1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,760 I was just telling someone the other day that we probably like playing baseball more than we like watching but I still like 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,480 Watching baseball when I was a kid 3 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:14,680 I played baseball for one year and then I played soccer for two years and then went back to baseball I think for 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:20,960 Four years, but I'm 44. So my memory isn't that great anymore, but I do remember 5 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:27,380 That this summer it'd be hard to forget I coached my son's 12 and under 6 00:00:27,380 --> 00:00:32,340 Little League team and I also got to coach at the end of the year the all-star 7 00:00:32,860 --> 00:00:38,060 Team not because I was some great coach but because the other coach said well you have at least a little more experience than 8 00:00:38,060 --> 00:00:39,620 I do so why don't you do it? 9 00:00:39,620 --> 00:00:46,900 And so that was how I became the all-star coach and one of the reasons that I said yes to coaching 10 00:00:47,380 --> 00:00:49,140 this team 11 00:00:49,140 --> 00:00:54,300 In the first week other than just all the texts and emails saying hey, we still don't have a coach yet 12 00:00:54,300 --> 00:00:57,820 Oh was because I knew that I was gonna be on 13 00:00:58,780 --> 00:01:03,180 sabbatical so I just want to say thank you to to this church to you guys because you're part of the reason that I 14 00:01:03,180 --> 00:01:10,180 Was able to coach and the reason that I was able to put so much into it because I am not exaggerating when I say 15 00:01:10,420 --> 00:01:13,060 That I spent way more time 16 00:01:13,660 --> 00:01:19,420 Thinking about rosters and batting orders on base percentages and batting averages than I ever 17 00:01:20,180 --> 00:01:22,180 thought that I 18 00:01:22,180 --> 00:01:26,620 Would I used to wonder how is it that someone can be a coach as their full-time job? 19 00:01:27,140 --> 00:01:30,900 And now I know because this was just a little league team 20 00:01:31,540 --> 00:01:35,980 And I spent hours planning for every single game 21 00:01:35,980 --> 00:01:42,240 You have to keep track of ten kids and at this age you have to keep track of how many pitches they pitched 22 00:01:42,900 --> 00:01:46,260 Because there's health protocols like oh if they pitch this many pitches 23 00:01:46,260 --> 00:01:49,300 They can't pitch the next day or for this many days you have to keep track 24 00:01:49,300 --> 00:01:53,340 Well, you have to keep track of how many times they were up to bat you have to keep track of how many innings they 25 00:01:53,340 --> 00:01:56,180 Played and then you have to keep track of their stats if you actually 26 00:01:56,700 --> 00:02:03,700 Want to start shaping that lineup in a way that helps the team get to a place where they might win games and you know 27 00:02:03,700 --> 00:02:05,700 Puts their their best abilities 28 00:02:06,220 --> 00:02:08,660 Forward and then you have to keep 20 parents in the loop 29 00:02:10,660 --> 00:02:14,180 And you have to manage their expectations and 30 00:02:14,180 --> 00:02:19,900 Communicate with your assistant coaches and the coaches of the other teams and the other cities where you're gonna play 31 00:02:19,900 --> 00:02:26,680 It's it was a lot so along the way what I did was not necessarily on purpose, but I found myself going okay 32 00:02:27,060 --> 00:02:29,060 These are my rules for coaching 33 00:02:29,580 --> 00:02:36,540 These are the basic ideas these are the things that that that I have to do these things these are things that I care about I 34 00:02:38,260 --> 00:02:40,260 Needed some reminders 35 00:02:40,500 --> 00:02:42,500 Of what it was that I was doing 36 00:02:42,500 --> 00:02:44,500 Why I was doing it and 37 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,760 What I hope the kids would experience 38 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:54,560 So today I actually want to share my five rules for coaching baseball 39 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,320 So let's open our Bibles 40 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:03,100 All right, we're open our Bibles to the book of Matthew 41 00:03:04,120 --> 00:03:10,480 Matthew is the first book in what's called the New Testament goes Matthew mark Luke John and so it's called what's one of the Gospels 42 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,640 So if you see Matthew mark Luke John acts Romans any of those you know 43 00:03:14,980 --> 00:03:19,920 You're in the right neighborhood if you don't have a physical Bible and you would like one we have they're blue 44 00:03:19,920 --> 00:03:23,560 They're out on the bookshelf next to the front door feel free to take one of those with you 45 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:30,600 You know otherwise just download a digital Bible from one of the app stores, okay, so Matthew 46 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:36,480 19th and we're gonna be 13 and 14 and if you would stand with me as you are willing or able as 47 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,000 We read the scriptures says 48 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,940 This Matthew 19 13 14 49 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:52,040 Then people brought little children of Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them, but the disciples 50 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,760 Rebuked them Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them 51 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:03,060 For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these 52 00:04:03,060 --> 00:04:08,140 When he had placed his hands on them then he went on from there. Let's pray 53 00:04:08,660 --> 00:04:10,660 Father God, we thank you for the scriptures 54 00:04:11,380 --> 00:04:13,380 We thank you for your son Jesus 55 00:04:13,860 --> 00:04:15,860 What he taught what he did? 56 00:04:15,860 --> 00:04:17,860 Thank you that we can read about it and learn from it today 57 00:04:17,860 --> 00:04:19,860 Whatever you have for us to learn and pray that it would stick 58 00:04:20,340 --> 00:04:25,940 That would become a part of the framework of our faith that our faith would become stronger that we would be more like your son Jesus 59 00:04:26,740 --> 00:04:28,740 Amen. Thanks. Y'all. You can have a seat 60 00:04:28,740 --> 00:04:31,940 All right, so this isn't one of my baseball rules, but it should just kind of go without 61 00:04:32,420 --> 00:04:34,900 Saying that kids are really important to Jesus 62 00:04:34,900 --> 00:04:35,780 Okay 63 00:04:35,780 --> 00:04:41,860 I'm just gonna give like a little disclaimer right up here at the front that I have Kleenex down here because I cried so many 64 00:04:41,860 --> 00:04:47,300 Times when I was writing this sermon and so just just be prepared men are allowed to cry and many of you 65 00:04:47,540 --> 00:04:51,860 That know me have seen it many times, but I feel like this is one of those important ones 66 00:04:52,580 --> 00:04:56,020 There are things that that we need to understand in the first place 67 00:04:56,020 --> 00:05:00,740 That first baseline is just that kids are really important to Jesus 68 00:05:02,420 --> 00:05:02,980 I 69 00:05:02,980 --> 00:05:04,020 coached 70 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:07,780 baseball for the kids not just 71 00:05:08,340 --> 00:05:09,780 my kid 72 00:05:09,780 --> 00:05:11,780 Does that make sense? 73 00:05:13,300 --> 00:05:17,460 And I don't think that any coach should coach a team if it's only for 74 00:05:18,180 --> 00:05:19,380 their 75 00:05:19,380 --> 00:05:23,300 Kid I had to care about all the kids or I wasn't going to be 76 00:05:23,300 --> 00:05:25,300 a good coach period 77 00:05:26,100 --> 00:05:32,820 And here at church, that's the primary reason that we've always had treehouse for our kids during the school year 78 00:05:34,340 --> 00:05:36,340 Because kids matter to Jesus 79 00:05:37,060 --> 00:05:41,460 Kids matter to Jesus. He really really likes them 80 00:05:43,140 --> 00:05:46,740 One of the best things that a kid can get at a church is an age-appropriate 81 00:05:47,300 --> 00:05:51,780 Bible lesson with other kids their age and so we need to be able to teach them 82 00:05:51,780 --> 00:05:54,180 Kids their age and so we've just always 83 00:05:54,980 --> 00:06:01,460 Offered that during the school year to our kids. So i'm happy to announce that as always treehouse will be back in mid september 84 00:06:01,540 --> 00:06:03,540 A round of applause. Yes 85 00:06:04,260 --> 00:06:06,820 And i'm thinking maybe for the first time in a number of years 86 00:06:07,540 --> 00:06:12,340 It's gonna it's gonna have just a different field because we've gotten past a lot of challenges 87 00:06:12,900 --> 00:06:20,020 In our society, but we are going to be making a change that we hope will translate into even more kids getting to experience treehouse 88 00:06:20,020 --> 00:06:23,300 The first five and a half years of this church 89 00:06:23,940 --> 00:06:27,940 Some of you were have been here as far back as that treehouse happened 90 00:06:28,260 --> 00:06:32,340 At the same time as this service because we used to meet at rock island high school. Okay 91 00:06:33,700 --> 00:06:36,340 Some of we some of us are having flashbacks. It's fine 92 00:06:37,620 --> 00:06:38,820 We used to meet in rock island high school 93 00:06:38,820 --> 00:06:45,700 So the kids were in the library while the adults were in the little theater and then when we moved here in january of 94 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:51,000 2019 we kept it that way for a little little time, but we had all this space 95 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:57,400 We didn't have the same time restraints that we had when we're loading and unloading everything into a school 96 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:58,440 And so we split it up 97 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,920 We put treehouse at 9 30 and decided to have all the kids in here for the whole service 98 00:07:03,400 --> 00:07:06,440 At 10 30 and i've actually really enjoyed that 99 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,840 I regularly tell parents when they think their kids being loud not nearly as loud as you think they are 100 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:13,000 It's all just part of it. It's it's all 101 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:14,760 good 102 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:19,160 We thought when we made that change when we split it to 9 30 and 10 30 103 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:24,360 The truth is we thought we would see an attendance drop in treehouse just because we're asking people to come 104 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,880 Earlier in that and that's difficult sometimes and we did 105 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:29,560 um 106 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,240 But we were hoping that the extra time would actually be a benefit 107 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:34,680 to 108 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:39,880 The kids but we also figured that people would eventually just get used to it and then kind of the numbers would go back 109 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,440 To where they were all would and then the world's completely changed 110 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:52,520 We were only five months into the change when when the world just went absolutely 111 00:07:53,480 --> 00:07:55,240 crazy and so then 112 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,320 Starting in 2020. We just didn't have consistent treehouse for the longest 113 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:05,000 Time for something like a year and a half and when we did bring it back on sunday mornings instead of 18 ish kids 114 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,440 When we were at rocky and 12 ish kids when we had changed the time now 115 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:10,440 It was just a few kids 116 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,240 And we always say 117 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,360 You can go check the tape. We always say anytime we make a big change that if it doesn't work 118 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:20,840 We'll try something else 119 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:27,800 So we've found that statistically and practically and literally that having treehouse at 9 30 instead of during this service at 10 30 120 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:32,940 Is translated into just fewer kids getting to go to treehouse 121 00:08:32,940 --> 00:08:39,820 Which means that