Culture of losing
I just watched the Seahawks game. As soon as the announcer said that the Seahawks that all they had to do was keep the Cowboys from scoring twice in two and half minutes I knew what was going to happen. The Cowboys were going to score twice in two and a half minutes. What is it about Seattle sports teams that makes me believe they're destined to lose. When I watched the old Blazers (Drexler,Porter,Duckworth, etc.), I always expected them to be able to pull it out. The same can be said for Jordan and Elway. It's not the same with Seattle. I expect the Sonics to start shooting bricks next week when their legs get tired. I believe that it's a culture of losing, the self-fulfilling prophecy that you can't win.
I realize that I've pretty much been experiencing that culture of losing in my own church for at least the last two years. For whatever reasons, I've been going to church and to fellowships expecting not to learn anything. I expect the messages not to touch my heart. I expect to leave unchanged. When I see new people, I expect not to see them the next week. I expect not to connect with other people besides the ones I normally connect with. How does one change the culture of losing?
I just hope I'm not the one that has the ball bounce off my forehead in the endzone.
I realize that I've pretty much been experiencing that culture of losing in my own church for at least the last two years. For whatever reasons, I've been going to church and to fellowships expecting not to learn anything. I expect the messages not to touch my heart. I expect to leave unchanged. When I see new people, I expect not to see them the next week. I expect not to connect with other people besides the ones I normally connect with. How does one change the culture of losing?
I just hope I'm not the one that has the ball bounce off my forehead in the endzone.
posted by Ryan @ 11:34 PM
8 Comments:
At 2:42 AM,
G said…
A good post, man. It spooked me out a little bit when I returned from Japan and saw how much first service has really thinned out at CBC... even the choir lost members.
The cynical side of me expected to see that, but the better side of me knows that I shouldn't think "Ha, pastors leaving, a brand new pastor that not everybody trusts in... I thought it'd happen."
We're called to have expectancy in God working miracles, be hopeful, AND realistic, but how do we balance all those things? When "lower expectations" start to sink to far in, how can we change our mentality when the drought stretches long?
I don't know the answers... but maybe thinking about things together and resolving to still struggle against it is a start, eh?
At 12:56 AM,
Anonymous said…
Interesting post, Ryan. Thanks for sharing. For the most part, I get antsy when trying to fit ministry into a church analogy; it's too often a performance-based comparison. But you've successful managed to negotiate that obstacle thoughtfully, so I'm going to re-use your Hawks analogy and suggest that the problem with the Seahawks is neither a lack of leadership nor a lack of talent, per se (talent, being the clumsy equivalent of spiritual maturity). No, our problem is that our team lacks focus. Our receivers forget that they are there to catch. Our punters forget how to kick. Our linebackers forget how to tackle. It's a lot of players forgetting the reason why they're on the field.
One of the challenges I've noticed with churches (not focusing on Chinese Baptist at all) is that we followers simple forget how to follow. We get caught up in our own personal needs or expectations and we are discouraged when those "Me" needs aren't fulfilled or those "I want" expectations aren't met. And we either grumble about it, doing nothing (Jerome James, anyone?) or we don't show up to the game. We leave the church hurt and disappointed because *we* aren't happy. We take jabs at the coaching staff. We blame officials. We beat up the dumb Detroit fans.
How do we change our attitudes, oh mighty Wudan Mountain?
At 3:34 PM,
G said…
More thoughts...
Changing peoples minds & attitudes, including our own, is pretty tough. I suppose it's a matter of remembering that God is the one who does that, and by focusing on that via prayer - praying God is actively influencing those around us thru us.
But recently, I've been reminded of two things...
1) Even the bleakest of circumstances serves a divine purpose. God used 40 years in the desert to refine and strength a wandering Israel before it's entry into the Promised Land... after which, the "Team Israel" proceeded to beatdown the opposition, failing only when they disobeyed God.
2) Sometimes God calls us to be "losers" or people who are unsuccessful by the world standards... check out Jeremiah, and all the other prophets. Most spent their whole lives preaching God's word and nobody listened to them. I'm just glad I haven't been commanded to marry a prostitute. But in the end, they were righteous men, because they loved God and served him faithfully, carrying out the commission given to them.
But God calls everybody to do different things. And right now, I strongly believed, God has called me to hold the line. Even if I'm the last one on it.
At 4:58 PM,
Ryan said…
Thanks for the thoughts and comments. Just for clarification. It wasn't meant to be a critique of my church. It was meant to be an analysis of my attitude towards my church and my belief in God's power and ability to work.
At 8:59 PM,
david said…
interesting thoughts everyone. on a somewhat (but not entirely) unrelated note for my own cathartic benefit- a confession: i love cbc. i love all its intricacies and imperfections. i love its history and rich heritage. i love its slow, yet unstoppable freight train momentum. most of all, i love the incredibly faithful and committed people there.
ultimately, i left cbc because i wanted the best for cbc, and i knew that i wasn't a good fit for the ministry there in the long run. chris and i prayerfully wrestled with the decision to stay or go, and in the end we felt it was the best time to go. weird, but sometimes i still feel guilty... will someone please tell me how this relates back to the seahawks? was i a free agent who opted out at the end of my contract? hmm...
At 9:29 PM,
the Monkey King said…
Question (mostly after reading Mel's comment): what do people consider a "winning season?"
At 2:05 AM,
anon said…
i'm thinking that a winning season [at least in part] is accomplishing goals. Establishing a viable fellowship, having x amount of seekers coming to an outreach event, those are valid goals. Getting our act together, or getting people to the point of being able to stand each other just isn't a goal and i think that's contributed in part to the general malaise overcoming my church.
Hey, i'll kick in my own sports analogy: do you think the Sonics are winning because they have great chemistry or have great chemistry because they're winning? I think a lot of small sticking point issues drop by the wayside when it's obvious that God is working in your church.
At 8:05 AM,
Reg said…
As to the question of winning and chemistry, I think the Sonics are winning yes, in part, because of the chemistry they've developed. But chemistry in itself isn't going to win ballgames. They're "hungry," and have figured out how to play together as a cohesive, *team* oriented squad. Everyone seems to know their distinct roles that serve beneficial to the *team*, and they don't try to deviate from their specific skillset that contributes most to the success of the aggregate. Last time i checked there wasn't an "I" in team, nor is there one in "church." But there is a "U", and you catch the drift...
in addition, i think this discussion is part of a "wake-up call." i must admit, i left the Sonics for dead after their dreadfully disgusting pre-season and confirmation that came is the guise of a 30-point shellacking by the perennially hapless Clippers. Sometimes a swift, systematic kick in the arse is what's needed to jump-start progress...
p.s. Of course, after having said this, the Sonics get throttled by Payton and the Celts at the Key tonight. But even if that looks to happen, let's say, after [heh]3 quarters, one thing is for sure...I'm staying for the entire duration. Once you lose faith, that hunger, you could potentially miss out on something special...
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