  That's just the 'training meal.'  It helps and pushes us to deeper things.  Men's ministry is daily and eternal.  Men discover the joy of God's path as they pay attention finding value in practicing the verbs pray, worship, study, invite, encourage, give and serve.  A life-time of attending to those seven verbs will shape a man's life and create a legacy that others will want to emulate.  Trust that.

My hope for all our congregations is simple.  Tend to this work. Tending to it year-round!  Pastors, find 7-10 men who will help and lead others.  Here's your varsity.  They may not be there forever, so bring along some others.  See this as 'generational' work.  You may not actually have magnetic name tags, but this group of men should be able to help you find out who and how the men are on your congregational list.  Maybe you even have a 'prospect' list of men who have been attending worship at your church with family or friends.  They should be included.  Jesus has drawn them to you.  They showed up.  It won't take you long to prayerfully discern who is on the list of men you can 'go to'... the ones you count on.  There will be men they know who may not be so excited about this work... but they can be engaged and invited as well. One man at a time; no man left behind as we say... And the best pastoral work we can do for men is to identify the men who are 'hurting.'  You know them by their stripes.  The guy who is getting divorced. They guy who just got fired.  The guy having prostate cancer surgery.  The guy whose daughter just ran off with her boyfriend at college.  The guy who is the only child and his mom died just a few months before Mother's Day... you get it...

So, let's comit ourselves to do this 'depth chart' work.  It's a place to start.  It's the place to start!  Jesus has shown us the value already... he started with 12, one quit the team and it took two candidates to replace him.  Paul showed up in Jerusalem as a 'walk on' and he added some of his friends to the team...Silas, Timothy, etc...  the rest is history... and now it's our turn.  It's our time. 

Thank you for your work!

    Brian