Pastoral Lessons from the GOATs Retirement

In stunning fashion, within less than 24 hours the world learned of the retirement of two legendary figures in football. Nick Saban called a team meeting to announce his retirement from Alabama, and before any of us could start looking for what planes were landing in Tuscaloosa, ESPN broke the news that Bill Belichick was leaving the Patriots. Between the two, they have enough rings to make the Pawn Stars guys jealous. They've won so much that we came to expect them to play for championships. In 24 seasons with New England, Belichick went to 9 Super Bowls. And even in those off years, they still went to the AFC Championship 4 other times. It's an unprecedented streak of success. Saban likewise won 6 national titles at Alabama and lost in the championship game 3 other times. His lowest poll finish apart from his first season was 10th.

There's some lessons for us as pastors to consider as we marvel at the GOATs riding off into the sunset and enjoying their retirement, or their next foray into coaching or TV.

1. All of us are replaceable - None of us in ministry are indispensable. We'll all, at some point or another, have someone else occupy our office and our pulpit. The sidelines at Alabama and in New England will soon have someone else on them chewing out officials and screaming at players to line up correctly. We likely won't get the kind of attention, fame, statues built, and the bank accounts they do, but we'll all one day face the time where someone else is in our place. And that's how it should be. We're all glorified interims when we really think about it. Our church has a lineup of the previous pastors, all of whom served for a time until God said otherwise. And I know where my photo will go (if my original plan of putting it in a storage room doesn't work out), and where the one of the guy after the guy who comes after me will go. It's a good way that God keeps me humble.

2. Success over faithfulness is a form of misery - Despite their unprecedented successes, I don't recall a lot of times seeing Saban and Belichick in a press conference smiling. Maybe they're really funny off camera, but even when winning it never looked like they were happy. Alabama assistants have talked about the day after their first national title that Saban came in and immediately started talking about the next season and recruiting. National titles had a 24 hour celebration. Nothing more. Compounding the successes and need to stay on top was the unending pressure of having a target on your back. If your team beat Alabama or New England, you celebrated. College kids rush the field. Pastors, don't base your life on success. It's a never ending form of misery feeling like you constantly have to one-up yourself. Base it on faithfulness to your church, your spouse, and ultimately to Christ and His Word.

3. Don't model yourself after the exceptions - Coaches with that kind of sustained winning and longevity are rare. Since Saban got to Alabama in 2007, the SEC as a conference has hired and fired 66 head coaches (counting interims). The exceptions control huge budgets, have unlimited access to top prospects, and get some pretty sweet endorsement deals. For most of us who are pastors, we'll never have that kind of spotlight. And that's ok. The pastor who's always on your conference promo material isn't who you need to aspire to copy. Be the you who God called you to be. Not anyone else.

4. Enjoy the ride - I guarantee that most Alabama and New England fans assumed the good times would continue forever. Well, at least in New England until Brady left. But far too many of us take for granted when we're in the sweet spot and enjoying things around us. Sometimes it's something we take for granted, or we're so caught up in the busy of everything going on. But maybe for a little bit, we ought to just stop and enjoy the ride that we're on. The frenetic activity in the local church doesn't lend itself to reflection. So maybe this Sunday before you preach, just take a moment and absorb what you're doing, where God has you, and the overwhelming joy that comes from being a vessel of grace to people.

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