Practice by Playing: Learning the Infinite Game Together

The Change the Game Framework is a way of reimagining faithful presence in a moment when the very idea of church feels up for grabs.

We’ve named the game (Part 1), defined the field (Part 2), set some new rules (Part 3), and explored what it means to recruit the team (Part 4).

But how do we actually start playing? So glad you asked!

Practice by Playing

Here’s the shift: the infinite game of God’s Kingdom isn’t something you can just think about, plan for, or perfect in theory. You have to play.

That means trying things out. Experimenting. Taking steps together.

If you’ve gathered a few friends, if you’ve discerned some simple rhythms of mission, formation, and relationship —> then you’re ready. The next move isn’t to make a grand plan for the next 20 years. It’s to practice by playing.

Why Experimentation Matters

Many of us get stuck because our brains trick us into thinking that starting something means keeping it going forever. That kind of pressure can paralyze us before we even begin.

But the reality is different. Across parishes around the world, the communities that grow in faithful presence are the ones that give themselves permission to play and experiment.

Playing is how we practice, and practicing is how we grow.

Changing the way you play or the game you are playing is not failure. Paying attention to the Spirit and changing as needed is the way we learn how to be the church in everyday life.

How to Practice by Playing

So how do we actually live this out?

1. Start with your people
   Gather a small group of friends or neighbors who share a love for your place.

2. Discern a simple practice
   Choose one or two practices around mission, formation, or relationship. It doesn’t need to be big. Sometimes the smallest experiments are the most transformative.

3. Set a timeframe
   Try it for a month, or maybe three. Give yourselves permission to adjust, iterate, and learn without the burden of “forever.”

4. Reflect together
   At the end of your timeframe, come back together. What did you discover? What surprised you? Where did you sense God’s presence?

5. Adapt and continue
   Keep experimenting. Each new round of practice gives fresh insight into how the Church can be faithfully present in the neighborhood.

Wisdom for the Journey

Author James Clear puts it this way:

“Before you discover what you love, fewer commitments, more experiments. After you discover what you love, fewer experiments, more commitments.”

That’s good counsel for the Church today.

At first, try a lot. See what resonates. See where love grows. Then lean into the practices that feel most life-giving, most aligned with God’s renewal in your place.

The Invitation

The Infinite Game isn’t played on paper; it’s played in your neighborhood.

So here’s the step for this week:

Don’t overthink it. Don’t wait until you have the perfect strategy. Don’t try to map the next decade.

Just gather your team. Choose a practice. Give it a time frame. Learn together.

Discernment Exercise: Try · Learn · Adapt

• Try
  What’s one practice you and your group could experiment with this month?

• Learn
  As you practice, where do you notice God at work—in your lives and in your neighborhood?

• Adapt
  What might you change, continue, or deepen for the next round of practice?

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