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Why Courage is the Secret Ingredient

When you’re trying something new there’s a secret ingredient that will propel you forward. I have a secret ingredient for my guacamole, but I’m not giving it to you here. The secret ingredient I’m talking about is something that most everyone has if they just dig down deeply inside of themselves. You have it, too. The secret ingredient that will propel you forward when you try something new is courage.

Jumping

I saw courage take center stage as someone I know recently took the leap into something new. She gave up on her old job because the organization she worked for wasn’t giving her the due respect and honor she deserved after providing decades of her time and dedication. So she stepped down and decided to do something brand new. It happened to be a bit out of her comfort zone, but she knew it was the right decision.

Courage became part of the game when she was getting ready to proceed with her new gig. She was about to do her first presentation working for a new company. It had to do with instructing educators in a method of teaching called Differentiated Instruction. So she took the courageous step of asking a number of her friends to sit through and participate in her presentation.

The courage came in asking for honest feedback about her performance. She introduced her topic. Showed us what Differentiated Instruction is by involving us all in a lesson she taught. Then concluded by reviewing what we had learned. After she was finished we all had the opportunity to provide feedback and help shape and improve her presentation. She really put herself out there. We were honest in our assessment, shared things she could improve, applauded the things that went well, and suggested ways she could engage her audience in an even better way.

Those of us gathered at the presentation pooled our opinions and gave her feedback. The feedback we gave will most certainly help her draw people into her presentation, keep them interested, and encourage them to engage in her services. It took courage for her to take the risk and ask us to be open and honest in our feedback. We most certainly were.

Here’s a word of encouragement to muster the courage to leap into discomfort when you try something new. Don’t be afraid to practice. Don’t be afraid to do something in front of others and ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to listen to the tough constructive criticism. Here’s what your courage will do for you:

  • It will give you confidence. Practice may not make perfect, but it will certainly start you heading in that direction. It takes courage to practice right out there in front of other people.
  • It will help you improve. No one ever got anywhere worth going without working hard on getting better. It takes courage to listen to difficult things about ourselves.
  • It will put you ahead of the competition. When you work hard and listen better than the ones with whom you compete you will find yourself important steps ahead of them. It takes courage to know that you’ll have to work harder than others.
  • It will take you places you never thought you’d go. When you take the courage to leap into the unknown you will find yourself in unexpected places, and that’s always an educational experience. It takes courage to take the path less trodden.

Courage is the secret ingredient that will give you confidence, help you improve, put you ahead, and take you to places yet unknown. What are you waiting for? Take the leap!

How have you seen courage bring improvement to your life?

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Doing Rebuilding the Right Way

I don’t know yet if it’s the right way, but my Milwaukee Brewers are in the rebuilding process. If you’re not a sports fan, stick with me for a moment as I make an analogy that might be helpful in your own life. When it became blatantly evident after a quarter of last year’s season that the Milwaukee Brewers weren’t going to be anything near contenders, their General Manager started a massive rebuilding project. He fired the manager and brought in a new one. He started making trades one by one. And then even he stepped into retirement and the team hired a new General Manager.

Construction

Since then, the new general manager, David Stearns, has made no less than nine trades. Almost all of them have sent experienced players to other teams in return for young, well-regarded prospects. The Brewers hope that these young prospects will soon make it to the major leagues and have such an impact that the team will become a contender once again.

I began to think about how that is being mirrored in an interesting way at the church I serve as pastor. You could say we’re in a rebuilding process of sorts. Last year our attendance took a significant downturn as:

  • we had numerous funerals of noteworthy, “pillar” type people in the congregation;
  • a number of students went away to college;
  • attendance patterns of some members, while regular, was not consistent;
  • a few families moved away;
  • some high school students’ attendance became pretty spotty.

Now it’s time to do some rebuilding, and we hope we’re doing it the right way. We have engaged in some things that feel like a baseball team in them midst of a rebuilding effort:

  • We are encouraging our members to turn their gaze outside of our congregation and its own needs to the eternal needs of others;
  • We are asking people to stand on the shoulders and fill the shoes of those “pillars” who have gone before (kind of like trading veterans for prospects);
  • We are reenergizing our base by creating teams that bring joy and community through fun, service, and study;
  • We are highlighting the things that are going well;
  • We are communicating all of the above through media and social channels, both online and offline;

There are times in every life when there is a need to rebuild. It might be after a failed relationship, or a family move, or the loss of a job. Here’s what we can learn from baseball teams and churches that are going through rebuilding right now:

