Now, I don’t know about you, but when I was small, the warm days of summer would always bring about that special time of year – baseball season. The smell of the glove, stained uniforms, the crack of the bat, and of course, for a small boy – dreams of glory. I would often play in the backyard, dreaming of my big chance, in the big game, in the big leagues: bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, two out, full count, and….crack! A game winning home run! And the crowd goes wild…

As I entered the ministry, especially my first trip to the plate as a solo pastor, the sense of eager anticipation and cautious anxiety were often looming in my mind. I was often caught thinking, “What can I do to hit the home run in this church?” What program can I start? What message can I preach? What super words can I say that will bring healing to those who are hurting? What can I do to knock one out of the park for Christ and His glory? It quickly became about my abilities and insecurities. It didn’t take long for me to realize that my efforts alone amount to nothing more than “dust in the wind”.

When I was in Little League, the coach would often challenge us to use the “right form”, “be patient”, and “make contact”. So far what the Lord has accomplished through our church family has been done through exactly those things.

The Right Form: familiar words of Jesus in John 14:6, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…” Any time we take our focus off of Christ, we deviate from God’s plan for our church family. As Ecclesiastes speaks about “seasons”, I am reminded of the changes that have occurred throughout the history of the church. Since Pentecost, the church has seen scores of generational changes in presentation, orthodoxy, and effectiveness. Times of great mountain taking, and times of great spiritual valleys.

Where are we now? For those of us who are people pleasers, delivering the message which is promised to offend some is a challenge. Jesus said “The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don’t. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you” John 15:19 (NLT) Stepping to the plate mandates using the Right Form.

Be Patient: Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for “sowing and for reaping” (Ecc.3:2) Almost daily, I am reminding my children to be patient. What a hypocrite! I grew up in the generation of immediate gratification. Who wants to be a sower? Reapers get more attention. I have had to confess many times the frustration over the speed, or lack thereof, of progress. Usually it is my definition of progress that’s wrong. Every good hitter displays patience and the ability to wait for the right pitch.

Make Contact: Every good hitter wants to make contact. Ministry could very well be defined as “making contact” between God and humankind. In our church family, we have endeavored to “make contact” with people through some fresh initiatives. Here they are in case you’re wondering…

• The Meeting Place – Each Saturday evening we gather in a casual atmosphere for some relaxed but contemporary worship. It has been interesting to watch the dynamics of this service develop. Initially we thought that it may draw a younger demographic, and marketed it as such, but our numbers of seniors who attend has been refreshing. The Meeting Place has drawn a crowd of every age, background, and place along the spiritual journey.
• The Harbourside Café – After The Meeting Place we gather for a café in the basement. One of the “contact” points that has developed has been through inviting a local artist or musician to do an exhibit or demonstration in café. Lots of “making contact” in a comfortable setting.
• The Homecoming Service – One of the great things about a small community is the sense of family that is naturally instilled in people. We have taken what was formally known as “Sunday evening service”, and renamed it The Homecoming Service. (No reference to the Gaithers, and I hope Bill hasn’t placed a copyright on the term Homecoming – If so please let me know where to pay my fine.) We use the Homecoming Service to act as a living room of sorts to this fellowship of believers. We usually take favorite hymns and choruses, spontaneous times of prayer and testimony as well as some scheduled prayer times and specific testimonies.

The childhood dream of the walk-off home run as the hero and winning the big game is a normal part of childhood imagination. I am thankful on this day for the knowledge that the “win” has already been accomplished in Christ. The victory has been accomplished. No wooden bat, but a wooden cross. No game, just a mission. No golden trophy, but a golden crown.

He has called us, not as mere teammates, but as His children, with a mission to “use the right form”, “be patient”, and “make contact”. Let’s do our part in seeing people take steps along life’s base path in order to make it safely Home.