Core values are essential in any group or organization and they play a crucial role in accomplishing the overall vision and mission. Often times when you think of a successful company or team there are specific words that come to mind that portray that specific group. Our
men's basketball program at
Bob Jones University has made the effort to promote certain core values to build our foundation upon.
Coach Neal Ring and our staff spent a lengthy amount of time praying and talking through these values and came up with a "wheel" that provides a visual illustration to our players of how we expect them to become successful. There are three parts to this "wheel" and they are our mission, our core values, and our vision. Everything we do begins with a single heartbeat, one that every member of our program must buy into in order to attain our overall vision.
Our mission statement is at the center of the "wheel" and it reads,
"Bruins' men's basketball exists to develop student athletes who glorify God and to prepare them to always LIVE CHRIST."
We believe that no matter what we are trying to accomplish from a basketball perspective, it will have no effect unless we are doing it for a bigger purpose. What is our bigger purpose? It is to glorify God and live Christ. If we are simply coming to the gym every day in hopes to win games and get the ladies we have missed our true calling. Our purpose is so much greater that the excitement, the wins/losses, and the cool gear. We want to be used of God to impact lives for eternity through the game of basketball. This sounds well and good, but simply stating this is not enough. We need to have a plan of action and that is found in our core values.
CORE VALUES
Our core values are the pieces of the puzzle that we must live out if we hope to accomplish our vision. There are four main values that we stress to our program.
1. Passion - First and foremost we need to have a passion. We need a passion for Jesus Christ and we need a passion for the game of basketball. We need to be willing to put the required work into both of those aspects and be committed to growing consistently in them. A passion for Jesus can be cultivated through reading his Word and seeking him in every area of your life. When you read the Scriptures, God opens your heart to amazing things and ignites a passion to know Him. You will be amazed how God can use you when you are actively and consistently searching for him! A passion for basketball will be stirred when you see the fruits of your hard work. Early mornings in the weight room, boot camp conditioning, and grueling workouts sometimes are difficult, but once you step on the court in front of thousands of screaming fans, it all becomes worth it! Galatians 2:20
2. Integrity - We expect our members to be honest and trustworthy in every relationship they have. These values need to be mutual and we will treat everyone the same way we wish to be treated. It's the Golden Rule! If you want to be treated well, then treat others well! Most people do not like being lied to and they hate when someone doesn't follow through, so make sure to value everyone in all things. The world says that the 'cool' thing to do is lie, cheat and steal, but that is totally opposite of what the Bible says. Instead, God calls us to live a life saturated with high character. We are born sinners and sin is a daily struggle, so please don't think it's easy to do the right thing. But do know that with God's grace all things are possible and he will give you the strength and the desire to do what is honorable! Luke 6:31; Philippians 4:8
3. Humility - Athletes are glorified in this world and sometimes they expect to be treated in such a way. However, we have a platform to make an impact and we must display humility. We do this by being selfless, having a grateful spirit, and acting out with servant-leadership. When I was a camp coach at the University of Minnesota, Tubby Smith left a lasting impression of humility on me. We were in the cafeteria when one of the campers spilled his food tray all over the floor. From a distance I noticed all of the campers and coaches staring at this kid and some were even laughing and pointing at him. Nobody stopped to help him. What I didn't see was that Coach Smith had immediately gone to get paper towels and he was the first one to help. He smiled at this kid and told him it was OK, got down on his hands and knees and began to clean up this camper's mess. As a young coach I was in awe that a man such as Coach Smith would humble himself to serve others. The same goes for Jesus. He came to this world not to be served, but to serve others. There are so many examples in the Bible about Jesus providing food, healing the sick, and just being there to share the gospel with anyone he possibly could. He was always on the lookout to serve others and he called us to do the same. True leadership is done through serving others. Mark 10:45
4. Collective Responsibility - We are always holding each other accountable. There is a mutual support among coaches, players, managers, and support staff. There is no whining, complaining, and no making excuses. The Bible says we sharpen each other just as iron sharpens iron. A team is a powerful force and when every person is looking out for the best interest of the others, amazing things can happen. We can cultivate this by holding players accountable for their class attendance, grades, and relationships. If you see your teammate sleeping in class or texting during a lecture, call him out in a biblical way! More importantly keep each other focused on reading the Word. The most important thing we can do as a coach is to disciple our players and make sure they are doing what needs to be done to know God. Teammates need to watch out for each other and make sure others are not doing something they shouldn't be doing such as drinking alcohol, being involved in a immoral relationship, or rebelling against authority. When a team comes together and supports one another, there is no telling what they can accomplish! We want our players to graduate and become godly husbands and fathers, not just good basketball players. Proverbs 27:17
When these four values are lived out on a daily basis, success becomes a bi-product of the process. If we can live out these values each and every day, we believe that they will ultimately allow us to carry out our overall vision.
VISION STATEMENT
Our vision statement is our end goal. It is where we want to be what we want to accomplish. We can do this by carrying out our core values and staying focused on our mission. Our vision statement reads,
"We view basketball as a potent platform for ministry in this present age. To maximize this platform, we must prepare to compete against each opponent to earn their respect; with this respect we earn the opportunity for testimony of Christ."
God calls us to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and to disciple others to become more like him and do the same. Basketball is only a tool that God has given us to carry out the great commission (Matthew 28:16-20). As a program, we want others to come to know Jesus Christ and seek to glorify him. Of course we want to compete at the highest levels and win championships, but ultimately we are only doing that so that Jesus Christ will become famous! Here is a look at what our "wheel" looks like:
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