FCA Cycling

Asking Questions

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:59:20 GMT

N600 Recap

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 15:46:12 GMT

Resilience

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Sun, 16 Feb 2025 09:38:44 GMT

The Utility Player

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:28:17 GMT

Processing Questions

The Utility Player

Ready:

¹⁹ For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹ To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³ I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Cor 9:19-23

Set:

I recently met someone who asked me what my role is with FCA. I responded, “I am the Regional Director of Operations, Talent Advancement, and FCA Cycling.” That was received with a chuckle and reply, “I’d like to see that on the organizational chart. Who made that up?” The question was then posed again. This second time, my answer focused on job functions rather than titles and I responded that I work up, down, and sideways in the chain of command to identify and solve staff and system problems. I am “chief problem solver” or “chief solution officer” – often a “Utility Player.”

As I ponder this encounter, 1 Corinthians 9 comes to mind. The heading of that chapter in the English Standard Version of Scripture is “Paul Surrenders His Rights.” In that chapter, God allowed us a window into the life and mind of the Apostle Paul as he worked through questions. Please pause here, grab your Bible, and read the entire chapter. Notice Paul’s tone in the first eighteen verses. He appears a bit frustrated (much like I was in the question-and-answer session of the first paragraph).

Scripture doesn’t allow Paul (or you and me) to wallow in frustration. It transparently reveals Paul’s thought process as he worked through the process to arrive at Scripture-based conclusions. He asked the questions, used his knowledge of God and His Word as applied to his life, and provided answers. His frustration became God's tool, driving him to peace-filled (God-centered) conclusions.

Through Paul, God provided the scriptural model for moving from frustration to focus. He understood his freedom in Christ, his relationship to the law, his weaknesses, and how it all contributed to the most important thing: his salvation and his role in inviting people to experience and enjoy that same salvation through the faithful presentation and embodiment of the gospel. He concludes that paragraph by saying, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (v23)

In essence, Paul was a utility player who analyzed and leveraged his varied life experiences to help advance the gospel. He could view widely (and wildly) varied situations through the gospel lens and provide answers that people from all walks of life could comprehend. God’s design for Paul and Paul’s analysis provided the insight that contributed to souls being added to Christ’s Kingdom.

As I ponder the lesson, I’m reminded of my commitment to leading every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church so that we see Him transform the world. If I can help those I serve to accomplish that mission more efficiently and effectively, I have obediently answered Jesus Christ's call on my life. He is the One I am called to satisfy. Of that, I am certain. Nothing else matters.

Go:

1. Describe a time when a conversation or situation has gotten you off balance.

2. What did you do about it? How did you process it? Did you use Scripture?

3. How does your study of Scripture need to improve so your knowledge and application can grow?

Workout:

1. 1 Corinthians 19

2. Hebrews 10

Overtime:

Father, may every situation we encounter be processed with and through Scripture and your saving work in our lives. As we learn from living an analyzed life, may we pass lessons learned along to others? Amen

The Prescription

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:54:49 GMT

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2024 Impact Report

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:23:02 GMT

Not How I Planned It

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 19:39:12 GMT

Humbled Once Again

A person’s heart plans his way,

but the Lord determines his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

“The tree did not fall on her house or car. It fell across the driveway and road. She’s blocked in, and we need to go saw her out.” I’m sure this call was not unique in Hurricane Helene’s wake.

As we drove for an hour and a half, I mentally reviewed the photos we’d been sent and developed my plan of attack.

Upon arrival, the crew was already working with small saws on the treetop. “Great,” I thought, “I’ll help get that minor stuff out of the way, and since I have the only big saw, I’ll take care of the larger sections.” I filled the saw with gas and oil and pulled the starter cord…and pulled…and pulled – nothing. Ugh – few things are worse than a chainsaw that won’t crank. After all, it’s only removed from storage when it’s needed.

It took me a moment to regroup. I realized my plans wouldn’t come to fruition. I also reminded myself that we didn’t need to get the whole tree sawed. We only needed to clear the driveway and roadway (the original task), and the running saws could accomplish that.

