Book Review- '78: The Boston Red Sox, A Historic Game, and a Divided City by Bill Reynolds

Ever pick up a book and get about halfway through and you find yourself with a choice to make? Do you cut bait and stop reading part-way through or do you continue reading in hopes that the book gets better? I faced that dilemma with this book, chose to continue reading and wished I'd stopped reading sooner.

The book claims to focus primarily on the 1978 season of the Boston Red Sox. But the book takes a scattered look at the history of race relations in the city of Boston, the city's lengthy school busing crisis, while interspersing a review of the one-game playoff between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees, a game #163, ultimately won by New York. Reynolds provides a brief biographical sketch of numerous Boston Red Sox players but spends a surprising amount of time providing details on New York Yankees players.

It's as if Reynolds had an interest in writing three books: one on race relations in Boston; one on the Boston Red Sox; and one on the New York Yankees but '78 simply ends up being a rambling mix.

Re:Group Conference Notes- Andy Stanley: Main Session #2

Earlier this month, several members of our church staff attended the Re:Group Conference hosted by North Point Ministries. Over the next several posts, I will share some notes from the conference sessions.

Andy Stanley spoke in the second main session. Here is some of what he shared:

You have no idea what God wants to do in and through you. You have no idea what God wants to do in and through your children or grandchildren.

Your greatest investment in the church may be the person you raise or the person you inspire.

Be a student, not a critic.

If your systems in your church are competing against each other, you lose whichever way you go.

When you care for someone, you care for someone.

Re:Group Conference Notes- Andy Stanley: Main Session #1

Earlier this month, several members of our church staff attended the Re:Group Conference hosted by North Point Ministries. Over the next several posts, I will share some notes from the conference sessions.

Andy Stanley spoke in the first main session under the session title, "Why I'm A Groups Lifer". Following is some of what he shared:

Groups, if done right, is a great way to introduce people to church instead of always having church introducing people to groups.

"I'm Not a Lifer Because":
I learn so much in small group
I like to connect with new people
I'm expected to participate
I look forward to every Monday night

But consistent deposits over time make a difference. "I'm a Lifer Because":
Group provides a relational first-step for disconnected and new believers or non-believers
It's an environment where Sandra (Stanley's wife) and I can minister together and use our complimentary gifts
I'm faced with a variety of faith journeys that never fail to build my faith
Our children witness first-hand the importance of community
We believe life change happens within the context of relationships. Structured, accountable relationships are powerful.

Great Quote Thursday

There is no substitute for work. Worthwhile results come from hard work and careful planning- John Wooden

So We Had A Conversation

Parker (8) and a friend of his are involved with several other students in an after-school science program at their elementary school. One of the school's great teachers leads the program along with some students from Johnson University.

Recently, during one of their afternoon sessions, the students from Johnson asked Parker and his friend about the good and bad things (they called them apples and onions) they had on their schedules. Parker's friend mentioned that they had Living Christmas Tree (LCT) practice that evening. The Johnson students said they had heard about the LCT, a community outreach event featuring the story of Jesus that our church (www.sevierheights.org) hosts every year, but that they'd never attended.

"So we had a conversation about that", Parker told us that evening. And then he told us that they invited the Johnson students to the event, even offering to get tickets for them. We were proud of the boldness that Parker and his friend showed that day.

Here's The Point: Is there someone you need to have a conversation with? Something you need to share with someone? Maybe you need to share the story of Jesus with a family member or coworker. And you know in your heart it's the right thing to do. Be bold. Have a conversation.

He's My Partner

Last Sunday night, Turner (5) was racing around our house looking for his "paper" from his 11:00 Bible Fellowship class at our church. He asked us if we'd seen it. He brings home several things each Sunday and Tonya had seen a paper with Turner's friend Ben's name on it earlier in the day.

"Have you looked in your room?", Tonya asked him. "Yes, but I will again", Turner replied.

"Is it in the laundry room?", we asked. "I didn't see it", he said.

This type of search is nothing new to us. Trying to find the boys stuff is common in our house. They move stuff all the time, never to the same place (unfortunately, they get that from me).

After a few minutes of searching, Tonya found the paper Turner was looking for. Though it had Ben's name across the top, it was actually Turner's paper as he happily explained.

