Take me out to the...church!

 “A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.” 

                                                  Humphrey Bogart

 

It's as American as apple pie, hot dogs, and Uncle Sam. Baseball prides itself in curses, superstitions, and strange rituals. Baseball helps boys and girls pass the time in the heat and magic of summer. They can meet in dusty neighborhood ballparks to play a game or two, or watch their home team play. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of playing a game of ball in the front yard of my home in Atlanta. 

  One hundred sixty-two games a season. Nine innings per game. Three outs to end half an inning. Three strikes and you’re out. Four balls a walk. Eight playoff teams. One championship. Baseball is known for its confusing and often laborious statistics on nearly everything that goes on in the game. ERA, RBI, OPS, batting averages, home runs, steals, wins, strikeouts, saves, shutouts, walks, and hits. The complexity that comes from this simple, slow-paced game is what makes baseball beautiful. Families bond through the traditions of going to see a game, the seven-inning stretch, and the ceremonial first pitch. 

  So I have a Major League Baseball confession to make. When I attend a baseball game, I feel kind of like I do when I go to church. A perfectly manicured ballpark has to be one of the most beautiful works of art to be found in our world. Late baseball commissioner, Bart Giamatti, was fond of talking about the unusual symmetry and beauty of the game and its parks. The simple enjoyment of taking in the confident uniqueness and beauty of a well-worn and well-kept ballpark is enough to savor. And I’ve always appreciated the fact that baseball fans are not simply drawn to the atmosphere of the event like many football fans are (for many tailgating is the main event and the game is anticlimactic). Generally, baseball fans love the game with all of its quirky nuances. This love for the game rarely begins in the abstract. There’s often a particular time, place, and person. 

  Have you ever noticed when baseball players are asked about the origination of their love of the game, often their first words are, “my dad” or at some point “there was this little park in my hometown,” catch with Dad, countless conversations, or the soil of a particular baseball diamond. 

  When you arrive at the ballpark of your favorite team, often a couple of hours early (after all, infield and batting practice possess a beauty all their own) the other people you see are ethnically, socioeconomically and culturally diverse, yet many essentially have the same story; playing catch and a sandlot in their hometown. A time, a place, and a person provide a wonderful rootedness in a transient rootless culture. It also explains why people who sit beside each other at baseball games nearly always chat. They talk about the game they’re watching and their general love of the game. No matter how different their socio-economic background they often possess a common metanarrative related to their love of the great game. 

  Yet, as much as I appreciate the inherent beauty of an empty ballpark and its idiosyncratic design, it was built for a game to be played and for stands to be filled. No other day in sports possesses the excitement and hopefulness of an opening day. Baseball season doesn’t just begin; it’s celebrated, from tiny, dusty, rural diamonds to Yankee Stadium. Unlike any other sport, the beginning of a new baseball season births a newness and hopefulness that this just may be the year for your favorite team (perhaps with the exception of Cubs fans). 

  There’s a sense, as Thomas Boswell wrote, that “time begins on Opening Day.” This hopefulness is warranted because baseball depends as much on the intangibles as it does 40-yard dash times and bench press maxes. A baseball equivalent of the NFL combine would be essentially worthless. 

  You really can measure what made Babe Ruth a great player. A baseball team’s success depends a lot on clubhouse chemistry. As you drive to the park or turn on the TV to watch your favorite team, you’re right to be full of hope…this just might be their year. 

  Personally, I love the rhythm of baseball. The uninitiated see the length of the season as a knock against baseball, but it’s that very element that makes the game such a powerful metaphor for life. A sport where one loss ruins an entire season and perfection is an attainable goal is at odds with the managed failure of our actual lives. The 2011 World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals lost 72 games that season – 45% of the regular season. 

  Babe Ruth had a .342 batting average. That means his failure average was .658. Managed failure in the pursuit, not of perfection, but greater consistency. It’s something that resonates with my own Christian walk. 

  Yet, as much as I love and enjoy baseball, it pales when compared to my love and enjoyment of the gathered church. One of my favorite moments every Sunday is walking in to our church and seeing the eternally hope-filled faces of people from different ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds. Ordinary people involved in extraordinary work. A group of people who’d never have gotten together if not for the fact they possess a common metanarrative as it relates to the cross and the saving love of Jesus Christ. Their stories are all different and yet at their core they’re all the same. No one begins to follow Christ in the abstract. There was a time, a place and a person when they heard the Good News and believed. Even though they may not have been cognizant of it (who remembers their natural birth?), the new birth took place. Now their lives are forever rooted in His grace. As they gather for a worship service to celebrate the resurrected Christ, they’ve struggled all week and often failed. But their goal is not perfection (their Savior was the perfect substitute in their place) just simply greater consistency. Worship is a precious gift built into the rhythm of our lives. Every weekend is full of newness and hope through faith in Jesus Christ no matter our failure. 

