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Sacrifice and Joy: Lessons from an NFL Fullback

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Here’s a cool story by Sports Illustrated that a facebook friend brought to my attention about NFL fullback Tony Richardson. If Jesus were to speak highly of one particularly position in football, it would definitely be the Fullback. Before the book and movie The Blind Side, I would have been tempted to say offensive line, but now they’re getting more publicity and lots of money. Fullbacks make MUCH less.

The fullback position is all about blocking, and sacrificing yourself for the good of the running back. Of course, in that sacrifice, there is great joy, and that comes out very clearly in this well done article. This is definitely worth the read, and I’ll be rooting for this 39 year old to make some NFL roster. The NFL needs more Richardson’s for sure.

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Dungy vs. Ryan III

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This is my last post in this brief blog mini-series. 
Public figures tend to speak about or against other public figures, well, in public. That is never a good idea. For Tony Dungy, he was simply asked a question and candidly responded, according to his convictions. So I do get that. I can also understand how hard it would be to speak privately to public figures, particularly when both are so busy. 
But the good news in this situation is that both busy men were able to speak to each other “man-to-man,” and clear the air. Each apparently unapologetically explained his point of view, and it looks like Dungy may even head out there some time this Fall. 
Christian leaders, theologians, pastors (and all Christians for that matter), can learn from these two coaches. Nothing is better than speaking “man-to-man,” but very often our public examples simply blast each other publicly, like opposing politicians, all in the name of truth. Sometimes they forget love, and the simple application of love: a courtesy phone call. How many churches could be saved from pervasive anger, division, splits, folks leaving by simply talking with each other? Talking doesn’t solve all problems, but you would have to think it would really solve some.

I’m glad these two coaches, who probably still hold fast to their own convictions regarding cussin’-N-coachin’, could at least talk it out.

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Dungy Vs. Ryan II

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Well, you know the Rex the “F-bomb” Ryan would respond to Dungy’s comments (which I think may be ill-advised) over his cussing.
Ryan’s retort actually makes some sense to me. Here’s a summary and my take on it:
1.) Self-justification and “judgment” Whenever someone “judges” someone else-though very often, and in this case, I think its more of an evaluation-you inevitably get the “don’t judge me b/c I’m a good person” card. And this case is no different. If Rex Ryan really claims to embody this “I’m going to be me” attitude and F$%# everybody else, then why even feel the need to fire back at Dungy? Why feel the need to defend yourself and tell the world you are in fact a good person? 
Whenever we forget who really justifies us, we’ll always fire back with the “I’m really a good person” defense. Always. Most people who say they don’t care about what others think actually do. Only Jesus can take this need to defend ourselves away, because he nails it to the cross and exchanges our badness for his goodness. Notice I didn’t use quotes this time.
2.) Cussing and “bad” people. Ryan is right. There are many “good” people who cuss, and plenty of “bad” people who don’t cuss. There are many folks who cuss, but they love better than those who don’t cuss. Words are part of the way we love others, and build them up, but as I John 3:18 reminds us, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” Humanly speaking, there are many “good” (relative to other people) who cuss, but have loved me better than non-cussers.
 
Sometimes we think people are acting Christ-like when they’re not cussing. Christianity can become overly reductionistic: don’t cuss, chew, or go with girls who do (I’m not sure what the King James translation of this would be-which unfortunately is all too apropos in my setting). But they may well be cussing and living a life more Christ-like than their clean mouthed neighbors.
In the end, I do think Ryan has a point that he was “unfairly” judged. Positives were ignored.
We’ve got to be careful not to make the dividing line between someone doing right and wrong, cuss words. Again, I’m not arguing that expletive tirades are good. I rather think they are bad. But this can’t be our sole evaluation, nor is it one which scripture places on a higher plane than the failure to actively love others.
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Dungy Vs. Ryan

