Back in 2013, Chris Anderson, a former professional goalkeeper turned soccer statistics guru, and behavioral analyst David Sally published a book entitled The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know About Soccer is Wrong.  I heard about the book from Brian Sanders who was giving a presentation on micro churches at an Exponential Conference and thought I’d check it out.  It’s a fascinating read—even if you know little about the game.  Believe it or not, this little book just rocked my world.

Anderson and Sally wanted to discover how a soccer team could use math and statistics to improve their chances of winning.  Did you know that the average professional football team has possession of the ball between eleven and thirteen times per game? In basketball, the turnovers and possessions are much higher.  Between 180 and two hundred combined turnovers or 91 to 100 possessions.  In soccer, there will be around 380 turnovers per game.  The average player runs over six miles and touches the ball for less than two seconds each time it is in his possession.

Anderson and Sally contend that soccer and football or basketball use two very different winning strategies.  Since a soccer team is no better than its weakest link, the primary concern is that every individual player keeps improving their game.  This is true for football and basketball as well.  However, the key to winning in football and basketball can sometimes boil down to drafting one or two great players.  What they really look for are one or two superstars.  Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Payton Manning, or Tom Brady.

As I listened to Brian’s presentation on micro-churches, I asked myself.  What kind of church am I willing to commit the rest of my life to?   What does a post-pandemic—sustainable model—of the church look like?  And how do we make that transition?

I’ve come to believe that the church’s strength is found in what Martin Luther understood as “the priesthood of all believers.”  And our energies are best invested in helping each individual become a disciple-maker.  

Let me explain what I mean.  I recently had lunch with a good friend who planted a church a few years ago. He told me about his experience and its impact on him and his family.  He spoke of the pressure of finding and paying for a venue. Then setting up and tearing down weekly, building a team, meeting the financial demands, and caring for his family.  There was the advertising, the launch date…The Sunday after the launch date.  And the ensuing emotional and spiritual roller coaster that came with church planting.  He described a life that was filled with constant pressure to perform.  A life that was anything but fulfilling, and left him feeling mostly inadequate.  My friend is highly motivated.  He is a hard worker.  A talented communicator, a gifted musician, and has a warm personality.  But as time went on, he knew he was not the LeBron James of church planting.  I believe this is why the vast majority of church plants in America fail within the first five years.  

What if we could launch churches without paying for a venue, making a heavy investment in technology, hiring a superstar pastor, or putting together an amazing worship team?

What if church starts by raising up followers of Christ who are fully engaged in raising up followers of Christ?  The venue becomes a living room or coffee shop, worship is led by a few people who can carry a tune, and the superstar pastor is simply a believer in Christ who is committed to rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  

Church becomes a simple—life on life experience—Worship, prayer, studying the Word, and reaching others for Christ.

I don’t mean to leave you hanging—well—yes I do.  Let’s talk more in the next podcast.