In the Game or in the Stands? The Church’s Call to Participate, Not Spectate

 

Pastor Victor Mushimbami and Nuru cartoon image 

By Pastor Victor Mushimbami Garneton East Chapel, opposite Misenga Primary School

In the Game or in the Stands? The Church’s Call to Participate, Not Spectate

In life, and especially in ministry, it’s easy to believe we could do better than those who are leading, simply because we’re not in the game ourselves. Whether it’s football, checkers (known as draft in Zambia), or spiritual leadership, those on the sidelines often become the loudest critics. But when handed the responsibility, the reality quickly sobers the critic.

Jesus Christ didn’t call spectators. He called disciples, mathētēs (μαθητής), a Greek word meaning “learner” or “student.” His mission, as given in Matthew 28:19-20, was clear:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (panta ta ethnē), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe (tērein) all that I have commanded you.”

The command is not to make fans or critics but students, learners who follow Christ, sit at His feet, and submit to His teachings.

The Pastor's Role and the Church's Responsibility

The pastor (poimēn - ποιμήν, shepherd) is charged not only with feeding the flock (John 21:15-17) but helping them mature, guiding them to experiential knowledge, not merely intellectual. The Apostle John echoes this in 1 John 1:1-3:

“That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life… we declare to you.”

The goal is epignōsis (ἐπίγνωσις), a full, personal, and relational knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17).

We must not reduce church life to opinions and armchair critiques. The Great Commission is not a conference table for suggestions, but a battlefield for engagement. Those who only give opinions often scatter what God is gathering (Matthew 12:30). The Spirit convicts, unites, and builds up, while fleshly opinions divide and discourage.

The Illusion of Superiority from the Sidelines

Let’s talk checkers (draft). Have you ever stood over a game and thought, “Why didn’t they move here instead of there?” You feel wiser, until it’s your turn. In football, everyone watching becomes an expert: “Pass the ball! Why did he shoot?” Yet if you give them the ball, they can’t last 19 minutes on the field. That’s because participation reveals the cost, the fatigue, and the reality that excellence is born in practice, not pride.

So it is with ministry. From the outside, it looks manageable. But once you begin obeying the Master, carrying His yoke, and laboring for souls, the weight becomes evident. Paul speaks of this burden in 2 Corinthians 11:28:

“Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”

The Harvest Needs Workers, Not Spectators

Jesus declared in Matthew 9:37-38,

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers (ergatai) are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out (ekballō) laborers into His harvest.”

We often assume this refers only to pastors or missionaries. But the word ergatai means “workers”, those who participate, not spectate. The call is not for advisors or critics but for committed laborers. Pray for more, not fewer, hands in the field.

Satan's Subtle Work Within

Revelation 12:10 calls Satan “the accuser of our brothers.” Sadly, he often operates through the voices of uncommitted churchgoers. Jesus warned in Matthew 13:24-30 about the wheat and the tares growing together until the harvest. Until Christ returns, the church will be a mixture of true and false converts. That’s why the gospel must be preached every Sunday, never assuming all are born again.

Even as the Israelites left Egypt (Exodus 12:38), a mixed multitude joined them, bringing foreign worship practices. God descended on Sinai not to affirm their ways, but to reveal His way. Exodus 20:1-3 reminds us,

“I am the LORD your God... You shall have no other gods before Me.”

Worship must conform to God’s revelation, not our imagination.

The Church's Identity Crisis

The modern church is in danger of forgetting her identity. She is not the head, Christ is (Colossians 1:18). She is the bride (Revelation 21:2), called to submit, not dominate. But like Eve in the garden, the church often seeks autonomy and takes leadership apart from Christ, becoming vulnerable to deception.

Yet, through Mary, a woman, God brought forth the Messiah. And to women, He first revealed the risen Christ (John 20:11-18), offering a redemptive restart. Let us not try to lead Christ. Let us reflect Him as the lampstand (Revelation 1:20), holding up the Light (John 8:12) so the world may see and believe.

A Shepherd’s Counsel

This is a shepherd’s plea: Let the church return to her original design. Let us become again the ekklēsia (ἐκκλησία), the called-out ones, who gather not to advise Christ, but to obey Him. Let us become the woman formed from the side of the Man Jesus, born through His death, burial, and resurrection.

Let us hold fast to the mission:

• Make disciples from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 7:9).
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• Teach them to obey all that Christ commanded (John 14:15).
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• Preach the gospel without assumption (Romans 10:14-15).
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• Engage, not spectate (James 1:22).
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• Love and labor for even one soul (Luke 15:7).

Prayer

Lord of the harvest, forgive us for watching from the sidelines. Awaken your church to her calling. Raise up workers. Drive us into the field. Ignite our hearts with zeal, not for opinion, but for obedience. Let us no longer be advisors of your mission, but disciples and doers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.