Author: bbrunke

I have been giving this post some thought for sometime, but only until recently did I have the mind to blog about it. I have noticed that football coaches and pastors have a lot in common. Whenever the end of the regular season in football rolls around and the coaches who have not met their expectations and have been fired dominates the news, the talk turns to who is leaving and who is going to be coming in.

Changes in leadership are never easy whether it is in the church or sports. When a pastor is let go from a church or is hired to lead a church, the focus becomes upon his vision and is he the right fit? Turning back to football, I hear the same conversations and musings taking place. In this respect, I see similarities between coaches and pastors.

Another area of similarity that I see is in the area of interviewing. Many coaches are hired simply because of their name or reputation and not because they are a good “fit” for the job or the team. Many talented coached never get the chance to interview for jobs because of their race or because they are bad interviewers. When it comes to hiring our pastors, we often focus on where the candidate went to school, interned, or who they know more than if they are a good “fit.” I think that finding the right candidate who fits the team or the church is crucial. Many head coaches and lead pastors are not cut out for the job! They would be better suited being an assistant coach or focusing on an area of ministry where they are most gifted and passionate.

The people behind the scenes are the ones who must make the difficult decision of hiring a coach or lead pastor and it is in their best interest to take their time and hire the right guy. Far to many pastors and coaches are let go because they were not the right “fit.” As the coaching carousel continues this off-season, I shall watch with great amusement and wonder to myself about the coach and the team while also thinking about the church and people who are leading church and the people who are looking to lead churches and the parells that I see.

what do you think…is there a similarity between coaches and pastors?

In Matthew chapter 8, Jesus heals a man with leprosy and then heals the servant of a Roman solider. In both instances, those miracles were preceded by the demonstration of great faith by two different individuals.  As I read these accounts this morning, I found myself asking if I had a faith that would be so bold as to ask Jesus to heal my servant from a distance. I think that if many of of us where honest with ourselves we would say that we have just enough faith to believe that Jesus is the son of God, but not enough faith to believe that he can change our lives and is in a better position to be in control of it!

Tomorrow, we will starting a new message series entitled, “ICrave” and it is our hope that through this message series, the  launching of connect groups, and a call to prayer and fasting that our commitment and devotion to God would be renewed and deepened.  I also believe that our faith is tied into our dependence upon God. If we crave God above everything else then our faith in him to have control over our lives will be much stronger.

Join us this Sunday if you are in the area! You can also listen to our pod cast at velocity242.org

I will be posting thoughts and challenges throughout the series, so check back!

Another fantasy football season ended with me taking home the title by coming back to beat the wife. Can’t wait til next year!

Last night I watched the Today Shows’ one hour 2008 year in review special at it was quite good. A lot has happened in our country and in our world over the past year. A lot has happened to Melissa and I over the past year. We moved out of our friend’s spare bedroom into a row house in Covington, I changed jobs three times, we moved from Cincinnati to Georgia, we are expecting a baby! I wish that I could say that all of this was by my doing but it has only been by the faithfulness and protection of a loving God that I am sitting here today. God has provided for me and my family in ways that I cannot measure or count and I would be foolish to try. I have seen many prayers answered this year and it is my hope that many more are answered in the coming year. My church family at Velocity is on verge of something great and I trust that the words of  Zechariah 4: 6 would hold true, ” I am the LORD All-Powerful. So don’t depend on your own power or strength, but on my Spirit.”