Seth Godin has written a stirring piece, The short game, the long game and the infinite game. It’s worth a read and then thinking about how it might apply to church life and ministry:
The short game: characterised by an events-driven mentality, solely focussed on getting people in through the turnstiles. Apply inordinate pressure for quick responses. Sees unchurched people simply as fodder.
The long game: more focussed on building meaningful relationships, gaining trust and establishing credibility. Living visibly good lives in the community and creating/taking opportunities to tell the gospel, with a view to reaching others for Christ.
The infinite game: much like the long game, in essence, but without any sense that all this is simply to impress unbelievers with the gospel and a gospel-changed life. Doing good because good is…good. Establishing trust because trust is foundational for stability. Sharing the gospel because it is loving to do so, not because gospel success is everything.
The interface of the long and infinite games is intriguing. The differences between them might seem slight but, although subtle, they go deep. In the infinite game, holiness is an end in itself, not the means to one. Joy in the Lord is simply a fruit of the Spirit, not a requisite for evangelism. Loving community is reflective of the life of God himself, not just another strategy to authenticate verbal witness.
What game is your church playing?