fewer kids are getting that age-appropriate bible lesson about jesus with other kids their age at the same time and so 122 00:08:40,380 --> 00:08:41,980 We're going to change it back 123 00:08:41,980 --> 00:08:44,780 We're going to change it back with one primary difference 124 00:08:45,740 --> 00:08:51,980 If you're a parent or a guardian bringing your kids, they will start in here with us at 10 30 just like they do 125 00:08:52,620 --> 00:08:54,620 Right now they will worship with us 126 00:08:54,620 --> 00:09:01,340 They will say our weekly prayers with us and then during the two minutes for one question is they're telling each other what their answer is 127 00:09:01,340 --> 00:09:08,620 They'll end up going into treehouse. So while we are having our age-appropriate sermon, they can have their age-appropriate lesson as well 128 00:09:09,660 --> 00:09:11,500 and I know 129 00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:13,500 That that's a big change 130 00:09:13,900 --> 00:09:18,780 But the honest to god truth is that we're doing it just to give more kids a chance to have that age 131 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:24,140 Appropriate lesson we want kids to be able to climb into god's great 132 00:09:24,620 --> 00:09:31,020 Story, we want to give them the best options that we can it's not required. Of course keep your kids in here 133 00:09:31,020 --> 00:09:33,100 I love your kids in here. It's completely fine 134 00:09:33,580 --> 00:09:34,700 It's not required at all 135 00:09:34,700 --> 00:09:39,660 But we do also recognize that that means that some teachers will miss the sermon a couple times a month 136 00:09:40,060 --> 00:09:45,740 But you will have gotten to worship with everyone and if we have a big team wink wink 137 00:09:46,860 --> 00:09:50,780 If we have a big team, no one will have to serve all that often 138 00:09:51,180 --> 00:09:57,420 And so you will not have to miss my amazing sermons and chris's amazing sermons and jen's amazing sermons 139 00:09:57,420 --> 00:10:00,540 We know how great they are. No one wants to miss any of them 140 00:10:01,980 --> 00:10:03,980 I'm going to make this commitment 141 00:10:04,140 --> 00:10:08,860 If treehouse needs another team member, I'll be on that team. I'll be on your team robin 142 00:10:09,500 --> 00:10:14,300 Because there's almost always a sunday every month one sunday where i'm not the one preaching 143 00:10:15,020 --> 00:10:19,100 So i'll lead songs and i'll put my guitar down and i'll answer two minutes for one question 144 00:10:19,100 --> 00:10:21,100 Then i'll go and i'll serve the kids 145 00:10:21,580 --> 00:10:23,340 Because that matters 146 00:10:23,340 --> 00:10:30,620 Because they're important and them getting this is just one more way that we're trying to help them grow up into who god 147 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:35,980 Wants them to be so let's just give them the best chance of that that we possibly can because 148 00:10:36,620 --> 00:10:38,860 kids matter to jesus 149 00:10:39,420 --> 00:10:41,500 Now we also plan on having nursery 150 00:10:41,500 --> 00:10:46,300 So we're going to be building that team up and coffee hour in the shed is going to happen at 10 to 10 30 151 00:10:46,540 --> 00:10:51,900 So hours more like in quotes now, it's just only 30 minutes, but it's it'll be great. It's going to be great 152 00:10:51,900 --> 00:10:53,900 okay, so 153 00:10:54,700 --> 00:10:55,900 Now 154 00:10:55,900 --> 00:10:57,420 That is all 155 00:10:57,420 --> 00:11:00,700 Intentional part of my sermon. It was all written down. It wasn't an aside 156 00:11:00,940 --> 00:11:05,500 It is intentionally in here, but you're all probably going that has nothing to do with baseball greg 157 00:11:05,580 --> 00:11:10,140 I thought you were going to tell us your five rules of baseball and you all seem very eager to find out what those were 158 00:11:10,940 --> 00:11:15,580 So repeat after me when I say rule one and then i'll say what the rule is you just say the rule. Okay 159 00:11:16,220 --> 00:11:18,220 Okay rule one have fun 160 00:11:18,220 --> 00:11:21,580 Have fun rule two my bad move on 161 00:11:23,500 --> 00:11:25,660 Number three every position is important 162 00:11:27,980 --> 00:11:29,980 Rule number four baseball is magic 163 00:11:31,820 --> 00:11:34,220 And rule number five keep playing 164 00:11:35,820 --> 00:11:42,700 All right, so i'm gonna go back through those and explain these okay, so first have fun baseball is not worth playing if it's not fun 165 00:11:42,700 --> 00:11:51,340 Period i'm talking about at any age level i'm talking about little kids playing little league i'm talking about people with multi-million dollar contracts as adults 166 00:11:51,340 --> 00:11:55,820 It is not worth playing if it is not fun. It is a sport 167 00:11:56,620 --> 00:12:03,980 It is a sport it is meant to be fun and let me be clear if kids are not having fun 168 00:12:04,380 --> 00:12:06,380 It's not their fault 169 00:12:06,380 --> 00:12:11,100 Can I get an amen a couple of mm-hmms from the back 170 00:12:11,740 --> 00:12:16,140 The adults have to make it a priority to let kids have fun 171 00:12:19,100 --> 00:12:22,140 And I say let on purpose 172 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:25,500 Because left to their own devices 173 00:12:25,740 --> 00:12:28,620 Most kids are just gonna have fun playing baseball 174 00:12:29,180 --> 00:12:33,420 Left to their own devices most kids are just gonna have fun doing whatever it is that they're doing 175 00:12:33,420 --> 00:12:38,860 Years ago I knew a kid that was on a travel ball team and they quit after one season because of the adults 176 00:12:40,220 --> 00:12:45,820 Parents would be in the stands yelling at the kids like they were professionals throw the ball 177 00:12:46,140 --> 00:12:50,300 Throw the ball run faster. You have to swing harder 178 00:12:52,060 --> 00:12:53,260 I don't know why 179 00:12:53,740 --> 00:12:55,980 Maybe they were trying to live vicariously through their kids 180 00:12:55,980 --> 00:12:59,980 Maybe they were trying to relive the glory days or maybe they were just trying to get back to the ball 181 00:12:59,980 --> 00:13:06,220 Maybe they were trying to relive the glory days or maybe they were just trying to push their kid to be better than they ever would 182 00:13:07,020 --> 00:13:09,980 But at that age it is not fun 183 00:13:11,580 --> 00:13:17,980 When adults don't let them have fun and if it's not fun it is not worth it 184 00:13:18,940 --> 00:13:26,540 When adults are involved in anything that