Kansas City Royals

I am happy to see that the Kansas City Royals have made the World Series, not as happy had it been the Detroit Tigers, but happy none the less. There secret for making the post season is very simple, and I have heard Ned Yost, the manager say this, "Defense, bullpen, speed, and a team atmosphere."

If you look at the team roster, you will find only one real super star player, "Big Game" James Shields," the rest are younger role players who might be super stars in the future, but right now just team players. Bo Schembechler used to preacher, "The team, the team, the team." The Detroit Pistons won an NBA title with the team concept, and even the San Antonio Spurs have used this concept for their success.

What is it about a team that make a difference? I think it just boils down to the simple fact that nobody is more important than the other. Everyone is important to the cause. Whether it is a team or the church, nobody can be more important than the others, everyone is equal.

It goes without saying that Jesus lived this way. Look at the stories that grace the pages of any of the Gospels and see who Jesus hung out with.

I am preaching this week on the "messiness" of our faith. The things that make us imperfect and not up to the standards of what most people think a Christian should look like. You might be surprised to find out that a lot, if not all, of the really big names in the Bible had a lot of messiness in their lives. But that doesn't make them any less important or any more important in God's Kingdom. WE ARE ALL IMPORTANT!!!!!!

We each bring certain gifts and graces to the plate, to use baseball once again, and these gifts and graces make the church a team. A church could not survive if we only had one set of skills, but we have many and each is important to the team.

When we work, act, love, forgive, pray, and worship together as a team anything is possible. It's when we begin to think we are more important then the other that the team begins to fall apart.

So let's root for the Royals, a team through and through. Because when "The team, the team, the team" wins we all become winners in God's kingdom.