Page 402 of 497

Hook 'Em!

January 7, 2010 / Allan / 1 Comment

Nine hours and counting until Brent Musburger‘s familiar voice breaks into my living room with, “You are looking live at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California!”

Nine hours until Mack Brown begins and ends every televised sentence out of his mouth with the word, “Lisa.”

Nine hours until Carley asks me what in the world an elephant has to do with the Crimson Tide (I just know it).

Nine hours until Bo Pelini throws up. Again.

What are you doing to get ready for the rigged-up and overly-sponsored Citi BCS National Championship Game? I’m counting down the minutes. I’m really, really looking forward to this thing because I really, really have no idea who’s going to win. Texas and Alabama haven’t played each other in nearly 30 years. Colt McCoy seems to be in the exact same situation Vince Young was in back in ’05: undefeated season, tons of individual honors, a Heisman finalist, huge underdog in the title game, in the Rose Bowl, Heisman trophy winner on the other sideline, and basically the ‘Horns’ only chance to win. I’m not sure Colt is Vince Young, though. He can’t singlehandedly do what Vince Young did against USC four years ago. Not by himself. Colt’s skills are different from Young’s. And that’s good. Colt is multi-dimensional. But he can’t do it alone.

If the whole Texas team plays a perfect game and gets a couple of breaks…

Here’s a link to a pretty good ESPN.com piece by Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach counting down the top ten reasons Texas will win tonight and the top ten reasons Alabama will win. Click here. It’s full of lots of little interesting tidbits like the fact that the Longhorns led the nation this year with eleven non-offensive touchdowns and ‘Bama’s kickoff coverage is dead last in college football. Interesting…

There’s also the fact that Texas has hooked up with Alabama a total of eight times — four times in bowl games — and has never lost. Never. Again, they haven’t played in almost 30 years. But there’s that. In all four of those previous bowl games, the Horns were huge underdogs.

I suppose we have to root for Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley, right? Two great kids, no doubt. Two great families. Jordan set every Texas high school receiving record while playing for his dad at Burnet and helped lead the Bulldogs to two straight 3-A state championship games. I have a great love for the people and the schools in Burnet. Carrie-Anne worked there in the early ’90s and I handled the radio play-by-play during their magical ’91 season when they made it all the way to the Astrodome and the state championship game on the strength of back-to-back-to-back ties against Vernon, Marble Falls, and Southlake Carroll, advancing on penetrations and first downs. Ed Abernathy was the head coach. Rodney McGee, former Aggies and current Dallas Cowboys QB Stephen McGee’s father, was an offensive assistant. Mitchell Maxwell ran the option. Chris Denton caught the dramatic fourth down game-tying touchdowns in the final minutes. Todd Keele anchored the line. It was fantastic. I’ve always followed Burnet football because of that one crazy season. So, I’m partial to Shipley.

And what’s not to love about Colt? Here’s a link to his “I Am Second” video. Check it out here. Colt claims that God doesn’t care about the Longhorns’ wins and losses. He cares much more about “me getting to heaven and who I’m bringing with me.” Cool. Colt and Shipley both worshiped with us at Marble Falls a few times during McCoy’s redshirt freshman season in 2005. They both spoke to our youth group there one Sunday morning. During his freshman season in ’06 as UT’s starting quarterback, I had a chance one afternoon to visit with the college minister at the University Avenue Church of Christ there in Austin. He said Colt never missed a Wednesday night. Never. Sometimes he’d be a little late because of practice. But he was always there. What’s not to love about Colt?

(Did you skip his video? Dude, I’m serious. Click up there and watch it.)

If they can just keep it close tonight. I’m not sure of the exact numbers. You can look it up. But the Longhorns under Colt McCoy are something really insane in tight games. In games decided by three points or fewer, Texas is something like 11-1 under McCoy. During that same time period, Alabama is something like 7-18 in games decided by seven points or less. The ‘Horns do have the most accurate kicker in school history in Hunter Law. If Texas can just keep it close.

One final note you won’t find anywhere else: If Texas wins tonight, Jim wins our Legacy office college football bowl challenge. If the Tide rolls, Jackie takes the crown.

Hook ’em, Lisa!

Allan

Our Fathers' Religion

January 6, 2010 / Allan / 2 Comments

Most of us are terrified that one or more of our children will, someday, reject the Faith. We live in fear that our kids might wake up one day and reject our beliefs. They may, over a period of time, drift away from what we know and love and what we taught them to eventually have nothing in common with us religiously.

We’re scared of that, right? We all know people in our churches — we all have close friends — whose children no longer are involved in the Christian faith and are no longer active in a Christian Community. If not you, somebody on your pew is agonizing over that every day.

How about this? What if we taught our kids in unmistakable ways as they were growing up that my religion is not my religion? I received it from my parents, who received it from their parents, who received it from their parents. The Christian faith in my family is old and deep. It belongs to me because I inherited it from them and didn’t throw it away. I have held on to that trust for my own children and am passing it down to them from their ancestors.

