Intriguing title, no? On Saturday during the second main session, Miles McPherson was the speaker. He was fantastic. He is pastor of The Rock Church in San Diego. Miles was a professional football player with the Rams and then the Chargers. He was engaging, passionate, and his love for people was so transparent. He believes in meeting people where they are and believe me when I tell you they have some pretty innovative ministries and small groups. It works for them. Might not work for us in Montana but it works in their community. And that's what it is about--figuring out what the needs of our communities are and then meeting them.
Of course I won't be able to say this exactly as he did and part of the humor came in his presentation and voice inflection as well as in the fact that he played football so he has some liberties I do not. However, the point was so on target I wanted to share.
He made the comment that it's time to stop being a basketball Christian and start being a football Christian. Obviously this needed explanation. He said that a football receiver goes out on the field and will get hammered by 300 pound men trying to stop him. Sometimes more than one at a time. BUT, he jumps back up, shakes it off, gets in the huddle and says "give me the ball again!" A basketball Christian is one who gets bumped by someone else or gets a cut on his finger. They immediately cry "FOUL!" and want a free shot.
He said, "that's how so many Christians are today. They get fouled or hurt in life and they limp off the field telling God to give them a break. To take them out. To give them freebies in life."
Isn't that really something to ponder? Life is hard. We get bumped, fouled, tackled. Knocked flat. But we've got to get back up and keep going. There will be a time for rest. We're so blessed for those times in this life but when they don't come, we can take comfort in the fact that we'll have it for eternity. I love it. Great stuff.
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