Which Character in the Story are You?
Remember the movie Rudy? I recently caught the tail end of it with my youngest son, @aaronelson. He and I both have seen the movie and caught bits and pieces of reruns on television numerous times. But, it never gets old! It really is a great story.
Aaron and I came in on the part of the movie where Rudy had been promised an opportunity to suit out for the last Notre Dame home game. The promise however, had been lost in the transitions of a head coaching change. Having left no stone unturned, Rudy had done everything humanly possible to see his dream of playing for Notre Dame become reality. But, the odds having been so deeply stacked against him... it seems only inevitable that his last chance at suiting out and his dream is now lost.
This is a pivotal moment in the story. Every great story has these moments. Its times like this when right and wrong are easily distinguishable… and the ability for good to triumph lay in the hands of others.
You see, Rudy was all out of options. There was nothing left for him to do. But, he was still (pardon the expression) shy of the goal line. He needed a miracle. And, as the story goes… in the eleventh hour, Rudy got one!
Rudy's teammates stood in the gap. Moved with compassion and a sense of justice, they each individually go to the head coach to plead Rudy's case. One by one they lay their jerseys on the coach’s desk and say, "Let Rudy play in my place."
In the movie, the first one to make that request was team captain and All-American Roland Steele. The head coach responds to Steele's request by saying, "Don't be ridiculous. Georgia Tech is one of the top offensive teams in the country. You're an All-American and our team captain; act like it."
Steele replies by saying, "I believe I am."
This would not have been a popular or easy thing for Steele to do. He risked a great deal to stand up for Rudy... to stand up for what was right... to lead his team in such an unpopular campaign.
Doing right never really is an easy thing to do. There has always been and always will be great opposition against that which is good and right. But I would encourage you to stand fast and hold true to that which you know to be right and just.
The Rudy movie included some adaptations to the storyline in order to make the movie more dramatic. In real life, there was no Roland Steele and… in real life, the Coach had already approved Rudy to dress for the final home game. These things didn’t really occur the way the movie portrayed the events. BUT, events like the ones portrayed in the movie are played out in every day life all the time and all around us.
We each play the various parts of these stories. You will have the opportunity to be a “Rudy” at some point in your life. You will also have the opportunity to be a “Roland Steele” and the “head coach.” Your actions and your conduct will have both an impact on lives in this time and space as well as leaving a mark for all eternity.
Proverbs 3
When the time comes for you to play the part of Rudy… “Don’t lose your grip on love and loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in GOD’s eyes and the eyes of all people.”
When the time comes for you to play the part of a Roland Steele… “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is GOD’s hand for that person.”
When the time comes for you to play the part of the coach… “Don’t look for ways to take advantage of others who are trusting and unsuspecting. GOD cannot tolerate a twisted soul. It’s the straightforward who get HIS respect.”
Friends, in all things… let's be fully surrendered to the FATHER and allow HIM to direct our every thought, word, and action!
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Four Warning Signs Of Unhealthy Leadership
I used to be a big NBA fan! Especially back in the day when Michael Jordan and the Bulls dominated the sport, winning a total of six NBA titles! Pretty impressive stuff.
Jordan was just plain fun to watch! He made the game exciting—often nail-bitingly thrilling to the very end—but, seemingly, always delivering the mark to the win column! He was (is still) a superstar!
Jordan gets the lion share of lime-light when it comes to talking about those good old days. But, as good as Jordan was, you cannot ignore the fact that basketball is a team sport. It takes a team of five to play. Each has varying talents and unique abilities that when finely tuned and in sync contribute to the production of a winning effort. Without each individual piece working together as one, the team effort would more often than not fail miserably.
Just as in basketball, it takes a team to win in most arenas of life.
Jordan was no exception to that statement. He had to think and play unselfishly, in ways that helped elevate the team around him. He was a truly amazing athlete—but, perhaps his true genius was really in the conduct of his role as a team leader. He understood that a win for the team meant a win for him as well!
How are you doing as a leader? Does the conduct of your role as a leader elevate the play of the team around you? Or, does your leadership literally suck the air out of your environment to the point of extinguishing the teamwork flame?!
Have you ever taken an honest assessment of your leadership and the health of your team? If you aren’t checking on these matters regularly, that might in and of itself be a pretty good indicator to how you're doing!
Here are a few of the warning signs you might see if your leaderhip and team is in an unhealthy place:
- real joy is hard to find—is absent in most relationships
- members avoid team meetings/gatherings
- members adopt a hired gun and clock punching mentality
- ministry becomes “tasks to be completed” rather than “opportunities to be CHRIST”
The health of your ministry depends on the health of your team… and these in turn have an impact ultimately on the health of the community you all are trying to lead. You need to take an honest assessment of where you are at as a leader—as well as the health of your team.
