A Few Thoughts on Divorce and Same Sex Marriage

Mark 10 provides a simple summary of God's thoughts on divorce and the intentionality of marriage.  The Pharisees asked a sticky question with intent to stir the pot - "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"  Jesus responded by asking what Moses commanded (Deut 24:1-4).  Interestingly, the context and usage of the word "indecent" implies some type of improper or immoral sexual issue.  Moses permitted the certificate of divorce because their hearts were hard (Mark 10:5).

The point I want to highlight here is simply this.  Divorce is not God's plan.  We don't pursue divorce because marriage is inconvenient, someone else better comes along, we've fallen out of love, or it's just too difficult to get along.  A hard heart acts on the idea that I have been wronged and I'm not taking it.  A soft heart keeps no record of wrongs, forgives, and trusts God to restore the relationship.

Now a quick word about the cultural rage to tolerate and promote same sex relationships.  For the unbeliever, the Bible obviously holds no moral value or compass.  Yet, for those of us who claim to be followers of Christ, there are no gray areas here.  According to Mark 10:5-12, God made them male and female. The man would leave his parents and be united to his wife and the two would become one flesh.  They are no longer two, but one (sexually, spiritually).  Katy Perry may have kissed a girl and liked it, but it doesn't make it right.  Many of us could revel in all kinds of sexual sin and probably like it, but it's still sin, and sin leads to death. This is not a hate issue.  It's a sin issue.

I'm happy to report that even now Bonnie and I are walking a woman who has been in a lesbian relationship for years to health and healing.  When she told us about her partner and lifestyle, I was literally the first pastor that did not tell her she would burn in hell.  After she told her story, my response was simply, "Wow, it makes perfect sense why you would search for happiness in a female partner."  I did not validate her lifestyle, I simply acknowledged that it made sense in the natural why she would pursue it.  I'm happy to report that she has since broken that relationship and is now slowly pursuing Christ and a relationship with a man.  I never once told her what to do.  When God speaks to a person, it carries much more weight.  We simply loved  her!

As a father, I spend lots of time showing my kids the cultural trends, the daily headlines, and the places in pop culture that tell us why divorce, homosexuality, and sexual revelry are normal.  Our conversations are simply a comparison of what the media/culture promotes and how it lines up with God's word.  Praying they are wise enough to follow God's plan with tender hearts!

3:23 - Part Two: Birth of a New Non-Profit Youth Sports Ministry

As stated in my last post, what started as a new baseball team birthed into a broader vision. We recently discovered that it's common for teams to assume they are tax exempt and that gifts given to them are tax deductible.  In many cases, teams have not taken the proper steps to legally provide either of those benefits.  Knowing the need and difficulty of being a true non profit, we are starting a new 501 (c)(3) non profit ministry called 3:23 Ministries, Inc. to insure our donors tax deductible status and allow us to have a greater reach into competitive youth sports in the Midland/Odessa area.  Here is the vision we feel God has given us:

Vision

3:23 Ministries, Inc. exists to provide and promote discipleship to children, youth, and adults primarily through competitive youth sports venues.  Coaches and teams affiliated with 3:23 Ministries share a common vision to invest relationally, spiritually, and developmentally into kids, families, and coaches.  3:23 Ministries, Inc. exists to promote and provide ministries including (but not limited to):

• 501(c)(3) sponsorship for like-minded sports teams 
• Youth sports camps 
• Coaching clinics 
• Parenting/missional living seminars
• Team sponsored community service events 
• Mission trip opportunities with teams and/or local churches

Once approved as a non profit ministry, we will be able to "sponsor" other teams that share our vision without them having to jump all the legal/financial hoops to provide tax deductible donations.  This makes a big difference in the amount of money teams are able to raise.  

Eventually, we plan to partner with area coaches, schools, and sports programs to provide youth sports camps, coaching clinics, and parenting seminars.  We envision helping parents navigate the challenges of spiritual growth, church involvement etc.  We envision helping teams think outside the box by encouraging them to serve the community, participate in local/regional mission trips etc. 

It's going to be a fun ride!  One thing I love about serving God is that you never know where He is leading you.  I would not have envisioned this a few months ago, but I'm confident we can make a difference and impact an untapped circle of influence in the area.  

