A real prayer at a church league softball game…BLASPHEMY

Church league sports can crack me up. I love the idea of them. Get together have some fun, play some sports and enjoy some Christian fellowship. For my experience, this is not the case the majority of the time. (My personal opinion) I have seen better sportsmanship in my Beer League Hockey Leagues then I ever have in a church league sporting event. Now before you start throwing stones at me, I believe the majority of people have great intentions with Church league sports, but the minority ruin the experience. Still the one saving grace is prayer. At the beginning there is usually prayer before the game starts. I love this aspect. Usually the prayer includes showing a Christ like attitude, good sportsmanship, keep us from getting hurt and other Christian standard prayer.

In the years of doing church league sports, the prayer doesn’t really vary a ton. The translation of the prayer: God we are about to treat each other really horrible, please give us grace when we cuss at the ref/ump for using their judgment that we disagree with. Please let Jesus shine through us because I am not going to be a nice person for the game Amen. So when a real matter came up to be prayed over, I didn’t think much of it.

Before one game about seven or so years ago, I was talking with Todd Hein. Todd is awesome and I really didn’t know much about him at the time. He was a great ump, funny and tried to make sure everyone had a good time. Todd made church league sports fun. I think Todd was umping the game that day and after the prayer as we went our separate ways to the dugout, I mention to Todd that one of my students was going to a significant medical procedure and to keep them in your prayers. Todd said great, why wait, let’s pray. It through me off a little bit, the game was about to start people were heading to the field. Todd didn’t care we stopped right there and prayed for my student. After that prayer he said he would be praying about it with the other teams/games the rest of the night. What a cool thing, I don’t even know if Todd remembers this, but I had a lot of respect for Todd since then (I had respect for him before but I had even more now). I believe in the power of prayer and Paul share about prayer in Colossians 4:2…

“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Prayer is powerful to a Christian. A line about prayer I liked stated “Prayer is not a spiritual luxury but it is essential for growth.” As we live our lives, a Christians prayer is an important part of our lives not an afterthought. I have had to correct myself from my early walk in faith. I used to say the great line you will be in my prayers or I will pray for that. Sometimes I would remember sometimes I wouldn’t. Just like Todd showed how to stop at that moment and pray, I have changed to do this. When people ask for prayer whether in person or online, I will try to stop at that moment and pray. Rather then writing will pray, I will write just prayed.

Prayer is a conversation with God. There are times when I am quiet and just try to listen and other times I will vent at God about what’s going on in my life. If there is one person you can talk to about anything, it’s God.

Where are you with your prayer life? Is it essential or an afterthought? I thank people like Todd who reminded me about dropping everything to pray and I try to do this more and more. Even at a church league sports event we can stop and have meaningful prayer. How do you need to respond in regards to prayer? How can you improve your prayer life?

Have a great day.

Can Christians go to strip clubs?

Jesus was known for ticking people off.

He would go and meet people that nobody else would acknowledge, especially if you were a spiritual person you would not associate with the people Jesus did.

At that time you didn’t hang out with sinners and people who made huge mistakes or had huge issues going on.

It would have been an insult to your faith to go and meet with these people.

People complained to Jesus and were ticked at him for this.

Peter went through the same thing in Acts 10 just for going and eating with gentiles (Those without faith).

Believers came up to him and asked how could this happen?

They were not thrilled with this idea of him hanging out with these type of people.

He explained his vision and how God told him it was alright.

He goes in detail through this in verses 4-17 in Acts 11.

Acts 11:18…

“When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

God’s grace and forgiveness is for everyone.

Is it alright for Christians to go to strip clubs?

I think it would be okay for some Christians to go to strip clubs.

I myself could not do it.

Lust would be too prevalent and over take anything I could do to share the gospel and the love of Jesus.

But certain people and organizations make this their goal to reach these people where they are at.

Organizations like XXX Church and some of their counterparts will meet people who are in strip clubs, prostitution an d brothels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CW7fFc3SzE

XXX Church will go to the adult porn conventions and help people there as well.

They have been known for giving gift baskets to strippers and sharing the love of Christ.

If going into this place will make you greatly sin then I suggest not going into it.

Jesus, Peter (at this time) met people where they were at and became their friends.

Christians were not meant to hide in a building.

Love your neighbors as yourself.

I think if Jesus would be here today, he wouldn’t have a problem going into bars, strip clubs or any place.

Every person has places they could go and show the love of Jesus too and places they shouldn’t.

I would never send a drunk to a bar but if you can go there and not struggle with alcohol, go there.

I have a minister friend that once went to for a church interview and they asked if he drank alcohol.

He told them, I drink one beer at a time.

They were flabbergasted.

He said, “You wonder why I drink one beer at a time?”

Still shocked they replied, “YES.”

He replied, “Have you ever tried to drink two beers at one time (He motioned what it would look like)? It’s impossible.”

They were not happy with his joke and said, “What do you think it looks like for a Christian to drink alcohol?”

He replied, “That I can drink responsibly which is not a sin and I have no problem going to bars to meet people where they are at.”

They did not want him for the job, and he didn’t want to be there if they didn’t get his joke and who he was.

We are called to meet people where they are at.

I have no problems going into bars and such places like that.

As Christians, we create more activities to keep us outside of places to reach people for Christ then going out for people.

Rather than playing sports in a rec league where we create relationships, we have to create church leagues for everything.

Church league softball, basketball, shoot I even had a student ask me to start a Christian disc golf league (Which in a stern tone I said NO!!!!!!!!!!!)

We create so called leagues to reach out to non-Christians but instead just create activities for Christians to come together and act in non-Christian ways to other Christians (Craig Groeschel wrote about this in his book “It”) .

People in many different places need the love of Jesus and the gospel.

We just aren’t willing to go there.

If we are trying to be more like Jesus, this requires us to go outside our comfort zones and show the love of Christ.

What do you think?

Have a great day.