This is one of my favorite times of the year. Each July, I call my cable company and add whatever package that’s the cheapest and will let me watch the live coverage of the Tour de France. If you check it out and aren’t familiar, you will lose interest pretty quick. It’s kind of like watch lacrosse, hockey, or cricket. In the US we don’t always know what the sport is really about and we definitely have no clue when commentators use specific terminology.
It’s that way with the Tour. One of the things they will talk about are riders who are GC contenders. It stands for General Classification and is a category of rider that tracks overall time in a multi-stage race like le Tour. (It would compare the Sprint NASCAR standings for all you closet rednecks—I am one-go Jr.) Riders may win one stage race but they may not be even close to the top 10 in overall time. Top GC riders must Lego successful stage races and place high on a consistent basis. A stage win is always exciting, but riders ultimately want to win the GC crown, that’s your Tour Champ.
Well, what does it mean to be a GC Christian or GC family or GC church? What does mean to be actively part of the Great Commission that Jesus outlined in Matthew 28:16-20? I believe that it calls every believer to orientate their life with discipleship in mind. It’s a plan for consistent successes over the long haul. (more…)
This past Easter I sat down and wondered what difference has it made in my world? Every year when Easter Sunday roles around, I remember the Easters from my childhood. I have memories of early morning sunrise services singing as the sun jumps out of the morning sky. I can’t help but remember those plaid and gingham checked Easter outfits that my mother made with love then put them on my brother and me by force. Of, course there are memories of traveling to see grandparents, egg hunts, ham dinners (I hate ham). No matter what memories Easter brings back to your mind–rest assured–without it–none of the stuff we do in church would be necessary.
Saturday night I watch The Passion of the Christ for the first time (yeah, yeah, it took me 4 years–I am well acquainted with the details of the story) It brought to visual reality—the suffering that Jesus endured for us though a movie could never really convey what He suffered and faced. What we do know is that His death gives us forgiveness & redemption that we crave. It’s through His blood that we are reconciled to God.
Colossians 1:19-20 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
The cross was demanded by God’s holiness. (more…)
