Missions - It's Why We're Here!

I used to live in Knoxville, Tennessee. To me, East Tennessee is the true Holy Land. I know when I cross the border every time I go home, I can hear the audible voice tell me to take off my shoes because I am on holy ground. It is especially moving when I can hear the angelic choir sing "Rocky Top". Anyway, that is not the reason for the post. When we lived in Knoxville, we attended a great church on the west side of town called First Baptist Church Concord (Concord was the small community where the church was located). If you are ever in that area, visit that church - it will be worth your time.

One thing that is etched into the DNA of that church is its missions work. The missions pastor at Concord (who happens to be a relative of mine) created the phrase: "Missions: It's Why We're Here!". I guess mission work is on my mind because I am preparing to leave on Thursday morning (25th) to go to Venezuela. Please pray for me and 2 other staff members from First Euless. We will be traveling down to Venezuela to help instruct in a Leadership Development Conference for native pastors. I am looking forward to working with these men.

Jesus gave us the Great Commission of Matthew 28. In it, he tell us to GO. It is an imperative statement. It is not a request, or a plea for us to think about it (or as we Christians like to say "pray about it"). It is a commandment. We are all to go. Now, that may mean go to Denver, or Chicago, or Garland, or Venezuela, or Africa. Discovering that question requires much prayer. But our prayer should only be "where Lord?" and not "do you think I should GO?" I believe that's where many of us fail in fulfilling the Great Commission. What would happen to the world if all who profess to be a Christ-follower were to truly grasp the importance of Matthew 28? What would happen if everyone really believed that true "missions" - telling others about the saving power of Jesus Christ - is "why we're here"? If 12 simple ordinary guys could turn the world upside down because they were just obedient to what Jesus told them to do, what could millions accomplish with the same gumption (East TN greek word)? Who knows. It would be fun to find out.

At the ol' ball game!

Just a couple of weeks ago, I was able to attend a church conference in South Bend, Indiana. I went with several other staff members from our church. We flew into Chicago, Illinois, on a Tuesday morning, spent the day driving around Chicago looking at the sites before driving the 90 miles to South Bend late Tuesday evening. By the way, Chicago is an absolute beautiful city! If you have never been... go. It's worth it. Make sure you visit the Navy Pier and walk down Michigan Avenue - amazing.

One of the things I had to do while in Chicago (I had never been before) was visit Wrigley Field. Now, for those of you who care nothing about sports, let alone baseball...let me briefly explain the significance of Wrigley Field. It isn't just the baseball home of the Chicago Cubs, it is one of the oldest sports stadiums in our country. It is a piece of "Americana". It is the "Mona Lisa" of ball parks. It is the "Romeo and Juliet" of sports history. It is a landmark - a classic - a place you tell your grandkids that you went...okay, catch my drift?

Obviously, I wanted to see Wrigley Field for the nostalgia...but my real reasons for visiting this place was a little more personal. You see, I root for the Cubs but I am not a Cub fanatic (that loyalty goes to the Red Sox - I know, right now the Indians are laying it to them). My Cubs memories go back to when I was a kid. Every summer, I would spend a lot of my days with my grandparents who lived in a little town in East Tennessee called Lenoir City (hee haw salute here!). I was the baby of 8 grandkids, so I got spoiled quite a bit. My grandfather, Billy McNabb, was retired and spent his days whittling under the large tree in the back yard, working on his beans and tomatoes in the garden, hanging out with his ol' buddies down at the laundry mat, and watching one of his favorite teams play every day - yep - you guessed it...the Chicago Cubs. I spent many days as a kid watching Cubs games with my Papaw. At that time, I really couldn't tell you the difference in a double play and a squeeze play....but I remember vividly watching my Papaw chew on his cigar (didn't smoke 'em, he chewed 'em), wear his baseball cap pulled down just over the top of his eyes, watch every play of the game, and make comments about every play (good and bad - some of which I cannot repeat here that would make my Granny yell at him for saying it in front of me...ha...that was funny to watch!).

On that day a few weeks ago when I figured out a way to sneak into Wrigley Field to take a few pictures - I thought about my Papaw. I thought about how much fun I had watching him watch the Cubs. I thought about how he'd cut that familiar grin at me and say "Think they're going to win it?" I thought about how he wouldn't believe that my feet were standing on the right field grass. For me, it wasn't just a trip to an old baseball field, but a journey through my memories. I was all by myself standing in the outfield of this great ball park with a smile on my face and a few tears in my eyes.

It was a quick moment, but one that I will never forget. As I turned around and began to leave the park, the workers were there re-sodding the grass. The security guard who let me sneak inside was standing by the door as I left. The Cubs were about to win the division and make it to the playoffs that week. As I walked out, I stopped...looked at the guard and asked with a grin, "Think they're going to win it?"

What's up with my title?

By now, you must have heard this phrase: "We live in a fast food world". If you haven't, well....you just did. Anyway, I am continually reminded how high-speed, high-tech, fast-paced our society is becoming. Now, when I go through the line at McDonald's (to get my kids happy meals), I see.... not one.... but TWO order speakers! The idea: move more people through the line in a faster time. Just today, I visited my bank to make a deposit. My bank has one "port" to take my deposit and then I am aksed to drive forward to the second "port" to collect my receipt. I am only 34 years old, but I can remember when going to the bank was like going to the barber shop. You knew the tellers, they knew your name, gave the kids a sucker, and everything was at a slower pace.

I am not opposed to technology or doing things faster (Lord knows I have absolutely no patience). But, there is a part of me that misses the personal touch. The opportunity to slow down sometimes and enjoy life. Our interstates have 25 lanes (good grief, I live in a city where an intersection is called the high 5 because it has 5 bridges of interstate stacked on top of each other!), I can download over a zillion songs in seconds with my rhapsody account, I have high speed high def internet connection at my house (remember that awful screeching sound of AOL connecting?), I get mad when my computer doesn't do what I want it to do in a millisecond, and the people in my office walk around with cell phones that can do everything from answer their email to cook their breakfast. Speaking of email, does anyone remember how we got anything done before it? Thank God Al Gore invented the internet!

Back to the main subject: Sometimes, I wonder if God is impressed with all of this? With all of our fast paced, fast food, fast technology stuff. God's mind and wisdom in comparison makes our technology look like the model-t Ford. His knowledge is infinite and vast beyond our minds. Yet, I read in His word, to "be still and know that I am God". Or, I read where he showed up with Elijah in just a simple breeze of the wind. I am challenged to stop the craziness of life, get off the information super highway, and just relax and spend some quiet time with myself and with my Heavenly Father. So, in essence, that's what this blog is about. It may appear at times just to be the ramblings of some guy with a wonderful wife (I "out-punted" my coverage!) and 2 beautiful kids living in some city called Euless. But, hopefully, you will see and take part in a guy trying to slow down long enough to think and have deep thoughts.