Eli the Church Planter

With less than 3 minutes to go in the "big game" Eli Manning was given the football and began the winning drive in Super Bowl XLII. As the quarterback, the game was all on his shoulders. Standing on the 17 yard line, he had 83 yards to go. The only option was to score a touchdown. The Giants were down by 4 points, so a field goal would do no good. While the pressure was all on him, the Team needed to step up and move the ball. Every team member had to do their job. The line had to block, the receivers had to run their routes, the running backs had to move the ball and Eli . . . well, Eli had to get rid of the ball. Eli spent that last two and a half minutes handing the ball off to other people and throwing it down field.

As a church planter my job is exactly like Eli's. I have to learn how to hand the ball off. I can't score all the points, I can't pull the trailer, unload the trailer, prepare every message, produce all the videos, prepare all the graphics, send every e-mail, update the database, maintain the web site, print the worship guides, man the welcome center, teach NewKids, lead worship, preach, take the offering, set up the sound and lights, secure trailer storage, update the giving records, pay every bill and balance the check book. My job is to equip the people for ministry. When our Team all does their part, the entire team wins and God is glorified.

I received a text message from Mark, telling me that he took care of the trailer storage today, so that I don't have to worry about that on Friday. You can't imagine how that one little thing can have such a large impact on my week. It was a hand off and the team moved the ball closer to the goal line.

As each member of our Team does his/her own tasks and as I hand the ball off to those more qualified then myself, the Team will win. God will be glorified, people will come to know Christ and this valley will never be the same.

Who's ready to take a hand off? It's the 4th quarter and time is running out.

G3,
Steven