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I appreciated all those who commented on “Seminary Thoughts.” Thanks for the input.
I’m a Tony Dungy fan. I’ve read one book of his and started another. There’s no football coach I respect more than Dungy. 
Now enter the anti-Dungy: Rex Ryan the white, overweight, cocky, loud mouth, cursing football coach. And everyone is enamored with this joker, with the exception of Dungy. Check out his reaction to Rex Ryan’s expletive laden  Hard Knocks (behind the scenes HBO video series on different football teams).
When asked if Dungy would hire Rex Ryan to be the coach of his team, he says, “no.” He even went so far as hoping commissioner Roger Goodell would tell him to tone it down.
Most people, who think solely on the pragmatic level say, “Dungy does it his way and it works and Ryan does it his way and it works.”
So could you, in good conscience, hire a Ryan type if a Dungy type weren’t available?
Can or should you expect a non-Christian to act like a Christian (assumption that cussing, without using the Lord’s name in vain as a football coach is never allowed)? Let’s just say that a coach wins games, genuinely cares about players and their families, promotes social activism in the community, disciplines, suspends, or releases repeat offenders, but cusses profusely. Would you then not want him to be your coach? Should you not want him to be your coach?
While none of you-no offense to my few blog readers-will likely ever be the GM of an NFL team, or any professional team for that matter, it does raise a good question. What should I expect in regards to behavior of n0n-believers?
Dungy believes in integrating his faith into all of his life, and for that I think he sets forth a wonderful example. Nevertheless hear are two truths to consider when approaching something like this.

1.) Total Depravity

We should not expect non-Christians to always act like Christians; they ultimately can’t because the don’t have faith. When a Great White Shark eats a seal, we shouldn’t be angry or surprised with that Great White. He’s only acting like a Great White, the only way he knows how to act. The Holy Spirit’s work of regeneration is a pre-requisite for real life change.
2.) Common grace
We should also not expect non-Christians to be as sinful as possible. We should not be surprised when they follow the law, help old ladies cross the road, love their spouses. So in some ways, we can expect them (minus the ability to please God b/c that only comes by faith) to act certain ways.
I’m working off the assumption that profuse cussing at people probably is dishonoring to God. If I’m right, then the question remains: can we expect certain sins from unbelievers, and even overlook them if they are performing their jobs well?
I think in this case, I would probably be more influenced by #1, and realize Ryan is probably a good coach, probably cares about his players, and is probably concerned with discipline. I would then probably overlook his cussing.

We need to be careful not to expect real life change without the experience of grace. Sometimes I think Dungy lands a bit too heavily on #2. 

However, you could also perhaps argue that I do as well, because I expect humility, not  arrogance, with those in all forms of leadership. Still, these are some helpful grids to think through when dealing with expectations of unbelievers.
 

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Seminary thoughts

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Over the last several years I’ve begun to wonder whether our (evangelicals who value theologically educated pastorate) system is a.) the most faithful to Christ’s commission and b.) doesn’t eliminate pastors who may be truly called.
Here are some thoughts from seminary professors, one of which, Richard Pratt, had a huge influence on me personally. If you check this out, and read the comments below, you can tell that they didn’t have him as a professor: he made us call him “Richard” not “Dr. Pratt.” Anyhow, Richard argues for a more hand’s on technique, evangelism, preaching, evaluation, and emphasis on rigorous spiritual disciplines like a “boot camp.”
I also appreciated Al Mohler’s remarks, calling us to understand the obvious inability of seminaries to give hand’s on training to pastors. That’s the job of the local church. That’s why I found a mentor very quickly upon arriving at seminary.
One of the things that I appreciate about our denomination is that we place a high value on a theologically educated pastorate; I would NEVER argue against this. I believe this is necessary if the Reformed faith is to be passed on and serious gospel deviations are to be squelched.
An interesting lad in our Intro to Hebrew class told us that in his Baptist church (I know they’re not all like this), they just voted him in as pastor. And that was it! There really wasn’t any training or testing period, or ordination process. That scares me.
I’m still in the process of thinking through this, so I’m only thinking. I’ve personally seen the danger of people who haven’t been to seminary, and have simply read a ton of books. They consider themselves theologically educated, but what they’ve done is simply read the books they liked. They are not well rounded.  Their ideas are not tested or challenged in community, or by former pastors, and they are far from teachable. And they too scare me. Learning from experienced pastors and dialoging in community is vital.
There are alternative ways of theological education currently available which don’t require someone to uproot the family, and leave the place where they are currently ministering. I’m becoming more of a fan of these lately.
However, there is also part of me that isn’t totally sold on these. I thoroughly enjoyed my seminary experience. It was in seminary where I met my wife, my closest friend, got mentored, and left with a number of fellow ministers who have been a huge resource and blessing in my life. 
But since I escaped from my three years without any debt, that probably puts me in the small minority. While I wouldn’t do church the way some mega-churches do it, I wonder whether their process of ordaining pastors from within might be a better and more biblical model. Then add to that some distance education, spiritual formation, dialog with experienced pastors, and finally passing denominational ordination requirements.
I’m trusting that those in my denomination, who have begin to already consider these things, will move forward in dealing with this issue with both wisdom and proper haste.

