Fantasy Baseball Rookie

I've joined my first Fantasy Baseball League! For the past few years, we've had a Fantasy Baseball small group at NCC. The first year, it was all men. Last year, it was men and women. This year, we split into two leagues-- one for men and one for women. Our group is called A League of Their Own, and my friend Jill Wyman is the commissioner.

I'm a rookie, so I spent a great deal of time last night pouring through magazines and stats to put together my spreadsheet for tomorrow's draft. I tend towards picking the new guys who seem to have a lot of potential as opposed to the old war horses. But then there are other guys that probably aren't worth squat or are getting too old that I want on my team just because I like them or they are a Yankee or a Brave. It transports me back to the days of trading baseball cards with my friends.

For anyone who might be wondering how the heck a Fantasy Baseball League qualifies as a church small group, you are not alone! I questioned it, as well, when the first one began. Theoretically, I firmly believed in the idea that God could take our passions and interests and turn them into community-building and disciple-making opportunities. But Fantasy Baseball? We took a risk, and that risk turned into one of the best groups we've ever had. Men joined up. The group met for managers meetings. They adopted a Little League field in our neighborhood and served as the grounds crew. They hosted a big All Star party and invited the Little League teams and coaches that played on that field. This semester, the men are taking things deeper by adding new dimensions of accountability and discipleship to the group.

Our two requirements for small groups is that they be relational (a place for people to connect in community) and missional (have a plan for making disciples and impacting their community). That's exactly what these group are doing.