XXX

I bet that title got your attention didn’t it? Perhaps more than any other letter, the letter “X” grabs our attention. Be honest, the letter “L” just doesn’t have the same pop does it? It’s only amplified when it comes in triplicate (coming in a close second and third is “www”, which makes us think of the internet, and “zzz”, which makes us think of sleep). XXX usually signifies pornography or poison (is there really a difference?), but in this case it refers to neither.

I want to talk about “X” as in “X-treme.” The letter X is used to identify everything from sports (X-Games) to food flavor, as extreme. We are living in an extreme world. No longer are we content with our kids playing recreational sports, we’ve taken it to extremes: summer ball, fall ball, winter league, travel teams. We don’t just eat when it’s meal time or stop when we are full, we’ve taken food to extremes: Taco Bell “fourth meal”, super size fries, all you can eat buffets, twenty ounce and one liter soft drinks and eating contests, have turned us into an obese nation. We spend money at an alarming rate, going into debt, amassing multiple credit cards, not to acquire needs, but to satisfy wants. Even our government is under staggering debt. The digital age, which began in the eighties, has gone to an extreme in just a generation: the internet, games, texting and social media have exploded from novelties, conveniences and pastimes, to constantly holding our attention on our cell phones, even to the point of being distracting and dangerous (have you seen the video of the woman falling into the fountain while texting or the statistics on deaths due to texting and driving)? Even little things like beauty pageants have gone to extremes. Have you seen Toddlers and Tiaras?

When are we going to take our faith to an extreme? What if we practiced extreme giving instead of insulting giving? The typical cable bill is over sixty dollars while the typical contribution is about twenty. We don’t hesitate to go in debt for plasma tv’s or vacations, or borrow money to buy boats, cars and motorcycles, but wouldn’t dream of using a credit card or getting a loan to give to the church. Countless hours, spread over many seasons and years are devoted to improving skill on the ball field, yet church leaders have to beg, bribe and threaten to scrape together just a few workers to get basic works of the church done. Most folks are constantly “connected” and panic if they lose their phone or get disconnected from Facebook for a few minutes, yet can’t remember the last time they connected with God through prayer, even though He commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). What would the effect be if we fed on the Word of God like we do food? What if we fed our spirits three times a day, went back for seconds, in between meals, in the middle of the night and studied until we couldn’t go any longer?

We don’t have to wonder what would happen because we have a record of what did happen when Christians got extreme in living out their faith. They sold what they owned to be able to give and then gave until it hurt. They prayed always and gathered together to pray for hours. They searched the Scriptures daily and desired it like a baby does its mothers milk. They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. What was the result? They turned the world upside down, converted the lost by the thousands and took the Gospel to the whole world. Until we decide to do the same, I can’t help but believe that the Lord will remain extremely disappointed in us.

Signing Day

Wednesday was National Signing Day for college football teams. To give you an idea of how big of a deal this is in the sports world, ESPN devoted ten hours of nonstop coverage to it. While Wednesday was the big day, it was merely the culmination of countless hours, dozens of months and lots of work by an entire team. Long before the highly talented and sought after players commit to come to a college, coaches, players, faculty and alumni have called, visited, emailed and texted them for months. They come to watch them play, visit their homes, invite them for a visit, feed them and have fun together. They make sure the recruits know why they need the school and why the school needs them. They explain how they will be used and what will be required of them. Why do they go to so much trouble and expense? Because the schools realize their success in the future depends on their work in the present. Players graduate, quit school, turn pro and more athletes have to be brought in to replace them. A team may be successful now, but they have to work hard to maintain success or risk failure. There are dozens of other teams that are trying hard to win their commitment as well. Some colleges are great at recruiting and others are not. Guess which ones are successful?

What does any of this have to do with us? College football recruiting is an interesting parallel to the church, its growth and a congregations ability to succeed in the work of the Lord. A congregation that is a healthy, active, working and growing congregation got there because of work and it will take work to stay that way. People move, die, quit and have to be replaced or the congregation suffers. Whose job is it to fill these openings left by death or departure? The preacher? The elders? The deacons? Bible class teachers? Parents? Youth? In a word, everyone. Who are the recruits? Non-Christians, erring Christians, the lost, the lukewarm. How do we win them? Cards, calls, visits, participating in their lives and inviting them into ours. They need to be taught why they need the church and why the church wants them. They need to be shown how they can be used, what they can do and what will be expected of them, and then they need to be taught how, rather than left to figure it out on their own.

Every coach will tell you that the key to recruiting is relationships and the same is true of evangelism. When people know we genuinely love them and want to be a part of their lives, they are willing to listen to what we have to say and desire to be a part of ours. We have to remember there is no shortage of others who are trying to win them over as well. The sad reality is they may be working harder than we are.

Spiritual Calendar

Sitting in my lap right now is my calendar. There is something written on virtually every day (and this is a slow month). My planner contains trips, events, due dates, requirements, commitments, plans, ideas and reminders. I live and die by this calendar. It tells me what I have to do today, how I need to dress, what I need to get done this week and to stay focused on for the month. When I don't consult my calendar I forget things, even important things. Most people I know are busy, and I'm no exception. My time is valuable and my calendar helps me to get the most out of my time.

Now think about your schedule for the next week, the next month. What do you have scheduled to do that is spiritually edifying or in service to Christ? Don't count Sunday or Wednesday worship and Bible class, because for a Christian those should be automatic. Everything in our lives should be scheduled around the assembly. What I'm talking about is "extra" service and worship. Will you be attending any Gospel meetings, lectureships, ladies days, men's retreats or marriage seminars? Have you planned to host a devotional, conduct a Bible study, make a visit or take some food to someone who is sick or grieving? Have you scheduled a day to work on a bulletin board or decorate a classroom?

If we don't make a pointed effort to plan and schedule time to do spiritual works, we won't think to do them or we'll make other plans that conflict with them. Why not sit down right now and look at your calendar and schedule some godly activities. If there are none planned in your area that you can attend, plan one yourself. It's past time that we make time.

P.S. We are going to be leaving from Fairview at 8:00 am Monday February 7 to go to the Freed Hardeman University Lectures and we'd love to have you go with us. The sign up sheet and schedule is on the bulletin board in the foyer.