  • Focus on the things you can control. Baseball teams can’t control the exact number of wins they’ll have each year, and churches can’t control the number of people in the pews each week. But they can control the people they put on the field and the people they place into leadership positions. When you are rebuilding, make sure you are doing it surrounded by people who have your best interest in mind and people who can help when help is really needed.
  • Focus on the positive. Though the Milwaukee Brewers will not win as many games as they’d like this year, they have an opportunity to learn about the players they have acquired, and move pieces around as needed. In the church there is always the positive focus of the Gospel. In your life, negativity will set you back, but positivity will be the fuel that moves you forward.
  • Focus on good communication. The Milwaukee Brewers have communicated to their fans that they are in the middle of a rebuilding process and that there may not be as many wins as fans would like. Our church is communicating ways to help people see opportunities to show and share their faith. Communication will help you make networking connections and emotional connections that will help you when you’re tempted to feel down or are in need of specific advice.

Rebuilding is not a bad thing. In most instances it is a good thing. It provides opportunities to learn, to grow, and to be stretched. Embrace rebuilding opportunities, and help others when you see them going through their own rebuilding.

What advice would you give to someone who’s in the process of rebuilding?

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When Cutting Things Out Actually Adds to Your Life

Sometimes cutting things out is the way to add great value to your life. I recently discovered that simply by driving in my car. As a pastor I spend a great deal of time in my car. I drive to work. I drive to people’s homes. I drive to meetings. I drive to hospitals.

Car Radio

As I would drive I would listen mainly to sports talk radio. I listened on my car radio to Mike and Mike in the Morning on the way to work. At midday I would use the Tunein Radio app to listen to my favorite Milwaukee area sports radio station. And on my way home I would listen to Steve “the Homer” True on the same station. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a rabid (ahem!) Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers fan. I ate up everything I could about sports in general and my teams specifically.

I began to learn that the more I listened to these stations the more they brought stress into my life. Sports talk radio is in the business of hype. They do what they can to generate interest in games that are to come and reflect on games that are past. So they do what they can to generate controversy. The more I listened the more I my blood pressure would go up. Not only that, but sports talk radio is filled with commercial breaks. It’s become worse and worse in recent years. It’s so incredibly frustrating: Just when a conversation is heating up in breaks a commercial.

I finally decided that cutting things like this out of my life would be in my best interest. For the past few months I’ve been watching the games on TV but cutting out all the radio hype. Man, it feels good. The games still stress me out. But my overall stress level now rapidly declines between games.

That’s the least of it. In place of sports talk radio I have begun listening to podcasts that have enriched my life beyond measure. Since I have started listening to podcasts I have learned more about myself, more about leadership, more about goals, and moving forward, and entrepreneurship, and ministry, and art than I ever could have listening to silly sports talk radio.

Cutting out sports talk radio in the car has immeasurably added to my life. I have been enriched by these and other podcasts:

Cutting out stress generators and time wasters is a great way to get things done that you never thought you could before. They add the value of education and sometimes restore wasted time. Instead of heading home and sitting in front of the TV create something of value; generate some art; learn something new. Respect the value of time. It slips away far too quickly.

When has cutting things out added value to your life?

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How Coaching Can Take You from Good to Great

When was the last time you considered coaching to move you forward? The other day I had the privilege of enjoying an informal meeting with a professional pastoral coach. I wanted to learn more about what a professional coach does and how coaching could help people. The coach with whom I spoke made it pretty clear that coaching is a bit different from counseling. He said that counseling takes you from a bad spot and brings you to a better spot. But coaching is an intentional way to take you from good to great.

Stadium

I’ve had some interesting coaches in my life. I’ve spent time on swim teams, football teams, tennis teams, and track teams. I’ve even had golf coaches. Each coach I’ve had takes a different approach. Some come alongside you and gently show you what you’re doing wrong. Others are literally right in your face barking instructions, pointing out flaws, and even praising your accomplishments.

One coach in particular stands out in my mind. My freshman football coach used every ounce of energy and fire within him to push me as a new player. I had never played tackle football before, but had enjoyed some success on our grade school flag football team. Our freshman football coach wanted to make real football players out of us. So he lined us up, held a big blocking pad in front of his chest, and told us to hit him as hard as he could. He meant it.

So I wound up and hit him just like he told me: as hard as I could. I nearly knocked him over. I’ll never forget his response. He regained his balance, roared with approval, and slapped me on the back. “That’s what I mean,” he shouted to the rest of the team. “Hit me like that!”

