In the 1993-94 Eastern Conference finals, the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks were tied with 1.8 seconds left. Bulls coach Phil Jackson drew up a play that called for Toni Kukoc to take the last shot. Pippen, one of the league’s best players that season, decided to sit out the moment and not return to the game. “I felt like it was an insult coming from Phil,” Pippen said. “I was the most dangerous guy on our team. So why are you asking me to take the ball out?” When asked if he was in or out, Pippen said, “I’m out.” Pippen said he wouldn’t necessarily change his decision. “It’s one of those incidents that I wish had never happened,” he said. “But if I had a chance to do it all over again, I probably wouldn’t change it.”

Do you have a responsibility to obey your coach in everything as a Christian athlete? Are there moments when you do not have to follow him or her? What is your responsibility when your coach leads like a dictator?

1 Timothy 6 – Chain of Command

In Chapter 6, Paul closed his letter with practical advice for Timothy, which included instructions on the chain of command. The opening verse advised those with non-believing masters: “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.” Doulos is the Greek word for bondservant. The word refers to someone who is wholly bound to another person. His will is completely swallowed up in the will of the other person.

A chain of command operates at 100% efficiency only when each person in the “followership” role looks upon themselves as a doulos or bondservant to his leader. You are in a “followership” role to your coach as an athlete. Paul wanted Timothy to understand how confusing the gospel witness was for non-Christian bosses to witness lazy or rebellious followers. The place you work or play is often your primary contact with those who need to hear the gospel. This is where everyone sees what you are made of from the stress and challenges of your sport.

 The Kingdom Coach and Athlete believe total submissiveness is Christ-centered, leads to Christ, and makes us like Christ. They follow Jesus’ example in Mark 14:36 when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane shortly before He was taken captive, “All things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”