7 Things Running Taught Me

7 Things Running Taught Me About Ministry
by Kent Shaffer

The Apostle Paul begins Second Timothy 2 by telling Timothy that he should be like a soldier, an athlete, and a farmer. I have never been a soldier or a farmer, but I have been an athlete. I used to run hurdles in track and field, and I have always enjoyed Paul’s comparison of ministry to running a race.

So what can we learn from a runner? How can the principles of running a race help us create more effective ministries?

Here are 7 things that running taught me about ministry:

#1 :: Get a Good Coach

Find quality mentors. Finding the right coach was the best thing that ever happened to me in track and field. Look for people who can tell you the right things to do and how to do them well.
Proverbs 11:14 (NLT)Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers.

#2 :: Train Hard, Train Constantly

Runners constantly train hard to improve their strength and technique. Effective ministry requires that you consistently invest into training your spiritual life. You also need to regularly work on improving your ministry methods and techniques.
1 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

#3 :: Eat Right, Drink Plenty

The wrong diet will make a runner vomit. Guard your heart like a runner guards his stomach. Keep your actions pure and be careful what you give your attention to. A poor diet sits heavy like a weight in a runner’s stomach, but a good diet brings strength to a runner.
Hebrews 12:1 (NLT)Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
Runners also need to stay hydrated. You need personal time with God like a runner needs water. It keeps you refreshed and is essential if you plan to run your race well.
Psalm 23:3 (The Message)You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

#4 :: Go Fast!

The most obvious part about running a race is that you must go as fast as you can. Being fast is more sophisticated than simply running as hard as you can. You must know your race and be able to pace yourself to maximize your efforts without burning out. Successfully sprinting a 100 meter race requires a different distribution of energy than running a marathon.
Philippians 3:14 (NLT)I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

The word press is derived from the Greek word dioko, which means to run swiftly and to run after. I feel an urgency to spread the gospel and fulfill my calling. Every moment matters when people’s eternity is on the line.

Unfortunately, the ability to be quick, agile, and nimble is difficult for some ministries. Perhaps it is needless policies bogging them down. Perhaps a lack of organization holds them back. Whatever it is, some ministries seem to be running their spiritual race in slow motion.
Are you doing everything you can to make the biggest impact? Are you moving as fast as you can?

#5 :: Keep It Light

When running, the ounces you carry multiply with every step. Serious runners wear the lightest shoes possible. Likewise, prune your ministry. Make it lightweight and nimble by cutting away unnecessary and unfruitful tasks, programs, and anything else slowing you down. Everything you do should have a purpose and bring you one step closer to finishing your race.
1 Corinthians 9:26 (NLT)So I run with purpose in every step.

#6 :: Stay in Your Lane

If you don’t stay in your lane, you will be disqualified from the race. Likewise, if you do not follow God’s guidance, you will suffer consequences.
2 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules.

#7 :: Finish Your Race

It does not matter if you are slow. It does not matter if you fall down. You must finish your race.
Acts 20:24 (CEV)But I don’t care what happens to me, as long as I finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do. And that work is to tell the good news about God’s great kindness.
The word work is translated race in the NIV and NKJV translations and translated course in the KJV translation. It is derived from the Greek word dromos, which means a race, a career, or a course of life. It is the same word that Paul uses when he says:
2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Staying focused on and dedicated to finishing the calling that God has given you is the most important thing you can do in your ministry. Run your race well so that in the end, you too can be like Paul in Philippians 2:16 (KJV) and say, “I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”