West Cocoa Chat

I’m sure many of you remember John Wooden, the fabled “Wizard of Westwood” who’s UCLA Basketball Teams won 10 national championship, including seven in a row from 1966-73. His teams set an NCAA record of consecutive wins (88) over a span of four seasons. He is the only coach to have four 30-0 seasons. And during his time at UCLA, his teams were 149-2 at Pauley Pavilion. Those numbers in all likelihood will never be duplicated again.

During this unprecedented run, Coach Wooden was once asked if he had a secret or method to scouting opponents. His answer was fairly succinct. He said, “We don’t worry about what the other team is doing. We work on what we’re going to do in a game and let our opponents worry about us.” This quote came to mind when I was thinking about our subject today.

Recently it came to my attention that our church had been listed on a list that someone had posted on the internet with respect to fellow Churches of Christ not doing things exactly as this particular brother believes things should be done. I suppose his intended purpose was to embarrass those on his list as well as warn others to tow the line or they’re church could end up on his list.

I'd like to be like Coach Wooden in this regard. We will pray, teach, plan, and coach our body of believers that comprise our “team” and not worry about the opposition. It seems they are doing enough of it for all of us. I will say this as I’ve tried to say in the past, our church nor any of the others on that “List” are perfect nor are they any kind of model to be emulated. I suppose they are full of flawed, known sinners who by the grace of Jesus Christ are on the only list that matters, the one you’ll find in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” So we’ll continue to be a non-denominational Church of Christ.

One final comment about “the list” – As I heard a brother once say, “Jesus didn’t get nailed to two boards by playing is safe.” I’d say that would include “lists” as well.
God bless.