"No, that's it. That's my paper", Turner answered. "Those are things to pray about for Ben". Turner happily showed me the list with all the earnestness a friend could express, "We're partners". And then, as tears welled up in my eyes, I realized my five year old son has a prayer partner. My five year old son has a prayer partner (that was worth writing again).  That makes my heart smile.

So pretty consistently since that Sunday, we've prayed for Ben's dog, his brothers, his Nana and his Mom. Because that's what partners do.

The Barnabas Principle

One of my favorite men in the Bible is Barnabas. He was known as an encourager. In the book of Acts (4:36), we're told his name even means "Son of Encouragement". Throughout the New Testament, Barnabas is seen financially supporting the ministry of the apostles (Acts 4); was one of the first to support Saul following his conversion (Acts 9); and is an early missionary to other cities (Acts 11 and following).

As an outpouring of his faith in Jesus Christ, Barnabas is consistently seen serving, doing good works and helping others. He is a supporter, and true to his name, an encourager. He saw what could be, how things could be better, and he did his part to see those things come to fruition. That is the type of man I want to be. That is the type of man we are trying to teach our sons to become.

Recently, I had the opportunity to take my son Parker (8) to the Tennessee vs. Missouri football game. The outcome was a disappointing overtime loss, dropping the Vols overall won/loss record to 4-6. As we exited the stadium, the mood was entirely negative, save for a few rowdy Mizzou fans. Some people walked out quietly in disbelief that the season had turned out this poorly. Others were angry and talking loudly (some using less than appropriate language). Others just seemed disappointed.

In the midst of the crowd, as we circled the ramps leading out of the stadium, Parker looked up at me and quietly said, "Hey, you know what, if we win the next two games, we'll be bowl eligible". In that moment, I realized we're raising a Barnabas.

Granted, Parker didn't understand the ramifications of a what a losing football program means at UT. Losing means financial loss. Losing means a frustrated fan base. Losing means more painful change. But he did know that if you win the next two games, you qualify to keep playing. And that's a good thing.

Here's The Point: All too often we look at a situation and see only negatives. We see pain and hurt and we get frustrated. People are ready to give up on a marriage, on their education, on a family member.

We'd do well to remember that with just two more wins, we'd be bowl eligible. And to follow the Barnabas principle.

More Parkerisms and Turnerisms

Raising two sons, 8 and 5, means we have lots of fun conversations in our home. Here are some more:

After completing some "chores" for Granna to earn some change to help fill his "Because...We Love Jesus" heart (actually a small bank shaped like a heart) for our church's stewardship campaign:
Granna: What are you going to do with this money?
Turner: I'm going to give it to Jesus so He can buy some stuff.
We reminded Turner that everything already belongs to God. He just lets us use stuff.

Following a recent haircut for Parker:
Me: I like your haircut.
Parker: Granna says I have a double crown.
Me: Really?
Parker: Do you have a double crown?
Me: I don't know.
Parker: Let me see. Hold your head down.
Me: Do I?
Parker: I don't know. You might if you had...(as he leaves his thought uncompleted)
Me: You mean I might if I had hair.
Parker: Yeah. But I didn't want to say that.

Great Quote Thursday

People need to be reminded more than instructed- C. S. Lewis

Great Quote Thursday

Nobody gets anything done unless they’re a little nutty, unless they have great energy and great enthusiasm- Bill Self, University of Kansas Basketball Coach

You Lost Me One-Day Workshop

I recently attended a one-day seminar in which David Kinnaman, President of the Barna Group, shared information from his book, You Lost Me. The seminar, and the book, focus on reaching the millennial (20's and 30's) generation, who in many cases are leaving the church and rethinking faith. Following is some of what Kinnaman shared:

The millennial generation is a generation with access to communication but a generation without wisdom.

The best Biblical example for the complexity of our times are the exiles in Babylon, believers living "in but not of" the culture.

The Gospel should be as simple as possible but not any simpler.

If we think college is leading people from faith, then we've not done a good enough job preparing them for college.

The Gospel does not give us an excuse to exclude demographics that are inconvenient for the church.

This generation is not just "sort of" different....our culture is discontinuously different.

All our efforts must point to Jesus. 

Great Quote Thursday

Beyond parents, the next most important role in the life of a young believer is another believer who is not paid to be your friend- David Kinnaman, referring to the importance of peer friendships in addition to the relationships built by student ministry leaders