3:23: The Birth of a New Baseball Team and Broader Youth Sports Ministry

After coaching 7 seasons of baseball, I've come to this conclusion about myself - I'm a better leader and pastor than I am a sports coach.  It's not so much the fundamentals of the game (although I have much to learn there too), but the ability to manage my competitive spirit and honor Jesus at the same time.  Sounds simple, but Romans 7 rings truer than I care to admit.  When I stay tuned into what God is doing around me, crazy things happen.  There are a number of people walking with Jesus now because of intentional outreach through the sports teams we have been part of.  However, I can also endanger ministry opportunities when walking in the flesh (I'm sure there are some stories here too).  It's time for me to operate out of my strengths.  Thus, the birth of the new 3:23 Baseball Club. While many churches tend to condemn families for being too involved with sports, Bonnie and I have always seen it as a harvest field for adding people to the church and the kingdom of God.  I could list a number of families added to the church and/or the kingdom of God through the teams we are involved with, but that would be meddling.  The potential for Christian families involved in youth sports to become more intentional and reach out to those around them is unlimited!  And yes, I agree it can all get fanatical and overboard, which is all the more why we need to be missionaries to the youth sports world where countless relationships, hours, and dollars are spent every year.  

So what is 3:23?  A new 11 & under baseball team with a vision and purpose based on Col 3:23.

3:23 Baseball

It’s our desire to assemble a group of kids that love the game of baseball, have the potential to play at a competitive level, and would enjoy the experience of being on a unique select baseball team.  What makes 3:23 unique are the following priorities in order:

1.       Character Formation

We care more about shaping a kid’s values and pointing him to Christ than we do about winning baseball tournaments.  We accomplish this by:

o   “First Thing First” values impartation at practices/games  (see attached sample)

o   Every kid receives a 3:23 Bible with their name & number engraved

o   Community service as a team 4-6 times per season

2.       Player/Skill Development

We are committed to helping every player develop at 2 or 3 positions best suited for them on this team. We accomplish this by:

o   Contracting with local professional baseball instructors for pitching/catching, hitting, fielding lessons throughout the season

3.       Team/Family Dynamics

Relationships are the driving force behind the time, energy and resources given to this team.  We accomplish this by:

o   Doing life together beyond the ball field

o   Creating a family friendly environment for players/siblings

o   Providing a team conduct code we all agree to as players/parents

4.       Competitive Progression

If we honor and keep the first three values, we are confident the wins will fall into place.

We are not better than anyone else in any way - just a new team with a specific vision.  As we share the vision with area high school and college coaches, there is intrigue and incredible support.  Others are stepping up big financially because people respond to vision.  It's a honor and privilege to build something bigger than ourselves. While there is still much work to be done, it's exciting to think about the impact we can have on kids' lives.  We look forward to joining a strong field of existing teams and friends to enjoy God and the game of baseball.  Ironically, what started as a single team has birthed a much bigger vision for 3:23 Ministries, Inc., a new non-profit ministry designed to support and impact competitive youth sports in the Midland/Odessa communities.  More about this in the next post!  Thank you Lord for bringing us and the Robertsons together for such a time as this!

Not A Bummer Sabbatical Summer

Today is the first day of my first sabbatical ever and the first day of a new season of blogging.  Not sure that anyone cares, but writing is a great place for me to express my thoughts and feelings.  Thanks for indulging me!

First, let me say a great big "thank you" to Pastor Daniel, the elders, and the people of Mid-Cities!  A 6-week sabbatical for the purpose of rest is unheard of! Writing is rest for me!  Thus, the blog.  Spent day one driving to Lubbock.  We laughed, sang, and talked about what this season of rest might look like.  Exercise (this is not new, just doesn't have to happen at 6:00am for a few weeks).  Reading.  Reading books I want to read.  More about the books I chose as I read them.  Finalizing some travel plans that I will elaborate on as the summer unfolds.

Tonight, I took Caylee to see Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer movie.  What a great start to a great summer.  A date with my daughter.  A movie that promotes maximizing my summer.  Fresh new ideas on how to rack up "thrill points" throughout the summer and for the rest of my life.  So, to start the thrill points off right, after the movie, Caylee and I danced in the floor in front of the big screen (only worth 10 points since we were the only ones there).  Stay tuned!  It will be a privilege to share the journey with you!

Mick