Stop It!

This past few days have been good ones including a pretty violent storm, hail damage to our roof and car, and some really good family time. This past weekend I found myself in northern Alabama during some crazy storms and then leading training at Clements Baptist Church. What a great group of leaders! I am always so encouraged to be around leaders who are willing to get at it differently when it comes to sharing Christ with students. I left Sat. morning refreshed by being around them.

I drove to Lipscomb University and watched the last quarter of DCAs win over USN in the DII-A State Championship. It was a great example of a group of boys encouraged by coaches and leaders achieving more than they should have because they believed in the mission and one another. I have included a little video below of the final seconds if you are interested. It was fun to watch them this season and I am honored to get to announce the home games. Great seat on the floor behind the table and in ear shot of Coach Pressley which is a hoot to say the least. He is the master of one liners.

Sunday I flew over to Orlando and participated in the Youth Pastor's Summit that Universal Studios does hosted by Jay Strack. It is always good to reconnect with ministry friends like Dr. Jay, Brent Crowe, Mike Calhoun, Jeff Lovingood, Ed Newton, Roger Davis, Mel Walker, Josh McDowell, Alvin Reid, David Nasser, Doug Fields, Maina Mwaura, Jeff Wallace, Dave Edwards and a host of other youth ministry folks I know and am privileged to learn from. I led a breakout on Tuesday called Stop Teaching the Bible as a Road Map to Life. The short premise on it is that most of us read Scripture trying to figure out how to live life through a great moral code instead of reading Scripture as a love letter from God. We read His letter to us to fall in love with Him and allow Him to bring about the transformation in our lives rather than us trying to work our way back into relationship with Him. Christ is the big deal in Scripture and not us.