There are some sure ways to foster an environment where all can contribute to a winning effort. One key ingredient depends upon your ability to lead unselfishly—you've got to constantly look for ways to bring out the best in your team.
In my next post, I'll focus on the crucial import of leading from a life fully surrendered.
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First Red Oak
Come join me this Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 10:30AM, as I lead worship for the First Baptist Church in Red Oak, Texas!
Sunday will mark the beginning of a ministry opportunity that will allow me to partner with the First Red Oak family, in teaching and leading worship and serving this community as their interim worship pastor.
I am very excited to go to work with the First Red Oak team and shepherd their Church family through worship, and can’t wait to see how GOD uses our lives to impact this community! Our shared mission is to see lives transformed through the work of the SPIRIT into fully developing followers of CHRIST!
If you are free this Sunday, come join us for worship! First Red Oak is South of Dallas, East of Interstate 35E, at 320 E. Ovilla Rd.
Hope to see you there!
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“NO AMIGOS” Directive
I recently posted a tweet inspired by 2 John 1:10-11 (msg) ... my tweet was, "If anyone shows up who doesn't hold true to the teachings of CHRIST—don't become their partner by giving them a platform to perpetuate evil."
A dear friend of mine (@wilandlisa) responded to my tweet and asked, "As Christians, how do we really do this while at the same time helping those who struggle with staying true to Christ's teachings by their un-Christ like actions?"
Her question is not a new one with regards to the instructions given here by John in this scripture. It seems people have been debating over the exact meaning of these instructions for as long as the book of 2 John has been in the Canon of Scripture!
So, ok… well, the statement made from 2 John 1:10-11 (msg) is not necessarily directed at the type of person Lisa was inquiring about in her question. There is a BIG difference between the one she described in her question and the one defined by John in this scripture.
The person Lisa describes is an individual who is immature in their faith. Unfortunately, there are lots and lots of these types of folks populating the church. The failure occurs when leaders neglect teaching people the full gospel MESSAGE! To many focus only on leading people to CHRIST for eternal salvation, but then do little to instruct those babies in CHRIST on how to discover freedom through surrendered daily living!
Our mission as leaders is to foster the opportunities where lives can be transformed through the work of the SPIRIT into fully developing followers of CHRIST!
In an environment absent of that sort of atmosphere, many babes in CHRIST end up going to church for the entertainment value—rather than being challenged to continued transformation into CHRIST-likeness. Or, they go to get propped up by a set of man-centered rules by which they can feel better about their inability to live the life (see the Abundant Life post dated March 2).
The end result is that immature believers remain immature and continue to live out of selfish motives.
BUT sometimes… worse still… immature believers and unbelievers alike can be lulled into a comma by the types of “leader” John speaks of in 2 John 1. John defines this type of leader as a charlatan—an anti-Christ!! Yikes!! That’s pretty extreme language used to define this type of person that we (the church) are to be on the lookout for!
Thus, the reason for John's... Uhm... "NO AMIGOS" Directive! Ok, well... I actually came up with the name there... but, pretty clear instructions by John here nonetheless!
Make no mistake, this is not simply one seeking truth, or one stumbling along due to immaturity. Rather, this is one intent on twisting and distorting truth—a deceiver. Sadly, there are many “religious leaders” in the church today who fall into this category! These Charlatans don’t share the whole MESSAGE of the gospel—and worse, they distort the MESSAGE. They lead people astray. Sometimes those led astray are believers—but, sometimes they are not, stumbling through life believing they are Christians.
Followers of CHRIST are called to die to self. Paul said, “for me to live is CHRIST.” Not, for me to live is to be CHRIST-like… or, for me to live is to read my Bible… or, for me to live is to tithe! For me to live IS CHRIST. That means no agenda of our own. That means a total surrender of every area of our lives. The old life—that self-centered, live for myself life—is gone. It was buried in the grave the moment I received CHRIST as my SAVIOR. My new life IS CHRIST—a wholly surrendered, CHRIST-centered life. One that allows JESUS to live HIS life in us, through us, AS US!! That means I’m no longer agenda driven by selfish motive or by a misguided attempt to impress GOD.
My whole life is open for GOD to direct me in whatever way HE chooses to lead.
JESUS was the first to live that life perfectly. HE was not driven by HIS own self-centered motives either! You’ll find over and over in the GOSPEL accounts, JESUS saying, “I’m not doing any of these things of my own accord—I’m doing the will of my FATHER!”
JESUS was totally surrendered—HIS whole life, open for GOD the FATHER to direct in whatever way HE chose to lead HIS SON.
We are to live that same life! Let’s live lives wholly surrendered to the MASTER! AND, be willing as JESUS was to overturn tables, rebuke religious leaders, and wash the feet of doubters… every time HE leads us to do so, no matter how uncomfortable those activities can be to us personally!