is meant for kids the adults have to be the ones that are intentional about keeping it fun 185 00:13:26,540 --> 00:13:31,260 I coached the all-star team in our third and final game 186 00:13:32,220 --> 00:13:37,260 Instead of having them do a bunch of drills what I did was I just let them play wiffle ball before the game 187 00:13:37,900 --> 00:13:41,580 I could have had them do a bunch of skill drills. I could have had them kneeling on one knee 188 00:13:41,580 --> 00:13:44,300 I could have had them doing extra ground balls or pop flies 189 00:13:44,300 --> 00:13:48,300 Would those drills have made the difference between winning and losing that particular game? 190 00:13:48,780 --> 00:13:49,820 No 191 00:13:49,820 --> 00:13:51,820 They needed to have fun 192 00:13:51,820 --> 00:13:57,420 They needed to have fun in a moment that felt important 193 00:13:58,380 --> 00:14:00,380 Wow, this is so important 194 00:14:00,540 --> 00:14:06,380 They needed to be reminded that the number one reason that they were there was to have fun 195 00:14:07,180 --> 00:14:09,740 So rule one have fun rule two my bad move on 196 00:14:11,020 --> 00:14:13,980 And baseball you have to get really good at moving past your last mistake 197 00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:18,620 Because what was rule number one 198 00:14:18,620 --> 00:14:22,380 Have fun and baseball isn't fun if you're being too hard on yourself 199 00:14:23,260 --> 00:14:24,620 It just isn't 200 00:14:24,620 --> 00:14:27,420 Maybe you're playing third base and the ball gets hit at you like a rope 201 00:14:27,980 --> 00:14:32,940 And you make a bad play you bobble the ball you throw you make a bad throw to first base that kid now 202 00:14:32,940 --> 00:14:37,980 He's on second base. They got someone in scoring position. You can't dwell on the last play 203 00:14:39,020 --> 00:14:45,340 You have to be willing to say my bad move on because in 10 seconds the next kid is going to be up to bat 204 00:14:45,340 --> 00:14:47,980 And the ball might come to you again 205 00:14:48,700 --> 00:14:51,980 And if you are still sulking about what happened on the last play 206 00:14:52,300 --> 00:14:56,460 Then the chances of you making a good play this this time are diminished 207 00:14:58,780 --> 00:15:05,660 You have to get really good at saying my bad move on third every position is important 208 00:15:05,660 --> 00:15:08,540 Here's the truth. Not every kid wants to play shortstop 209 00:15:10,140 --> 00:15:12,140 Some of you don't know what shortstop is 210 00:15:12,140 --> 00:15:15,180 It's an important spot. It's fine. It's an important spot 211 00:15:15,180 --> 00:15:18,860 Not every kid wants to play that spot, but here's the truth whether they admit it or not 212 00:15:18,860 --> 00:15:21,340 Every parent wants their kid to play shortstop 213 00:15:23,180 --> 00:15:28,620 Because shortstop has this perception like it's the most important spot on the field 214 00:15:29,100 --> 00:15:33,660 Even the parents that say they're fine with their kid playing anywhere. I'm good 215 00:15:33,660 --> 00:15:37,660 Whatever is best for the team deep down they want their kid to play shortstop 216 00:15:37,660 --> 00:15:41,180 Or at the very least they want the coach to put their kid in the infield 217 00:15:41,180 --> 00:15:48,140 But every position is important especially listen especially when you get to 12 you 12 and under 218 00:15:49,020 --> 00:15:58,060 Because 10 11 and 12 year olds are starting to hit the ball into the outfield way more than they were in the 8 9 and 10 year old league 219 00:15:58,060 --> 00:16:00,700 Some of these kids are hitting home runs y'all 220 00:16:01,500 --> 00:16:06,780 In our last all-star game at the end of the season one of the kids on that team hit a home run over the fence 221 00:16:06,780 --> 00:16:14,300 The team that ended up winning the local tournament in the last inning they hit three home runs over the fence 222 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:17,900 They're all 12 and under 223 00:16:19,900 --> 00:16:23,820 But here's the thing this past season we saw plenty of home runs 224 00:16:25,020 --> 00:16:30,300 Where the kid just hit the ball into the outfield and it got past a player 225 00:16:30,300 --> 00:16:36,220 And the kid was fast enough to run all the way around the bases every position 226 00:16:36,700 --> 00:16:43,260 Is important if the kid in the outfield can't catch or at least cut off a line drive then the other team scores extra runs 227 00:16:44,220 --> 00:16:48,940 That's what I told my team all year long if you are on the outfield it is not because it's unimportant 228 00:16:49,820 --> 00:16:53,340 Is because I need you to cut off that ball it's because I need you to catch that ball 229 00:16:53,340 --> 00:16:56,860 I need you to be the one that keeps them from hitting the ball 230 00:16:56,860 --> 00:17:02,220 I need you to catch that ball. I need you to be the one that keeps them from scoring those extra 231 00:17:02,940 --> 00:17:06,460 Runs and not only every position is important, but every player is important 232 00:17:08,620 --> 00:17:12,860 This regular season that I coached this summer sponsored by cool beans by the way 233 00:17:13,740 --> 00:17:18,060 Yep, so thanks to annette and cool beans for sponsoring our baseball team 234 00:17:18,940 --> 00:17:20,940 But when we got to game 11 235 00:17:20,940 --> 00:17:26,460 All right when we got to game 11 we had lost the first 10 236 00:17:27,500 --> 00:17:30,380 We were o n 10 237 00:17:32,620 --> 00:17:36,060 I could get on my soapbox about why teams were a little uneven. It's fine 238 00:17:37,260 --> 00:17:41,980 But I want to tell you a story about a girl named zoe. It's not a real name, but uh, 239 00:17:42,780 --> 00:17:44,780 She was the only girl on our team 240 00:17:44,780 --> 00:17:49,980 And in our first practice it seemed pretty obvious to me that that zoe 241 00:17:50,940 --> 00:17:52,940 Definitely did not want to be there 242 00:17:55,020 --> 00:17:57,020 She wanted to keep her phone in her pocket 243 00:17:57,020 --> 00:18:03,340 She hung out in the dugout longer than anyone else sometimes when we asked everyone to run her jog. She would walk 244 00:18:04,620 --> 00:18:09,260 Don't think that she had ever thrown a ball. I don't think she had ever caught a baseball 245 00:18:09,260 --> 00:18:12,300 I definitely know that she had never swung a bat 246 00:18:12,300 --> 00:18:15,340 But her mom wanted her to play a sport 247 00:18:16,380 --> 00:18:21,500 She had played volleyball the year before apparently she didn't like