From my most recent article at WorldMag.com:
You may have heard about a little trade that happened in the NBA this summer when the Minnesota Timberwolves sent Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a package that included Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and two No. 1 draft picks. It was an unprecedented trade because of the amount of young talent the Wolves received for one of the game’s top players. It’s also just the kind of trade that gets a beaten-down fan base—Timberwolves fans like me—excited. What talent! What possibilities! What a future!
But see, that’s just it. We have a future to look forward to (hopefully), but the present is likely to be a bumpy ride. It is so easy to get caught up in the energy and enthusiasm of a youth movement and forget that with youth comes inexperience and a steep learning curve.
Winning isn’t something a team just does; it’s something they learn to do.
. . .
I work for a large Christian organization that serves and partners with thousands of churches across the country. One of the trends I observe in the church is akin to sports fans’ excitement with “youth movements.” Often the sense among leaders and congregants is that tradition and grayheads have lost value and churches would be better off if they could “trade them” for younger, fresher faces and ways. This is understandable; the emotional boost that comes with an exciting new leader looks a lot like success. But will it last? Does it have the fortitude and wisdom to overcome the inevitable challenges?
. . .
