Training to be a champion

While sitting through a training session yesterday a really old and neat movie clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaov7DNICPg) was shown. It was from the movie "Cool Runnings." In the movie we see a well seasoned Bobsled coach (John Candy) train 4 Jamaicans on how to run a bobsled for Olympic competition. I'm was amused at watching the clip because it reminded me of church planting. I recognized that many times in church planting God pulls out the "rag tag" (guys that aren't always the first that someone would pick) of the ministerial crop and gives them an opportunity to excel in an arena that they never thought they could ever be used. Training to be a church planter is like training to be on a bobsled team. In the movie the 4 Jamaicans were thwarted into a position on the team that totally went against their experiences and abilities. It took a lot of work, training, and coaching to get the guys into shape. Their ultimate goal was to take home the medal. Church planting is no different. It is often remarkable how God chooses obscure and common individuals to play a part in His great plan of creating more churches to reach people for Himself. In church planting, if you are willing to prepare, train, be coached, and work hard - you to may find yourself in a great and unique position to be a winner for Jesus Christ. Most guys never excel in church planting because they lack the heart and motivation to train and prepare themselves to be a champion church planter. In the movie it took a lot of energy and training from the bobsled team just to get off to the right start. It took on-going training to take them to the winners podium. If you want to achieve God's best for the plan He has for you in church planting, train hard, keep training, listen to your coaches, keep training, and never quit and give up. The formula for success is to give God your best. May your attitude in church planting be as Paul; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim. 4:7). May it be said of you in your race, and from the Lord's Winners Podium, "well done my servant, well done!"