Success

“I do not fear the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks, I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times” (Bruce Lee). 

From fanboying the fight scenes in action movies, to spending a lifetime absorbing sporting events, I’ve seen a lot of dominate competitors. When it comes to success, it’s often depth, not breadth, that separates the greats. One of the most valuable lessons that I have learned from having a successful football coach as a dad is the importance of perfecting one skill. Anyone can achieve success by even perfecting one specific aspect of a certain skill. Would you believe me if I told you that two state championships and a 15 year playoff streak was accomplished with only 5 different plays? The game plan isn’t complex, but it’s flawless. 

I wonder, what lessons we can glean from this as a church? Especially when we mistakenly try and compare ourselves to bigger congregations in the surrounding area, we slip into the mentality that we have to do everything. The truth is, we don’t have to be everything to everyone. When we adopt this mentality, we spread ourselves thin and become mediocre across the board, rather than excel at anything. When we take on too much, we become burnt-out. In my experience, burnout stems not from being overworked, but from wondering aimlessly without a clear direction. 

To be crystal clear, I’m not defining “success” as increased worship attendance. The church is about living into our fullest potential as Christ-followers. Our goal is about being authentically and genuinely us. Ministry is about unleashing our passions, living generously, and working together to reveal Christ to the world. If we don’t know who we are ourselves, the broader community has no chance of knowing. Our drive and determination to accomplish our mission is what people want to be a part of. When we glorify God by loving and serving others, we become a community that seeks to make the world a better place. The drive to be difference-makers is inherit in all of us as disciples of Jesus.  

Now that the pandemic is wrapping up, though we still need a few more months of diligence, it’s time to get in the game. Congregational life is not something to spectate, it’s not something that happens to us, but rather something that we participate in. It’s a life-giving treasure to participate in what God is doing all around us. The church is a one-of-a-kind community. We come together with different backgrounds and opinions, with no obligation or judgement. With Christ in common, our identity is not mandated or predetermined. We can be whomever God is calling us to be. Once we harness who we are, lets go get it, lets be it, and lets live it! 

Mastering the Crane Kick, 

Pr. Lucas McSurley  

Photo by Jason Briscoe