Vacations that Matter from Mark Schwartz

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

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

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

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"

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

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

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.