HOLY HUDDLES?

~ Michael Young, Sr.

 

Huddles

        • noun A densely packed group or crowd.
        • noun A brief gathering of a team’s players behind the line of scrimmage to receive instructions for the next play.
        • noun A small private conference or meeting.
        • intransitive verb To crowd together, as from cold or fear.
        • intransitive verb To draw or curl one’s limbs close to one’s body; crouch.
        • intransitive verb Informal To gather together for conference or consultation.
        • intransitive verb To cause to crowd together.
        • intransitive verb To draw (oneself) together in a crouch.

Holy Huddles

        • noun A densely packed religious group or crowd.
        • noun A brief gathering of a church or a religious group behind the line of scrimmage to receive instructions for the next play.
        • noun A small private religious conference or meeting.
        • intransitive verb To crowd together, as from cold or fear.
        • intransitive verb To draw or curl one’s limbs close to one’s body; crouch.
        • intransitive verb Informal To gather together for a religious conference or consultation.
        • intransitive verb To cause a religious group to crowd together.
        • intransitive verb To draw (oneself) together in a crouch.

 

Breaking the Huddle

Can you imagine if a football team, after huddling up, never came out of the huddle? The referees would certainly call a delay-of-game-foul, and assess a penalty. Right? And if the team refused to break the huddle a second time, a third time, etc., what would happen to the offending team? What would happen to the game?

A Holy Huddle is the place where believers join together to prepare to participate in the game called life. It is the gathering of followers of Christ to receive direction from the Lord through engagement with the Word of God. The huddle is the refuge from the world where the believer is surrounded by other Christians where encouragement and support occur. The holy huddle is the place in which believers gather for the purpose of preparing to play for the Kingdom of God.

The existence of the holy huddle is pushed along by a desire to be with other believers. It is driven by the passion to grow in one’s personal, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ; compelling believers to find their position in the Kingdom Work and their purpose on God’s team. The holy huddle lives because of the One who lives in believers.

Cautiously, Christians must understand the desire to huddle so they can guard against the hazards of huddling. If believers are not careful, the huddle will be overemphasized and as a result, the huddle never breaks. The huddle consists of great talks about the game and great conversations about the current situation going on in the game, but the huddle never disbands to engage in active participation in the game of life.

And what if the ‘quarterback’ (the pastor) calls plays that have little to do with the Coach’s (God’s) game plan (the Great Commission, etc.)? This would indicate that The Holy Huddle is stuck in a mindset of selfishness, where the existence of the Huddle becomes its own end to a means. In this case, the concern of the Huddle is not to receive the calling into the game, but would have become just a way to preserve itself. It is overly concerned with the form of the huddle than the situation in the game. COME GROW WITH US is the slogan!

In this metaphor, Christians are the so-called ‘team’, which is the local Body of Christ, the Church. The quarterback is the lead pastor. The referee is God The Father, Jesus The Son, and the Holy Spirit.) The ‘game’ is our lives. So, what would happen if a Church ‘team’ never came out of their huddle? Wouldn’t God just as certainly call a ‘delay of game foul’ so to speak, from His Word? Wouldn’t He and assess a spiritual penalty? And if the team refused to break the huddle a second time, a third time, etc., what would happen to this team? What would happen to the game?

Sound ridiculous?

      • Only 20% of Americans attend church every week (Gallup)
      • Just 41% of Americans are in monthly church attendance or more (Gallup)
      • 57% of Americans are seldom or never in religious service attendance (Gallup)
      • Regular church attendance has steadily declined since the turn of the century

Not only are we not coming out of our Holy Huddles, people are leaving them. A study and survey by Pew research shows why people join the Huddles (the Church) in the first place:

  1. To become closer to God. (81%)
  2. So their children will have a moral foundation. (69%)
  3. To become a better person. (68%)
  4. For comfort in times of trouble or sorrow. (66%)
  5. They find the sermons valuable. (59%)
  6. To be part of a faith community. (57%)
  7. To continue their family’s religious traditions. (37%)
  8. They feel a necessary obligation to go. (31%)
  9. To meet new people or socialize. (19%)

And, people leave the Huddle when these expectations are not met, and because

  1. They do not feel included.
  2. They do not feel appreciated, loved, liked or even recognized.
  3. They do not feel useful to the Huddles.
  4. No one, or at least very few people in the Huddle, even knows their name.

Thus, it is imperative that Christians defend themselves against the traps of simply huddling together, but keep in mind the greater task that calls them to break from the huddle and engage in the game.

The church must never become a stuck, stagnant holy huddle, but must break and engage in the work of the Kingdom. Believers must be compelled by obedience and faithfulness to the Lord’s commands to be His witnesses, to overcome the temptation to stay in holy huddles.

I could go on, but you get it, right? People, and especially Christians, are not cattle to be herded. They are God’s people, and they need to be heard. And here is what they are saying:

  1. I want to get closer to God.
  2. I want my children to have a moral foundation through my church and through bible study.
  3. I want to become a better person, a better Christian.
  4. I want comfort from my Christian friends and my church in times of trouble or sorrow.
  5. I want to find valuable Bible Lessons to live by.
  6. I want to be part of a loving, interactive Christian faith community.
  7. I want to meet other Christians to socialize with.
  8. I want to feel included, loved, cared for and useful.
  9. I want to feel appreciated, or even just recognized.
  10. I want to know and to be known.

I am fortunate enough to be part of a faith community that provides these things, I wish that for you. I pray for that for you.

Let’s break the Huddle, engage the game, and execute God’s Play Book.

  1. Let’s all draw closer to God.
  2. Let’s give our children to have a moral foundation through my church and through bible study.
  3. Let’s become better people, better Christians, by doing as Jesus has taught and done.
  4. Let’s make sure to comfort our Christian friends in our church in times of trouble or sorrow.
  5. Let’s study and practice the valuable Bible Lessons to live by.
  6. Let’s be a loving, interactive Christian faith community, on purpose!
  7. Let’s come out of our Huddles and deliberately meet and spend time, socialize with other Christians in our Church.
  8. Let’s include, love, and care for everyone around us, and make others feel useful in our lives.
  9. Let’s recognize, show and express appreciation for those around us.
  10. Let’s make a point to know all those around us and to let them know us.

Let’s Break the Holy Huddle and build His Kingdom!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Discover more from Whitestone Fellowship

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Unknown's avatar

Published by Michael Young, Sr.

I am a practicing Christian, a disciple of Jesus, a husband of over 50 years, a father and a grandfather, a business man, a veteran and a friend to all who will have me. I have served or am serving, at various times, as an Evangelist, a Pulpit fill pastor, an Associate Pastor of Evangelism and as Senior Pastor of a church plant. My passion is for practicing and teaching the Bible, building small groups, reaching the lost with the message of the Gospel of Jesus, recovering the straying Sheep of God and the gathering together the Called of God, in neighborhoods, business settings and in churches by equipping other Christians. I have authored a few small books and I have a background in professional business management, finance and investments. I am glad to meet you, even if it is virtually. Write me at any time and let's become friends.

Leave a comment