The over-hype of the NFL draft has me reminiscing of my days at the seminary call service. 100 pastors, one-by-one “drafted” into churches, waiting for our names to be called, and anxious about where we will end up. Kristen- as did many other wives- came to the call service with a map of every state in the U.S. Churches were assigned candidates to places like Immanuel Lutheran in Zap, North Dakota, and my other buddy Darryl assigned to the Lutheran Church of Nassau… in the Bahamas.
I almost wonder what the present day hype would be surrounding the leaders of the early church, drafted into ministry…
Mock Draft:
1. St. John the Apostle. Perhaps a bit of a reach at #1, this “son of thunder” (Mark 3:17) earns his nickname. His measurables are unquestioned. His faithfulness as the only disciple present at the crucifixion reveals a boldness not found in his pre-Pentecost counterparts. Yet, there are no character issues with John, largely evidenced by his humility. There is only one apostle of Jesus not mentioned by John in the gospel, and that is John himself. Endurance, wisdom, creativity, introversion, and speed (John 20:3-4) define the #1 pick on the board. Lutherans will take note of John’s impressive reps, specifically his sacramental focus on Word (John 1), water and wine (John 2), water and spirit (John 3), living water (John 4), body and bread (John 6), and water and blood (John 19).
2. St. Paul of Tarsus. Paul drops on the Big Board largely due to his run-on sentences, and run-ins as a youth. A pre-draft consensus #1, Paul’s strengths are clearly demonstrated in his heart for missions, his relentless pursuit of pure doctrine and theology, and his no-holes-barred approach toward teamwork (Galatians 2). However, Paul is a natural leader, not a follower, which created friction among teammates (Acts 15). Although Paul’s integrity is strong, some are concerned about his off-the-field issues dating back to his pre-Damascus days (Acts 7-8). Yet Paul is gym rat… there are no concerns about Paul’s tireless work ethic (2 Corinthians 11).
3. King David. Certainly #1 on many draft boards, Bethlehem’s David is a veritable giant-slayer. Wise, strong, courageous, and rugged, David has all the intangibles of greatness, but has a penchant to lose focus. Some are concerned that following his early victories in Philistine, success came too easily for David, culminating in a very public moral scandal (2 Samuel 11). However, his contributions in literature, music, architecture, and government are epic. Well-rounded and versatile, David could easily be the #1 pick.
4. Moses. Talent is clearly evident in this pick, but his ability to lead is debated among scouts. Although significant victories earned early success, Moses ability to follow through to the end has lead to some to label him a high risk/ high reward project. Highly volatile (Exodus 2:12, Exodus 32:19, Numbers 20:11) and stubborn, Moses also demonstrates a competitive perseverance not easily found.
5. St. Peter, Cephas. Peter plays on raw emotion. This is both his great strength (Luke 22:33) and weakness (Luke 22:62). His competitiveness is remarkable, and his combine numbers as evangelist are off the charts (Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4). Peter, given the nickname “Rock” is best known for his iron-clad confession of faith by which even the gates of hell could not prevail (Matthew 16:18). Whereas St. Paul is more of an all-purpose defender, St. Peter is a specialist.
6. Abraham. Possibly one of the great steals of the draft, Abraham could find himself dropping due to questions of consistency, heart, and impatience (see Moriah, Egypt, and Hagar). Yet Abraham’s track record is one of leadership, dedication, and persistence. If Abraham is still on the board at six, take him.
7. Noah. A man of unparalleled faith. Noah sails into the top ten due to his innovation. Noah’s vision was groundbreaking, and his capacity to think big has the Lions, Bears, Panthers, and Jaguars seriously looking at him. A notable DUI has scared away some, but character issues are not concern for this captain.
8. King Solomon. This would be a smart pick. Solomon has demonstrated a wisdom beyond his peers, yet even his intelligence is unable to keep him from questions of promiscuous behavior. An exceptional team-builder, you can build a franchise around this selection, but Solomon finds himself falling for good reason (1 Kings 11:4).
9. St. Matthew. A crafty veteran, Levi’s greatest strength is in ability to change directions (Matthew 9). Only one of the three in the top ten (John, Peter) from the Joshua Tree of leadership, Matthew’s focus is as a defensive specialist. My money is on Matthew to be a great commissioner, with this not-to-taxing pick.
10. St. Mary. Large groups of draft-beatniks have Mary ranked #1 on their boards, but the feeling here is that it is far too much of a reach. The blessed Virgin certainly has insight, devotion, and a better handle on the playbook than most, but her lack of playing time (as evidenced by the fact that Mary is mentioned on only 5 occasions, and never mentioned after Acts 1) has many concerned.
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