Yesterday, my school, Clemson University, introduced a new head coach for their men’s basketball program. Brad Brownell is taking over the team formerly led by Oliver Purnell, who moved on to Depaul University last week.
Many of you who keep up with college basketball know that Clemson is not a historically powerful force in men’s basketball. They’ve had some good teams through the years, but they’ve never been tournament champions in their conference, the ACC (actually, they’ve only played in the conference tourney championship game twice in the fifty-plus year history of the conference), and season-to-season consistency in success has for the most part eluded them. They’ve often been a byword in a league that features traditional powerhouses like Duke and North Carolina, and Tarheel fans are all too happy to remind everyone that they have NEVER lost a game to Clemson on their home court… Trust me, NEVER!
It remains to be seen what Coach Brownell will be able to accomplish at Clemson, but at his introductory press conference yesterday, he said some things that resonated with me, especially what he called the Three Principles for his team…
Passion. "I think you have to be passionate. ... I don't believe you wake up on the wrong side of the bed. ... You wake up with a good attitude and you hit the ground running, and let's make it happen. I want guys who are passionate about our team"
Purpose. "I think you have to work really hard. There is no substitute. If you don't work, you're not going to win. It's not going to happen. More than working hard, you better work smart. ... Talent is God-given. Skill is what you should be measured by."
Pride. "We're going to take great pride here when I'm the coach in being a Clemson Tiger. We're going to be proud of who we are, who we're playing for, and we're going to give you great effort."
I like those three principles. Each one is scriptural, and I believe that they have far-reaching applications in every endeavor… most especially in ministry.
Think about it…
Passion: What if every Christ follower (pastor, staff member, volunteer, etc.) approached ministry with a victorious attitude? What if we made up our minds to kick malignant attitudes to the curb, and remember that there is no enemy that can withstand the power of Jesus Christ? It couldn’t help but affect every area of our lives, could it?
Purpose: What if we stopped wishing for better circumstances or even stopped wishing we were someone else, and really measured our success in life by how hard we strived to achieve our purpose (not someone else’s) in life and ministry? What if we genuinely, joyfully, and continually put in the time and the hard work to find, refine, and deliver on our skills and gifts to achieve our purpose in life?
Pride: What if we put aside “false humility” and self-deprecating behavior, and remembered that we can glory in Jesus Christ, His love for us, and His calling on our lives? What if I lived this life, not forgetting that I am remarkably and undeservedly loved by Him, but that I carry HIS Name, that people judge Him by my actions, and that the way I choose to live my life (for better or worse) is a reflection on Him?
A few things to dwell on, huh? I pray you ask yourself these questions, and then make these three things real in your life!
And BTW – Go Tigers!
Later,
Thayer