The Kindle Has Landed

It was waiting for me when I got home from last week's trip to Wisconsin. Yes, the Kindle has finally landed in my hands. With little effort, I am resisting the temptation to refer to this nifty little gadget as a "he" or "she". That's just weird. I will not be giving it a people name like "Reed" or "Cindy". That, too, is weird. But I must say Kindle is cool. I haven't spent much time exploring all of it's features, but my first impression tells me this thing will be in my hands plenty. It is certainly as sleek as I expected. And I am reasonably sure it is as practical as I had hoped. One of the features that I already like is the ability to download a sample of books that interest me. These samples are more than a couple of paragraphs, too. It's like walking the aisles of Books-a-Million and thumbing through actual books! Just this morning I clicked one button on Amazon.com and downloaded a sample of The Works of Jonathan Edwards. Before I could say, "I love my Kindle", it was wirelessly downloaded! That's pretty cool!

Spiritual Barrenness

Leroy Eims' Daily Discipleship devotional gripped my heart this morning. The thought of being grieved over a lack of spiritual fruit is sobering. Be challenged! Once again, here's the link: http://www.navlists.org/dailydiscipleship/

Nothing Like that New Book Smell

One of the reasons I struggled with the Kindle purchase is I LOVE BOOKS. I love the smell of books. I love to turn pages. I love to dog-ear my place. I love to highlight nuggets of wisdom that challenge my thinking. I love to write little notes in the margin. In short, I use a book.

All of this got me to thinking. What is it that I really love about books and reading? It is really the "feel" of the book in my hands? Is it really the smell of the paper? Is it really the fine art of dog-earing my place? After some serious soul-searching (sounds dramatic, huh?), I came to the conclusion that I love books because they are a conduit for the transfer of knowledge from the author to me. They provide an opportunity for me to drift into the world of fiction, created in the mind of the author. Books are a communication tool; a means for one person to deliver a message to the masses.

By the way, there is a highlight feature on the Kindle. You can make notes and store them forever. You can electronically turn pages and bookmark your place. And whenever I get my car detailed, one of the air freshener options is "new car" scent. Surely they can make "new book" scent. Because there's nothing like that new book smell.

I Made the Jump

Yep. I did it. Finally made the jump. I ordered the Kindle 2 last week. I am currently tracking its progress from Campbellsville, KY to my doorstep. I've never considered myself a "gadget freak", but I'm pretty excited about this thing. The Kindle is an electronic reading device that allows one to store over 1,500 titles. It is offered exclusively by Amazon. The folks at Amazon currently boast 230,000 titles available for wireless download; the average cost for most titles is less than $10. Kindle weighs less than 10.5 ounces and is pencil thin. Being an avid reader and a fairly frequent traveler, there are many Kindle features that have me licking my chops. Just yesterday, I was packing about 35 pounds of books around with me. (OK. That included my laptop.) The total cost of those books: about $120. A little research on Amazon.com Kindle Store told me those same books would have cost me $50 in Kindle format. And...they would have all weighed less than 10.5 ounces.
I'm finding that more and more publishers are considering different forms of getting their stuff in the consumer's hands. Many are already offering books in PDF format. This makes me wonder if the traditional ink-on-paper book will ever be a thing of the past. What do you think? More thoughts tomorrow...

What I'm Reading

I love to read and usually have 2-3 books going at any given time. Sounds like it would be confusing, I know. But it keeps me interested because it adds variety to my reading. I read my Bible the same way. This year I am using the Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan. Each day the DJ plan takes me to two Old Testament and two New Testament texts. Again, I like the variety and it seems to remove the "I'm just reading to check off my list" mentality.
Here's what I'm currently reading:

1. Lost and Found by Ed Stetzer with Richie Stanley and Jason Hayes
The subtitle is The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them. I have grown increasingly burdened for the young adults who seem to be drifting away from the church. Stetzer heads the research division of Lifeway Christian Resources and his team's research and insight in this area are invaluable. So far, a very helpful book.

2. Communicating for a Change by Andy Stanley and Lane Jones
This is a book that came out about three years ago. It was so helpful to me then, that I am reading it a second time. Andy Stanley is one of the top communicators of our day. Because I am always striving to improve my skills as a communicator, I pay attention to what he has to say on the subject.

3. How Can a Good God Let Bad Things Happen? by Mark Tabb
I recently joined the Blogger Review Program with Navpress. The program requires that I read a selected book, then write a review that will be posted on the Navpress website as well as one retail site such as Amazon.com. This is the first book that I chose to review and just received my copy in the mail this week. I'm looking forward to the adventure.