  Baseball isn’t heaven. It’s certainly not church, which is a glorious taste and window of heaven on earth. But I do confess, baseball reminds me of church and for that, I’m glad and say with renewed gusto, “Play ball!”

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

The Priority of the 1st Day

“In order to say YES to your priorities,

you have to be willing to say NO to something else.”

The one word that characterizes most of us is “busy.” When we’re busy, we look at our schedules and begin to cut items we feel are unnecessary.

  Imagine this conversation with a friend. They look exhausted. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They admit that because they’re so busy, they decided to cut out sleep once a week, so they can accomplish more. How would you respond? Or, how about this conversation with a friend? They look emaciated. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They admit that because they’re so busy, they’ve decided to cut out eating so they can accomplish more. How would you respond? One more…you’re having lunch with a friend. They complain about everything. They’re petty and short with the server. They admit that they’re angry and depressed. You’re concerned and begin to probe. They confess that because they’re so busy, they’ve decided to cut out attending church so they can accomplish more.

  So, how would you respond? While most would be very concerned about the first two, even most Christians would overlook the vital importance of the third one. We realize the importance of prioritizing the physical, yet often ignore the spiritual. But the spiritual has far greater consequences. It not only affects this life, but it also has ramifications for eternity. When Jesus was tempted by Satan to prioritize physical needs over spiritual ones, He responded, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

  What are some reasons why we miss attending a worship service?

  Work. Sometimes we have no choice. We have mandatory overtime or a rotating work schedule that requires us to work on Sunday. The early church faced that. Many of them were slaves. Essentially, they worked 24/7. It’s why they’d worship either early in the morning or late at night. While sometimes there’s no negotiation, many employers will work it out so you can attend church, especially if you’re a good employee.

  Sports. Many parents fret that their child will miss out, so they sign them up for seemingly endless sports leagues. With the growing secularization of culture, more practices and games are scheduled for Sunday morning. We must realize what our goal is. Many Christian parents are satisfied with good kids, but you can be a good atheist. Parents with a biblical worldview aim for a godly child. The difference can be an eternal one.

  Sickness. If you’re sick, please do stay home. Yet frequently, if one member of the family is sick, the whole family stays home. We wouldn’t do that with work or school. So, why do that with worship?

  Tired. As more have to work six days, Sunday becomes a day to sleep in. Then, many stay up late watching TV or surfing the Net. We need rest, yet instead of crashing on Sunday morning, schedule an afternoon nap. You’ll rest better on a spiritually full stomach and be better prepared for the week.

  So, why should Christians make Sunday worship a priority?

  It shows that we love God. Attending the worship service is a public expression of our love for God. It shows our priorities to family and friends. It publicly identifies what “team” we’re on. It’s our one time in the week where we can together bring our awesome God offerings of praise, thanks, and honor that are pleasing to Him. As the psalmist wrote, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you” (Ps. 22:22). Many are motivated to attend church for how it will bless them. The Bible teaches that the primary purpose of the corporate gathering is to bring “service” to the Lord as a blessing to Him.

  It shows that we love God’s family. Gathering together shows that we value our spiritual family. Scripture is clear that a right relationship with God requires both a vertical and horizontal alignment. God didn’t save us alone. We have a Forever Family. It’s impossible to love God and refuse to love the other believers. As we come together, we have opportunities to be a blessing, to share love with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray for and encourage them. Keeping ourselves in loving harmony with other believers helps keep us humble before the Lord.

  Faithfully attending worship follows Jesus’ example. Weekly worship was Jesus’ life pattern and priority. If anyone could have made excuses for not going to worship, it was Jesus. He could have said, “I don’t need organized religion to worship; I can have a relationship with God on My own.” And it was true. Jesus had a perfect relationship with His Father. Yet, if Jesus knew that meeting together once a week for worship with God’s people was a spiritual necessity for Him, isn’t it necessary for us?

  Worshiping together helps protect us spiritually. Why do we often see Christians getting picked off by Satan? It’s because many have neglected this simple principle that you can’t survive as a Christian alone. It’s a spiritually dangerous world. Commitment to a church family is important. Being under the teaching of God’s Word increases our faith and builds us up spiritually. We need to be fed spiritually so that we can have victory over temptation. There’s multiplied strength in the combined faith of God's people. Greater spiritual gains can be realized through corporate prayer and worship. D.L. Moody wisely said, “Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.”  

  Even worshiping when we’re on vacation helps us to see how big God’s Kingdom is. When you’re on vacation, look for a Bible-believing church to worship with. It highlights how big God’s family is, what we have in common – our shared faith. Christianity is so much bigger than our church.

  I’ll always remember worshiping at a church in Minnesota. The Lord touched my heart and tears streamed down my face. Another time was seeing the love of fellow believers for each other and us in Taiwan. While we didn’t understand Chinese, we all spoke the same language of Christ’s love. As you worship with other believers in another setting, you’re understanding of God grows and it increases your love for His Church.

