Surprising Incite from Coach Saban

The quote below is not really that surprising--he's a great coach! It's just
surprising that this TN fan would be quoting from the coach of the rival
Alabama Crimson Tide. Ha!

For some reason, for the past year I've been receiving "Fortune" magazine in
the office. I have enjoyed some of the articles in my "complimentary copy."
This month it was an article by Brian O'Keefe that caught my eye. O'Keefe
calls the article: "Management Lessons from Alabama Coach Saban."

In this article, O'Keefe writes about the leadership style and life of Coach
Saban--coach of one of the best college football teams in the country (ouch
that hurt).

The article talked about how Coach Saban surrounded himself with a staff
that addressed different areas of his players lives so that they could be
the best possible players and people that they could be. Here's one thing
that Coach Saban said:

It all goes back to helping the players, but individual players being
successful makes the team more successful. Now, everybody always says
there's no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in win, because the individuals
make the team what it is, and how they think and what they do is important
to the team. So when you act like the individual is not important, well, it
is [bleep] important who these people are and what they are.

I thought to myself about how that comment by the football coach is so
biblical.

You think about the church for a second. We know that the church is the
group of believers--Christians. The church is like a team. The better the
team the more successful the results.

Add to that is the fact that the team/church is made up of individuals. Each
individual has different talents (Eph. 4:11ff).

One may be great at conducting Bible studies.

One may have excellent skills in preaching or teaching.

One may be fantastic with benevolence.

One may be a master organizer and self-starter and have the ability to start
and run successful church programs.

The point is, everyone--that includes YOU!--has a place in the church. The
question is, are you living up to your abilities?

If the local church is to be a winner (to borrow from the sports
illustration above) then I must be an active team member.

I hope you have a great day!

For previous devotionals, visit www.NeilRichey.com.