SEVEN PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA
THE CHRISTIAN COMPETITION
LEARNING TO COMPETE WITH INTEGRITY
MEN / GOD / LIFE
IN THE GAME WHEN SPORTS BRING OUT OUR BEST, AND WORST
NOV / DEC 2017 ISSUE 57 NEWSSTAND PRICE CDN $4.95
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PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA NATIONAL MEN’S CONFERENCE
REGISTER NOW Calgary: Oct 21, 2017
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Simulcast: Nov 17-18, 2017
Regina: March 23-24, 2018
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CONTENTS
16
COLUMNS 6 // PK Podium Real Greatness Awaits 8 // Lives Worth Leading Worship When the Whistle Blows 30 // Sports Scene A Big Running Back, with a Bigger Heart
FEATURES 16 THE CHRISTIAN COMPETITION Most of you reading this can see an almost irrational connection to sports in your heart that calls to you and longs for your attention. So how do we as men harness the power of competition without letting it get out of control?
20 CREATING A CULTURE FOR CHRIST Matt Forte, New York Jets running back, describes how a couples Bible study is making a positive impact on the team and their families, and how God uses spouses to communicate His truth.
22 ONLY HUMAN
22
Chaplains Tim Burke and Lorne Korol both remind us we all need to find that person or those people who we can talk to openly and share meaningful conversation with. If professional athletes are allowed to have problems, we most certainly can have problems too.
32 // The Single Life Life is One Long Playoff Series 33 // Out of My Depth The Gospel, Grace and Hockey Evaluations
DEPARTMENTS 10 // The Pulse Bits. Blips. Beats. Blurbs. 14 // Music Reviews The Colour 34 // Power Play Toys. Tools. Technology.
26 THE GREY CUP BREAKFAST
26
Athletes in Action has been hosting the breakfast since 1977 as a platform for CFL players, coaches, staff, and spouses to share their life experiences.“What we try and do is show people that the players they watch on the field are real people. They have real problems, real issues.”
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 3
ON THE COVER
SEVEN is a Christian magazine for Canadian men that exists to help men lead more fulfilling lives and leave enduring legacies.
IN THE GAME
Few things grab our attention and passion like sports. We wear the clothing, cheer our heroes and look forward to the next match. From grade school to the senior’s league, the backyard to the playing field, some of our best memories are forged in the heat of competition. So we wanted to know, how do sports impact, challenge and forge our spiritual formation?
The name reflects the seven promises that form the basis of the Promise Keepers organization, which works with churches to minister to men across Canada. 1 // A promise keeper is committed to honouring Jesus Christ through worship, prayer, and obedience to God’s Word in the power of the Spirit. 2 // A promise keeper is committed to pursuing Christ-centred friendships with a few other men, connecting regularly, understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises. 3 // A promise keeper is committed to practicing biblical integrity: spiritually, morally, ethically and sexually. 4 // A promise keeper is committed to strengthening families and marriages through love, honour, protection, and biblical values. 5 // A promise keeper is committed to supporting the mission of his church by honouring and praying for his pastor, and by actively giving his time and resources. 6 // A promise keeper is committed to reaching beyond racial, social, economic, generational, and denominational barriers to demonstrate that power of biblical unity. 7 // A promise keeper is committed to influencing the world by his fervent love for God while loving his neighbour, seeking justice for the poor and oppressed, and making disciples of Jesus Christ.
Publisher PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
EDITORIAL
PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA
Editorial Director JEFF STEARNS
KIRK GILES
Questions and comments
Box 20099 RPO Brant Hills
Managing Editor STEVEN SUKKAU
Promise Keepers Canada
regarding editorial can be sent
Burlington, ON L7P 0A4
to ssukkau@promisekeepers.ca,
(905) 331-1830 info@promisekeepers.ca
ADVERTISING
JEFF STEARNS
or mailed to Promise Keepers
RICK VERKERK
Promise Keepers Canada
Canada at the address provided.
rick@promisekeepers.ca MATT BREIMER
1-888-901-9700
Postmaster, please send DESIGN
address changes to:
DEVON WAGENAAR
Box 20099 RPO Brant Hills,
STEVEN SUKKAU
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Promise Keepers Canada
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ISSN 1916-8403
Promise Keepers Canada
The PK Canada logo features a maple leaf, indicating our dedication to serve the men of Canada. An arrow breaks into the maple leaf symbolizing the impact we believe God wants to see Promise Keepers and men making in our nation. A special thank-you to all the pastors who continually encourage us to communicate God’s truth with grace and love.
