Ironmans and Ministry

Ministry can learn a lot from Ironman triathlon. I still remember the first of my (to this point) four Ironmans. I’d had a rough go, over pacing on the bike leg turned my run into something less than spectacular (to put it very mildly). From the very beginning of the run my leg muscles were on the edge of cramping.... and this persisted the entire 26.2 miles. Needless to say when I finally made it to Lakeshore Dr. in Penticton it was a major relief. Even though the winners had crossed the finish line over 2 hours earlier, the last mile was absolutely lined with people cheering wildly. It’s an experience I’ll never forget. Then I got to hear those magical words by the famous Ironman announcer Steve King, "Steve Sellers, you’re an Ironman!!!" It still makes me emotional thinking about it today!

The thing that amazes me about Ironman is what people will do to hear those words I got to hear that day. Friends and family members will come to Penticton to cheer their loved ones on in Ironman Canada and get so caught up in the experience that the very next day they’ll place themselves in the long line to register for next year’s event. Many of whom weren’t even training or racing to that point. They’ll put down their Visa or MC (b/c Ironman doesn’t take American Express), be 600$ poorer, and then the training begins (after they get themselves the bike, maybe a coach, pool membership, etc.... it’s a major expense and time commitment!).

Did I say why they registered a full year in advance? Because the event sells out the very next day for the succeeding event. People clamour all over each other to get into these torturous races. Why? I’ll leave that one for the sport psychologists to figure out. But let’s just imagine that the powers that be at Ironman Corp. feared that registrations would be low because not enough people would be willing to commit to this kind of rigorous preparation and competition. They could charge a more reasonable 100$ (people would pay that to be called an "Ironman". And suppose they make the event easier. Of course you couldn’t change the distances (3.85km swim, 180 km bike, 42 km run) because then you wouldn’t legitimately be an Iroman. But maybe we could have some motor boats with ropes behind to pull athletes in case they get tired. For the bike they’ll allow motorized 2 wheelers and for the run, well it’s hard to run the full 26.2 miles after being out in the sun all day so they would permit roller blades, which would certainly speed things up a bit. A great advantage to all this is that spectators wouldn’t have to wait until midnight to cheer on their slower loved ones!

Do you think this would go over? Not on your life!! It’s the challenge that brings people out. The mentality that says, "I need a challenge worthy of me!" If it was easier, so that just about anyone could do it, people wouldn’t bother. It’d be a nowhere event instead of the yearly sell out with thousands of spectators also taking part in the day.

I fear that a lot of churches take this second approach to ministry. They figure that people today in this unbelieving, un-truth affirming, non-committal age can’t really digest what God has to clearly say in His Word....the Bible. So messages are shared that have lots of relevance to our lives today, but virtually no Scriptural truth. Great music....everyone likes good music. Creative community building gimmicks, because community is important... especially to young people. But community built around what? Certainly not truth..... post moderns don’t believe truth exists. "How dare we tell anyone what to believe!!!"

Whether you call a ministry like this "emergent"or "seeker friendly" or whatever moniker the church growth gurus are calling it these days, in the end all you’ve got is something that resembles a Seinfeld episode... "A church about nothin’" (Ok, I’m giving away my age group demographic here, but do you remember that episode?).

2000 years ago Jesus gave us a little command which we call the "Great Commission". Its mission is to make disciples. The Greek word means, "learners". So how are we going to do this unless we teach? Teach what? Clearly, God’s message to us.... His Word.

But you say, "What about the seekers, pre-Christians and unchurched that we want to attract?"
Let me put it this way... if I was considering buying into Islam I’d want to know what was expected of me. I’d also want to know what the benefits are once I’d bought in. Would I have to blow up a building? Take part in Jihad? If I was a woman, would I be required to wear a Gurkha all my life? Etc. Etc. Tell me straight. Don’t play games with me. I really want to know. Perhaps you are hiding the real truth because you’re either ashamed of it, or you really don’t think it’s that great and I wouldn’t want to be a part of it. So now you’ll try to fool me into joining up.

What we have in Christ is amazing. It’ll take us a lifetime of Bible study to even begin to grasp the treasures that have been given to us by God. It makes me want to immodestly join with the Ap. Paul in his personal proclamation in the first chapter of Romans where he exults, "for I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God for salvation. To everyone who believes..."

Wonderful stuff!