As a coach, one of the things I find most amazing is how great it is when a group of individuals bond in true brotherhood. I’ve been blessed to coach youth football (best sport ever—I’m just sayin’), and at the beginning of each season we give our kids homework to help them understand this kind of brotherhood.

We break it up over the first three weeks when conditioning is hardest on the body, mind and soul. It’s during these times that players (and coaches) either start to bond and get on the same page or fall away from each other.

The homework itself is easy. We ask them to write down the definitions of several words (e.g. Prepared, Faith, Desire, Respect, Integrity, Accountable, Loyal, Effort, Attitude, Endurance, Humble and Brotherhood) and use them in a sentence. Then, they are to list a word with the opposite meaning. While each word helps to build the foundation of brotherhood, it cannot create it. Our job as coaches is to foster an environment in which it can flourish.

As Christians, we are called to function in this same manner with our families, our churches, our teammates and, really, everyone God has placed in our path. It’s our responsibility to tend the souls, lead the hearts, shape the minds and follow Christ in order to achieve true brother/sisterhood—to be our brother’s keeper, so to speak.

It’s a fallen world, so the task of achieving brotherhood can be both simple and difficult, but the fellowship of believers is essential to our Christian life. Some people say, “God and I have an understanding. I don’t need to be part of a local church.” But the truth is we are told in Scripture not to forsake the fellowship and assembly of believers.

If we trust Jesus and lean on each other through life’s difficulties, a special bond will be created. In Christ we become true brothers and sisters.

(P.S. On the homework, one of my players actually listed sisterhood as the opposite of brotherhood. I laughed. He’s only 10, so we cut him some slack.)