Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi understood the importance of team unity or teamwork. He said, “Individual commitment to a group effort: That is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.” The Vince Lombardi Trophy is awarded each year to the winning team of the NFL championship game because Vince Lombardi won the first two Super Bowl games. His teams were known for setting aside petty divisions and coming together to achieve their goals on the field.

1 Corinthians 1 – One Team

While Paul was in Ephesus, he heard that the church in Corinth was facing a lack of unity among its members. Various factions had formed around teachers who had presented different messages in the early church. Paul mentions these cliques that fueled the quarrels in chapter 1. The Corinthians’ pride and conceit consumed them as they began to boast about who had baptized them (1:13). Baptism should have marked the unity of one body, but instead it divided the body into different groups.

Paul provides advice not only to the Corinthians but also to us when we’re faced with controversy and conflict that threatens to divide either our church family or team. Paul’s prescription for the disease of disunity was focus entirely on Christ. While many of the Corinthians were boasting about their particular leader, Paul points to Christ (v. 30). He directs them to boast in the Lord (v. 31).  

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete fix their eyes on Jesus, the Author and the Perfector of faith (Hebrews 12:1-2). They turn from selfish ambition and conflict to gaze from this world to Christ, “on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (Col. 3:2).

Bible Memory Verse – “Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and stumblings contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” Romans 16:17 (LSB)

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Our featured book this week is the book of James – The Faith-Fueled Athlete – by Bryan McKenzie. This is a 12-week study for coaches who want to put their faith into action. 

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