Feel free to comment and tell me what you think of seminary education today or my thoughts.

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The Sauna Championships

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Some things just don’t sound like good ideas. Then there are some things that just sound like a really bad ideas. I would put the Sauna championships in Finland in that latter category. Check out this article, and see what can happen when dudes sit in temps over 200 degrees for extended periods of time. Not pretty, but definitely interesting to see what qualifies for “sport” when more normal ones are ignored.

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Dealing with Hazing

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Some people like Peyton Manning have some real problems with hazing. Here are his thoughts. In summary, he thinks that rookies should be treated the same way because they are expected to come in right away and produce. Therefore, you should treat them the same way as anyone else. I guess he has one Super Bowl under his belt and almost had another one last year. And he did get a lot out of not one but two rookie receivers. Treating people with dignity and respect is biblical, so I guess I can’t argue with treating them the same as everyone else. 
Nevertheless, I don’t see anything ideologically or necessarily un-biblical about it. After all, most rookies come in demanding more money than the veterans make or else they hold out. They’ve been at the top of the food chain for so long and everyone has assisted in their ego blotation. It might help partake some much needed humility to their lives.
But I’m now turning away to the difference in ways some rookies handle it.
Dez Bryant of the Cowboys refused to carry the pads of the receiver he was brought in to eventually replace. Tim Tebow, now of the Broncos, on the other hand, gladly went with it. In fact he got something a little more lasting than carrying pads: a medieval friars hair cut. Check it out here. It’s more than pretty bad. 
When interviewed, he said he thought it was fun and helped foster a sense of team. He wants to earn the respect of his teammates. Well, he got it. When other veterans Champ Baily and Brian Dawkins were interviewed about Tebow, they said the main thing that stuck out to them was “his humility.” How rookie football players deal with hazing obviously speaks quite loudly. 
If how we respond to persecution is part of our witness to unbelievers (one of the themes of I Peter), it would make sense that the same is true of harmless hazing (I’m not talking crazy fraternity stuff). So from heckling to hazing to persecution, its a good, but sobering reminder that we’re always witnessing to someone.
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Tiger’s head

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While I did not get a chance to watch Tiger’s latest debacle, I did hear about it through ESPN. He played about as well as the Tampa Bay Rays did (losers of 5 straight), shooting 18 over par (one stroke more than the number of times the Rays struck out on Sunday) this weekend. I’m not a golf coach-though I did get a hold of a plastic golf ball in my front yard while hitting with Connar yesterday and it sailed into the neighboring property only to be lost in the “ruff”-but you have to wonder how much of Tiger’s woes are in his head.

I mean this joker is used to being the best golfer in the world. He’s clearly not anymore, and it looks like he knows it. Never having been a Tiger fan, and never will be for that matter, I’m interested to see if-though probably when-he escapes this funk. I’m always amazed at the power of psychology in sports.