that very much either and so her mom was like well 248 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:23,500 You're gonna play on this team with your brother 249 00:18:24,460 --> 00:18:26,460 After the first 10 games listen 250 00:18:27,100 --> 00:18:31,100 Every position is important. Every player is important after the first 10 games 251 00:18:32,300 --> 00:18:34,780 So we had a batting average of zero 252 00:18:36,940 --> 00:18:38,940 Zero zero zero 253 00:18:38,940 --> 00:18:45,980 Zero zero zero with 11 strikeouts and two walks 254 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:54,700 Oh and she got hit by pitch two times because she'd never played baseball before she didn't know how to get out of the way 255 00:18:57,020 --> 00:18:57,980 Now 256 00:18:57,980 --> 00:19:00,460 By the time that we got to our 11th game 257 00:19:01,020 --> 00:19:05,340 I was starting to feel like as a coach like I was finally getting some things right like 258 00:19:05,340 --> 00:19:10,620 The lineup was starting to make sense because I knew some of the stats these kids had that I just wasn't making it up 259 00:19:10,620 --> 00:19:15,900 I was looking at what they had done and I was shaping the order that they should bat in and we were getting 260 00:19:16,380 --> 00:19:20,300 Closer to winning game. So game 11 in the last inning 261 00:19:21,260 --> 00:19:23,260 We were tied 262 00:19:23,260 --> 00:19:24,860 with two outs 263 00:19:24,860 --> 00:19:27,740 And the winning run was standing on third base 264 00:19:29,180 --> 00:19:31,820 All we needed was a base hit to win this game 265 00:19:31,820 --> 00:19:35,260 You know who was up to bat? Zoe 266 00:19:38,780 --> 00:19:40,780 She watched a couple pitches 267 00:19:41,340 --> 00:19:44,220 She swung at a couple pitches and missed 268 00:19:45,180 --> 00:19:48,700 She ends up having what's called a full count three balls two strikes 269 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:54,220 You only get four balls or three so she was either going to get a walk or she was going to strike out 270 00:19:54,220 --> 00:19:59,900 Or maybe she was going to get hit we were one strike away from losing one 271 00:19:59,900 --> 00:20:05,020 Ball away from the next batter that was a little better of a batter to come back at the top of the order 272 00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:07,340 Or one hit away from a win 273 00:20:08,220 --> 00:20:12,780 With the person up to bat that had never gotten a hit. So now i'm praying 274 00:20:14,940 --> 00:20:16,060 You know 275 00:20:16,060 --> 00:20:19,900 They say no crying in baseball. There's definitely crying in baseball and i'll tell you right now 276 00:20:19,900 --> 00:20:24,940 There's a lot of praying in baseball a lot of coaches standing on first base going please lord jesus 277 00:20:25,020 --> 00:20:28,060 I will go to church this sunday if you let this kid get a hit 278 00:20:28,060 --> 00:20:30,060 Please lord jesus 279 00:20:32,300 --> 00:20:37,420 So i'm standing on first base because i'm the first base coach because I like to be there to encourage the kids when they get there 280 00:20:37,660 --> 00:20:39,660 And i'm like legit 281 00:20:40,220 --> 00:20:42,540 It's our 11th game. I like jesus, please 282 00:20:43,180 --> 00:20:45,340 I mean, i'm not sure this is how it works, but please 283 00:20:45,980 --> 00:20:50,780 Just please help her just help her help her get a let the you know 284 00:20:51,740 --> 00:20:55,740 Trip the pitcher make them throw a ball. I don't know just let this kid get 285 00:20:55,740 --> 00:21:00,140 On base now everything is in slow motion the pitcher winds up pitch pitching the ball 286 00:21:00,700 --> 00:21:02,700 I see zoe 287 00:21:02,940 --> 00:21:04,940 Starting to swing the bat 288 00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:08,460 And she makes contact 289 00:21:08,460 --> 00:21:13,660 And so i'm on first base i'm like go go go everything's in slow motion 290 00:21:13,660 --> 00:21:18,620 She starts to run the runner on third base starts running home trying to score and then the ball 291 00:21:21,340 --> 00:21:23,340 Gets past the other team 292 00:21:23,340 --> 00:21:25,340 Gets past the other team 293 00:21:27,260 --> 00:21:29,260 She makes it to first base safe 294 00:21:29,820 --> 00:21:31,500 the runner 295 00:21:31,500 --> 00:21:36,860 From third base makes it home everyone is cheering everyone in the dugout is jumping 296 00:21:37,260 --> 00:21:43,020 Up and down as excited as they've been all year long. I run over zoe's just standing on first base 297 00:21:43,020 --> 00:21:47,340 I don't think she has any idea what just happened, but I put my hand on her helmet 298 00:21:47,340 --> 00:21:53,420 I look right at her. I go you just won the game for us. I'm so proud of you 299 00:21:55,820 --> 00:22:01,180 And just like in this moment I was holding back tears as I told her how proud I was of her 300 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:06,860 In those last six games of the season 301 00:22:09,180 --> 00:22:11,180 We ended up winning three games in a row 302 00:22:11,180 --> 00:22:16,780 Losing two and then tying our last game against the best team in our division 303 00:22:20,300 --> 00:22:22,300 Because every position is important 304 00:22:24,140 --> 00:22:26,140 Because every player 305 00:22:26,140 --> 00:22:31,980 Is important in the first 10 games zoe's batting average was zero, but in those last six it was 500 306 00:22:33,340 --> 00:22:36,940 Which means that she got a hit half the times she was up to bat 307 00:22:38,460 --> 00:22:40,460 Her on base present present 308 00:22:40,460 --> 00:22:46,860 Percentage was 750 which means that she was on base three-fourths of the time in those last six games 309 00:22:50,780 --> 00:22:52,780 I just wanted her to have fun 310 00:22:54,220 --> 00:22:57,120 For whatever reason she didn't want to keep playing volleyball 311 00:23:00,300 --> 00:23:03,420 I just wanted her to learn how to move on from the strikeouts 312 00:23:03,420 --> 00:23:11,020 And to know that even if she never played baseball before and if she never got a hit that entire season that she was 313 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:14,440 important 314 00:23:15,740 --> 00:23:17,740 At our awards ceremony at the end of the year 315 00:23:18,620 --> 00:23:20,620 Everybody got the same exact trophy 316 00:23:21,660 --> 00:23:23,660 Said the exact same thing on it 317 00:23:24,060 --> 00:23:29,820 Same exact shape but I told the entire team that zoe was our mvp because she was the most improved 318 