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Breathing Life
I'm in Colorado this week, here to see one of my most treasured friends in the whole wide world—Kevin Walker. More than a friend, he is a spiritual father. A mentor. A source of truth and life to me and my family for more than a decade.
Kevin has burkitt's-like lymphoma. The recent reports on Kevin’s fight against cancer had not been very encouraging. Last week in a phone conversation I had told Kevin that I was planning on bringing the family to see him some time over the holidays. He responded, explaining if I wanted to see him, I should probably come now.
Kevin is sick.
Greatly concerned, I scheduled a flight for the earliest possible date I could—made all the arrangements—and began getting excited about seeing my friend. It's been more than two years since we last saw each other. I've been in Florida; he's been here in Colorado. Our travel schedules just never lining up allowing us to bump in to one another. I've really missed him.
Prior to this long term absence, we spent considerable amounts of time with one another. We worked together, met frequently over lunch, did double dates with our spouses together. We were practically joined at the hip.
But, I found myself wondering what Kevin would be like now more than two years later—and fighting cancer. I just wasn't sure what to expect.
The ride from Denver went fast. I soon found myself sitting in the driveway, my friend waiting inside the house. I fumbled with the seatbelt, nervous—anxious to see my friend—scared to see my friend. The front door opened and I entered the house. Kevin called down from the upstairs. I thought to myself, "His voice sounds the same!"
As he slowly made his way down the steps I could see immediately that the chemotherapy treatments and other meds he is now on has had a dramatic effect on his balance and endurance. I met him at the bottom of the stairs and caught him in my arms, giving him a big bear hug! It was a long Kevin Walkerish-type hug. If you've ever really hugged Kevin, you know what I'm talking about.
My heart was happy to be with my friend, in the embrace of a spiritual daddy! It was sweet. I didn't want to let go! But, I finally did, allowing him to find his seat. I was finally able to see his face fully.
His hair has completely gone now—nothing on his face or head. He doesn’t look quite right without his Bozo-the-clown-like hairdo crowning the sides and back of his head. There is a knot on his head where a port is inset for draining spinal fluid and injecting chemo into his spinal column. He’s lost weight.
Kevin is sick.
He explains that the antibiotic is tearing up his stomach. The regimen of chemotherapy has resulted in his feeling weak and tired more frequently. But, the last treatment has had a positive impact on stopping the growth of the tumor. They caution, “We’re still in a holding pattern for another week or so…”—at which point the oncologist will be able to determine whether the treatment was a success or not.
BUT, as I set and talk with Kevin and Julie—I can see it in their faces—hear it in their voices. They are full of hope and expectancy. They are optimistic. There is no giving up in either of them. I am encouraged at their spirit!
Kevin might be sick—but, he’s still the same Kevin I’ve always known. I see JESUS in him. I hear JESUS words coming from Kevin’s mouth. Julie too. They are both breathing life. They are the same. Nothing has changed. Kevin is sick—but, it’s JESUS I see looking back at me through Kevin’s eyes.
We visit more. We laugh a whole lot. We remember good times we’ve shared together. We enthusiastically agree that our GOD is good.
My heart is less troubled and more at ease now. I sense GOD in this place. No matter what the outcome, the FATHER is in the midst of these matters. HE intends good for my friend. HE intends good for HIS servant. I know HE will use this situation for good.
Job 36:15 (TEV) says, “…but GOD teaches people through suffering and uses distress to open their eyes.”
LORD, open eyes. Use YOUR servant Kevin in his time of sickness to teach us more of YOUR goodness. Bless my friend and his family LORD. I’m asking YOU for a touch of YOUR healing hand. Heal my friend, YOUR servant. Work a miracle. And, Thank YOU, FATHER, for this time with my dear friend Kevin Walker.
I’m asking the FATHER to heal my friend. Would you join me in that prayer?
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- Celebrating 18th birthday party for @elinelson — pool party at the home of @larrymnelson and @gaylanelson! http://twitpic.com/2laxgv
- Anyone tried Atomic Sports Grill at Fielder & Park Row yet? Just curious if it's any good?!
- Well, Colts Homecoming not going so swell—20 to 42, 11 minutes to go in the 4th—can't help but feel they're calling wrong defensive package!
- Incredible day... love the cool temps, overcast skies! :) http://twitpic.com/2kulm1
- What we believe is what leads our hopes... our hearts... our lives.
- Woohoo!! Colts win!! :) Great job Colts!! And Aaron (@aaronelson) looked awesome!! :)
- 4 minutes left, Colts 17, Cowboys 13... Colts are on O!! Let's go boys!
- Oh shoot!! Cowboys are up by 2 now... 10 minutes left in the 4th. We gotta have some offense! Come on let's go Colts!!
- Halftime, Cowboys Stadium, Colts up by 7! Proud of my boy (@aaronelson), he's rocking the center—good snaps, blocks, and opening big holes!
- Birthday breakfast!! http://twitpic.com/2ki5ax