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Christian Sociopaths

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A number of times over the years, I’ve asked a person here or there (how non-specific can you get!) to do something, then made this caveat: but don’t worry or feel guilty if you can’t do it. Several times over the years, I’ve received this response, “Oh don’t worry, I won’t feel guilty. I don’t feel guilty about anything.”
Now in some ways, that’s OK. We need not be motivated by guilt any longer because there is no condemnation in Christ (Rom 8:1). However, I’ve heard this type of response from certain folks, and then thought about it within the context of their lives. Then I begin to wonder if this I-don’t-feel-guilty-about-anything attitude really means that the person really feels no conviction for sin or the Spirit’s leading. No convictions on being in worship, no convictions on parenting, no convictions on selfishness, isolation, hospitality, etc…We should feel conviction for sin regularly, because, well, we regularly sin. Guilt tends to be general, where as conviction is quite specific.
The grace which God has shown us through Christ (which takes away all guilt and punishment of sin) does not take away conviction of sin. In fact I think its just the other way around. Titus 2:11-12 reminds us the affect of this grace:
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…..
Contrary to making us complacent in how we live, it actually moves us toward living godly lives, “training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions.”  It doesn’t fill our lives with guilt, but grace does point out all the ways in which we try to find life outside of the gospel.
The next time you I hear, “I don’t feel guilty about anything,” it might be worth exploring that a bit further. Do we feel any conviction about not using our spiritual gifts, respecting others, loving our neighbors, not supporting a local church in worship and work, how we work, etc…? If we don’t, then it’s very possible this I-don’t-feel-guilty-about-anything-attitude may really be something as simple, and dangerous, as quenching the Spirit. At the end of the day, it may be nothing more than living as a Christian sociopath under the guise of grace.
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Thoughts on When missionaries get sick: Part III

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This is my final take on “when missionaries get sick” (sounds like something Fox would carry, doesn’t it?).  Again, I’m just trying to provide-and work through for myself-a framework to help me think though the inevitable hardships missionaries and anyone involved in any sort of ministry or local mission work will face.
I just got through listening to Jim Rome’s rant on Yoda, and how this little green guy has become some sort of spiritual guru/inspiration/mascot for the first place San Diego Padres. He blasted Yoda as a coward who simply ran into seclusion in some sort of murky forest planet. Rome claims, in Yoda’s own mantra, he simply “didn’t try, he simply did not.” I think he’s got a good point on Yoda. But I think we are all prone to Yoda moments of giving up, hiding, and waiting for someone else to step up. 
Anyhow it helps me to have a framework of how to think through these types of things, and this is my final contribution: God can and does “do” ministry through us even when we can’t “do” ministry like we would normally think.
Paul landed in the slammer for preaching the gospel, so he really couldn’t continue his missionary journeys nearly as long as he desired. Nevertheless, he was still able to do ministry. Sometimes when people say, “I’m praying for you,” I wonder what that really means. Is that once a month, just before they saw me, daily, once a year, etc…Sometimes, if I’m in a skeptical mood, I don’t even believe its true. Who hasn’t said, “I’ll pray for you,” and forgotten to actually do it?
But when Paul said he was constantly remembering people in prayer (Phil 1:3), I believe it. He had the time;  he had a praying ministry. It wasn’t so much a “hand’s on, going, or preaching” ministry; his was largely a praying ministry. Now of course he ministered to his captors (Phil 1:13), but I don’t know if this was his primary ministry. That joker was always praying for his churches. Prison didn’t stop him. 
Sickness couldn’t stop him. The other day when I got sick, I had a great day of prayer; and I think I am actually feeling the fruit of that prayer now as I’m trying to organize people into teaching positions, nursery, youth ministry, etc…

So when sickness strikes our missionaries, it is good to know that they can still “do ministry” even if they can’t “do” what they thought they were there to “do.” Make sense? Maybe talking about Yoda, has gotten me talking like Yoda.