Did you know that recently the European Soccer Championship – the Euro 2008 - took place?

My family and I are very passionate about soccer. I watched every game of this championship thanks to a TV channel which actually broadcasted ALL the games live! Yes, miracles do happen! 

While watching these soccer games I realized that God’s people are very much like soccer players. No kidding! 

A soccer team has 10 players on the field and one goalkeeper. But this doesn’t make the whole team. There are other players who function as substitutes when others get tired or are being injured. There are strategists who plan certain moves to make the play more successful. There are physicians and trainers who help to keep the body in good shape. You see that a soccer team has a lot of members with various important gifts. 

During the game the players try to reach the goal - to shoot the soccer ball into the goal. This is only possible if they work together as a team. It’s not just the person who actually scores. It’s the whole team that helps to reach this point. If it comes to counterattacks the goalie as well is not the only one trying to prevent the opponents to score. A whole defense is supposed to help the goalie (didn’t always work that well during the Euro 2008 for many of the teams though).  

But there are some negative aspects too. Players get fouled if they become too dangerous for their opponents. Sometimes they even get very mean. It’s not fair, it’s not appropriate, but it’s human. 

In the end it’s about showing the others that we are the best team.  

And of course soccer teams always try to recruit new players. The fun they have playing this game is contagious and many people are being attracted. 

Followers of Jesus are a team as well – God’s team, playing on the huge field of mission. Jesus as the coach is teaching us how to do it right, giving directions and advice, and leading by his own great example.  

Each soccer team has a team captain who is directing the team and keeping up the vision during the play. A pastor is leading a congregation in a similar way. Because sometimes it happens that like soccer players we disciples find ourselves offside. A player is in an offside position if she or he is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second last defender (the last defender usually is the goalie). This mostly happens when a player rushes for the goal without paying attention. Happens with God’s field players as well So the pastor makes sure that we don’t end up in an offside position with what we are doing as God’s people. 

God’s team has also people who work hard to keep the body of Christ – us - in good shape. There are people who try to make sure that we help people in need in the community, and that our needs get fed as well. Congregational life and social concerns teams for example are the physicians in God’s team. 

Like in a soccer game there is a need for defense in God’s team. We have to defend ourselves against everything that keeps us from scoring and from recruiting more members for our team. Selfishness, ignorance and laziness are some of the balls that could end up in our own goal if we don’t listen to our coach. Like in a soccer game the goalie could be any player of the team. But like in a soccer game it makes sense to have a specialist who is trained and well prepared for exactly this situation. I have been wondering who the goalies might be in God’s team: maybe the general managers, maybe the secretaries, maybe the council members, maybe the very gifted and committed volunteers, maybe pastors. I don’t know. I actually think it varies from congregation to congregation. And don’t forget: The goalie won’t be successful without the players who are the defense. 

Fouls happen among God’s people as well. We make mistakes, we fail to do what Jesus teaches us to do. We wish so much to be successful in what we are doing that sometimes the end justifies the means. 

And don’t forget about the fans! Fans are as much important as the team. I would even consider them being part of the team because with their passion the fans encourage and motivate the players. The fans support their team in a different but very effective way.You know, as a teddy bear I am not very good at playing soccer myself. A soccer ball is almost twice the size I am, so I would have a hard time scoring for my team. But is a lot of fun being a fan and I still can do my part by cheering them on. 

You see a soccer team and God’s people have a lot in common. There are differences though.  

When a soccer team loses too many games usually the coach is being fired. I can’t imagine that Jesus as our coach would ever get fired because we fail to be good players in the field of mission. And we do lose games. We are not perfect players, don’t have the perfect strategy, are not in perfect shape. We will always make mistakes. But our coach will still be our coach. He won’t give up on us but help us to try again instead. 

God’s people are also taught NOT to foul - not even for strategic reasons. I am convinced that we are more successful anyway if we keep playing fair. 

The biggest difference probably is that we don’t score for ourselves. We don’t score for our own fun or for our own benefit. We score for God and for the many people out there who are meant to join the team - first as fans and then as players. 

May the best team win!

And: We as God’s people ARE the best team!

 Yours Pelle