I adjusted, joined the team, and devised a method of removing longer logs with a sling and truck. Had I been “running the big saw,” we probably wouldn’t have used that method, and the job would have taken longer.

Reflecting on that evening, I didn’t have a pure heart. Yes, I wanted to help, but I wanted to lead the charge. My ego was tied to “using the big saw to make a big difference.” The dead saw forced me to become a better team player and contribute differently. It wasn’t my plan. God humbled me again.

1. As a coach or leader, have you ever recognized a player not having their best game? How did you influence them to acknowledge that and adjust to the team’s advantage?

2. As an athlete or teammate , have you ever recognized you weren’t at your best during competition? How did you adjust to be a better team player?

Workout:

1. Genesis 50:20

2. Acts 9

3. John 13:37-38; 21:1-19

The Cure for Resentment

rwright@fca.org (Ryan Wright) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:41:26 GMT

Do you grumble? Are you harboring resentment?

"23 Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel

are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

and harbors deceit in his heart;

25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

for there are seven abominations in his heart;

26 though his hatred can be covered with deception,

his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly." Proverbs 26:23-26

My wife, Heather, bakes fantastic sourdough bread. A part of the process requires her to heat a Dutch oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. When she began using the enamel-coated Dutch oven shown in the photograph just a short while ago, the inside was as white and glossy as the outside. You can see the damage now that it has experienced a few cycles of intense heat. The once white enamel has been damaged, tarnished, and has lost its luster. Just the other day, she said, "I've gotta find a different pot to use for this, or this one's gonna be ruined...and this is my favorite pot."

As I pondered the pot and her current dilemma, Proverbs 26:23-26 came to mind. The simile Solomon uses and its application to this situation is astounding. I love how the Bible speaks to us through everyday occurrences.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines fervent as very hot, glowing, and exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling, zealous. Solomon is using "lips" to refer to one's speech. Therefore, this passage warns us of the perils of a whte and glossy outside (fervent speech) hiding a damaged, tarnished, lackluster inside (an evil, deceitful, abomination containing, hating, wicked heart).

Humans have been cursed by sin since Genesis 3. We are born damaged on the inside, and the Bible tells us our hearts are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). A life full of pressures and intense heat exacerbates that condition. Our hearts are as damaged as the glaze inside that pot; the longer we live, the more damaged they can become.

We are prone to complain, grumble, and find fault in others. Solomon warns we can try to hide our dark hearts, but they will be exposed. Jesus later endorsed this teaching in Matthew 22:37, saying, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness."

And there's nothing we, by ourselves, can do about it. We can't fix it. There's no amount of "pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps" or "cleaning up our acts" that will clean us up. So, what are we supposed to do?

God answers that question throughout the entire Bible. In Deuteronomy 6:24-27, Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, instructs us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jesus endorses that same command in Matthew 22:37-38, Mark 12:30, and Luke 10:27a. Then, Jesus raises the bar by telling us to love our neighbor as ourselves in Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31, and Luke 10:27b. Therefore, love is the answer to the question concluding the previous paragraph.

Wait a minute...if we have the inherent tendency to grumble, resent, and hate because we are born with a heart darkened by the curse of sin and there's nothing we can do about it, how can we love as Jesus instructs us to love? That, my friends, is answered by the Gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ.

Even before He created humanity, God, holy and perfect, knew we would succumb to sin. Since He is holy and perfect and because of His intense love for us, he planned and provided Jesus Christ as the solution. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). In arguably the most famous verse in Scripture, Jesus says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

Ok...let's assume you believe Jesus is the answer, and you take God at His Word. Praise the Lord! But how does that help overcome the propensity to grumble, complain, and resent? Jesus told His disciples to "follow me." If we follow Jesus and learn more and more and more about Him, He has promised to soften our hard hearts. Since Jesus is love, our dark hearts will transform towards that love. It's neither quick nor easy. But, as love grows, gratitude grows. As gratitude grows, grumbling, complaining, and resentment shrink.

If you don't believe me, could you try it? It works.