So what about you? What are you reading? What authors are influencing your life?

On a Personal Note

Since I just finished blogging through a book, I thought this would be a good time to shift gears. For the next couple of weeks Here's My Point... will be a bit more personal. Hope that doesn't cause you to stop reading!

This time of the year is especially busy for me. Along with the "normal" demands of pastoral ministry, I also do some traveling in the spring. For the past 20 years I've had the privilege of preaching at a number of regional student conventions. These conventions are a gathering of Christian school students from all over their respective regions to compete in over 100 different events. The conventions are held at a variety of venues all over the country, although many are held on university campuses. I usually preach anywhere from 4-8 times at each convention. Because I competed at these conventions as a high-schooler, it is both humbling and rewarding to minister to the students each spring. I'm looking forward to being in Oshkosh, WI for the Wisconsin Regional Student Convention next week. Pray for warm weather.

Being away from home serves as a reminder of how important my family is to me. Since Kristie seldom gets to travel with me, I find myself missing her with a vengeance. Another of the drawbacks to traveling is that I often miss my kid's activities. Last week I missed Ashley's induction into the National Junior Honor Society. Both Matt and Tim play baseball; Ashley plays softball. Next week, it looks like I'll miss a couple of games. Before you start feeling sorry for me; however, you must know there are some trade-offs. When I'm home, I miss fewer games than most other dads whose jobs require them to "punch the clock".

Here's my point...ministry is often demanding and allows little freedom. Thankfully, there are aspects of ministry that give me more freedom than a lot of other guys. I plan to make the most of those opportunities!

Chapter 7 - Tying it all Together

Blogging through Stephen Altrogge's Game Day for the Glory of God has been a great experience for me. God has used sports in such a profound way in my sanctification that it was a no-brainer for me to blog through this book. Altrogge is a young man (twenty-four when the book was written) who has a handle on the significance of sports in the life of a Christ follower. He certainly makes the point that, if not kept in check, sports can pull us away from God. He also makes the point, however, that sports can serve a higher purpose in our lives than just playing games. In the final chapter, Altrogge reminds us of his two-fold purpose in writing. First, sports are gifts from God for our enjoyment. Second, sports are opportunities. He ties it all together like this:

"Sports provide us with opportunities to grow in godliness. Few things allow us to grow in humility, conquer our anger, discipline our bodies, persevere in the face of adversity, and pursue excellence, all in the span of an hour or two. Sports expose our sinful pride and desire for personal glory. They reveal our sinful self-sufficiency, self-worship, and self-centeredness. They also present unique opportunities to grow in humility, a character trait that deeply pleases God."

Here's my point...the next time you find yourself living a game day, determine to make it a game day for the glory of God.

All These People Going Somewhere

I'm sitting in the Indianapolis International Airport waiting for my flight home. I've been humming Brandon Heath's Give Me Your Eyes. Great song with a great message! As I watch all these people pass by - every size, shape, and color imaginable - I can't help but wonder where they're all going. I'm not wondering where American or Southwest will carry them today, but where they will spend eternity. The family sitting to my left trying to figure out a crossword puzzle from the morning paper -are they going to heaven? The middle-aged man sitting across from me reading Men's Health Magazine - is he going to heaven? The oriental lady who just sat down beside me; she seems frustrated - is she going to heaven? The 20-something Purdue fan that just walked by - is he going to heaven? The song says, "All those people going somewhere, why have I never cared...give me your eyes..." It takes on a different meaning when you're sitting in the middle of a busy airport.

Chapter 6 - Parents, Children, and the Glory of God

Back to Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge. Chapter six is my favorite chapter in the book. It is a clarion call for all parents to use sports as a tool for training their children in godliness. Altrogge makes this observation: "When children play sports, they learn values and priorities that will stay with them throughout their entire lives. In the heat of competition attitudes are forged. But these attitudes aren't formed independently. They are shaped by friends, parents, and coaches. Children are like sponges, soaking up everything that goes on around them. Values and priorities held by parents will be transferred to their children." (pg. 86) With these truths serving as a foundation, Altrogge identifies three specific ways parents can help their children grow in godliness while on the playing field.

1. Help Your Children Savor Christ
"Something small and seemingly insignificant, such as the desire to play sports, can quickly become idolatrous. If it isn't addressed quickly, this desire can become all-consuming, stealing away any love they have for the Lord." (pg. 87)

2. Help Your Children Set Godly Priorities
Altrogge reviews the four priorities outlined in chapter 4: Humility, Passion, Trust, and Dependence upon God. He looks at each of these priorities with a specific emphasis on a parent's relationship with their children.