4 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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PK PODIUM
REAL GREATNESS AWAITS CHASING AFTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY KIRK GILES
W
hen I was a kid, I always wanted to play hockey like Richard Brodeur. As a fan of the Vancouver Canucks, I remember the crazy scene as thousands of Canucks fans waved towels in the air, and King Richard was unstoppable in the eyes of this little boy. Over time, new heroes would emerge and disappear. Every hero was met with the same wide-eyed enthusiasm and the effort to imitate their actions whenever I would play with my friends. Deep down in my heart, I don’t think I really wanted to be like any of these individuals as far as their character goes. What I really longed for, and what is part of the lure of sports for so many men, is the opportunity to achieve greatness like my heroes seemed to be achieving. We admire greatness. That’s why we get so excited for athletes who are the best in the world. We also desire greatness—we want to be acknowledged by others as being great at something. Most of us will never be as great as the best athletes, and so new generations have turned to video games to help us live out these moments. The marketing slogan of Playstation is “Greatness Awaits.” If I can’t be as good as Connor McDavid in real life, then maybe I could just be him on my television screen. The disciples of Jesus were not a whole lot different than many men are today. On two separate occasions, two of Jesus’ disciples would ask him this question—“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” A question like this feels rather arrogant and ignorant when you are reading the Scriptures. Jesus, however, does not respond with anger or disgust at their question. Instead, Jesus responds by teaching His disciples how to be great. In the world of the Kingdom of God, real greatness requires becoming a servant to others and having the humility of a child. Too many men are believing the lies of where to find real greatness. Real greatness is not found in sports, or careers, or diplomas, or cars. In the mind of Jesus, real greatness is found by willingly giving of yourself for the benefit of others finding life, and to do so with an attitude of humility. This kind of greatness is what Jesus has shown towards us, and this kind of greatness is what every man can find through Jesus. Men—stop pursuing greatness by trying to be like your heroes. Real greatness awaits you in the Kingdom of God.
6 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
KIRK GILES is the president of Promise Keepers Canada. However, his most important roles as a man are husband to Shannon and father to Carter, Joshua, Sydney and Samuel.
All of life is ministry “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.” Caleb Courtney [MTS] is a husband, father of four, high school teacher, worship leader and just completed the Master of Theological Studies program. He knew he could only afford a one-year leave to complete his masters, so he began planning a few years ago. Caleb has seen God open every door along the way. A percentage of Caleb’s salary was saved to fund a leave from his teaching job, and he received scholarships and awards. He also took advantage of flexible course modes such as online, evening and one-week intensives. This made it possible for him to still put his family time first. Caleb is now returning to work and plans to take on more of a teaching role at his church. “People have this idea of full-time ministry as being full-time in a church,” he says. “I think every believer is called to be in fulltime ministry whatever their life situation.”
Tyndale offers flexible full-time and part-time study options to meet your needs. Learn more. Visit Tyndale.ca or call 1.877.TYNDALE. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 7
LIVES WORTH LEADING
SUNDAY SPORTS
WORSHIP WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS BY COLIN MCCARTNEY
M
any of you can relate to being a “Sports Dad”. You know what it’s like lugging your kids to practices and games, and you are well aware of the financial burden of equipment and paying club fees. At the same time, you've struggled with the spiritual price sports might have on your kids. You’ve missed countless Sunday church services because of games and tournaments. Youth Group is an impossibility because of your children's commitment to their sport. There were many times we were told by Christians that we were harming our children's spiritual life because they were missing so much church. I have to admit that this was a concern for my wife and I as well. Yet, I remember the many opportunities to share my faith with parents and players. All the time spent in hotels at weekend tournaments helped build trustworthy friendships among us parents. Some of them came to know Christ, and I even performed funerals for grandparents of the players. My children remember how, as a family, we’d pray for their friends and parents on the team. My kids saw us sharing the gospel with parents and teammates. One time, while helping coach my son’s hockey team, a father of a player told us his son could never play for our team because they couldn’t attend Sunday practices as church was their priority. When the father left, our coach looked at me and said; "You're a preacher and you miss church because of practices. How do you pull that off"? I responded by saying; "I don't
8 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
