Basketball legendary coach John Wooden’s approach to coaching was unique. He rarely talked about winning but more about process and teaching. According to researchers Richard Gallimore and Roland Tharp, who studied the methods of many coaches. They found that Wooden gave very few “motivational” speeches and rarely got overly emotional, whether up or down. What he did was … teach. In their study of Wooden, Gallimore, and Tharp recorded 2,326 discrete acts of teaching, categorized as:

• Compliments: 6.9%
• Expressions of displeasure: 6.6%
• Pure information (what to do, how to do it): 75%

Coach Wooden taught through what he called the “whole-part” method; he would teach a complete move or play and then break it down to work on its essential elements. Wooden also built his teaching upon new knowledge, built upon old knowledge, and often used illustrations.

Romans 4 – The Finished Work of Christ

The best coaching illustrations use familiar images to teach new concepts. Paul uses an illustration in Romans 4 to show his audience that the doctrine of justification by faith was not new. He reminded them of Abraham’s example in Romans 4:1-8. By teaching them, Abraham was declared righteous by grace, through faith, and not because of obedience; he wanted them to understand that nothing had changed regarding justification. Justification is where God declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ based on the finished work of Christ on the cross.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete know justification is a legal matter. They believe God records their righteousness in Christ in place of their sinfulness, and nobody can change this record.

Journaling helps you understand and respond to the Bible. As you journal, use the acronym HEAR to Highlight, Explain, Apply, and Respond to what you have read in the reading plan.

Bible Memory Verse – But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 LSB

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