Quick Backdrop
The NFL draft is upon us. While draft day is like Christmas in April for football junkies, most of us might be interested in the top draft picks, and then we move on. Whether you’re a sports fan, one thing the NFL draft can do is give us an opportunity to pause and consider God’s draft day. Yes, God has a draft day, or more accurately a draft process.
The What
Many passages in the New Testament teach about God’s team—how its members are to interact, what it’s to do as a mission and so forth. One passage in particular gives insight to the draft process, how God’s team is put together.
The apostle Paul used the human body as an analogy for believers working together in 1 Corinthians 12. He just as easily could have used a sports team as an analogy. As you read 1 Corinthians 12:7-19, make comparisons between God’s team and sports teams. If you’re not into sports, think about other groups that work together: a marching band, symphony, the cast of a play, etc. You may want to rewrite the passage in your own words, using one of these other groups as an analogy. This is a great exercise to help understand and internalize what’s happening in this passage.
After exploring the passage, process these questions:
• What similarities do you see between the body of Christ and other groups that work together (sports teams, marching bands, etc.)?
• How does God draft His team? In other words, how does God put His team together?
The So What
God constantly is calling people to be on mission with Him, drafting them and placing them on teams throughout the world. His teams include missions teams, churches, youth ministries, campus ministries such as Young Life, FCA and Campus Life. Use these next questions to identify where you are in God’s draft process.
• Of what team(s) are you currently a member? Are you involved in a youth ministry? A campus ministry?
• What events/experiences have occurred to lead you to that ministry? How have you seen God’s hand in placing you on your team?
• Have you discovered your position on your team?
Seal the Deal
God wants you on His team, and He uniquely has gifted you to serve on His team.
• What can you do to develop your talents and gifts—to find your position on His team?
• What can you do to help others develop their talents and gifts?
• How can you work together as a team to do what God has called you to do?
God accomplishes His mission through teams. We are in our best positions to serve Him and deepen our faith when we accept where God has placed us, finding our spots on our teams while helping others find theirs. You may be amazed at what can be accomplished when working together as a team.
Barry Shafer has been in youth ministry for more than 25 years. As director of InWord Resources, Barry has written numerous small-group Bible studies and teen devos, and is author of Unleashing God’s Word in Youth Ministry (Youth Specialties/Zondervan). He is a regular contributor to YouthWorker Journal, writing the column “10 Minutes in God’s Word.” Barry lives in Middletown, Ohio, with his wife, Jessica, and newborn son, Reade. He blogs at InWord.org.
