Sidewinders Baseball

Robert is getting ready to start his baseball season. We have already started practicing. This year we decided to play in the Fredericksburg Parks and Rec league and we are graduating from Tee Ball to Coach Pitch. I did not coach last year and missed it so I signed up to be an assistant for Robert's team this year. Of course at the coach's meeting to start the season there was no head coach and I wound up being the head coach. I am a little worried about pitching to people that are like four feet and giving them something to hit. Our team name is the Sidewinders and we have had two practices.

I am quickly remembering from my previous coacing what a challenge it is to keep the attention of 7 and 8 year old kids. It is hard. It is also a challenge to explain basics of the game using langauge they understand and can apply. For example, when I tell a batter "when you swing, keep your back foot planted" they look at me like "huh- keep my back foot planted." I also can't assume that the kids know how to hold a bat, what direction to run to first base or where right field is.

I liken it somewhat to the church and preaching. It makes little sense to most followers of Jesus even ones who have been following Jesus for some time for me to speak about incarnation, substiutionary atonement, or glosollalia without explaining what that means in terms that are understandable and to further explain what difference those things make for a person's journey with Jesus. I can't assume those in the worship environment even know what a gospel is, how to recevie communion by intinction or any other host of actions or code words in the church.

Sometimes we have to speak the people's langauge in order for them to get it whether they be 7 and 8 year olds on a ball field or 27 and 38 year olds in a worship setting. It is what the Lord requires.