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address. 

How to Prepare for Sunday Worship

“Fruitful and acceptable worship begins before it begins.”

Alexander MacLaren

When something is important to me, I prepare. I love to fish. I don’t seem to get enough opportunities but I love to fish. There’s just something exciting about seeing your bobber go down or feeling a tug, and then to fight to reel him in. I hate it when I know that I have to finally leave. I’ll think and talk about that fishing trip for days, even weeks to come.

  But when I feel like something is an obligation, I procrastinate. I’m nearly listless. I shuffle around and get ready at the last minute. I often plan an exit strategy on how to leave as soon as politely possible. I go through the motions, but I really don’t want to be there.

  Periodically, I’ll be invited to some social event where I don’t really know anyone and may not be particularly close to the person who invited me. But I feel obligated, so I go. I try to not complain to Jane, who often is dragged along with me. Checking my phone is gauche. Reading a book is just rude. So I try to appear interested, while in the back of my mind I’m wondering how long before I can politely escape.

  When it comes to Sunday worship, most of us fall into one of those two categories. For some, it’s important and something they anticipate. It’s a highlight of their week. For others, it’s an obligation. The sooner, it’s over, the better. They look for a reason to either not go or to escape quickly.

  Often you can look at someone’s face and know which category they fall into, particularly if you’re part of the worship team or preaching. If someone is an unbeliever or an easily bored young person, it’s not surprising to notice that worship isn’t something they particularly enjoy. What’s disconcerting is to see a believer with a look of boredom or worse, disdain. One wonders what’s going on in their heart when worshiping God or being with His people is something to endure, not enjoy.

  The Christian life, in many ways, is lived from Lord’s Day to Lord’s Day. Corporate worship and being with our spiritual family is a high point of our week and the constant rhythm of our lives. We dare not “neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some” (Heb. 10:25). There’s nothing as meaningful, rich, and glorious on earth as a church family gathering together to worship the Lord. Most Christians believe this. But does it translate into our practice? Or, is the moment we’re sitting in the service the first time we’ve thought about corporate worship in our week?

  If corporate worship is as significant as the Bible tells us it is, then shouldn’t we prepare for it? Can you imagine the worship team just showing up and it’s obvious they haven’t practiced? Or, the pastor stands up to preach and says something like, “I’m not sure what I’m going to talk about today. I think I’ll talk about _______.” If preparation is essential for the leaders in worship, isn’t it essential for the participants? How can we prepare for worship?

  Prepare your heart. Remember, when you were growing up and your Mom told you not to eat junk food or it would ruin your dinner? Come to worship hungry. Feed your own soul during the week with private worship and even family worship, knowing it will help get your juices flowing for more spiritual food. Ask the Lord to lay His hand on the leaders as they prepare, and then to feed your soul and the souls of those around you. Don’t let Satan distract you with a petty, critical spirit over an off key note or an error in the bulletin or a song that perhaps you’re not familiar with.  

  Practice quietness beforehand. After you sit down, take a moment to pray and quiet your soul. Our world is loud and busy. To spiritually dine takes contemplation. It’s why quiet and the call to worship is important.

  Be a little boring. Go to bed at a reasonable time on Saturday night. Sleepy heads make for foggy minds and drowsy worshipers.

 Plan Ahead. Lay out your Sunday clothes and those of your family on Saturday night. Know where your Bible and other materials you might need are. Gas the car and clear the seats for the family. Get up at a decent time so you don’t have to rush, or worse, come in late. Leave home with plenty of time to spare. What does it say about our values when we’re early for a movie or ball game, yet late for worship?

  Anticipate it with joy. Cultivate a kind and joyful spirit on Sunday mornings. If it’s the highlight of our week, let’s act like it. Talk about how wonderful the day will be, wake the kids up with excitement. Turn on Christian music for the whole family to listen to. Put a smile on your face. Refrain from turning on the TV or catching up on Facebook on Sunday mornings. We’re so easily distracted. Safeguard your soul.

  Whet your own spiritual appetite. Read and prayerfully think through the Sunday morning text earlier in the week. We should seldom be surprised at the passage we hear preached. Working our way through a passage before the worship service provides a more fertile soil for the Spirit to work.

  Converse on the ride. On the way to church talk about the passage being be preached. Talk about the things of God. On the way home, use the discussion questions on the insert to more deeply interact with the message. 

  At the worship service, we’re meeting with our Heavenly Father and our brothers and sisters. Shouldn’t the worship be a highlight of the week? It’s a time to re-charge our souls for the coming week. It’s an opportunity to glorify God and minister to others. Yet, because it’s a weekly activity, it’s tempting to let it become routine. One of the ways to ensure that it’s not is to prepare our own hearts and minds for corporate worship each week. 

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.