00:23:30,380 --> 00:23:32,380 And she never quit 319 00:23:32,380 --> 00:23:34,380 And she never quit 320 00:23:36,380 --> 00:23:38,060 So we have fun 321 00:23:38,060 --> 00:23:43,020 We say my bad and we move on every position and every player is important 322 00:23:44,620 --> 00:23:46,620 Because rule four baseball is magic 323 00:23:48,620 --> 00:23:51,340 That moment when zoe got the game-winning hit that was magic 324 00:23:52,140 --> 00:23:54,460 It felt like magic it actually 325 00:23:54,460 --> 00:24:01,980 It's better than magic. It's better than illusion you see on stage because it's real 326 00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:04,780 So now I have a confession to make all right 327 00:24:06,380 --> 00:24:11,340 This is something that you're not really supposed to say about baseball because baseball is magic 328 00:24:12,860 --> 00:24:18,940 Because baseball is real but because baseball is real baseball can be kind of boring sometimes 329 00:24:18,940 --> 00:24:25,740 I can't i'm sorry. I I love I love baseball but 330 00:24:27,740 --> 00:24:30,860 A lot of baseball is just watching something not happen 331 00:24:31,900 --> 00:24:33,580 Does that make sense? 332 00:24:33,580 --> 00:24:34,700 I mean 333 00:24:34,700 --> 00:24:39,420 Something is happening someone is pitching and someone is catching and someone is up to bat 334 00:24:39,660 --> 00:24:43,980 But if no one's getting hits if no one's scoring runs if no one is getting on base 335 00:24:44,460 --> 00:24:46,460 Then i'm sorry. It can be 336 00:24:46,460 --> 00:24:48,460 It can be boring 337 00:24:51,820 --> 00:24:53,820 Until it's not 338 00:24:57,500 --> 00:25:00,700 Baseball has this way of surprising you with moments 339 00:25:02,700 --> 00:25:05,680 Has this way of having magical moments sneak up on you 340 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:11,040 Has these moments that are both exciting and sometimes scary 341 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,420 Moments that are triumphant and heartbreaking 342 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:22,080 And it's the boring it is the mundane that actually leads to the magic 343 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:26,880 I want to show you what i'm talking about 344 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,480 I got a little video. I want to show you this 345 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:35,920 Just happened this video we're going to show this just happened this week at the little league world series 346 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,520 And don't don't worry. Everyone's okay. All right 347 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,080 But watch watch this video 348 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:48,340 Oh my god, that's awesome 349 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:56,840 Oh look out oh my god, that's awesome 350 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:02,380 Wow, that is a tough kid right there 351 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:28,840 So 352 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,640 This is really cool because as a pitcher bubs looks shaking up right now 353 00:26:38,120 --> 00:26:42,220 Because of what he did and look at zay jarvis. This is such great sportsmanship 354 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,480 He wants him to know that it's okay that he'll be fine 355 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:54,440 Um 356 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:02,760 What a stud right there zay jarvis 357 00:27:08,120 --> 00:27:10,120 Tears anyone 358 00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:14,120 I'm gonna tell you something about baseball. It's a game of 359 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:17,560 If baseball was just a competition 360 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:25,960 It was just a battle if it was just a game with winners and losers than this moment of deep humanity this magical moment 361 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,640 Where one kid comforts his opponent 362 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,760 Would never happen 363 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:40,200 And they would never know how to do the right thing not just with a baseball but with each other 364 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:46,360 That kid that got hit he knew that baseball was supposed to be fun 365 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:53,560 He knew that this pitcher needed to just say my bad and move on he knew that this kid was important 366 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:58,040 And I think that he knew that in that moment that there was potential 367 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:00,600 for magic 368 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:09,600 Sometimes you have to look for the moment that's meant to be magic. 369 00:28:09,600 --> 00:28:16,600 You have to be willing to leave the base you're standing on. 370 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,600 To hand it to someone else. 371 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:24,600 So have fun. My bad, move on. Every position is important. 372 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,600 Baseball is magic. Rule five, keep playing. 373 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,600 This is honestly probably less of a rule and just more of a hope that I have. 374 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:39,600 My hope as a coach is that these kids will want to keep playing, hopefully baseball, maybe another sport. 375 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:45,600 That's fine. But if they, and if they don't, at the very least, it is my hope that because of how I coached them, 376 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:49,600 that they'll believe that they're wanted and that they are important. 377 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:53,600 And that it is possible, it is actually possible to be on a team 378 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:58,600 or even follow a leader that cares and can be trusted. 379 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:05,600 Because so many kids give up or quit and I think it's mostly because the adults that failed them. 380 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:10,600 Adults told them they weren't good enough at baseball to keep having fun. 381 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:15,600 Adults told them they couldn't just move on after they made a mistake. 