I wouldn’t classify myself as a loner. On the Myers-Briggs indicator, I earn the title of extrovert, yet I don’t place off the charts. 
I’m a people-person for sure, but also one who can function alone. Yet if I’ve learned anything over the years, too much alone time for me makes for a slippery slope and a chance for a downward spiral of self-doubt, idleness, and a bland perspective. I need people to energize me. Relate to me. Encourage me. Challenge me.
As many workers in the field of sports ministry in the context of the local church, I’m a staff of one. I am part of the larger church staff, of course, yet in regards to leading the sports ministry, I work alone. I represent a Silo. As a closet perfectionist, working alone has advantages in regards to, well, maintaining control. However, this quest for control is fueled by pride and fear. In clinching control, I hinder growth and development of the ministry. I stifle full reliance on God as I strive to accomplish things on my own. I know this silo way is the wrong way, a distorted approach to ministry. And I know God has more in store.
Therefore, I know hope exists to break out of this silo tendency. Church Sports Outreach, CSO, through its mentoring and resources, has helped me identify one of many solutions to this well-known silo effect. To counter a lone ranger mentality, I recognize the need to lay a foundation for our church’s sports ministry, and this foundation includes building a leadership team to invest in the sports ministry of our church.
CSO has helped me map out and implement the steps necessary to begin this journey of breaking out of the silo. This process has helped initiate for me a transformation from silo to maestro. You see, a maestro conducts a musical performance. However, she does not stand alone. A maestro needs musicians, gifted individuals to blend their talents to create a musical masterpiece. Likewise, without the gifts and talents of others pouring into our sports ministry, a masterpiece will never be realized. Even further, without reliance on the one heavenly Maestro, our Creator God, to whom we strive to bring glory, our sports ministry will never reach its full potential to impact others for the glory of God.
Each of our contexts for sports ministry may vary, yet our struggles and obstacles most likely share similarity. If you find yourself trapped in a silo, I encourage you to employ the resources (both human and digital) that CSO offers. Joining a network of sport ministry workers through CSO is a great first step to breaking out of the silo effect. It worked for me, a maestro-in-training.
To find out more about becoming a part of the CSO Network, click here.
