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Jul 15, 2025 12:17pm

From Cute Chaos to Unstoppable Unity: What Coaching Little Leaguers Reveals About Growing God’s Church

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Have you ever watched a T-ball game? I know you just laughed even thinking about it.

Now, imagine trying to coach them.

These little 4, 5 and 6 year olds are all excited, dancing around, chasing butterflies, picking flowers, filling their hats with dirt, and you, well… you are trying to teach them the basics of baseball.

It’s the day of their first game. Everyone knows their positions, they’ve practiced catching and throwing the ball, and they know exactly what to do when that ball is hit.

They take the field.

Smiles spread across their faces as they wave at their family in the stands. This is their big moment.

The first batter steps up to the plate. They swing. The ball is on the move!

And so is every single player on the field. Not to their positions, but in a mad dash towards the ball. It’s like a school of fish darting this way and that.

Complete chaos. Cute, but chaotic.

It takes awhile for them to learn what working together as a team looks like and why it’s so important. Every position matters and to win championships, they each have to know their strengths and how to work together as a team. It’s not all about the pitcher. It’s not all about the short-stop. It’s not all about the 3rd baseman. They are a team.

But in the mind of that 4 year old, it’s all about who’s got the ball.

This is what Paul was trying to address in the church at Corinth. Well, not baseball exactly, but the chaos that had erupted.

The church members were discovering their spiritual gifts. Some were givers, some servers, some teachers. But some were given the gift of tongues. Many of the believers saw this as an outward appearance of being spiritually advanced or unique. Like toddlers running after the ball, these believers wanted this gift too. But they were missing the point. That wasn’t their gift. But it didn’t stop them from trying.

1 Corinthians 14:9

“It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space.”

They were uttering nonsense and it was creating chaos. Paul was concerned for the unbelievers who came to the church. How would they hear the truth if all this craziness was persisting? He recognized that tongues (speaking another language) was an actual spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit, but it was being misused for personal elevation and stealing the glory from God.

“But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. 20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind.”

Paul said if you are going to desire a gift above another, desire one that benefits the church as a whole.

“12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church.”

“22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24 But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

Spiritual gifts are a true blessing from the Holy Spirit. But they are not and should not be used to elevate ourselves.

It’s not about us. It’s about God alone.

Let’s get honest. Ask yourself, what is Gods mission? What is my gift? How is that being used to serve Gods mission and the church? Am I pursuing a gift for attention rather than the Lord’s will? Is this gift building up others?

Jesus gave us a commission to go and make disciples. Everything we do should be centered around this. We have been given the complete Word of God in His Holy Bible. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the One with all authority and all honor and glory should be His alone. He has gifted each of us according to His perfect will and plan to build His kingdom. When we use our gifts correctly, we work together as a team, and God is glorified!

Learn more about following Christ at follow.lifeword.org and in Spanish at follow.lifeword.org/spanish.