3. Help Your Children See the Big Picture
"As Christians we must strive to maintain a biblical perspective on sports and to help our children do the same. Without this perspective our children may place too high a priority on sports while neglecting things that are far more important." (pg. 96)
Altrogge then gives us this simple list of biblical priorities: God, Family, and Church.

This is definitely a powerful chapter that carries a timely message. In a day when sports has become an all-consuming passion for many Christians, it is more important than ever for us to keep sports in their place. We can either use sports as a tool for training in godliness or they can quickly become a liability in our walk with God.

Heartland Regional Student Convention

I'm speaking on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, IN this week. The Heartland Regional Student Convention is a gathering of Christian school students from all over this region. They are here primarily to compete in hundreds of different events. I get to be their pastor for the week. Today's schedule had me speaking two times. The first session was a "let's get acquainted" kinda thing. While I had some fun giving the students some little-known, trivial information about myself, I also used it as a teaching time. I talked about the danger of knowing stuff about Christ, but not really knowing Him.
In tonight's session I challenged the students from James chapter 1. I talked about the enemy being a master of fascination. James talks about being "drawn away" and "enticed". Satan would have us continually fascinated with his junk; he really wants to take us from fascination to assassination. Here's my point...don't play with the devil. He doesn't play fair. He's out to get you - beware! I'll be back to Game Day for the Glory of God tomorrow.

Chapter 5 - Winners and Losers

A quick turn of the page and we are looking at chapter 5 of Stephen Altrogge's Game Day for the Glory of God. The focus of this chapter is the winning and losing aspect of sports. Altrogge makes the point that for every winner, there is a loser. He states, "God has ordained that our lives be spent in both the winner's circle and the loser's bracket, and he wants us to learn how to please him in both places." Altrogge identifies a series of temptations that accompany both winning and losing. Then, he gives a remedy for each temptation. First, the temptations that come with victory:

1. The Temptation of Achievement
The Remedy: "The humble athlete battles the temptation of achievement by recognizing that all success and achievement come from the hand of God." (pg. 75)

2. The Temptation of Image
The Remedy: "The humble athlete battles the temptation of image by realizing that only God is truly glorious." (pg. 76)

3. The Temptation of Vindication
The Remedy: "The humble athlete fights the temptation of vindication by realizing that he's little and weak." (pg. 77)

4. The Temptation of Superiority
The Remedy: "The humble athlete combats the temptation of superiority by realizing that God is infinitely superior to him." (pg. 77)

And the temptations that come with defeat:

1. The Temptation to Criticize
The Remedy: "We must realize that criticism is a fruit of pride. The proud man is quick to criticize those around him because he believes they make many more mistakes than he does." (pg. 81)

2. The Temptation to Agonize
The Remedy: "Agonizing over or being crushed by a loss is an indicator that we're not trusting God, who sovereignly arranges all things to work for our good." (pg. 82)

3. The Temptation of Shame
The Remedy: "The final truth that will help us in the midst of a loss is to realize that we have no image to maintain. Shame in sports is often the result of failing to meet the expectations of others." (pg. 82)

Altrogge closes the chapter with an important reminder about our perspective on winning and losing: "No matter how significant they may seem, all our wins and losses are very insignificant in the grand scheme of things. There are no lives hanging in the balance, nor is the peace of the free world dependent on whether we win or lose." So....winning isn't EVERYTHING?

Chapter 4 - Game Day Priorities

Like chapter 3, the 4th chapter of Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge answers an important question. "We must answer the question, what does God care about when I'm on the playing field?" The answer to that question comes in the form of five priorities:

1. The Priority of Humility
Altrogge makes the point that the humble athlete recognizes God as the source of all athletic ability, encourages others, is team-oriented rather than me-oriented, and refuses to argue with the referees. (ouch! - I'm pretty sure most referees need a good eye exam.)

2. The Priority of Passion
"So let us play sports with all the passion that we can summon, not for our own glory and honor, but for the honor of Jesus. Let us remember for whom we're truly playing, and let's play in a way that will bring him pleasure." (pg. 57)

3. The Priority of Self-Control
As a former coach, I often reminded my players that sports not only develop character; sports reveal character. It's amazing how otherwise civil people can lose their minds over a game! More often than I would like to admit, I've been right there with them.

