As I was sitting there watching these 11, 12, and 13 year old students play the game they truly love, I had kind of a weird thought. Where does their passion for baseball come from? And how can I get the students in my youth group to have that type of passion for our youth group? I see the Little Leaguers celebrate together, cry together, lift each other up, and no matter what they stay together as a team. If you have read my older post Baseball Anyone?, you will know that I view the church just like a baseball team. So why are these students not as passionate as the younger students at the LLWS? I really think we can learn a lot from these teams that have fought so hard to get to far.
The first factor I see is that the coaches and parents create a very positive atmosphere. Even in the hardest times of the season these coaches tell the kids to keep their heads up and move forward. The students are constantly encouraging each other, and that comes from the coaches making it clear that no negative attitudes will be accepted. This generation of students show "affection" by picking on each other. I've even heard other student pastors tell a student "the only reason I pick on you is because I like you." What is this teaching the students? Are we teaching them that as long as we say we like you that we can say anything about each other we want? I think we need to make a conscious effort to make our churches a place where only uplifting words and positive attitudes are accepted. Even when it is done in a joking manner, students don't like to be made fun of or picked on.
Another common factor in the LLWS is that people keep affirming the players. Positive affirmation makes a huge difference. The players are constantly flooded with parents, coaches, teachers, fans, and even media telling them how good of a job they are doing. Almost every single student is there because someone believed in them. I know I have been guilty of thinking it is part of being a parent to support and affirm your child, but I have found that many parents are dropping the ball on this subject. Never underestimate the impact of telling a student they did a really good job on something. Just like adults, students like to be appreciated and recognized.
I like that at the LLWS there is a mandatory participation rule. This rule states that every kid that is on the team must play in every single game. There are no bench warmers in the LLWS. In church there are students that don't want to be involved. I really think it our responsibility as leaders to get those students "into the game." Sometimes we have to gear activities and discussion in a way they want to be involved. In youth ministry I have seen students that just "slip through the cracks." It is incredibly sad, but some students show up, don't feel welcomed, come for a couple weeks, then just drop right back off. For this reason I have made it a special point to go and talk to any student I don't recognize. I don't just introduce myself, I let them tell me about themselves. But do not think that is "enough." Make sure you try to build a relationship with the student to really make them feel comfortable.
Finally, and maybe the most important aspect about the LLWS that I want to apply to my youth ministry is that the coaches push the students. They don't have practice and hangout for an hour and have a short baseball practice at the end. When we have all the students together we should be all about the games and activities and then just tack on a bible lesson at the end. The Bible and Christ should be the focus of everything we do with our students. On top of that we do not need to just keep going over the same things over and over, we need to challenge the students. When the teams at the LLWS have practice they do not keep going over the same things every day, they change it up and challenge the students. Our students cannot get better if we are not there to push them in the right direction. If you are a parent I beg you to talk to your student minister and let him know what your particular student struggles with. This is going to take you talking to your student about church. When a student gets home from school, most parents ask them what they learned that day. Why don't more parents ask their students what they learned at church? But this is a different topic for a different day.
I really believe that if we can create a more positive atmosphere for our students and support and constantly encourage them, our students will take notice and grow together as a team. The teams that win the Little League World Series, are not always the most talented or the best coached team. The teams that win are the ones who work together and believe in each other and are pushed. If we can get our students to work as a team we can really impact this dying world.
God Bless each and everyone of you,
Tyler
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