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A Person, Not a System
“And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
John 17:3
If you are like me, you take great comfort in orderly systems. Whether it’s a well-thought-out political platform (aligning with the views of a political party), organizing your calendar (with something like Microsoft Outlook) or following a specific diet and exercise regimen, systems provide comfort and help us control outcomes.
My love of systems began at an early age. Growing up, I played soccer and was taught a specific way of playing soccer (known as “Total Football”). As dogmatic adherents to this philosophy, my coaches would meticulously plan our practice sessions and take us through a series of drills, providing us with a structured way of playing the game.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to coach soccer. I remember when I first began coaching, I was eager to teach kids the same well-thought-out system that I had learned. And, while there is great value in adhering to a particular system, when I began coaching, I realized an important lesson: “You coach a person, not a sport.”
At its heart, coaching is relational before it is technical or tactical. This is true of any sport — whether it’s soccer, basketball or baseball. Every athlete is a whole person with emotions, fears, and motivations. If a coach only focuses on a system (tactics, drills and skills), they may develop good players — but not necessarily good people.
This is true of Christianity as well. The essence of Christianity is not a creed, a moral code or a ritual system — it is a relationship with the living God. The gospel calls us into fellowship — a friendship with the living Lord who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Our Episcopal tradition has a beautiful liturgy, a historic way of governing itself and a thorough theology as expressed in the Creeds and “The Articles of Religion” (see the Book of Common Prayer, pp. 864-878). And I love and cherish these aspects of our tradition. However, it’s important to remember that our faith is not based on a religious system, ritual duties or belonging to the right church, as Jesus reminds us in his High Priestly Prayer, “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) At its core, our faith is relational. It’s based on a person: God himself.
So, I encourage you to embrace our tradition and utilize its numerous life-giving practices and resources. But as you do these things, do them wholeheartedly, seeking Christ Himself in everything you do. Ask daily, “Lord Jesus, help me to know You better.” So, go to church, enter into the liturgy, recite creeds, read the Scriptures, but remember why you do these things: to commune more deeply with the living Lord. This is what it’s all about.
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