In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2008 bestseller, Outliers, he popularized the “10,000-hours rule,” which declares that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at any competition, from violin to basketball to Halo. It was based on several studies that argued that “practice makes perfect” theory for any skill.

The rule has faced several critics and doubters, including Sports Illustrated’s David Epstein’s new book The Sports Gene, which attempts to disprove the theory. Practice is essential, of course, but there’s a reason Jamaicans dominate sprinting. According to the book, Kenyans excel at long-distance track, and tall people are much more likely to make it to the NBA. Epstein also notes that the world’s best in the high jump, darts, and track don’t need nearly 10,000 hours of practice. It’s in the genes, he argues.

1 Timothy 4 – Pursuit of Holiness

I’m glad that godliness doesn’t depend on our genes but on the Holy Spirit and our pursuit of holiness. Paul makes this argument in 1 Timothy 4 to those who want to lead and teach within the church. Those who want to teach Scripture, first and foremost, must become faithful students of the Bible and then allow sound doctrine to saturate their lives, which results in godliness.

Why is it crucial to cultivate practical godliness? The Lord commands us in 1 Timothy 4:7, “Train yourself for godliness.” If you want to obey God, then you’ll cultivate practical godliness. Cultivating practical godliness is necessary for the Christian life. It comprises pursuing personal spiritual disciplines (bible reading, prayer, fasting, etc.) and interpersonal (baptism, the Lord’s Supper, fellowship, family worship, etc.).

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete discipline their bodies for the purpose of godliness by practicing biblical spiritual disciplines. They recognize this involves a specific activity, something you do rather than something you are. However, they also know apart from God’s grace, the disciplines are empty of power to make us more godly without the right biblical motivation.