I am a freak about football.
Seriously—you don’t understand…I have to wait two weeks from this Saturday and I am dying!
NFL football is good—but I am talking about college football. You see, on Saturday’s during college football season—everything changes. I am either going to be in front of a television or AT a game.
I have a friend coming into town on the weekend of September 16th and I told him that he was welcome at my house that day…but I have officially declared that day, “Perry doesn’t leave the couch day!” WHY? Because for true college football fans that day is one of the best days we will see all year for top teams being matched up.
I love football!
It looks like I will have a chance to GO to see God’s team, the Clemson Tigers, play this year. I love game days! I get up early, go for a run, come home and put on my beautiful orange shirt…and head to Death Valley. I usually do not take any food…I just wait about an hour before the game and tailgate with random people—most of them are so drunk that they think they know me & so they just let me eat away!
At Clemson there are TONS of people who are passionate about the pig skin as well—they scream, yell, get there early, stay until WAY after the game…all because they are passionate about football—specifically Clemson.
If only the church could learn a lesson from this…
What if churches were as passionate about Jesus, who knows every hair on their head, as fans are about players that don’t even know they exist?
What if people were as intentional about arriving to church before the service started as fans are when it comes to arriving to a football game before it starts?
What if people were just as excited when a church service when into “overtime” as fans are when they get to see the game continue?
What if people in the church celebrated as loud as people at the games do when their team scores?
What if people were as passionate about telling others about Jesus…just as passionate as a fan who went to a game and saw an incredible performance?
What if people at church could learn to enjoy the experience of worship with thousands of other worshippers and not worry about who knows who—they do this at football games every week! (I think it is incredibly hypocritical of a person who will go to a Clemson game and not get mad because Tommy Bowden didn’t come speak to them—but they will go to a church service the next day and get mad if the pastor doesn’t speak to them!!!)
You see, passion leads to action. You don’t have to ask if someone is passionate about football…you see it…it just comes OUT!!! And the same can be said about Jesus…if we are passionate…it shows. HE dominates our thoughts and our actions…and we go all out to serve Him.
I am so proud of NewSpring—because I think we have some true Jesus fans here…literally, people have tailgated in the parking lot before our baptism services!!! People are inviting their friends. We love to sing and celebrate…and its not about the pastor knowing the people—but about the people knowing Jesus! AWESOME!!!
Passion leads to action—NewSpring, if we continue to be passionate about Jesus…and let Him guide us—WE WILL REACH THE ENTIRE UPSTATE FOR HIM IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS!
And for those who think that cannot be done…please let God out of His box…He’s much bigger than you think…and a God that cannot reach the upstate of SC isn’t a God worth serving! MY God can…and He WILL—through a church who is passionate for HIM!