S. M. Hutchens, a senior editor at Touchstone journal, writes in the June 2009 edition that he’s always attempted to instill in his children that theirs is not a private faith. They don’t have possession of a faith that belongs to one man or one family or even one denomination. It’s something “ancient and universal, something infinitely weightier and worthier of consideration” than any specifics or particulars I can give them from my personal heritage or tradition.

Early on, I wanted to teach them in whatever way I could that rejecting it would not be simply a matter of casting away the tastes or idiosyncrasies or opiates or methods of control of their immediate parents, but a belief about the nature of reality, and way of life harmonious therewith, attested by many very different people over many years and under a great variety of personal circumstances, whose faith and teaching flows in our veins just as their blood does.

While my children are free to choose or reject it, they were made to understand that what they choose to take as their own, or reject, is not simply their parents’ religion, but a faith much older, in which the significance of differences and faults of each of its holders, including those of the “denominations” to which they belonged, are relativized in the march of time so that the One Great Thing to be accepted or rejected from their parentage stands out in high relief, not as my religion, or even our family religion. but the Christian faith.

I’m three hours away from a time of study and prayer with a young couple and their son. The boy wants to be baptized. The parents couldn’t be more proud. It’s probably going to happen this Sunday. What a tremendous blessing to participate with God as he saves souls and robs hell. I’ll stress to this young man that he’s being joined to an eternal family now, a legacy that transcends time and space. By God’s grace, the love of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, he’s being connected now to the story. He’s a vital part of the story. The story that’s been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

It’s so much bigger than us. The Kingdom of God is so much bigger than me. Bigger than my family. Bigger than my particular faith tradition. Bigger than our peculiar practices and beliefs.

I wonder if our kids know that?

Peace,

Allan

A Prayer for God's Church

January 5, 2010 / Allan / 0 Comments

From the cowardice that shrinks from new truths,
from the laziness that is content with half-truths,
and from the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
O God of Truth, deliver us!

~ Henlee H. Barnette, “The Minister as a Moral Role-Model,” 1989

Every Family in God's Service

January 4, 2010 / Allan / 4 Comments

“…to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” ~Ephesians 4:12-13

At the beginning of December, Legacy’s shepherds and ministers got together for a weekend leadership retreat in Glen Rose. We spent a couple of hours praying, by name, for every single individual and every family in our congregation. And as we discussed God’s purposes for his church and talked about Legacy’s future, our members’ pictures continually scrolled across the screen in front of us.

If you’re a Legacy member, you were at that meeting. You were.

We know that we are called by our God to work for and enjoy the unity we have in Christ. We know that we are to increase in our knowledge of Christ. And we know that we are to grow up spiritually to become more like our Savior every day. Fortunately for us, God’s Word makes it plain as to how a church achieves these holy objectives. By his grace, yes. By the saving blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, yes. And by works of service.

Serving others. Sacrificing for others. Living our lives — giving our lives — for others in the manner of our Lord directly results in Christian unity and spiritual maturity. It’s all connected.

So Ephesians 4:12-13 is the perfect passage of Scripture to guide us as Legacy lives up to and in to the will of our Father.

Special thanks to Ronnie Bates who designed our new church logo that reflects this vision statement. Ronnie and Lance Parrish did a ton of work on this thing in a very short amount of time. Thank you, also, to Lisa Clifton, Suzanne West, and Sandy Hamilton for the beautiful lettering leading into and going out of our worship center. Seeing the three of them together on that lift Saturday night was as entertaining as it was inspiring.

2010 is going to be a year of transition for us here at Legacy. Growth. Maturity. Discipline. Accountability to one another and to our Lord. Some of the change won’t be easy. We’re going to be challenged to be more like Christ. We’re going to intentionally let go of some things and zero in with greater focus on other things. We’re going to be much more active in our community. We’re going to concentrate on completely giving ourselves to God in every imaginable context.

“Every Family in God’s Service” means every family, every member, every body. It means “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to everyone who made our Legacy New Year’s Eve party a smashing success. Congratulations to the Simmons/Jones Small Group for winning Family Feud. In defense of the Byrnes/Stanglin Small Group, the integrity of the whole game is in doubt when the question is “Name a movie that had at least two sequels” and the survey does not say “Indiana Jones”

I’m not quite sure how Dillon and Shanna wound up winning our eight rounds of Pit, especially since Brian Gray went corner twice when he didn’t have the necessary cards — once when he was holding the Bear. Everybody was taking advantage of the sweetness of LuRee Proctor. It was brutal. And loud. David has the video. If he were ruthless and mean, he could probably blackmail Carrie-Anne.

Sparklers at midnight for all the kids is always a great idea. Until a couple of boys start lighting them and throwing them up in the air. Nobody died. Happy New Year.

~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to the supreme generosity of Glenn and Karen Branscum, my family and I were able to enjoy Saturday’s Cotton Bowl in his suite at Jerry Wayne’s new stadium. The suite was filled with tons of Oklahoma State Aggies, including the likes of our new children’s minister, Jennifer Gambill, and her family; Larry and Deanna Tolleson and their boys; Ron Frost and his whole family from Stillwater; and our great friends Billy and Shannon Whiteley and their girls. It was quite possibly the worst football game I’ve ever watched. Ever. High school, college, pro. Ever. Twelve turnovers. Dropped passes. Missed tackles. It was ugly. It was so bad I was afraid the officials were going to step out onto the field during the third quarter and just cancel the rest of the game. Up in the suite, though, we had a marvelous time. Great hospitality, wonderful friends, and memories galore.