382 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,600 I had one kid on my team that told me at the end of the game 383 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:24,600 they knew they were going to get a lecture all the way home because of how they played. 384 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:30,600 Adults are the ones that keep telling kids that certain positions are more important than others 385 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:35,600 and it's adults that suck the magic out of baseball. 386 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:46,600 The adults should be able to control their own emotions and their own expectations. 387 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:57,600 Because if they won't, if us, if we as adults, if we won't, why would kids want to keep playing? 388 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:08,600 This is where it should be like abundantly obvious that everything I've said today isn't only about baseball. 389 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:14,600 It's parabolic. It's a metaphor for this church. It's a metaphor for Christianity. 390 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:18,600 For our own kids, for the kids in our community that need to know Jesus. 391 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:24,600 Because whether our kids have fun and learn to move on, whether they feel important or see magical moments, 392 00:30:24,600 --> 00:30:36,600 whether they feel like they can keep believing, has a lot to do with us and how we coach them, how we disciple them. 393 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:44,600 Whether they see us doing these things, we can follow these same rules and I can follow these same rules 394 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:54,600 in how I pastor this church. Rule one, have fun. The word fun does not show up in the Bible, but it is all throughout it. 395 00:30:54,600 --> 00:31:00,600 It's in creation. It's in the Psalms. It's in the friendship between David and Jonathan. 396 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,600 It's in the way Jesus welcomed children when the adults were being too stuffy. 397 00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:14,600 Following Jesus should be fun, especially for kids. Because we all know this, a lot of life does end up being hard. 398 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:20,600 But fun is age appropriate, no matter how old you are. 399 00:31:20,600 --> 00:31:30,600 Years ago, years ago I heard someone telling kids to stop climbing on the chairs at the church that I was at. 400 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:38,600 So I pulled the adult aside and corrected the adults. 401 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:44,600 Kids should run in church with their parents' permission. Kids should climb in church. 402 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:55,600 Kids should not be punished and made to pay for things they accidentally broke in a church. 403 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:03,600 Because kids need to have fun, not the existential threat of something being wrong. 404 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:11,600 And I think adults, we need to learn again how to have fun in church. 405 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:18,600 Two, my bad, move on. Jesus wants us to be the kind of people that forgive. 406 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:27,600 Because that is what God is like. We're told this over and over again. Forgiveness is codified in the only prayer that the Bible records. 407 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:35,600 Jesus teaching his disciples, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. 408 00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:39,600 And we're not only meant to forgive others, but ourselves. 409 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:44,600 Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, and your mind. 410 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:51,600 The second commandment is like it, to love your neighbor as yourself. How do you love yourself if you can't forgive yourself? 411 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:56,600 And how do you love your neighbor if you only love yourself halfway? 412 00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:05,600 Following Jesus means that we acknowledge our sin and our mistakes. And because of what God has done, because of who he is, we move on. 413 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:13,600 We can't get stuck on our errors because the next play is about to happen. 414 00:33:13,600 --> 00:33:19,600 We need to have fun. We need to forgive and move on. Rule three, every position is important. 415 00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:26,600 Jesus taught his disciples that the rulers of this world lowered their power over others, but they were meant to be different. 416 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:32,600 That for them, the first was last, the last was first, the best served the least. 417 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:41,600 Later, Paul would teach that the church, that every part of the church deserves honor. 418 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:47,600 Listen, I might be the one that in general when I'm not on sabbatical, preaches the most. 419 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:56,600 I might be the one that plays guitar. You might see me in the front a lot, but every volunteer on our framework team is important. 420 00:33:56,600 --> 00:34:04,600 And there is no position on that team that is unimportant. There is no person on that team that is unimportant. 421 00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:10,600 When the facility crew comes and cleans the building without anyone else realizing that it happens, 422 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:15,600 when someone makes the coffee or waters the plants, when your kids are taught in tree house, 423 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:19,600 when the communion gets put under your chairs, or when the sound gets turned up or down, 424 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:28,600 when someone gives one dollar or a thousand, every person in every position is important. 