follow church. I follow Jesus, and Jesus wants me to be with you and these kids on our team." This of course led to a great conversation about Jesus in front of my son and other players. Sports has been a powerful spiritual influence in my children's life as long as we have the right perspective. Yes, high level sports demand high level commitment. It often means missing a lot of church. But if you can say, like Joshua did; "For me and my household we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15), then perhaps the gifts your children have in sport are to be used for serving God. Perhaps you have a responsibility to steward those athletic gifts in your children? Perhaps their sports are God's way of calling you in mission to reach a unique tribe known as athletes and parents. A few years ago, I was speaking in a small, hockey-crazed town in Alberta and heard about a church loved in this town because of their commitment to hockey. Every fall the pastor of this church invites all the "hockey" families to the front for prayer. The church leadership lays hands on these hockey families, commissioning them as missionaries sent from their church to serve in the rinks of the city. The pastor even tells them he doesn’t want them at church if they have a game or practice on that given Sunday, and he guarantees his newly appointed missionaries that the church will support them and pray for them every Sunday while they are out in the mission field. He even attends games! Many hockey families have been reached by the Gospel because of
hockey missionaries sent out each hockey season from this church. This church gets it. To them God isn’t restricted to a church building, but He’s active in rinks, fields and gyms. Today, my daughter is a leader at FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) on her campus at Western Michigan University where she attends on an NCAA soccer scholarship. She also works with refugees and shares her faith regularly. She loves Jesus. My son, a Jr. A hockey coach in Toronto preached to 500 people at the Christian camp he serves in. I made sure I was there when he spoke and heard him preach the Gospel! So, for all of you who are busy with your athletic children, be encouraged and never forget to live out this verse: "For me and my household we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15). We need your family in the rinks, gyms and fields being Jesus to those who are yet to know him. And for you church leaders — recognize the gift sports can be to your church and its neighbourhood. God gave athletic abilities to your children to be used for his glory. When surrendered to God, worship takes place every time and everywhere the whistle blows.
/ COLIN MCCARTNEY is an ordained minister, speaker, and a bestselling author. He is also the founder of UrbanPromise Toronto and now leads Connect Ministries in Toronto where he, his wife Judith, and their two children reside. For information in booking Colin as a speaker, please visit www.connectministries.org.
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THE PULSE
BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS THE LATEST NEWS FROM PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA ALL IN NATIONAL CONFERENCES 4 REASONS TO COME TO THE CONFERENCE
BITS / BLIPS / BEATS / BLURBS
Year after year, men keep coming back to the PK Canada conferences. What do they know about the conferences that keeps them returning? 1 / GROW CLOSER TO GOD With live worship, engaging speakers and relevant, biblical teaching, the All In conference will help equip you to walk more boldly in your faith. 2 / BE A BETTER HUSBAND AND FATHER This year’s conferences feature a session on Holy Marriage (at all two-day and at some one-day conferences) and a special Youth Breakout session on Love, Sex and Dating. Whether you are married or single, these sessions will help you improve your relationships with the women in your life. 3 / DEVELOP FRIENDSHIPS Attending the conference with other guys is a fantastic way to develop new friendships and strengthen the friendships you have.
4 / GET RECHARGED The rat race wears away at each of us. The All In conference will give men a muchneeded boost of encouragement to carry on in their daily life, and the energy to move to the next level. This year all conferences have a special youth breakout session on Love, Sex and Dating. What young men will you bring?
OCT 21, 2017
National Conference
>> Calgary, AB
OCT 28, 2017
National Conference
>> Grande Prairie, AB
NOV 17/18, 2017
National Conference
>> Toronto, ON
FEB 23/24, 2018
National Conference
>> Ottawa, ON
MAR 9/10, 2018
National Conference
>> Winnipeg, MB
MAR 16/17, 2018
National Conference
>> Edmonton, AB
MAR 23/24, 2018
National Conference
>> Regina, SK
>> Visit for more info or to register: www.promisekeepers.ca/all-in.
10 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
NEW WEBSITE AND APP Get equipped at home, at church, at work—wherever you are. We have launched a brand-new website and a newly updated App! The new website is mobile friendly and full of resources for your daily walk with God, leading men’s ministry, or equipping your workplace.
FREE RESOURCES / BIBLICAL AND PRACTICAL resources you need to keep going. Whether it’s the podcasts, videos, articles or daily devotions, we know the topics men are facing.
LIVE EVENTS / FIND CONFERENCES AND workshops in your area. Interested in a workshop but don’t see it in your area? Disciple, train and walk with the men of your church in the crucial areas of their lives by bringing a workshop to your church.
LEAD MEN'S MINISTRY / BLUEPRINT FOR LEADERS will equip local churches to build a framework for the discipleship of every man in their church. It moves ministry to men from random events and small groups to intentional focus on shaping men to be like Jesus. Discover the framework that is being described as “the absolute best I’ve seen.”