4. The Priority of Trust
"If you're a Christian, you can be absolutely confident that God is working everything in your life together for your good and his glory." (pg. 64)

5. The Priority of Dependence
"The truth is we are not independent. We are weak, frail creatures who quickly fall apart. We desperately need God to provide us with both spiritual and physical strength." (pg. 66)

To wrap up chapter four, Altrogge makes this observation: "Sports provide us with an opportunity to purify ourselves. When we grow in humility, passion, self-control, trust, and dependence, we become more like Jesus Christ." I like that. More like Jesus.

Chapter 3 - The Joy of Sports

I'm in the middle of a chapter-by-chapter review of Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge. The third chapter is really a response to the question, "Why is it that we feel such joy in sports?" Altrogge answers the question by pointing out four reasons:

1. The Joy of Excellence
"Doing things excellently is a reflection of God, who does all things with excellence. The same is true in watching sports. When we see an athlete perform exceptionally well, we're seeing a small portion of God's character." (pg. 37)

2. The Joy of Victory
"Victory in sports is a faint reflection of our victorious God. He's created us to love victory. No one enjoys losing. Part of the reason we have such a passion for victory is that it allows us to catch a faint glimpse of God's glory. Granted, our motives for wanting victory are often smeared with pride and arrogance. But victory in and of itself can be something very good." (pg. 40)

3. The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness
"Self-centeredness only leads to unhappiness and misery. Sports are gifts from God that allow us to temporarily forget about self." (pg. 42)

4. The Joy of Character
In this section Altrogge highlights three character qualities that can and should be developed through sports: leadership, perseverance, and endurance.

The closing statement of this chapter is top shelf. "Let us recognize that sports are indeed gifts from a generous God to undeserving sinners, and let our enjoyment of sports be marked by thankful hearts. In this way we will enjoy sports for the glory of God."

Chapter 2 - The Source of All Talent

In chapter 2, Altrogge makes the point that we are obsessed with our athletes. Consider the cult following that many modern "superstars" enjoy. Kids (and often their parents) wear their favorite player's jersey. Endorsement deals that amount to more than most people will earn in a lifetime are signed every day. Sports stars are regularly given more attention than the American soldier who is fighting to preserve the American dream.
Altrogge points out the fact that every bit of talent that an athlete possesses is a gift from God. He appeals to David, the psalmist, to make his case:

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14

Altrogge also points out that in our sinful pride we long to be praised. We often crave the glory that belongs to God. So, what to do? Altrogge gives us three important principles:

1. Realize that God isn't impressed with our athletic abilities.
"The Maker of all things isn't amazed when I rattle in three consecutive jump shots."
(pg. 26)

2. Avoid the comparison game.
"Sports always generates comparisons. They aren't necessarily wrong. It is wrong, however, to compare yourself to others for the purpose of exalting yourself." (pg. 28)

3. Give thanks for the athletic abilities that God has given us.
"It's very easy to watch and play sports without giving a single thought to the One who created them. Let us fight this sinful tendency by thanking God for the wonderful gift of sports." (pg. 31)

The chapter concludes with the thought that sports are not the ultimate source of our joy. If they were, what would happen to our joy after an agonizing loss? That's why God must be our ultimate joy and deepest satisfaction.

Chapter 1 - A Life for the Glory of God

Chapter 1 of Game Day for the Glory of God by Stephen Altrogge is a presentation of the gospel. I love the fact that Altrogge makes the point that sports cannot bring glory to God apart from a life that brings glory to God. He makes it crystal clear that one's life cannot glorify God outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Altrogge states:

"This is the foundation of living a life that glorifies God. The gospel of Jesus Christ is what makes it possible for us to glorify and please God in all that we do. Those who aren't reconciled to God cannot obey him." (pg. 22)

If we are to use sports as a platform to glorify God, we have to make certain that our lives outside of sports glorify God. The atoning work of Jesus Christ makes that possible. Do you know Him as your Savior and Lord? For an ESPN highlight-type version of what that means, check out Romans 6:23.

Game Day - The Preface

As promised, I'll be blogging my way through Stephen Altrogge's Game Day for the Glory of God this week. I hadn't originally planned to post anything on the preface, but Altrogge does a great job of making the main thing the main thing. My favorite quote of the preface:

"As Christians we are commanded to be like Jesus Christ in every facet of our lives, including the way we play sports. We are to pursue godliness. Godliness doesn't come, however, by just getting out there and playing. You won't pick up a baseball bat, feel a tingling sensation in your fingers, and then suddenly be possessed with a passion for holiness. No, godliness requires intentional and diligent pursuit. Sports provide a context for that to occur."

All too often, we have a tendency to "compartmentalize" our lives. And sports usually fall in the secular compartment. Altrogge is saying every aspect of our lives, including sports, should be an arena for developing Christ likeness. Good stuff!