And, did you notice the new Cotton Bowl trophy is actually a silver and gold plated replica of Jerry Wayne’s stadium? No one’s better at destroying decades of history in a single self-centered moment than the Cowboys owner.

~~~~~~~~~~

By the way, I must admit, the Cowboys look great. Wow. Back-to-back shutouts for the first time in the 50-year history of the franchise. NFC East champs. Three-game winning streak heading into Saturday’s playoff opener at home against a team they just demoralized. They look very, very good. Romo’s making perfect decisions. Nobody’s missing tackles. Barber and Felix are both healthy and running strong at the same time, maybe, for the first time this year. Smiles Austin is catching everything. And I think Wade Phillips has gone 15-straight quarters now without spilling ketchup or relish on his shirt.

Wade has never, ever won a playoff game in his NFL head coaching career. Andy Reid has never, ever lost a playoff opener in his NFL head coaching career. The Cowboys have lost every single time they’ve faced a team in the playoffs they had already defeated twice during the regular season.

But the Cowboys look young and athletic and confident while the Eagles look old and slow and uncertain. Saturday’s game should be extremely entertaining. I can’t wait.

Go Frogs!

Allan

Resolved

January 1, 2010 / Allan / 3 Comments

I am a member of the fellowship of the unashamed.
I have Holy Spirit power.
The dye has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.
I am a disciple of his.
I won’t look back, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, side walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, same visions, mundane talking, cinchy giving, and dwarf goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, promotions, position, plaudits, or popularity.
I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, regarded, rewarded, or praised.
I now live by present, lean by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, lured, manipulated, enticed, or bribed.
I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, or let up until I’ve stayed up, prayed up, and preached for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of his.
I must go until he comes, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until he stops me.
And when he comes back, he will have no problem recognizing me.
For I have forgotten all that is in the past, I’m pressing on for the prize, the high calling of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My colors are clear.
I am a disciple of his.

May our merciful Father in heaven — compassionate and gracious, abounding in love and faithfulness — bless you richly in 2010. May he use you in his service and to his eternal glory. And may you walk with him always, faithful to the end.

Peace,

Allan

A Holy People

December 30, 2009 / Allan / 6 Comments

I’ve heard people talk about church like they talk about the gym. They think about going to church like they think about going to the gym. You know, a person who regularly goes to a gym is more likely to stay in shape than a person who doesn’t. At the same time, though, you don’t absolutely have to go to the gym to stay in shape. There are other ways. So, the logic goes, you don’t have to go to church to be spiritual. You don’t have to be an active member of a church in order to have a right relationship with God. A lot of people think — some people even say out loud — that church is a nice addition to personal salvation, but certainly it’s not essential to that salvation.

Wrong answer.

As we say goodbye to 2009 and anticipate God’s gifts for us in 2010, we need to understand that his church is far too important to his purposes and his plan for the world he created to be thought of as some kind of optional, personal, spiritual gym. The Gospel has never, ever been just about saving individuals. The Gospel has always been about creating a community where walls are broken down and human beings are reconciled not only to God, but also to one another.

We are a people. A holy people. A saved people. A people brought together by God to serve his purposes and fulfill his mission in the world. The church as a people, as a community of faith, as a family of God, a family of brothers and sisters connected to one another by the blood of Christ, and actively engaging the world is critical to God’s eternal plans.

The New Testament Scriptures do not recognize a disciple of Christ who is not an active, involved, all-in member of a community of faith. One of the many facets of baptism is initiation into that Body of Christ, his Kingdom, made up of saved and sanctified people. There are no such things as pew-sitters or occasional attendees in the Bible. We are all holy brothers and sisters, made holy by the poured out blood of Jesus, called to live together before the world as an alternative community.

I know you’re going to lose weight in 2010. I know you’re going to give more and spend more quality time with your family in the New Year. I know. Why don’t you also commit to getting more plugged in to what God is doing with his Church? Why don’t you jump in with everything you have to realize all of what God has in store for you? Live up to your God-created and God-ordained potential. Live into everything God intends when he creates in you that brand new person, full of his Holy Spirit, made to experience everything in a brand new way! Show up everytime the doors are open. Give more of your money than you’ve ever given before. Get connected in a Small Group. Study and pray with your brothers and sisters. Join a ministry. Create a new ministry.

God’s Church is not anybody’s personal spiritual gym. You don’t just show up when you need a boost and plug in your ear buds and work out on your own. It’s the community — the family — in which God placed you when he saved you. It’s where he intends for you to live.

Peace,

Allan

The Kingdom, The Kids, & The Cowboys

Page 402 of 497

Hook 'Em!

Our Fathers' Religion

A Prayer for God's Church

Every Family in God's Service

Resolved

A Holy People

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives

Allan's Links