I will never say that I was a great football player. But my coach stretched me to a level as a football player that I had never known before. He used both fear and encouragement. He helped me to reach deep down inside of myself and find something I had never known before. I never knew I could hit as hard as I did that day. It paved the way for me to be a blocking back for my fellow running back who was far faster than I could ever be. I found my niche as a football player.

That’s all well and good for football, but what about your career or calling? My professional coaching friend made it clear that he wants to help good pastors become great pastors. He gave me some examples of how he walked pastors through issues, or programs, or simply a standstill in their ministry. He admitted that it was immensely satisfying to see his clients move forward both personally and professionally.

The key, he said, was asking questions that stretch his clients. He learned this skill by taking classes and becoming certified in his profession. In other words, he knows the right questions to ask. He doesn’t necessarily give advice. He knows how to enable his clients to move forward by coming to their own conclusions and accomplishing their own specific goals.

Have you ever considered hiring a coach? If you’re feeling stuck, or lacking motivation, or needing a nudge, it might be the right decision for you. A small investment now could make a world of difference in your life or career and take you from good to great. You will be stretched in ways that you never could be on your own. You could find your niche in your career and gain respect as a leader.

How has a coach had an impact on your life?

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Recapturing a Childlike Spirit to Fuel Creativity

Every adult would love to recapture a childlike spirit. I was reminded of this when I went out on a run the other day. As I rounded a corner about five little boys were running between houses, hopping on scooters, and riding bikes. Later on in my run I saw them playing football in an open field near our house. Immediately my mind raced back to Tacoma Street in Milwaukee and my friend Louie.

Children Playing

I remembered those crisp fall days when I was Bart Starr and Louie was Max Mcgee. I could feel the crisp fall air and the smell of the fallen leaves. Who needed a coat? We’d run so hard we’d be sweaty in mere moments. After school was out we’d run out our doors and meet down at the corner between our houses. The only care in the world was whether we would win our imaginary football game. We’d be out until the streetlights came on and then dutifully marched toward our glowing homes where we would settle down, watch some TV, and go to bed.

This trip down memory lane got me to thinking how I could recapture that childlike spirit as an adult. Now it seems like there are so many more cares, so much more pressure, so many adult worries. It can be tough to be an adult. Sometimes it would be nice to be like those kids down the street from our house, or like me and my friend Louie. It would be great to burst out the door, run down the street, and play a game of pick up football.

Maybe we can’t have that back completely. But what if we could recapture it temporarily, even for one day, or an evening? Think of the ways a childlike spirit could fuel an energetic creativity in our work and home life.

I brainstormed some ideas to do just that and here’s what I came up with:

  • Reserve a Saturday morning for a hike on a local trail
  • Invite a friend to ride bikes to a nearby ice cream shop
  • Invest in an adult coloring book
  • Get out some watercolor paints use them…better yet, find your local “wine and paint” event
  • Write a silly poem or make up a haiku
  • Spend some time on a college campus and just observe the students (in the 13 years I taught on a college campus I always marveled at the creative energy)
  • Get the neighborhood together for a game of touch football and pretend you’re Bart Starr

I guarantee that when you complete any of these activities you will recapture your childlike spirit and fuel your creative energy. Who doesn’t want to feel like a kid again, if just for a little while?

What would you do to recapture a childlike spirit?

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Accountability is the Free Gift That Moves You Forward

Accountability is a free gift that is certain to move you forward. I’ve always known that. But I’ve come to know it even more acutely ever since my wife, Tammy, has taken up running. The two of us spent significant time this January setting goals by following Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever. One of the goals we both set had to do with our health and fitness. Tammy decided that she would be more committed to her running schedule, and would use the 7-Minute Workout app on her phone to do some strength training.

New York Runner

I gave up running years ago when I found it much more efficient and pleasant to get exercise on my bike. But when things turned “colder” here in Florida for a significant period of time, I decided to give running another try. Not only that, but I also committed to doing the 7-Minute Workout to supplement my non-existent strength training.

In order to accomplish all this I needed some accountability. Accountability is a free yet valuable gift. I built two kinds of accountability into my health and fitness goal for 2016:

  1. I put together a checklist. My checklist helps me track at least four cardio workouts each week, and at least three 7-Minute Workout strength training workouts per week.
  2. I used my wife’s activity to motivate my own. I’m competitive by nature, and every time I see her step out the door I have to do it myself. I have to keep up. I have to make sure I’m doing what she’s doing.

So how’s it going? I have begun to regain my (very slow) running form. I’m finding that running/jogging is a great cool weather activity. I also feel like, in a shorter period of time, I’m getting better exercise than I get on my bike. But don’t think I’m going to give up my bike any time soon. My running regimen has given me better cardiovascular strength when I’m on my bike. Even more, the 7-Minute Workout has made me stronger in muscles I don’t use on my bike, and it’s helping strengthen my core. That’s a key for my (sometimes) bad back, and for better biking.

An accountability partner in any goal is a free gift that keeps on giving. When someone else holds you accountable it’s much more difficult to give up when the going gets tough. In fact, a friend came into my office today after she committed to a year’s worth of good health as she follows the direction of a personal trainer. She said, “I told my daughter that if I ever don’t want to go to the gym, force me out the door.”

When you’re setting your goals, make sure to build in some kind of accountability. You will be much more likely to achieve what it is you set out to do. An accountability partner will provide help, motivation, and inspiration. And you, in turn, may just be providing motivation to the one who’s doing the same for you.

What provides accountability for you as you strive toward your goals?

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How Humans of New York Is Teaching Freedom from Weakness, Fear, and Need

Humans of New York is the brainchild of Brandon Stanton, a photographer who moved to New York City and began taking pictures of people, interviewing them, and posting it all on social media. Humans of New York is a revealing slice of the human condition. In the daily posts you can see the good, the bad, the beautiful, and the ugly. It’s a way to understand people, sympathize with them, and even question them. As a pastor, I can tell you that Humans of New York is not only fodder for sermons, it also helps me in the important work of understanding our culture and the way people live and think.

Recently the focus has moved from the streets of New York to prisons and prisoners. As the prisoners are interviewed it becomes clear that people don’t often set out to be criminals. They are often imprisoned before they even get to jail. Many find themselves captive to weakness, fear, and various kinds of need. Just listen to their words:

Humans of New York Prisoner

“I tried to make some money the honest way as a kid. I tried shoveling snow. I tried a newspaper route. I stuck with it for awhile, but one day I was collecting money on my route and these older kids robbed me. There were three of them. They were 16 or 17. I fought hard. I told them: ‘I worked hard for this money.’ But they held me down and took it anyway. It was $27. And that made me feel so powerless. And I remembered that I knew someone with a knife. And I thought: ‘I’m going to steal that knife and deal with this firmly.’ I found those boys at an arcade. Nobody got killed. But I hurt them. I wouldn’t say that I felt proud after stabbing them, but I felt like they got what they deserved. I felt vindicated. Even today, I have trouble sympathizing with them. It’s funny how that works. When someone wrongs us, we want the maximum amount of punishment. But when we do wrong, we want the maximum amount of understanding and forgiveness.”

Humans of New York Prisoner 2

“I was working at a nightclub in Honduras, making $4 a night, and some guy tells me that I can make $6,000 in twelve days just by working on a boat. There weren’t any jobs in Honduras. We didn’t have government benefits like you have here. It’s really tough to say ‘no’ when there are no other options for money. So I agreed. They put me on a small fishing boat. We transported cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. My job was to maintain the vessel and help load the cargo. I’ve never done drugs in my life. On our fourth trip, we were stopped in international waters by the US coastguard. We had 986 kilograms of cocaine. That was ten years ago.”

Humans of New York Prisoner 3

“My mom was a single mom and there were nine of us. All of the kids worked in the fields. I started when I was twelve. We picked cucumbers, apples, corn, strawberries, all of it. None of us went to school. Nobody cared– if you move around a lot, the system loses track of you. Whenever the harvest was done, we’d go somewhere else. We always signed a contract. The farmers would give us a place to live and a little bit of money, and we worked in their fields. But there was never any money left when we finished. One day when I was eighteen, a friend of mine asked me to hide some marijuana in our trailer. He gave me a little money. I gave it to my mom. And that’s how it all began.”

There’s no question about it: these people features on Humans of New York have committed crimes and deserve the punishment that comes as a result. They show us where weakness, fear, and great need can lead. It’s a warning for all of us just how easy it can be to slip into the wrong places, become part of the wrong crowd, and fall to our own evil desires. But the other side of the story is that in some sense, they are victims of weakness, fear, and need.

The old saying is, “There but by the grace of God go I.” And it truly is God’s grace that keeps many of us from failing and falling, from making mistakes that could destroy us, from leading us down a path that puts us in either a literal or figurative prison.

More than that, these Humans of New York stories give me the desire to do things that will prevent these tragedies from happening in more lives. Here are some ideas I have:

  • Encourage kids to remain connected to church. Youth pastors are willing and able to pour their hearts and lives into young people.
  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter, and show that you care.
  • Donate (new!) items to those who really need them.
  • If you’re a business owner, give under-qualified people training that will help them qualify for well-paying jobs.
  • Show love to someone who really needs it.

I’m not saying any of these things would have prevented the above Humans of New Yor stories. But maybe, just maybe, they would prevent one person from living behind bars, making poor choices, or leading an unloved life.

What suggestions do you have?

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10 Reasons to Be Joyful Today

There’s always a reason to be joyful. Really. But sometimes we get so busy with life or overwhelmed with what’s right in front of us that we fail to take the time to smell the tulips (I know it’s supposed to be roses, but my wife doesn’t like roses and tulips are her favorite flower…so let’s go with tulips).

Tulips

So as you make your way through the day today, here are 10 good reasons for you to be joyful:

  1. That new song you discovered that you can’t take off of repeat. For me it’s “Wide Open Arms,” by Marc Scibilia. Go ahead. Give it a listen.
  2. Unsolicited encouragement from a friend. I recently emailed my friend, Tanner, and told him the first draft of my book was finished and I’m now in the editing process. He wrote me back with these words: “You’re really doing it, Pastor E! Love it! Praying for you.” Just those few words were enough to make me joyful for the next hour or so.
  3. A well-written turn of phrase. One of the most honest writers I know is Allison Fallon. Recently she wrote about an earth-shaking turn in her life and used this phrase: “It has leveled me in the best and worst ways.” It’s not necessarily a joyful phrase, but it’s so well-crafted that it makes me joyful.
  4. A handwritten note. Not too long ago I used social media to encourage others to send a handwritten note to someone with whom they hadn’t had contact in quite some time. Little did I know that as a result I would be receiving one myself. A friend of mine from college sent a note that started with these words: “Thanks for all that you share on Facebook. Your creativity stimulates mine…” What a joyful interjection into my day.
  5. An unexpected blessing. This month we received notification from our mortgage company that, due to lower escrow expectations, they would be lowering our monthly payment more than forty dollars. Forty dollars isn’t that much money, but it’s enough to bring some joy into my life.
  6. Learning something new. I want to share with you creative encouragement, so I signed up for a MailChimp account and have been teaching myself to use it. Each time I learn something new about it I have a real sense of joy.
  7. Seasonal M&M’s. Target knows just what to do. Whenever a holiday is coming up they are sure to put the seasonally decorated M&M’s right out within my reach. In fact, the M&M’s jump right into my cart. The other day I bought two bags of the pink, red, and white ones for Valentine’s Day. I guess I’ll be buying the green ones next for St. Patrick’s Day.
  8. Time together with friends. We have a wonderful front porch on our house. Every so often we call together some friends and have what we call an evening “porch gathering.” There aren’t many more joyful times in life than that.
  9. A good meal. For the past few months we’ve had three meals delivered to our door every Wednesday by Blue Apron. We get all the ingredients and recipes to create delicious meals for the price of a regular grocery store run. The meals are colorful, flavorful, and healthy. Cooking a good meal that looks and tastes great makes me pretty joyful.
  10. The love of family. At the end of the day, literally, as I fall asleep, I pray a prayer of thanks for a family that loves me. There is no better way to joyfully go to sleep.

What makes you joyful?

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The Simple Key to Starting Something Brand New

There is a simple key to starting something brand new. Just ask an entrepreneur. Better yet, ask someone who’s in the business of planting a church. I learned just that as I had the opportunity to interview four pastors who are in various stages of planting brand new churches. You won’t find more dedicated, hard working individuals than pastors who give their heart and soul to making something that had never existed before. They have a love for God and a heart for people.

Key 2

I’m working on a project with a fellow pastor who wanted to put together some case studies of local church plants. One by one I interviewed these pastors and learned that they all held in their hand the key to starting something new. It was an eye-opening experience to see the seedlings of young churches that meet together in old warehouses, storefronts, and remodeled rooms. But each of them knew for certain the way to starting something new…in their case, a new church.

I asked each of the pastors, “What was the one key to planting this church that was unique to this community?” Here are their responses:

  • “Intentionally reaching the young family, because there was a hole in the ministry demographic here in our town.”
  • “Our mission statement is: ‘giving people a place to belong.’ We are a bedroom community, so we really wanted to make our worship space feel like home. We spent time intentionally choosing the decor so it has the feel of a home.”
  • “There is an opportunity here in this part of town because the people here are more available. The chief value here in our church is ‘authenticity.’ Everything else needs to move out of the way. You won’t impress these people with show or production. They make movies for Disney. They’ve worked at all the churches. They’ve seen behind the curtain. We created something for them that felt honest and intimate.”
  • “Our demographic is all about relationships. We don’t even put a sign up because people find us through other people. We’ve given up the pressure to grow big and want our church to be a place of refuge and healing. We’re always reminded of Andrew bringing Peter to Jesus. This is a place where people bring folks to a place where they get to meet Jesus.”

So, what’s the key? The key is to find a hole, an opening, a need, or a niche, and fill that hole, opening, need, or niche by delivering the universal message of the Gospel of Jesus’ love and forgiveness in the way that speaks to the particular people you are attempting to reach. In every case, these pastors have started something new by using this simple key.

In every case, these pastors have brought about something viable (with the help of the Holy Spirit) by reaching people who had previously been unreached. For one it was young families. For another it was those seeking a sense of home. For yet another it was people who needed authenticity in their lives outside of work. For the final pastor it was people who desperately needed genuine relationship in their lives.

There is most certainly a strong theology behind what each of these pastors are doing. They are preaching and teaching. But to do that effectively, they had to determine who it was to whom they would preach and teach.

Want to start something new? Determine a hole, an opening, a need, or a niche and fill it with something you know, with your passion, with your particular skill or talent. That’s the key.

What have you learned by starting something new?

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How a Trivia Team Taught Me Something Not So Trivial

I’ve been learning lately that trivia isn’t so trivial. Let me explain. The congregation I serve has organized our inreach and outreach around groups of people that we call JCC (Joy/Community/Christ) Teams. Joy Teams are centered around having fun and fellowship with people both inside and outside our church. Community Teams are centered around serving the community or serving the church in one way or another. Christ Teams are all the various Bible studies that we have on a weekly basis.

Trivia Time

The Joy Team that I have been leading is called “Trivia Time with pastor T.” We’ve been meeting every Wednesday at a local Irish Pub where sometimes as many as twenty teams gather to play the game. Teams are not limited in any way, even by size. It’s a good thing, because we’ve had as many as thirteen people on our team, which has been to our advantage. Some are members of our church. Others are not. The staff at the restaurant are getting to know us as members of Ascension Lutheran Church.

The last time we played our team bested seventeen other teams and took away the trophy with a perfect score (see picture above). The really cool thing about the way our team worked together was that we had such a diversity of age, we had both men and women, and we had people who obviously have various and sundry interests. The final question of the game had us put in chronological order these four things:

  • The movie Saving Private Ryan
  • Britney Spears’ hit single, Baby One More Time
  • Super Bowl XXIX
  • Justin Bieber’s birth

Our team scrambled to work together. Some remembered these events from their ‘tween years. Others of us remembered things from the memory of our more advanced years. The whole group gathered around me and argued the position of each event. I was able to hear in each person’s voice the certainty of their tone. Within the allotted three minutes we finally put the four things together in this order:

  • Justin Bieber’s birth
  • Super Bowl XXIX
  • The movie Saving Private Ryan
  • Britney Spears’ hit single, Baby One More Time

It was correct! That’s what we needed to complete a perfect game and take the prize.

More importantly, here’s what I’ve learned about playing team trivia that’s not so trivial:

  1. The camaraderie of the team has come from working toward a common goal. Everyone wants to win. The more competitive amongst us need to win (….don’t look at ME!). So everyone works together to reach that goal.
  2. Striving toward a common goal brings people together. Some of the people on the team had never met each other ever before. Now they are beginning to consider themselves friends. They look forward to being together each week.
  3. Diversity is our strength. It’s a blast to see people of various ages and backgrounds come together  and really enjoy each other’s company. The diversity has also helped us succeed.
  4. Outsiders are welcome. An informal and fun environment has allowed members of our church invite others to the game who are not members of our church. Every person has felt welcomed and has desired to come join us again.
  5. A non-threatening atmosphere outside of church has made people more apt to join us for worship. Some non-church members of the trivia team have not yet joined us for church, but have indicated some willingness to do so in the future. In their own time.

A game of trivia isn’t always so trivial. It can most certainly have lasting implications…maybe even eternal implications.

Where have you seen something fun have a not-so-trivial impact?