What If? A Missions Lesson from Coed Soccer
My wife and I are at that glorious place where the ages of our three sons fit perfectly into one league and they all play on the same soccer team—two games and two practices a week … that’s all! This particular league accepts children ages ten to fourteen, both boys and girls. That brings with it another unexpected benefit as the girls, many of whom have sped past their coeds in the area of physical development, represent a number of the league’s star players.
Just last week I watched as the yellow team, led by three girls, dominated the red team and two very good male players. I couldn’t help but chuckle as one of the leading boys on the red team charged toward the ball, which sat just about ten feet in front of the goal. His approach was uncontested by any of the opposing players, who were all too distant accept for the goalie, and I could almost here that boy’s thoughts, “The goalie is a girl.” Judging by his advance, he must have considered a goal to be “in the bag.” But then, almost as if that ball was her brand new puppy, that girl dove to protect the ball and crashed into the boy, sending him head-over-heals onto the ground. Not only did he not score the goal, but before he could begin to get up, that girl sent the ball far down the field to one of her offensive players.
It was a phenomenal moment accentuated by the fact that the goalie seemed to take her success in stride, as did the other girls in the league. Making plays certainly was not always that easy for them, but somewhere along their journey they said, “What if …? What if I dive on that ball? What if I stand my ground? What if I try my best?” Once that happened, I am sure they never looked back.
The reality is that we are living in relatively tough financial times as far as the United States is concerned and making outstanding “plays” in our missions giving seems to be harder and harder to do. But somewhere along the journey that you and I now find ourselves on, I would like to propose a few “What ifs …?”
1) What if every AG family in the US gave just one dollar more, per person, per week to missions? I have a family of seven, so I would increase my giving by $7.00 a week. Based on 2007 statistics, that would mean an additional $148,889,780. Imagine how many full-time missionaries that could support!
2) What if each of our students in a youth group gave one dollar per week to support Speed the Light? Given the numbers, we would be able to buy over $19,000,000 in vehicles, computers, and other equipment to assist missionaries at home and abroad!
3) What if every AG credential holder in the US gave just one dollar per week to help buy bibles for other pastors around the world. If the bibles cost $10, we could purchase around 175,000 new bibles each year to help Christian leaders fullfill their calling!
The point is NOT to start a new giving program, but to get you and I to say, “What if …?” Instead of letting these financial times intimidate us, let us respond as the children of an omnipotent God. As the Spirit begins to direct our “What ifs,” we’ll never look back!
With that in mind, I hope you find this month’s Momentum and its missions focus helpful. If you have missions-related ideas and resources that you would like to share, please email me at eric@ohioag.org. If you have a moment, you can also send along your own “What if.”
Have a great October!
Eric Schroeter