After services this past Sunday morning, I joined a hoard of other men from the congregation at left side of the "This Do in Remembrance of Me" table. We were signing up to join the Lake Orion Church of Christ softball teams. (For those of you, like myself, who are of the more inclusive mind set, the women were signing up for a team at the right side of the TDIROM table.)
Now, for those of you who are not familiar with Lake O culture, this is no small enterprise. The folks at Lake O take there softball seriously. In fact, one of the most important 'unofficial' interview questions that I was asked during our whirlwind, twenty-four hour interview was, "So, do you play softball?" Gold trophies with little plastic men in model batting stance adorn the top of a book shelf in the fellowship hall, a simple reminder of the glory of years past and a little voice of expectation that constantly whispers in the ears of all those hoping to relive the glory days of the boys of summer. (Hey, they tend to win more games than the Tigers!)
For those of you from the Tulsa world, this is nothing like my days of high school ball under the tutelage of Terry Rush. I don't see these guys conferring at practice about the team cologne for the next game. This is serious business. I proudly signed myself up for the team, knowing that I played solid B team and even some A team softball during my intramural days at Harding. (Our social club was home to most of HU baseball team. For some reason they had precedent on the A team!) Surely I could bring a little something to one of the two Lake Orion teams....
Since Sunday I have been spending some serious time thinking. I only have a limited amount of time and money to spend on extracurricular activities like sports. Now, I am in Michigan, so I am already trying to gear up for a golf fund. That is a non-negotiable. So, I need to limit myself to one team sport for the summer. Here, then, is my quandary.
When I stepped off of the plane for our first interview in Michigan, I was dumbfounded by the number of soccer fields in the area. They are like party stores (upper midwestern for 'convenient stores') up here. Now, this is not just about a love for the world's sport, although that definitely plays a part, but a desire to live a more missional life. So, my question, then, is do I keep my name on the sacred softball sign-up sheet at Lake O or try to find an adult soccer league in the area? The former would be a chance for fellowship and the development of a different type of relationship with people from my new church family; the latter a chance to reach out and develop relationships with those outside of the community of faith.
Two great options. Two great sports (although I am very partial to one!). What are your thoughts on my options? Does this conversation challenge you to rethink your own involvement in the life of your church family and your greater community? How can we develop transformative relationships with our 'neighbors'?
2 comments:
I say soccer wins. To me it has nothing to do with the sport but the atmosphere. If you play softball, you are around people who are already "reached". On the soccer field, most likely, there will be some who are not.
The "competitive" nature of the softball also makes me wonder if that is the best place for you.
Of course, I think you should pray about it and go where the Spirit leads you.
It seems to me that you may be given an opportunity to address the very "mark of the minister" you were just lamenting. On a team with men from your congregation may give you a few hours to be Eric, member of our family, rather than Eric, our hired help theologian. There, you can build relationships away from "church events" and demonstrate skills, personal and athletic and relational, that they can't readily see at church. Perhaps investing in your church family now, early in your relationship with them, will equip you all to reach the "unreached" in even more powerful ways in the long run, rather than adding yet another project to your professional ministry and adjunct teaching, too. The soccer players you will always have with you, but you'll only have the chance to address your new relationships at church for a short season before minds are made up.
For what it's worth,
JRB
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