LEAD AT WORK / IF YOU ARE a business leader or employer who believes that God has given your business to you for more than just the bottom line, and you desire to have a godly impact in your workplace, then PK@Work is for you. There are two paths to PK@Work: Blueprint Leadership Training, and Membership. Choose the path that suits you and your business.
SHOP / OUR ONLINE STORE features handpicked books to help you grow closer to God, as well as small group studies, music, DVDs, conference recordings, clothing, and more.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 11
PODCASTS MEDIA. FAITH. CULTURE / BRETT ULLMAN LEADS and directs Worlds Apart, a charity focused on empowering individuals to re-align their lives with Biblical core values often muddled by media but central to Christian living. As part of his role, he travels North America speaking to teens, young adults, leaders and parents on topics including sexuality, mental health, men, dating and media. Kirk sat down with Brett to explore the current state of media, faith and culture.
GARY THOMAS: DEVELOPING SPIRITUAL INTIMACY WITH YOUR WIFE / GARY THOMAS IS a bestselling author and international speaker whose ministry brings people closer to Christ and closer to others. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and won numerous awards. His writings have established him as a thought-leader in the areas of marriage, parenting, and spiritual formation. In this interview, Gary helps define spiritual intimacy and specific, practical ways we can strengthen our relationship with our wife.
ALL IN WITH RICK AND ANDREW: A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT THE ALL IN CONFERENCES
/ AFTER YEARS TRAVELING together and running conferences across Canada, Rick Verkerk and Andrew Thompson talk about life behind the scenes. Rick has coordinated men’s conferences for Promise Keepers Canada for over 10 years and Andrew works with worship teams from coast to coast. From small towns with a few dozen attendees to major urban centres with crowds of several thousand they have experienced men’s ministry from coast to coast. Rick and Andrew give the inside scoop on what to expect at this year’s All In National Men’s Conferences.
WHY STAYING CONNECTED WITH THE LOCAL CHURCH IS STILL IMPORTANT
FAITH (AND TECHNOLOGY) IN THE WORKPLACE / AS THE FOUNDER of FaithTech, James is passionate about igniting conversations, collaborations and creations in the tech space for Jesus. In this episode, Kirk and James talk about ways that we can implement our faith in the workplace, and particularly the role that technology plays.
/ CHURCH? WHY BOTHER? Favourite PK Canada speaker, Lennett Anderson, passionately shares a vision for why church still matters and why life is so much better together. Lennett is a gifted communicator who blends biblical truth with high energy. Like infusing a sermon with a shot of Red Bull!
>> Find these and other podcasts at: www.promisekeepers.ca/podcast.
12 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
EMPOWERING THE ONLINE GENERATION WITH STORIES
THAT MATTER
WATCH FULL EPISODES AT
THISISMETV.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 13
MUSIC REVIEWS
BY STEVEN SUKKAU
MATTHEW WEST
JOHN MARK MCMILLAN
JEREMY CAMP
ALL IN (Sparrow Records)
MERCURY & LIGHTNING (Lionhawk Records)
THE ANSWER (Stolen Pride Records)
/ MATTHEW WEST’S seventh studio album, All In, proves West has more to offer his long-time fans. His latest is a great addition to the storied discography, even if it doesn’t push the winning formula. However, tracks like ‘Amen’ speed up the momentum of the album, and wakes the listener up from the “sameness” that sometimes creeps up into this radiofriendly ride. As a card-carrying West fan, I was thrilled to see him experiment with something outside his wheelhouse. Elsewhere, West tries out the in vogue electronic-driven, pop-like tracks on ‘Power Love Sound Mind,’ though it misses the mark more often than it hits. While I appreciate the effort, it’s obvious West is outside his element here. Back in West’s comfort zone, ‘The Beautiful Things We Miss’ is a powerful reminder, speaking of the modern distractions like phones and chasing the next promotion —pursuits that provide so much anxiety and cause us to lose sight of what really matters. Putting a finger on the fears that slumber beneath the surface he sings, “Daddy’s girl built a world behind her bedroom door/ While he was working hard and providing/ Bigger houses still get divided.” Overall, All In, is exactly that: West has left it all on the table here. For long-time fans that’s exactly what we want, even if maybe next time we’d like to see something new.
/ KNOWN FOR his powerful songwriting and haunting baritone voice, John Mark McMillan returns for his sixth, and possibly best, studio album, Mercury & