Chris Wall

Vacations that Matter from Mark Schwartz

2006-10-04T12:59:00.000-07:00

In the fall of 2005 Lanora and I went to Branson with some friends on one of those “stay-free-if-you-take-a-tour-of-our-overpriced-resort-while-you-are-here” trips. It was the first time we had ever done one of those so we thought we would try it. Needless to say, we didn’t buy it. But we did learn a very valuable lesson while we were there. The salesman we had was not overly pushy and pretty much the first 30-45 minutes we just sat around on couches and chatted about life in general. Of course his whole conversation was leading us to talk about any vacations we had taken. What really hit home was one particular question about what vacations we had taken as a kid. Of course Lanora was rich so they went somewhere every single summer for two weeks at a time. They traveled all over the country and she pretty much remembered each and every trip. We weren’t as wealthy as they were but we did usually go somewhere each year. It was usually either church camp or one of our family’s houses but at least we went somewhere. But when I was seven we went to the Smoky Mountains for vacation. It was a great vacation and we did a ton of stuff. I can still remember vividly some of the images. When I was fourteen we went to Branson for a vacation and I still remember a lot of the stuff we did on that vacation as well.

But then the salesman asked us another question. He asked us what we got for Christmas that year. I didn’t have a clue. It might have been the pocket knife that Aunt Carol bought me, that got taken away when I tried to pick the lock on our house in Ponchatoula, but I couldn’t be sure. I tried really hard to remember what I had gotten that year but couldn’t. Isn’t it interesting that we spend a lot of money and effort into getting the perfect gifts yet I can barely remember what I returned to Wal-Mart even last year. I mean I can barely remember what I got last year for Christmas.

A few weeks later they announced at church that they were going to try something new this year. They take groups on mission trips all over the world but they had never taken a “family-style” mission trip. Wow, what a perfect opportunity we thought! So we did it! There were about 25 of us that went to Mexico on a family mission trip. Hopefully my children will never forget the Spring Break they spent throwing a Vacation Bible School for about 100+ kids each day. Not only that, but they got to minister to people with their parents. We got to do it together as a family. Hopefully they will never forget the beautiful smiles of destitute children who have hardly anything but oxygen yet you would never know it. Those were some of the poorest yet some of the happiest people we had ever seen. If they do forget this past year, maybe they won’t forget 2007. The family mission trip was such a success, our church plans on doing one each year. We are already planning to go back again this year. Kalli and I are trying to learn some Spanish before we go. That was the most frustrating part was trying to express love and compassion to people without knowing the language. I kept calling the little boys beautiful and the little girls handsome. But we had a blast. Oh, and the food….mmmmmmm! Not sure what kind of animal it was but man did it taste good!

Mark~

Negative Influences Among Teenagers

2006-09-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was ask the question: What are some of the top negative influences I have observed in the lives of teenagers in recent years? Though there are many influences that are negatively impacting students there are a few standouts that I have experienced over the past sixteen years of working with teenagers.

1. The first negative influence that I observe in the lives of students is the promotion of tolerance in our society. This idea of tolerance seems to be impacting every aspect of our society whether it is referring to religious belief to sexual preference. This external influence of tolerance has brought about the criticism that Bible believing Christians are facing and will face with greater hostility due to the fact that other religions cannot be correct if the Bible is correct. In addition to religious issues, our society is producing successful results of convincing many people that homosexuality is just as normal as heterosexuality. We should accept everyone regardless of what they believe or how they live. I do think there is a real difference between loving people who are not believers and embracing a non-Christian world view. The bottom line is that our society is successfully influencing everyone, including the church, to embrace this idea of tolerance and the acceptance of principles and lifestyles that directly oppose scripture.

2. The second external factor that is negatively influencing teenagers deals with sexuality. Our society is successfully convincing people that sex is purely physical. There are many voices in the world that see sexual activity as no different than shaking hands. Sex has been reduced to a physical act and the emotional and spiritual side of our sexuality is often ignored. All you have to do is watch an episode of a popular TV show and you will see this philosophy of sex being preached with great effectiveness. I see so many students who don’t understand the emotional consequences of sex outside of God’s design and they are finding themselves experiencing a great deal of pain, frustration, heartache and disappointment. Unfortunately, the ideas about sex depicted on TV are not accurate. Our society communicates that orgasm’s feel good but it fails to teach that sex with multiple partners produces a great amount of emotional scars that are much harder to heal than physical scars. Satan has really made a good move when it comes to sex. Since man noticed women, Satan has been throwing that hook of sex outside of God’s plan and people take the bait every day. This factor has played a huge role in our student’s struggles with self-esteem, self-worth and peace of mind. It is a major negative influence.

3. The third external factor that is facing our students points right back to the leaders of the church. One thing that I have observed over the years is our ineffectiveness in making true disciples of Christ among the youth culture. In my opinion, youth pastors, (me included) have struggled to produce biblically literate disciples who can go into the world and effectively live Biblically among other people. It seems that as a whole, churches are producing students who may be passionate about serving God, but they are not very well equipped to really take a strong stand on a college campus. This has to be the reason that most students who grow up in church bail on God until they finish college. We in the church must do a better job of leading our students to be disciples. If this is going to happen, we must be disciples ourselves and we must reproduce our lives in the lives of our students. We must equip them to understand why the Bible is true and model for them how to live it out in their everyday life. I truly am questioning our methods of making disciples. This is something that I am looking at very hard in our ministry and choosing to honestly evaluate exactly what I am producing from our ministry. This honesty has not been a lot of fun because I have forced myself to recognize areas that I need improvement. I have also had to honestly evaluate what we are doing and why we are doing it. We in the church must do a better job of making real disciples of Christ if we are going to have the impact that the Lord has asked us to have.

Endorsement by Lee Tunnel

2006-09-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

I’m thankful for a tool that will challenge young athletes in the disciplines of authentic Christianity…to learn to walk with the one who’s love for us doesn’t change with our on field successes and failures…in whose eyes our value remains constant and the one who deeply cares about who we are and not what we do…I’ve been a Christian since I was 9 years old, and throughout a high school, div. 1 college, and pro career, the most important thing in my life is the relationship I have with our savior…If young athletes want to reach their potential, it is vital that they learn to walk with God on a daily basis…

A Life Worth Following will help athletes learn to develop consistency in their quiet times…for me, my quiet time is when I daily yield my life to god and ask the Holy Spirit to reflect Jesus through me in all I do…Chris Hammond long time major league veteran

A Life Worth Following can help young athletes strengthen their daily relationship with God will prove to be far more valuable than anything this world can offer.

Lee Tunnel
Bullpen Coach
Cincinati Reds

A Life Worth Following

2006-09-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

40 Journal Excerpts from Justin Sullivan

Be open to all advice. There is always room for improvement. The greatest obstacle for growth is not ignorance, it is knowledge. Don’t think you know it all. Be teachable. Potential is limitless to the teachable. Quit being a know-it-all. Justin Sullivan 2/02/02

A new Justin begins tonight. Sinful lust costs us God’s favor. I am in God’s presence right now. Don’t quit on Him! He did not quit on me. Justin Sullivan 2/25/02

Bad day today. God is testing me. Let God decide on what road to take. Start to act like an adult by surrendering faith in God. This will make the insignificant annoyances become what they really are: insignificant. Justin Sullivan 1/22/02

What can I do to be a light in a time of darkness? Seek my strength in Christ. No longer hanging on to things that keep me from God. Justin Sullivan 1/21/02

God has a plan for my life and will work in the most mysterious of ways. In order to think the way God thinks, we must get to know Him better. Justin Sullivan 1/30/02

Be a person of careful words because words tell more than just their meaning. Be of few words. Think before speaking. Justin Sullivan 2/11/02

Be humble, not full of pride Justin Sullivan 3/6/02

Go to God no matter how big or how small the tremors in our lives are. God definitely wants to hear your prayers in detail because by doing this, you are better able to know your own needs. Anything can happen when you have faith in God. Justin Sullivan 3/24/02

Be a person of integrity! Do not make excuses! Do not whine! Be honest! Do what is right! Be able to rule myself before trying to lead others. Admit when I am wrong. Justin Sullivan 2/15/02

God’s heart is for the helpless. Ours should be as well. Who we are depends on the choices we make. Treat everyone with kindness, especially the less fortunate. Go out of my way to help others today. Justin Sullivan 3/10/02

In life, if one has an attitude of service and is willing to work hard to produce quality work, they will stand out above all else. Give your best even when no one is looking because God is looking. Be unselfish. Justin Sullivan 2/6/02

Unyieldingly strive to answer God’s call on my life. Maturity comes from striving to know the Lord. Accept responsibility. In order to accomplish a worthwhile goal, work hard to achieve it. God is in it for the long haul with me. Am I? Justin Sullivan 1/26/02

God is always in control. God has a new job for us daily. Follow God and He will lead you to things we could never have imagined. Do what is required by God. Am I willing to trust God in every situation? Justin Sullivan 1/29/02

Don’t use excuses to turn away God’s call. God wants us to be courageous and take risks for He is with us the whole way. Great opportunities usually lie within seemingly impossible situations. God will decide what we can handle. Justin Sullivan 1/31/02

Being unforgiving hinders our ability to receive forgiveness. Fix your eyes and attention on God to fix our problems. So you can accomplish other things. Forgive completely, even forgive yourself. Always forgive. Justin Sullivan 1/27/02

Have compassion, it’s the quickest way to God’s heart and it grows like a wildfire. Soon, you give more and more. Make others feel wanted. Showing compassion for someone who can’t pay me back is a pure act of worship. Do that today. Justin Sullivan 2/19/02

It is fine to have fears even if the Lord has told us to do something. He understands. We must continue to have faith. Faith and doubt come hand in hand. Learn to master doubt and this will strengthen my commitment as a Christian. Justin Sullivan 2/10/02

Follow God wholeheartedly. Do everything wholeheartedly. My granddad is still modeling an enthusiastic Christian lifestyle into his older years. He inspires me to great things. Maybe I can inspire him to keep on. Seek out people like this. Justin Sullivan 2/7/02

I pray that I can be a light to others. Justin Sullivan 4/7/02

Don’t assume someone else will lead the lost to spiritual safety. Do it myself. Justin Sullivan 2/27/02

You can feel absolute freedom in God's presence. Prayer never becomes an annoyance to God. God will answer. Pray for others. Quit thinking so much about me, think of others around me. Justin Sullivan 1/23/02

Do things without expecting something in return. Look to others for help. 4/14/02

Be kind to everyone at all times. Justin Sullivan 2/13/02

Turning to God doesn’t mean turning your back on pleasure. God loves purity. Purity is good. Purity is gooooood. Never be ashamed of being pure. To be pure, you must know what you will do before temptation comes. Justin Sullivan 1/28/02

Seek to do everything with God. Stay dependent. God is the source of all our needs. Our relationships and careers are tools to meet those needs. Do not be afraid to wait. Requests: Parents, Marty, Healthy season, Liz, Spiritual strength/growth. Justin Sullivan 2/03/02

Place your trust in God because when in change, He will place unpredictable blessing. Security is found in God’s promises. Temptation comes to every individual who’s entrusted with responsibility. Can I handle it? Justin Sullivan 2/9/02

There are consequences to sin. Don’t see more in ourselves than there really is. Don’t think we can make it without God. Prayer requests: Touch a lost soul on my team. Justin Sullivan 2/12/02

Set my sights on Jesus during life’s storms. Ask for a discerning heart. Seek more than knowledge, seek wisdom as well. Justin Sullivan 2/24/02

Give to the Lord. Give to people. Justin Sullivan 2/23/02

Stay faithful to God. This will help you be faithful to everything else. Keep your eyes turned to God. Be able to look back to have no regrets. Justin Sullivan 2/14/02

Stand firm! Have faith! Be Cheerful! Wait patiently for God and He will give you the directions and tell you which way to go. Courage doesn’t come easily. Justin Sullivan 2/1/02

Without God, nothing lasts or succeeds. Pray for others as well as Godly change in my life. Requests: Dad, Walker, Emily, Marty, Parents, Healthy season, Sydni, Liz and Jen’s tryouts, Jamie, Mom’s happiness. Justin Sullivan 2/5/02

Don’t seek the spotlight but if God wants you noticed, don’t say no. Justin Sullivan 3/22/02

Standing for God and integrity may be costly in the short run, but it is prosperous in the long run. Justin Sullivan 3/15/02

God’s goodness is spurred not by our worthiness, but by His nature. Be in the world but not of the world. Guard the perimeter of my life with Christian friends. Serve and love everyone. Friends = Character. Justin Sullivan 2/26/02

In life, don’t avoid a problem cause the price goes up when you do. Tell the truth every time. Pray long and hard for God’s guidance especially in serious matters. Today, it’s Easter. Thanks for sending your Son to die and be resurrected for our sins. Justin Sullivan 3/31/02

What are my ways of showing Christ’s love to others? Thinking of how to serve God and others is time well spent. Purest joy can come from a simple act of serving. God doesn’t regard a deeds greatness by magnitude, but the love by which it is done. Justin Sullivan 3/28/02

Pray more!! Spend less time worrying about how I will fix something and spend more time allowing God to take charge. The more I go to God the more effective I will become. Justin Sullivan 1/25/02

Go to God in prayer because Jesus did. Be a friend that really means it. Be truthful. Don’t gossip. Be a friend of encouragement. Encouragement is not just words, it’s a lifestyle. God, help me be glad for other’s successes. Justin Sullivan 4/6/02

Christians live in two worlds: The world we can see and the world we can’t. View life with spiritual eyesight. Spend my life learning how to be quiet and to listen to God’s spirit. Growth will take place by mistakes through prayer. I can do this. Justin Sullivan 3/5/02

Go to God with all my troubles no matter how big or how small. Pray and believe that God will do what He says. He will. Justin Sullivan 3/7/02

Be there for others during tough times. Just my presence may help them. God is always there for us. In times of trial, God will clear a way for us. Justin Sullivan 3/12/02

God has more in mind when he allows difficult situations to come into my life. It may give you pull for the lost around me. Have unwavering faith in God. Go to God in all things. Justin Sullivan 1/24/02

Repentance is very hard. It is much more difficult than confession. Spend your entire life repenting when you slip up. Every time I slip, God helps me back up. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Ps. 51:10. Justin Sullivan 2/20/02

There will come a day when we will all see God face to face. This is when we will understand things fully. When God’s asks me to believe something that’s beyond belief, I decide if I will trust my five senses or have enough sense to believe in Him. Justin Sullivan 3/19/02

Be thankful that life is not fair because if it were fair, we would not receive Christ’s forgiveness. Find satisfaction in what God has allowed us to do. Don’t dwell on what we have not done. Justin Sullivan 2/21/02

Week 1/Day 1 of "A Life Worth Following"

2006-08-30T19:38:00.000-07:00

Justin’s Excerpt: Be open to all advice. There is always room for improvement. The greatest obstacle for growth is not ignorance, it is knowledge. Don’t think you know it all. Be teachable. Potential is limitless to the teachable. Quit being a know-it-all. Justin Sullivan 2/02/02

Sermon on the Mount

Are you happy? Matthew 5:1-12

Welcome to the journey of building a life that is worth following. Over this eight week period, you will be working to build six spiritual disciplines into your life that will help you hear God’s voice and follow His plan. The development of spiritual disciplines always results in a total transformation of your life; moreover, the ultimate goal of these disciplines is to replace old destructive habits with new habits that will give you the ability to interact with God on a daily basis. As you walk through this journal over the next forty days, God will reveal to you what it takes to live out what He requires of you which will enable you to build a life that is worth following.

Today, you are going to begin the first of twelve experiences developing the spiritual discipline of Bible study. So many followers of Christ live in fear and spiritual insecurity because they have not developed the discipline of studying the word of God. Listen to the words of Jesus as He addressed a group of His followers:

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’.” John 8:31-32
It is certain that God’s truth is incredibly powerful, and holding to its teaching will set you free to experience Him moving in your life. To experience this, it is important that you learn how to effectively study His Word. There are many followers of Christ who love to sing, love to spend time with Christians, and love to go to church, but because of the fact they neglect studying God’s Word, they miss God’s voice and God’s truth in their life. If you are going to develop a life worth following, developing the discipline of studying His word is critical.

Over the next eight weeks, you will be going step by step through a section of Scripture entitled the Sermon on the Mount. This is a sermon preached by Jesus and recorded in its entirety by Matthew, one of Christ’s twelve disciples. The major theme of this sermon revolves around the kingdom of heaven and what that looks like here on earth. When it comes to God’s kingdom, many people think they will only experience it when this life is over. Though every person who hears God’s voice, repents of their sins and experiences God’s forgiveness will go to heaven when they die, Jesus revealed in this sermon that human beings can also experience a glimpse of the kingdom of heaven here on earth. This sermon reveals the way God intends for His people to live their lives.

There are several reasons this sermon is important to study. First of all, this sermon had an obvious impact in the lives of the early disciples. Just the fact that Matthew included the entire sermon in his gospel speaks of the importance of this event. The second reason is that its core message goes against keeping religious rules, and leads us to understand how to practically walk with God. The third reason this sermon should be studied is because applying its teachings will produce effective and influential servants of Christ in a world that desperately needs to see individuals living out their faith in unapologetic and uncompromising ways.

Now, open your Bible to Matthew 5:1-12 and get ready to move step by step through this sermon’s first section, which is called the Beatitudes. It begins like this:

When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He began to teach them, saying: (Matthew 5:1-2, HCSB)

From the very beginning of His life, people were drawn to Jesus. In this passage, Jesus has begun His earthly ministry and multitudes of people have started to flock to Him. It was a common custom of most rabbis to sit down when they were getting ready to teach. On this occasion, Jesus had positioned himself on a mountainside and His disciples tuned in to hear what He had to say. Though the exact location of this sermon is unknown, it’s likely that this took place somewhere in Galilee. Keep in mind as Jesus is teaching here that the term “disciples” does not necessarily refer to the twelve closest disciples but to all of the people who were following Christ at the time. At this point in Christ’s ministry, many people were following Him because of His teaching and His amazing miracles.

On this mountainside, Jesus started teaching on the Beatitudes. He begins each statement by using the term “Blessed”. It is important to note that in the original language, this term actually means “happy”. This not only caught the attention of people during the time of Christ, but it catches people’s attention today because the pursuit of happiness is one of the greatest quests of mankind. In this section of the sermon Jesus reveals the secret to living a happy life.

It is amazing to consider the many sacrifices mankind has made all throughout history in search of this thing called happiness. The Beatitudes reveal that the secret of being genuinely happy is only found when a person is properly connected to God. When it comes to true happiness, most people focus on the wrong things. Many choose to count on stuff or status to bring happiness to their life. Jesus, however, makes statements in this part of the sermon like “Happy are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”, “Happy are those who mourn, for they will be comforted,” and “Happy are the meek, for they will inherit the earth”. At first glance, these so called “happy” statements made by Christ don’t seem like they would make the normal person want to jump up and down and sing a merry tune. However, when you take the time to study and meditate on the words of Christ, the internal qualities that His instructions reveal hold the key to a true life of happiness. At first glance, these attitudes may not appear to produce real happiness. However, when you take the time to really think about them, God’s plan for happiness will become clear to you. Follow the breakdown of each of these attitudes.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:3, HCSB)

To be a person who is poor in spirit is to be someone who consciously and intentionally depends on God. So many people try to depend on their own strength and abilities. Jesus reveals that the truly happy person is one who completely depends on Him. If you are going to be happy, you must realize that apart from God, you can’t make it. Real happiness begins when you surrender your life completely to God.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, because they will be comforted. (Matthew 5:4, HCSB)

To be a person who mourns is to be a person who honestly recognizes and admits to his needs in life. Many people choose to ignore their problems and struggles, and refuse to bring their real issues to the only One who can help them. Happiness is found when you willingly admit to your sinful nature and genuinely repent of your sin.

5 Blessed are the gentle, because they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5, HCSB)

To be a person who is gentle or meek is often mistaken with being a person who is weak. Don’t misunderstand Christ when He says, “Happy are those who are gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.” A good definition of gentleness is tamed power. To be meek or gentle is to live under God’s authority in your life. Happiness comes to those who humbly and gently submit to their position as a follower of Christ.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6, HCSB)
To be a person who hungers and thirsts for righteousness involves having a spiritual appetite and satisfying that appetite by living a life that pleases God. Happiness is found in seeking not after your own satisfaction, but living a life choosing to satisfy God.

7 Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7, HCSB)
To be a person who is merciful is to show mercy to others, whether they deserve it or not. Being merciful reveals the peace and happiness God brings to your life. You are called to be merciful with others because God has been incredibly merciful with you. Mercy will produce genuine happiness in your life, because it is of God. Grace and mercy are two important terms that need to be understood as you evaluate Scripture. Grace is a gift you are given that you do not deserve; mercy is the act of overlooking the punishment that you do deserve. God has freely given you the gift of grace and has chosen to show you mercy. Therefore, happiness comes when you choose to be merciful toward others.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. (Matthew. 5:8, HCSB)
To be a person who is pure in heart means that you are someone who is consistently asking God to clean up your life. A happy person is internally clean from sin. Many people struggle with sins that are secret. Happy people consistently own up to all sins in life, because those who do experience God’s forgiveness firsthand.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9, HCSB)
To be a peacemaker is to always try to make resolution in conflicts, which helps to build solid relationships, and also models for others how to have inner peace in life. So many people are living at odds with others, with no inner peace. Peace and happiness are only found in a real relationship with Jesus Christ; this is all possible because Jesus paid the price for you. He brought peace to you, and every time you bring peace to a relationship, you represent Jesus to the world. It is for this reason peacemakers are called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:10-12, HCSB)
Finally, Jesus said that persecution for His sake will cause you to truly be happy. Jesus wants you to know that you can actually be happy when you suffer because of Him, not because it is fun, but because the suffering itself will bring you closer to God. The eternal value of being ridiculed for Christ’s sake far outweighs the temporary discomfort or pain. When you pursue a life of becoming like Jesus, you cannot help but stand out from the crowd. When this happens, bank on it, persecution will come. If you are not facing persecution on a regular basis, it is likely that you are not living the way God intended for you to live. The honor of persecution puts you on the same team as many giants of the faith who have gone before you and faced ridicule, suffering, and even death, all in the name of Jesus Christ. Though it is strange and ironic, persecution produces happiness.

Those are the Beatitudes. They came straight from the heart and life of Jesus, and they are meant to be studied and examined. Here are some key truths that are important to understand and apply to your life. First of all, the Beatitudes are leading you to realize that being is more important that doing. Who you are is much more important than what you do. Secondly, the Beatitudes describe the way all Christ-followers are supposed to live. God really wants you to be happy, and this is why He made His word so clear. Thirdly, every Christ-follower is meant to possess all of these attitudes. Sometimes people read the Bible to pick and choose what they want to hear. In regard to the Beatitudes, you are supposed to possess all or them. And fourthly, none of these attitudes are natural, they are all supernatural. Only God can bring these attitudes into your life. Will you allow Him to do that? Recognize the fact that the pursuit of happiness is a journey every human being will have to face. Real happiness begins with a life that intentionally turns to God.

How is this working for you?

Are you intentionally turning your life to God? In the space below, write out how you have turned your life to God.

Re-read all the Beatitudes; do you think they are written randomly or do you see a progression?

The Beatitudes are leading you to focus on being, not doing. What does this mean to you?

A simple request

2006-08-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

Throughout life, most of us have the incredible privilege of coming in contact with certain people who live exceptionally and set inspiring examples in every day life. My life is one that has been greatly impacted by many exceptional people but there has been one young man who made such an impact on my life that God compelled me to write a book sharing his story.

Justin Sullivan was a giant of the faith who grew up at Council Road and made a difference in the lives of many people. I had the awesome privilege of serving as Justin’s youth pastor from the time he entered the Student ministry as a seventh grader up to the time of his death immediately following his graduation from High School. On the day I preached Justin’s funeral, God revealed to me that his story must be written down and told in a way that points others to a deeper walk with Jesus Christ. Justin grew to become a spiritual giant of the faith. It is my deepest prayer that his example will impact countless lives through this written record. I have committed to the Lord to not only personally learn from Justin’s life example but to also faithfully and effectively tell his story to others.

Justin graduated third in his class at Yukon High School, where he was not only an honor student, but also an honor athlete. Justin had a strong desire to bring glory to the Lord in every aspect of his life. He was named Baseball Player of the Year for the State of Oklahoma by the Daily Oklahoman on June 2, 2002. The following day he was tragically killed in a random car accident on his way home from work. Even though his life was short, Justin taught people what it meant to walk with God and lived a life that was worth following.

The prophet Micah wrote a great description of a godly life which Justin lived out on a daily basis. Micah 6:8 says:
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Justin Sullivan was an exceptional athlete, an exceptional student and an exceptional competitor. Though these qualities enabled him to stand out, the thing that made Justin’s life worth following was his exceptional walk with Jesus Christ.

The target audience of this journal is athletes. Though others would benefit from this forty day experience, this journal is designed to capture the eye and the heart of the athlete. The contents will lead participants to embrace six disciplines that were observed in Justin’s life. The establishment of these disciplines will guide participants down the road to building a life that is worth following. This forty-day experience will not be easy or convenient. It will require thought, time and discipline but will most definitely result in supernatural benefits for all those who choose to walk this road.

This forty day journal is laid out over eight weeks with the intention of each participant spending five days a week significantly engaging the Lord. Though individuals could effectively go through this journal, it is the intention that individuals go through this experience with someone else so that there will be the benefits of discussion and accountability. My prayer is that God will use this book to impact groups like sports teams, FCA Huddle groups and community groups. In addition to this, I see the Lord using this book to help fathers disciple their sons and coaches impact their players.

Each journal comes with a bracelet made from the seam of a baseball modeled after a gift that Justin’s grandfather, Benny Bechtol gave to me following Justin’s death. This bracelet will serve as an accountability reminder to follow through with the eight week commitment.

The following is the breakdown of the journal.

o Twelve of the forty days will be spent studying the entire Sermon on the Mount.
o Five of the forty days will be spent walking through an exercise in prayer.
o Five of the forty days will be spent engaging in a meditation and journaling exercise.
o Six of the forty days will be spent in a section entitled, “Time with a Giant”. In this section, participants will walk through character lessons lived out by Justin.
o Seven of the forty days will be spent memorizing Ephesians 3:14-21.
o Five of the forty days will be spent learning to serve someone else in practical ways.

I am asking our church family to pray that the Lord would use this journal to make a real difference in the lives of other people. In addition to this, I am asking that each of you pray about utilizing this journal in your own life as well as in the life of someone who needs to deepen their walk with God. The journals should be available for sale some time in January.

Justin was an eighteen year old man whose everyday life made an unforgettable and undeniable contribution to the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately in our day, many people choose to count the days of their lives rather than making their days count. In only eighteen years Justin made his life count. His example and his writings will inspire you to use all your gifts for eternal trophies, rather than those which collect dust on a mantle and truly build a life that is worth following.

The Ministry of the Cube

2006-05-23T06:10:00.000-07:00

Last week several of our staff members went to a conference in Seattle where one of the conference speakers named Tim Keller posed an incredible question that every church should honestly answer. He said:

If your church suddenly vanished from your community, would anyone around you notice or would they care?

This is a question that has been rolling over and over in my mind as I think about Council Road Baptist Church. I can honestly say that if my church pulled out of Oklahoma City, not only would it be noticed but it would also be incredibly missed by people from all kinds of backgrounds. One of the biggest reasons that I can say this with great confidence is because of the ministry that is taking place on a daily basis at The Cube.

In late February, we implemented a new check in system at the Cube which has helped us to understand who is coming in on a daily basis. Today, Bruce Caplinger, our recreation minister, gave me some stastistics that just blew me away. I think some of these findings may really surprise you.

From February 13, 2006 to May 24, 2006:

3945 people have registered at the Cube

61.84% being male
38.16% being female

The church affiliation of these people are:

1802 people (45.68%) attend other churches in the area.
715 people (18.12%) are members of Council Road
1384 people (35.08%) do not claim to have a church home
44 people (1.11%) are volunteers and staff.

The largest people groups using the Cube are:

911 people (23.08%) are High School students
688 people (17.42%) are in the age range of 21-30
674 people (17.08%) are in Middle School
407 people (10.31%) are Senior Adults

There are 217 different grade schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges represented among the people who have registered at the Cube.

The Ethnic background of the people attending:

1329 people (33.67%) are African American
2056 people (52.09%) are Caucasian
227 people (5.75) are Hispanic

Though there are many conclusions that can be drawn from these statistics, it is certain that the ministry of the Cube is working and working well. I am amazed at the number conversations I have had with people that do not attend church who have said to me how amazed they are that a church would build a 4.5 million dollar facility and open it up for free. I have been able to tell more people about the free gift of salvation using the gift of the Cube to Oklahoma City.

It is sad to me that many churches have developed a country club reputation in their community rather than having the reputation of being a group of genuine Christ-followers. I believe that God expects His followers to grow a better reputation in their communities and our church should lead the way in this challenge. I believe that Council Road is called to set the example of leadership by encouraging other churches to open up their eyes and their doors to the people around them. The best way to do this is by our example. God has given His people resources and we need to use them to effectively share the gospel with people.

This past Sunday night, it was really exciting to see several people baptized in our baptismal event who were saved as a result of the ministry of the Cube. This is working and God is using us in this city. I am so thankful to our church for allowing us to open up these doors on a daily basis to people at no charge. This month, Kyle sent out a card asking people to give to the Cube and I want to echo that request. Your dollars given to the Cube will make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

Responding to a Visitor at Council Road

2006-05-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

I recieved an e-mail today from the leader of a family who is visiting our church. I have posted this for a couple of reasons,

1. I think that it would be beneficial for some of our membership to respond to his questions.

2. I am excited that God is drawing families with this kind of passion to our church.

How would you answer Michael's questions?

Hi Chris,

As I was telling you in our conversation earlier, I had some down time at work and jotted down some of what I was pondering regarding our mission through CRBC and its various ministries. I've been contemplating the membership of our church and the various potential that I envision. Greater potential with more of the right knowledge and good ole encouragement. By the way, we are so very impressed with the passion that is demonstrated by CRBC's membership that is constantly expressed through service and commitments. Chris, I want to see those committed people multiply and I know that you do as well. I'm the type of person that will usually see the glass cup as being half empty, therefore I often have this feeling of needing more and seeking healthy change. There are so many people missing from all the empty seats each and every Sunday, which gives much too great of a new meaning to the empty chair policy we have learned to embrace in our community groups.

Please allow me to stir the pot a bit and attempt to give some food for thought, in hopes of being a small contributor in a large community of well intentioned servants.

What sweet damage we could do to the cause of Satan and his chumps, if we could understand our potential a bit more and mobilize some "spiritually phat" Christians. I like to refer to it as people getting off of their bless' ed assurance and showing their faith more by their works. More action and less talk. There's a time when all the talking and teaching needs to be equaled by actions. I know that I'm sounding a lot like the Marine Infantry Man who's calling for an attack, so I'll back off of my battle call with one last thing before I move on to what I brainstormed about earlier today. "If your gonna talk the talk, then be prepared to walk the walk!"

Okay, these are applicable topics that have possibly been explored before, so please forgive me if I sound redundant. As you may know, every organization, whether it is a business, civic group (such as the Rotary, Elks, Moose, or Optimists Club), community organization (such as the PTA, Little League Association, VFW, Scouts), and especially Churches and the like), have a set of cultural anchors and core values whether they realize it or not.

It is because of those shared values, that we decide whether or not to become a part of that organization based on our agreement with that organization's cultural anchors and core values.

What is a cultural anchor? An agreement of feelings, ideas, or expectations that ties a person to any particular group or organization of people.

Can you give me some examples of core values and what they are?

What is your thoughts on why people join CRBC?

The N.W. portion of the City where CRBC is located has grown more culturally diverse in the past two decades, naturally creating the need for changes and adaptations.

As the demographics of our American society change, so does the face of our church. CRBC has a golden opportunity to respond to the changes. Members from all walks of life should see themselves as "active participants" striving toward a common goal to make our church into a strong, competent, and diverse community. Church must have community and be equipped to take that lifestyle asset out into the areas where its members live and go through everyday life, and feel compelled to share the Spirit that bonds people together in a unique way.

The power of a diverse church is found in the many talents, skills, abilities and spiritual gifts each member brings to the process of growing. It is these unique individual and often times, professional endowments that we use to strengthen our knitting together as a body or team of Christ followers.

Our diversity as a body of bible believing saints enables us to better share life's truth's to various people in numerous walks of life, with a vision of respect, understanding and equal opportunities toward growth and service. We are all small contributors in a much larger struggle for spreading priceless words of truth, regarding all aspects of life and living, (such as love, peace, hope joy, faith, healing, change, relationships, marriage, parenting, etc..)

As is the case in our various work places, so our church will be made strong through our diversity and each individuals contributions toward bringing the whole membership together as one powerful unit. A unit that is equipped to mobilize at any given moments notice and fight the good fight.

May God's will be done and when possible through us. With what the Lord is bringing to us, it is our vision and dream that we will all individually do our part of joining together in an effort to make it still yet even more possible.

Eternally,

Michael

Could it be that I knew a modern day Enoch? by Greg Bechtol

2006-05-17T15:07:00.000-07:00

There is a verse of scripture in Genesis 5:24 that has always intrigued me. It says: Enoch walked with God, then he was no more because God took him. How could it be that someone could have such a close walk with God that God would say you don’t belong down there, so come up here with me? And surely, that is ancient history, and not something that happens today. I have had the good fortune to have known many incredible Christians in my lifetime. My life has been blessed by many Godly men & women, but none quite like Justin Sullivan.

Justin is my sister’s son which makes me his uncle. I was an eye witness to an incredible life, and am compelled to write down some of the things that I witnessed. Outwardly, as Justin was growing up he appeared to be a just normal kid, somewhat quiet, and polite, but even early on we got some glimpses into who he really is. I have never seen a kid who had such a strong physical, emotional, and spiritual reaction to evil. Any type of evil, as simple as someone being treated badly by another person, or a group of teenagers all dressed in black produced a noticeable troubled spirit, and a host of questions to his mother, which I witnessed several times. Justin had the privilege to grow in a Christian home, and very naturally gave his life to Christ at an early age (I believe that he was 8) As he got older, I began to notice how Justin shunned all types of evil, and placed only good things in his life. Philippians 4:8 instructs us to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things”. Some of the good things he placed in his life were other Christian friends, a commitment to be in the lords house on Sunday, daily bible study, and prayer, lifting weights, and eating only good food, and of course baseball. He was what can only be described as a passionate- perfectionist about baseball, having his nightly bible study, and brushing his teeth. We all have heard many stories from his baseball team, how on road trips with the team, at 2 am or 3 am teammates would be yelling at him to turn off the light, close the bible, and go to sleep! You see Justin was like my grandmother in that he did not require much sleep, and rarely got more than 4 hours per night in his high school days. During his high school years, Justin always, always ended his day with his time in bible study & prayer, and walking into his parents room to tell them that he loved them; usually waking them up to do so. The last 6 months of his life, he journaled this daily walk with God. Believe it or not he never missed a day! (This is the source of the material that Chris is using to write his book-Justin’s nightly bible study). My brother, and I both have commented. Who does this? Most of us are faithful to a bible study for about 3 weeks, and then get distracted. Four years without missing a day- Who is this guy? He was up to date in his most current journal. The only blank was June 3, the day he was killed. But bible study was not the final thing-then he had to brush his teeth. This is the way his day ended-with winding down by brushing his teeth for 15 minutes. His mom or dad would wake up at 2 am, and see Justin wandering around brushing his teeth, and have to tell him to please GO TO BED. Passionate-perfectionist-YES-but without a doubt this was the source of Justin’s strength. That is -the time he spent every night with the lord in bible study & prayer, not brushing his teeth. Then more often than not he was up at 5:30 am and off to the baseball field to run (A bizarre conditioning method that Justin did not like, but endured.)

Undoubtedly what draws so many people to Justin’s story is his baseball prowess, but baseball was just one of many things that Justin was passionate about. I failed to mention that before he even started his bible study, he had finished his homework. Justin finished 3rd in his class of 2002, and pursued academic excellence, as well as excellence on the baseball field. Besides baseball, God was growing in Justin’s heart a desire to help people, and as early as his sophomore year he was already talking about medicine, and possibly wanting to become a surgeon. No doubt the other two doctors in the family (Zack & Richard) were nurturing this along, and everyone was curious to see if Justin would pursue medicine or baseball. The first couple years of college I’m sure he was going to do both. I would not, and could not keep a pace like Justin did, (I require more sleep) but I witnessed these things in his life, and was amazed like everyone else. Justin took that same passionate-perfectionist tendency that he had with bible study into baseball. He could not get enough! Anyone who has ever thrown batting practice can testify to this (just one more, just one more). Justin truly had an incredible year of baseball his senior year. Some of his honors include All State Catcher, Academic All -Stater, Second Team All American, Daily Oklahoman Player of the year, Coaches Association Player of the Year, And Jim Thorpe Player of the Year. I remember that his batting average his senior year was 492, and he lead the team in almost every hitting category, including 9 Home Runs, 52 RBI’s, and 16 Doubles. He set new school records for most career hits (167), and most career doubles (45). These honors are widely publicized, but some of the things going on behind the scenes are just as impressive to me. Justin always offered to pray with the pitchers that he caught before every game. One game when the starting pitcher was announced, most of the team let out a sigh, and said; Not him! Justin fired back- You guys be quiet & support him. He needs to prepare for the game. This wasn’t the only time the team had seen Justin’s temper. They also saw it one time when a sexual remark was made about his sister Sydni. Someone almost lost their head to a 90 MPH fastball! Two of Justin’s pitchers, and 1 other player on the team that I am aware of accepted Christ as Savior shortly after his death.

It seems more than an incredible coincidence that the day after Justin was named High School Player of the Year by The Oklahoman, Justin was killed in a traffic accident. An axel broke, and a huge set of tandem wheels came loose from an 18 wheeler. The wheels came through the windshield, and crushed his side of the car. In Sunday’s paper, he was Player of the Year. In Tuesday’s paper he was dead. One second Justin was here with us, and the next second he was in the presence of Almighty God, and our Savior Jesus Christ. It was clear that Justin did not suffer, he was just gone. The music playing on the radio at the instant of the accident was a Christian song by Third Day called When the Rain Comes. Just another coincidence? Justin’s two friends that were in the car with him, walked away from the accident virtually un-harmed. Was it just a coincidence that in Sunday’s paper he was pictured in the middle of a bunch of flowers, and a week later he was surrounded by flowers at Council Road Baptist Church as we had his funeral? The headline for the Sunday Sports section read something like “Late Bloomer is this year’s Player of the Year”. Well, all of us who knew Justin could only laugh because he was NO late bloomer. The day that he stepped on a high school baseball field he was a standout. I guess the paper needed “an angle” for a story even though it was certainly inaccurate. The sports writer who wrote the article later called my sister to apologize for not doing his homework. None the less the picture was very prophetic to me since the following day he was killed. We were all amazed at how humble Justin was through this newspaper experience. I think part of the misunderstanding in the story was because from day one of his baseball career Justin neither sought after the spot light nor quite knew how to handle it when he was in it. His nightly journals bear witness to his spiritual struggle with being in the lime light. Micah 6; 8 was selected as the theme of Justin’s funeral, and it says: “He has shown you O man what is good. And what does the lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”. Justin certainly walked humbly with his God.

Looking back on the last few months of Justin’s life there were some rather amazing things going on. Justin grew up with a Labrador retriever named Gunner. Gunner was 9 years old at the time Justin was killed, and was always a good companion. He always slept near Justin’s bed, or on the cool laundry room floor, or outside. For some strange reason, the last 4 months of Justin’s life, Justin would wake up in the morning to find Gunner sleeping in bed with him, as close as he could get to him. Just another coincidence? It is interesting to look back at all of the pictures of Justin that the family has the month before he was killed. With very few exceptions, he is wearing a white shirt, unless of course he has on a baseball shirt. In many of the pictures the sun is hitting his blonde hair, and in connection with the white shirt, he sort of glows. I hadn’t noticed that before. He wore a white robe for graduation due to his Valedictorian Status. Just another coincidence? Another prophetic thing that happened during these last months was my sister’s behavior. She is normally a very right brain-very analytical-good decision maker-and not particularly emotional type person. The last month of Justin’s life, the whole family noticed how emotional she was. Justin was being recruited by Rice University, Yale, Nebraska, Southern Nazarene University, University of Arizona, and Oklahoma Baptist University. Justin was leaning toward Rice, and we just thought she was sad & emotional about Justin leaving home. Every time that we saw her she was taking pictures, and teary eyed. Justin certainly noticed his mother’s unusual behavior, and in many of his journal entries he is praying for Juliann’s happiness! We thought her intense emotional and spiritual behavior was because Justin was going to college, but looking back she says that the Lord was preparing her for Justin’s departure from this earth. Could it be that she was super strong, a rock, and an encouragement to the rest of us in the days immediately following Justin’s death because the Lord had prepared her for it? The Lord had one of his servants, another incredible Christian lady at the scene of the accident within minutes. She ministered to Josh and Elizabeth, and checked on Justin. There was nothing anything anyone could do for Justin, he was already in the Lords hands at age 18. Justin walked with God, and was no more because God took him. I don’t pretend to know his purpose in all this but He has told us”My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways”. Isaiah 55:8&9. If I were God, I would have allowed Justin to be a humble –steroid free Christian Major League baseball player for many years. Or, I would have allowed him to follow in the footsteps of the other doctors in the family, and helped many people as possible. But my ways are not his ways. “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him”. Job 13:15.

It has taken me 4 years to be able to say that. Yes, I thought that from the day of the accident but could not say it because of all the grief that our family was going through. I want to thank Chris, and Robin for all of the wonderful ways that they have ministered to our family, as we went through those dark days of grief. My words of encouragement to everyone who knew Justin are: We are going to see Justin again! What is this life of 80 to 90 years that we all expect to live when compared to all eternity that the followers of Christ are promised to spend with Him? “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror darkly, then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known”. I Corinthians 13:12 . I may not see clearly, but I’ve seen enough to know that there more to this human experience than the small amount of time that we are here on earth. As it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those love him”. I Corinthians 2:9.

I also want to thank Chris for following through with his vision to compile Justin’s thoughts, writings, and prayers into Journal form directed toward athletes, and our family is thrilled that he is doing this. Our prayer is that God would use this journal to bring many people to Christ, and that many more would come to know Him better. Was Justin perfect? NO, but he did pursue excellence in everything that he did. Further, Justin recognized that he was not going to heaven because of his accomplishments, but because he humbled himself, and accepted God’s plan for salvation. The month following Justin’s death there were 10 of his friends that I’m aware of that accepted Christ as their personal savoir. Could it be we knew a modern day Enoch?

He is my hero. - by Sydni Sullivan

2006-05-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

My Hero and Why

My brother is my hero, the person I looked up to the most in my life. He had impeccable character, more than anyone I have ever known.

My brother was my best friend, my hero. He was one of those incredible human beings that was a smart, athletic, dynamic Christian, fun and all-around humble nice guy. He had flawless character in each and every aspect of his life. He was honest, kind and exhibited integrity in all that he did. He was Valedictorian of his large high school, All-State Baseball Catcher, Academic All Stater, Second Team All-American, Player of the Year for the Oklahoman, Player of the Year for the Coaches Association and the Jim Thorpe Player of the Year, just to name a few. He had high aspirations to play college baseball, pro-baseball and eventually be an orthopedic surgeon. All of these goals were in reach. He was heavily recruited by Division I schools, pro baseball scouts had planned on drafting him on June 4th. He was a guy that everyone loved and could relate to, not a cocky athlete or unapproachable intellect, he was amazing.

You might notice that I keep using the words “had” and “was”. My Mom and I received a phone call on June 3, 2002 that changed my life forever. This person, my brother, whom I looked up to more than anyone in my life, was driving his best friend and girlfriend home from work and was involved in a serious accident. It was 1:22 on a beautiful Monday after noon, Christian music “When the Rain Comes” was playing on the radio, just a normal day. As he was showing his girlfriend an easier route to get home, suddenly tandem wheels broke off of an 18 wheeler and came hurling toward them at a high speed. My brother had just seconds to react and turned the wheel where his side of the car would receive the entire impact. The car spun violently out of control resting near a concrete wall, a second 18 wheeler behind his car went into a jackknife but, luckily, was able to stop. My brother, my hero was killed instantly. His girlfriend and best friend received minor injuries and were able to open their car doors and get safely out of the car. My brother had to be removed with the Jaws of Life. My brother was credited with saving both of their lives… some commented that he was “blocking to the very end”, since he was a catcher. The newspapers called him a hero, but he was my personal hero every day in my life.

The life I knew ended that day. We had an incredible close-knit loving family that was extremely happy. We were all shattered. We were all changed forever. I never knew that I could experience a pain so deep. The memorial service the night before my brother’s funeral brought 500 friends that told story, after story, of the tremendous impact he had on their lives. 2000 people attended his funeral. I read from my brother’s daily devotional in front of all of those people that loved my brother.

That day in June, I lost the person whose character I most admired, the person that I loved the most and for me, this was a life altering event. Through all of my grief, I made a conscious decision to not let this destroy me. My brother led such an incredible life in his short 18 years, and I knew I had to honor him and God with my own life. Through my daily tears, I became a better person, better student, better athlete, better Christian, better friend. I constantly had to remind myself that my brother would not have wanted his death to ruin my life, even though it easily could have. I chose the tougher path of living a life that would help others and be an encouragement and inspiration to those around me. My brother, my hero, prepared such an incredible foundation that made my high school years easier. All of his teacher’s automatically loved, believed in and supported me because of their love and respect for my brother. I am graduating this May with numerous academic, athletic, leadership and character awards that were inspired by my brother’s example. This life altering event of losing my hero in my life became a tragic building block for the rest of my life.

Why write a book.

2006-05-03T05:32:00.000-07:00

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Throughout life, you are fortunate if you come in contact with a person who lives exceptionally and sets an inspiring example for others to follow. The reason I am taking the time to write this journal is because I had the incredible opportunity to know a person who lived exceptionally and set a wonderful example for me. Justin Sullivan lived an exceptional life and set an incredible example for other people everyone around him.

Justin graduated third in his class at Yukon High School, where he was not only an honor student, but also an honor athlete. Justin had a strong desire to bring glory to the Lord in every aspect of his life. He was named Baseball Player of the Year for the State of Oklahoma on June 2, 2002, and then was tragically killed in a random car accident the following day on his way home from work when the back wheels of a semi-tractor trailor broke off, crossed the median and struck his vehicle. Even though his life was short, Justin taught people what it meant to walk with God. The truth is that he lived a life worth following, and his legacy will carry on for generations to come. His example in life, his impact on people and his personal discipline together created a life that truly made a difference for those fortunate enough to cross his path. This is why his story must be told and told in a way that points others toward God. I would like to ask you to pray that God uses this journal to bring people to Christ and to lead Christ followers to live out the Micah 6:8 challenge.

25 Excerpts from Justin Sullivan

2006-04-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

1. Who is my spiritual “go to” guy? Be a model for other people. Help my team understand who Christ is. Justin Sullivan 3/4/02

2. Christians live in two worlds: The world we can see and the world we cannot see. View life with spiritual eyesight. Part of my Christian walk needs to be spent learning how to be quiet enough to listen to God’s spirit. Growth in my life will take place by making mistakes through prayer. I can do this. Justin Sullivan 3/5/02

3. Be humble, not full of pride Justin Sullivan 3/6/02

4. Go to God with all my troubles no matter how big or how small. Pray and believe that God will do what He says. He will. Justin Sullivan 3/7/02

5. I am here and broken because I understand the nature of my sin. I have a broken heart about it and I am ready to return to You Lord. Give me guidance in all things. Justin Sullivan 3/8/02

6. When reading the Bible, read it aloud. This will help with my concentration. Read the Bible every day. Justin Sullivan 3/9/02

7. God’s heart is for the helpless. Ours should be as well. Who we are depends on the choices we make. Treat everyone with kindness, especially the less fortunate. Go out of my way to help others today. Justin Sullivan 3/10/02

8. Be there for others during tough times. Just my presence may help them. God is always there for us. In times of trial, God will clear a way for us. Justin Sullivan 3/12/02

9. Never forget God’s glory. Obey God in all things. Justin Sullivan 3/13/03

10. Remember God is on our side and will cause our persecutors to fail. Look to God in all things and do all for God’s glory. Justin Sullivan 3/14/02

11. Standing for God and integrity may be costly in the short run, but it is prosperous in the long run. Justin Sullivan 3/15/02

12. Listen for God’s voice in all things. Spiritual growth builds on spiritual experience. Have faith in God and do my best even when less will qualify. If I don’t do this, I am not being grateful. Justin Sullivan 3/16/02

13. Trust God regardless. Be faithful, even when others are not. Justin Sullivan 3/18/02

14. Faith is our wager on God. Doubt is not the opposite of faith but an element of it and overcoming doubt is a way of strengthening my faith in God. There will come a day when we will all see God face to face. This is when we will understand things fully. It is the nature of faith to look beyond itself and the tension that doubts bring always exist with faith. When God’s word asks me to believe something that’s simply beyond belief, I get to decide if I will trust my five senses or have enough sense to believe in Him. Justin Sullivan 3/19/02

15. Stay open to God’s will. Go to Him for help in accomplishing it. Justin Sullivan 3/20/02

16. Faithfully wait for God’s direction and destination in our lives. Be patient. 3/21/02

17. Don’t seek the spotlight but if God wants you noticed, don’t say no. Justin Sullivan 3/22/02

18. I want to have faith like the Centurion in Matthew 8. Our faith will never be betrayed. Give God the throne to rule my life. Justin Sullivan 3/23/20

19. Go to God no matter how big or how small the tremors in our lives are. God definitely wants to hear your prayers in detail because by doing this, you are better able to know your own needs. Anything can happen when you have faith in God. 3/24/02

20. God, be with me in everything. Get everything done. Unless repentance includes conversion, it is not worth much. Prayer and confession lead to no avail if the sin continues. 3/25/02

21. Don’t forget the power of touch. Don’t get caught up in tradition and miss the true purpose of our faith. Remember the lost. Justin Sullivan 3/26/02
22. I don’t always have to see to believe. Have unseen faith in God. Justin Sullivan 3/26/02

23. What are my little ways of showing Christ’s love to others? Thinking of how to serve God and others is time well spent. Purest joy can come from the most simple deeds of serving. God doesn’t regard deeds greatess by magnitude, but the love by which it is done by. Justin Sullivan 3/27/02

24. Embrace Conviction. Justin Sullivan 3.28/02

25. Lord, provide me with a testimony that glorifies you. Help me to avoid pride when giving my testimony. Justin Sullivan 3/30/02

2006-04-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick pic of Eric and I on the border of Mexico.

Justin Sullivan's Journal - A Life Worth Following

2006-04-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

In life there are people who live exceptionally and set incredible examples for others to follow. I am in the process of writing a spiritual journal dedicated to the memory of a young man named Justin Sullivan who lived an exceptional life and set an incredible example for other people. Justin was an exceptional athlete, an exceptional student and an exceptional competitor. Though these qualities enabled him to stand out, the thing that made Justin’s life worth following was his exceptional walk with Jesus Christ.

The target audience of this journal is athletes. Though others would benefit from this forty day experience, this journal is designed to capture the eye and the heart of the athlete. The contents will lead participants to embrace six habits observed in Justin's life. I believe that the establishment of these habits will guide participants down the road to building a life that is worth following. It will not be easy or convenient. It will require thought, time and discipline resulting in supernatural benefits for those who walk this road.

The journal is laid out over eight weeks with the intention of each participant spending five days a week significantly engaging the Lord. Though individuals could effectively go through this journal, it will be most effective in a group setting either in FCA Huddle groups, Youth community groups, or even Father/Son studies. Each journal comes with a bracelet made from the seam of a baseball to serve as an accountability reminder to follow through with the eight week commitment.

The following is the breakdown of the journal.

o Twelve of the forty days will be spent studying the entire Sermon on the Mount.
o Five of the forty days will be spent walking through an exercise in prayer.
o Five of the forty days will be spent engaging in a meditation and journaling exercise.
o Six of the forty days will be spent in a section entitled “Time with a Giant”. In this section, participants will walk through character lessons lived out by Justin.
o Seven of the forty days will be spent memorizing Ephesians 3:14-21.
o Five of the forty days will be spent in practical assignments leading the participants to put action to their time with the Lord.

You may be asking, do we need another journal targeting athletes? The answer to that question is an absolute YES. The platform that athletes are given in our culture today is simply amazing. The best way to reach athletes is through the example of other athletes. The message of Justin Sullivan’s life was so strong that not even his death could stop it. All of us involved in this project believe that Justin’s story should be told in a way that points people to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The creation of a spiritual journal based on the practices observed in his everyday life is the best way to communicate Justin’s contribution to the Kingdom of God. Unfortunately in our day, many people choose to count the days of their lives rather than making their days count. In eighteen years Justin made his life count. His example will inspire young men and women to use their athletic gifts for eternal trophies, rather than those which collect dust on a mantel.

I just wanted to invite you to pray for us as we walk through the journey of writing this journal. I pray that it will be ready to distribute August 2006.

A Family Mission Trip

2006-03-18T18:17:00.000-08:00

Just last night we returned from a week in Mexico on our very first "Family Mission Trip". I have to say that this was an incredible experience for every family unit who went on this trip. In regard to my own family, 10 years from now Eric and Emily will not be able to recall what gifts they were given for Christmas in 2005 but they will remember the time that our we loaded up on a bus, took our church's moonwalk and put on a Bible Club in Matamoros Mexico. It was incredibly meaningful participating side by side with my wonderful wife and children in Mexico this past week. This truly was a vacation with an eternal purpose because we were able to make a difference in one church and one community in Matamoros where three people prayed to receive Christ during the movie that we showed last Sunday night and over 100 children came to our Bible Club and learned a little more about who Jesus really is.

I am so thankful that my wife and children had this experience this week in Mexico. I was incredibly proud of my son Eric. Last Sunday, Eric was with a group walking through this neighborhood in Matamoros passing out flyers for the movie we were showing. This little Colonia housed about 1000 families who mostly lived in small shacks for houses. As Eric's team canvassed the neighborhood, a lady walked out of her little shack that her family of 5 called home. Everyone in the group could not help but notice her plywood walls, tin roof, falling down out-house and mis-matched shanty of a home. This place was un-like any place that I know of in Oklahoma City. When the mother of the home saw our group, she came out of her home and warmly greeted the group. My five year old son Eric, was able to look past all the poverty and notice a beautiful tree with beautiful flowers growing on it in this lady's front yard. When the lady began to speak with our interpreter, Eric asked, "How do you say your flowers are beautiful in Spanish?" Elida, our interpreter helped Eric communicate that to this woman. "Flores bonitas." Eric said. The lady smiled and said "Muchas Gracias"

God used this in my life this week to teach me that sometimes I focus so much on difficulty that I miss the beauty that is right in front of me. Here is my 5 year old son standing and facing extreme poverty and he sees pretty flowers on a pretty tree.

I want to be more like Eric.

I have a couple of questions for each person who reads this blog. When was the last time that you went on a vacation and someone gave their life to Jesus Christ? How would an experience like this make a difference in your family?

If I may, let me offer you a brief challenge. Many of you have two or three weeks of vacation at your work. Why not take one of those weeks and experience a family mission trip together? Council Road is going again next Spring Break. Why not make plans to join us with your family.

More families should experience a trip like this together. Just ask any family that went with us to Mexico this last week.

Dialogue with R: Anti-gay protests in the name of Jesus???

2006-02-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

Years ago, a coach came into my life who taught me a whole lot about the game of tennis. He made me a better player and helped me a great deal on the tennis court. Now as an adult, R. as come back in my life not as a tennis coach but as a friend.
Before you read this post, it is very important that I explain my relationship with R because many of you who read this are likely either members of Council Road or at least coming from a Christ-following world view. I can promise you this, R. will bring up some issues that will challenge all of our beliefs. I told R. that I was going to blog about the latest issue he threw out at me and I hope to blog about other issues that we discuss because I really think that those of us in the church don't think about things from the perspective of those who don't follow Christ.

Here is what you need to know about my relationship with R.

1. He is my friend and I accept him as he is.
2. He does not believe what I believe about God and is not planning on embracing my beliefs.
3. He is a person, who most of us who read this site would consider as our Mission Field. R genuinely thinks from the perspective of the un-churched and I believe that perspective is extremely beneficial.
4. Even though R. is un-churched, in our relationship, we have an understanding that he is not my reclamation project and I am not his narrow minded Christian target to destroy.
5. We choose to have a genuine friendship in which he can ask me honest questions from an un-churched perspective and I can ask him honest questions from the Christian perspective. We should all respect him.

Now here is the dialogue:

Hey Chris;
How are you doing. I just came across something that i'll use as evidence on why many people can't stand self righteous grand standing christians and how easily christians will follow the stupidest movments.

here it is

anti-gay protests held by the Rev. Fred Phelps at military funerals.

Phelps believes American deaths in Iraq are divine punishment for a country that he says harbors homosexuals. His protesters carry signs "thanking God" for so-called IEDs — explosives that are a major killer of soldiers in Iraq.

Here is a nut case clothed in religion harassing families at funerals that are trying to just bury their dead sons, daughters, husbands, and wives.

I would expect if it were religious families getting harrassed all churches far and wide would be "up in arms" at this insult but since it is a religious person doing this I expect no backlash towards him from any church organization.

There should be Pastors from all denominations condeming this farce.

Just thought I would share this with you and challenge you and your church to condemn this "protest"

Well on a lighter note I hope you stayed warm last weekend I read it was very chilly in OKC.

Do you thing Superman had a difficult time deciding if his "outfit" would have

blue leotards with RED boots or red leotards with BLUE boots!!

see ya later

Hey R.

How is it going? I am sorry to hear about this guy protesting at military funerals. What stinks is that many people look at a guy like that and assume that is the way followers of Christ act. There is a pastor in Kansas who is doing something similar. He has been sending members to Oklahoma to do that. There was a pastor in Tulsa who was preaching the funeral of a service man killed in his church and he did a great job in the media communicating that their actions are not found anywhere in the Bible. It is interesting that you sent this to me because we had a conversation just yesterday in our staff with an advertising consultant. The crux of the conversation was that many churches and denominations are known more by what they are against rather than known for what they are for. I think that this is very unfortunate and as a leader in my church, I really do want to change that.

I learned something this year on a Mission trip to Guanajuato Mexico this year. In Mexico some have stopped using the word "Cristianos" (Christian) to describe genuine believers. They now use the term "Creyentes" (Believer) to describe authentic Christ followers. The Bible clearly speaks that they will know that we are Christians by our love. I don't see that in people like this. Jesus also clearly tells us that you can look at the fruit on a tree to describe what kind of fruit it is. When I hear about guys like this pastor, it does not match up with the fruit I see in the Bible. People do follow stupid movements, all types and backgrounds have followed all kinds of stupid stuff. I know that you understand this but just because someone attaches Christian beside their name, does not mean that they are representing Christ. Jesus himself said in the sermon on the mount, "Many will come to me and say Lord, we did all this stuff in your name and He will say "Depart from me because I never knew you."

I know that I probably won't be able to influence this Pastor Fred guy but I can tell you, my church won't be doing something like that.

OK, my blog sight that you had a part of.... www.betheballchriswall.blogspot.com Somewhere along the way someone told me to Be the Ball. It was probably you. Be prepared if you read this, I do talk about church stuff on that blog so love and accept me for who I am. If I ever do something Reverend Fred Phelpsish, you better call me on it.

In regard to Superman, If you are man enough to kick someones butt wearing leotards and spandex, you are worth following in my book.

Have a great day bro. It was good to hear from you.

Chris Wall

Chris:
Well I'll admit your email was encouraging. I agree with you assessment that most religions are known more by what they are against than what they stand for. I am encouraged by your discussions at your church and can see nothing but good things that can come from being open minded. Remember there was no greater rebel in history than the man named Jesus. His teachings were very revolutionary and against the status quo. Hence the danger he presented to the Roman Empire by empowering the radical idea that all peoples were worth something no matter what level they were born to. Wow think of that in today's light, no matter what your clothes or wealth or boyfriend or athletic prowess or skin color or cool name or weight or hair style etc. that we are all worthy or self worth. The Roman Empire based on slave labor was very shook to its core by the thought of empowered slaves, hell the United States went to war over this very thing!!
Altough I don't adhere to organized religion any more I do believe many of its teachings are valid and without it the western world with its democracies would never have evolved. All our equal regardless of sin sounds very similar to our constitution which is based on the Magna Carte among other doctrines.
Take care you rebel rouser, being liberal has a danger all to itself especially in Oklahoma.
Red tight with blue boots or blue tights with red boots!!!??? oh the dilema of being a super hero!!
R

A Family, not a Business

2006-02-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

Over the past several weeks, I have had multiple conversations with people about a recurring statement that keeps slipping out of our pastors heart as we have been digging into Ephesians on Sunday mornings. Rick continues to tell our church that we are not a business, we are a family. Though this statement has not been a major point in any message, it has been leaking from our pastor and I do think that the Lord is trying to teach us something very important. As I look at the calling and mission of our church, it is critical that we function as a family and not a business. We must do whatever we can to resist this consumer mentality that has infiltrated so many churches in America.

Don't get me wrong, every week we have guests that visit our church and we do need to do a good job of making them feel welcome. We also need to be excellent at accepting new people and bringing them into our family. I do the same thing at my own house. When a guest comes over, my wife and I make sure that our house is clean, the floor is vacummed and the meal for the guest is prepared well. We absolutely must have the same attitude when it comes to welcoming new people each week. However, when it comes to the way we interact with our church family, our church experience should go deeper than consuming and move into accomplishing a Divine mission by living life together.

I think that the Lord has been using our pastor to communicate that being a part of a local church is a bigger deal than we realize. Sometimes we get caught up in our individual wants and desires and miss our purpose to the larger body of believers. Recently, I had a conversation with a person who was considering leaving my church. This person said to me, "I didn't think that my leaving here would be that big of a deal." I have thought about this statement a lot over the past few weeks. If my daughter came up to me and told me, "Dad, I think I am going to leave our family because I think this family down the street is much better than ours." I would be devastated because she is my daughter and I love her so much. I realize that this example is extreme but I am trying to make a point that swapping churches is a very big deal. When looking at your church, it is important to take a deep look at your calling and your connection to the mission. Sometimes I think people look for a church like they are looking for a spiritual sweater. We must understand that it is so much deeper than this. I believe that all believers are called to a local church. I know that many of us have heard this statement many times but I want to challenge you to really think about it. You are called by God to a family of believers. Like our pastor said in a recent sermon, "If you go to Foley's, you are not going to sweep the floor before you leave the store because that is a business and it is not your job to take care of things like that." On the other hand, when you go to your house, it is critical for you to take care of your chores because as a member of that family you have responsibilities that fulfill your purpose in your house. I want to ask you to think about your attitude at church. Have you adopted the consumeristic mentality or do you see yourself as a part of a family with a purpose. We must work hard at growing a family at Council Road. Our job is not to build numbers in pews on 30th and Council. Our job is to make a difference in OKC. If we are going to do that, we have to build a strong family. If you are genuine follower of Christ, you are called by God to be a part of a local family. Your connection to this family is not based on how you feel, it is based on the mission that God has given to you. Your church is not a business, it is a family, I challenge you not to neglect that calling by God.

My Son

2006-01-23T20:52:00.000-08:00

I love being a dad and I love having a son. My son's name is Eric. He is a great little dude. Very quickly, I am realizing that Eric is going to be a lot like me. He is going to follow my example in everything that I do. It is likely that his relationship with God will look like my relationship with God. It is likely that he will treat his wife like I treat my wife. It is likely that he will treat his kids like I treat my kids. It is likely that he will work like I work. It is likely that he will talk like I talk. And it is likely that he will walk like I walk.

I pray that I will be a good example for my son and raise him to love Jesus with all his heart, his mind, his soul and his strength. Lord help me be a good example.

Would God ever put you in danger?

2006-01-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

Recently, I read a book entitled "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus. I would highly recomend this book to any and every person who desires to be a genuine follower of Christ but get ready to be challenged because this one caused me to think. McManus's major theme in this book is the idea that Christianity has become way to civilized. We have wrapped God in this neat little religious box and explained him in our nice little systematic theologies. Not to demean theology but in many ways church has become ritualistic and mainstream and I would agree with McManus that this is producing a large degree of boredom in our seats and pews. He is calling for Barbarian believers who refuse the boredom of civilized religion that is stuffy and fake. I would have to agree with him and long to be a part of a group of believers who are more passionate about Jesus than being religious and ritualistic. Don't get me wrong here. I am thankful for the tradition in my life but I don't want to lose my sense of wonder about God and fall into fake and impersonal religious activity.

Needless to say, I found myself on the plane to Mexico being confronted with this incredible question posed by McManus: God would you ever put me in danger? My initial response to that question was absolutely not, God is my heavenly Father who loves me, died for me and is supposed to protect me from all harm. However, as I reflected on the pages of scripture and thought about John the Baptist who was beheaded, Stephen who was the first martyr recorded in scripture, the disciples who faced horrible deaths all because they followed Jesus. As I thought about the many missionaries like Jim Elliot and Steve Saint who went into hostile situations with their families to take the message of salvation to people only to give up their lives trying to love people to Christ. As I reflected on specific scriptures like John 16:33 which says, "I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace, in the world you will have trouble, but take heart because I have overcome the world. I realized that Jesus would not only put me in a situation that was dangerous, he would also require my life if it meant an advancement for the Kingdom of God. Then I thought, Great! I am going to get killed in Mexico this week. I was scheduled to preach in a Mexican prison and God was preparing me to make my last stand in ministry.

Well, God let me live through the prison experience and for that I am thankful. But it does seem to me that so many people by into the philosophy that the safest place to be is in the center of God's will. While I would whole heartedly believe that the best place to be is in the center of God's will, I also whole heartedly believe that the center of God's will is most definitely not the safest place to be. Right now I am burdened by the many followers of Christ who are bored because they are choosing a life of safety rather than living a life responding to the voice of God. It makes me wonder if the bored believers are really believers at all? I think that many of them honestly love Jesus, they simply have not learned to trust Him in their day to day lives and the result is that they miss out on an exciting life with the Lord here on earth.

Honestly, I don't know if I will ever have the opportunity to face death because of my faith in Christ, but I do hope if that ever presented itself in my life that I would willingly take that stand for my Savior. I do however long to be a barbarian believer and not fall into boring civilized Christianity.

What does a Barbarian Church look like?

Be the Ball - The Explanation

2006-01-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

"Be the Ball" - A deep philosophical statement taken from the athletic arena describing the completion of a mission, the acomplishment of a goal and the fulfillment of a dream. When a mission in life faces opposition, "Be the Ball". When a goal that's been set seems to be fading, "Be the Ball. When a dream in life seems to be crumbling, "Be the Ball". Think about your mission! Will you "Be the Ball?