Prepare...

“The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital” Joe Paterno

Can you believe Tiger missed that three footer to win the tournament, I could’ve made that” “Did you see Tony Romo miss that pass, I could’ve made that pass” How many of us have been in front of our sets on Sunday yelling at it then saying, “how could you screw that up, I could have done that”. With all of the pressure to perform on Sunday, even the best professionals make mistakes that cost them or their team. As I watched some of these athletes perform this weekend, I realized something that I have been trying to get my little guy to understand. Preparation is “The key” component to success in any area of life, whether it’s golf, football or any sport for that matter along with careers and the most important, relationships.

About twelve years ago, I was bombarded with messages and signs about preparing. Every time I would turn on any talk radio, I would hear some radio personality or coach talk about preparation. No matter whether it was a sport or a career or a relationship message, it was on preparation. I heard it so much, at first it got a little creepy. I began to think that something was going to happen to someone in my family and all of the weird thoughts that come along with input from outside voices.

So I went to my friend who is a pastor. I didn’t want people to think I was a freak, So, I didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t want to scare my wife, so I kept it on the Q.T. until I could figure out this unknown. I told him what I thought was going on and he had a little different take on it. He knew me very well, since we were golfing buddies and had been on many mission trips together, he knew me better than just about any other person. I trusted his counsel. Since he knew me well, he also knew my weaknesses and my strengths.

As I told him about the experience, he thought about it for a few minutes, and told me that I should head back to school to get some kind of degree in ministry. I told him how much I hated school and that I was too old and all the other excuses that I could muster up. Twelve years later, I am very happy I went to seminary. I learned more than I thought I already knew, which wasn’t very much. I learned that the more I learned, the more I learned that I was far, far short of knowing very much or anything at all!

But what it did for me was cause me to become a constant learner. In fact, I am always reading some kind of book or curriculum to educate me further on spiritual formation and other facts in theological doctrine, and of course the golf swing! Learning has become my new challenge in life. But more importantly, it has set me up for my next task in my ministry career.

With all of my past experience in sales, business owner, retail, youth ministry and ministry to men, it has prepared me for what I am beginning now. I never thought of it until the last job interview I went on a few months ago. As I was preparing to go on the interview, I told the guys on our leadership team at church what I was getting ready to do and they all said, “Wow Greg, that’s the perfect job for you”. Even the pastors and other people that I was connected with in the community told me the same thing. I imagine you have heard that expression towards others or hopefully yourself.

As this conversation started of us thinking that we could, “complete a particular pass”, or a “putt to win a tournament”, we need to think of something that some of us forget to realize, we couldn’t do it. If you think about these athletes, they are first of all, separated from most of us by their extraordinary ability and second and most significantly important, they are prepared. They have been preparing for that moment of greatness since they were little. They have spent countless hours practicing and training for that one moment that seems to separate them from us!


I didn’t realize twelve years ago that I would be preparing myself to step into a role that will help create a new culture that will effect generations of families and ultimately our communities. Many of us wonder why we are not the “person” that God is using. It is almost always because we are not prepared for the task. Could you imagine getting off your lazy boy and putting on Peyton Manning’s uniform and stepping on to the field trying to direct traffic like Peyton? You would be peeing in your pants! You couldn’t do it. Now if you put in the years and preparation that Peyton has put in, maybe, but you’re not Peyton and you are not probably made to be a quarterback.

But, you are made to do something and you are called to prepare and do the best with whatever task you are made to do. As I begin my new journey in ministry, I was concerned that I could lose focus and not continue the learning that has prepared me for this season of life. But, I have an edge on it. I have been at it for so long that it has become a habit that I just can’t seem to turn off. So I am challenged to raise my level of learning and continue on my quest to change our culture of men. Big challenge I know, but I have been walking this road for a long time and beginning to see a little flicker of light toward the end of the tunnel.

I would like to leave you with a piece of wisdom that I have learned from that helped me prepare for this journey. It is found in 2 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”