Changing Momentum

A few weeks ago, I sat down to watch the second half of the NFC Championship football game between the Detroit Lions and the San Francisco 49ers.  To my surprise, my wife, Lori, asked if she could watch with me—that is rare.  The Lions were leading 24-7, and the sideline reporter conveyed that the Niners’ head coach, Kyle Shanahan, insisted the team must score on their first drive of the second half.  They did—they drove down the field and kicked a field goal.  The Lions then proceeded with a drive of their own, but instead of a field goal try, they were stopped on fourth down. 

49ers quarterback Brock Purdy then threw a 51-yard pass to Brandon Aiyuk, who caught it after it bounced off the helmet of the Lion’s defensive back.

The Niners scored a touchdown, then the Lions fumbled.

As this was happening, I asked my wife, “Can you feel that?”  “Of course,” she answered. 

Kyle Shanahan said about the 51-yard catch: “It unlocked the whole team. You could feel the whole momentum — with our players, the stadium, the sideline — kind of flip.”

We could sense it ninety miles away.  My wife, who watches a football game once every couple of years, could feel it.

Momentum.  What I have learned and am still learning is the magnitude of momentum.

If you have been to or through Excel’s Discovery Center, you have heard us talk about the power of momentum. Positive momentum will cause folks to get behind the vision, and negative momentum will push them to jump ship.

The great news is that we, as leaders, get to manage the momentum of our ministries. There are three types of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who ask, "What the heck just happened?" Leaders are called to make things happen:

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” –Romand 12:11(NIV)

The Apostle Paul reminds us that we're to keep pushing momentum. When can we let up? "Never." When can we take our foot off the gas pedal? "Never." We're to keep that fervor. Too many leaders, too many pastors, and too many who are in charge sit back and wait when God says to keep pushing.

The great news is that Jesus promises positive momentum:

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” –Matthew 16:18 (KJV)

Jesus promises that no matter what, his kingdom will have positive momentum. And as leaders we need to keep pushing that.

Romans 12:12 explains how to keep the zeal, the fervor, the momentum:

" Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” –Romans 12:12 (NIV)

 But how can we change momentum?  How can we get momentum back?  Here are three ways I am learning on changing momentum:

1.  Make excellent use of your timeouts

Timeouts can be momentum-shifters.  Coaches, managers, and players call timeout sometimes to break the momentum.  There are no timeouts in soccer because it is not a real sport.  Some timeouts are discretionary, and some are compulsory. 

In life and ministry, we have a certain number of timeouts we can use.  Some are natural, like taking a timeout in summer, on holiday weekends, or during slow times of the year.  Then there are sabbaths, days off, vacations, sabbaticals.

 The 49ers began changing the momentum at halftime.

“Guys were extremely pissed. It wasn’t just 17. It was the way we were down,” Shanahan said. “They were having their way in the run game, and we weren’t getting much in the run. We didn’t want to go out like that.”

 I’m learning to use my timeouts to stop negative momentum.  And to keep positive momentum.

Ben Howland coached the UCLA basketball team to three straight Final Hours.  (Okay, they didn’t win any) Howland regularly called timeout immediately after a great play by his team.  He wanted his team to feel the positive shift and hear the Bruin fight song to push momentum.

2.  Make an excellent play.

Brandon Aiyuk made a play—that flipped all the momentum.  In the Super Bowl overtime, the same 49ers needed one fourth-down play to win the game.  Instead, Patrick Mahomes scampered for a first down and momentum led the Chiefs to victory.

Make a play.

The book of Acts describes the incredible momentum of the early church.  Just about every chapter depicts someone making a momentum play.  In chapter one the timid disciples are holed up in a hideout until Peter stands up and says, “We’ve got to deal with the Judas elephant in the room.”  In chapter two Peter seizes the opportunity to preach as the Holy Spirit comes with tongues of fire.  In chapter three Peter and John encourage a lame man to walk and then in chapter four they stand up to the authorities.  In chapter five momentum is changed when Peter says to Sapphira, “We are never even getting back together.”  In chapter six they expand leadership, in chapter seven Stephen takes one for the team.  In chapter eight it is Phillip who makes a move.

Did you notice who made the momentum play?  The leader.  If you’re not making a momentum play, you might not be leading.

 How do we make a play in ministry?  Some ideas:  Schedule a baptism service.  Hold a giving campaign.  Start something new—a new ministry, a new service, hire a new leader.  Plan a big day.  Have another Grand Opening.  Set a reachable goal.

Years ago, I was again watching some football game between two teams I don’t care about.  One team was crushing the other when the announcer mentioned to the color commentator, John Madden and said, “This team really needs a touchdown right here, don’t they John.”

Madden said something I will never forget.  He said, “They don’t need a touchdown, they just need a first down.  A first down will give them a spark.”

Go make a play.  To change momentum, we don’t need a touchdown, just a first down.

3.  Make excellent momentum decisions.

We don’t always need to make the correct decision.  But we do need to make momentum decisions.

Acts 15 is all about how circumcision is not necessary for salvation.  Great news, you don’t need to be circumcised!

But Acts 16 starts this way: 

Paul wanted him (Timothy) to join them on their journey. In deference to the Jews of the area, he arranged for Timothy to be circumcised before they left…--Acts 16:2-3 (NLT)

Wait, what?

The correct decision is no circumcision.  But Paul made the momentum decision.

He read the room!

Our decisions must be balanced between the facts and the intuitive.  I’m learning to discern. 

At Excel, our theme this year is simple:  More.  Doing more in 24.  Doing so, the big mo.

The goal is to sign more planters—we did 50 last year, so we’re shooting for more.  We have more Discovery Centers planned.  We are trying to secure more partners and making some first downs.  We’re trying to bring in more resources. For the first time I can remember, our treasurer prefaced the January financial support with a “Way to go!”  We’re doing the thirty, sixty, hundred deal that Jesus mentions in the parable of the sower. 

Two questions: Where is your momentum right now?  What is a momentum play you can make?