425 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:34,600 But not just the people giving or serving on the framework team. Every person matters. 426 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:39,600 Because the Bible doesn't say for God so love the people that serve. 427 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:48,600 It doesn't say for God so love the people that showed up. God so love the world. God loves everyone. 428 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:56,600 We aren't just here for the people that show up. We are here for everyone that God is here for. 429 00:34:56,600 --> 00:35:08,600 Not as everyone. Because while church isn't magic, it is miraculous. 430 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:19,600 The idea that two or more can gather and get along for any length of time, let alone 2,000 years, is a miracle. 431 00:35:19,600 --> 00:35:27,600 Because Jesus is among them. For the church to have persisted for two millennia is miraculous. 432 00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:31,600 Because there aren't any perfect churches, are there? There aren't. 433 00:35:31,600 --> 00:35:38,600 There aren't any perfect people. And yet we still have churches. 434 00:35:38,600 --> 00:35:42,600 And maybe church feels boring most of the time for some people, 435 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:48,600 but it only makes the moments of miraculous all that more special. 436 00:35:48,600 --> 00:35:58,600 Like, how about the idea of giving to God through the local church seems boring to some of us. 437 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:06,600 But here's the thing, in the last eight months we have given away thousands of dollars to people that are in need. 438 00:36:06,600 --> 00:36:16,600 That's miraculous. Just this summer, summer which is notoriously a time where you wonder if you're going to hit budget, 439 00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:24,600 but just this summer you all gave above and beyond the budget needs and we gave $2,500 to tuition needs, 440 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:28,600 to people that had babies, to people with car issues and to missions. 441 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:37,600 And maybe for the first time ever, maybe since the first year of this church, we've gone January through the end of July without missing budget once. 442 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:45,600 Listen, and we did it after a pandemic, during inflation and a looming recession. 443 00:36:45,600 --> 00:36:49,600 That feels pretty miraculous to me. 444 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:56,600 Maybe you feel like you haven't had your miraculous moment yet, but I believe that it's here. 445 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:01,600 And I think if I have been any kind of pastor this past nine years, 446 00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:11,600 it's been the kind of pastor that's just trying to help people to keep playing, to not give up. 447 00:37:11,600 --> 00:37:17,600 This summer, someone that had been a part of our church for four years had to move away 448 00:37:17,600 --> 00:37:22,600 and she wrote me a letter saying that if it hadn't been for the way I'd pastored her, 449 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:29,600 how I walked with her through the most difficult time of her life, she just wouldn't believe in Jesus anymore. 450 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:34,600 This past week I sat with someone and I asked if they had faith and religion in their background 451 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:43,600 and they said they used to, but they had watched as the church excommunicated their close family friend because their child was gay. 452 00:37:43,600 --> 00:37:52,600 She said that lately she's been trying to believe in God and I told her it's just amazing and special that she hasn't given up. 453 00:37:52,600 --> 00:38:05,600 I'm affirming I am anti-racist. I am always learning as a pastor in part because I just don't want people to give up on the goodness of God 454 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:12,600 because I believe that maybe God is just a little bit better than so many of us have allowed him to be. 455 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:25,600 And I believe that we are and we have the opportunity to create here a culture where people will just keep playing. 456 00:38:25,600 --> 00:38:35,600 They will keep trying. They won't put the ball down and go home. 457 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:42,600 Because this should be fun, y'all. Amen. 458 00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:47,600 This should be forgiving. 459 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:56,600 If there is anywhere on earth that everyone should know that they are important, it should be here. 460 00:38:56,600 --> 00:39:09,600 It should be in the church because it's not magic, but it's miraculous. 461 00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:30,600 Let me say this as I close, even if only a couple of those things happen at any one time, maybe that will be enough to help them keep playing. 462 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:38,600 We won't be perfect all the time. As a church, we won't hit every base. 463 00:39:38,600 --> 00:39:49,600 Maybe we can help people keep playing, to keep believing, to keep looking because Jesus never stops looking for them. 464 00:39:49,600 --> 00:39:55,600 Amen. Let's pray. 465 00:39:55,600 --> 00:40:00,600 Father God, we thank you for your word. 466 00:40:00,600 --> 00:40:02,600 And I thank you for baseball. 467 00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:09,600 I thank you for all the games, all the sports, all the silly ways that we come up with to spend our time. 468 00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:15,600 And I thank you that you can even teach us something through those. 469 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:31,600 Help us to love you, to follow you, to trust you, to have fun, to forgive, to really treat everyone like they're important, 470 00:40:31,600 --> 00:40:39,600 to look for the miracles and keep playing. In the name of Jesus, amen.