Attrition. Webster’s Dictionary defines it as a reduction in the number of employees or participants that occurs when people leave because they resign, retire, etc., and are not replaced.

Attrition happens in life. But with the Abundant Life Program’s church participation it happens at an alarmingly low rate. Occasionally, after the 6 church trainers complete the 2-day Train the Trainer Event, a church drops out, but, for the most part, normally a church’s enthusiasm only grows the further they get into the program.

This past week, while accompanying a visiting group from Washington, DC, I asked a 16-year-old volunteer why he had decided to take on the workload and time commitment of serving as a church trainer in his church’s Abundant Life program. As we listened to him describe his passion and vision for his community, I took note of the wisdom beyond his years he possessed. Often, many of us struggle with the perseverance required to achieve our goals.

Years ago I read the following story about legendary football coach, Tom Landry, from Chuck Swindoll’s book, So You Want to be Like Christ: Eight Essentials to Get You There.

“I had the privilege of getting to know the late coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry, while he served on the Dallas Theological Seminary board. He was a humble man of quite strength and dignity, and when he chose to say something an entire room would stop and lean in to hear what he had to say. Once during a breakfast with a group of men, someone asked how he was able to forge a team out of individuals so they would win, something he managed to do every year for twenty-nine years. I’ll never forget his answer. The table grew silent as he paused for a moment, and then said, ‘My job is to get men to do what they don’t want to do in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to achieve.’”

This is a good reminder in all facets of our life, but notably in our walk with the Lord:

If we want what we’ve never had,
we must do what we’ve never done.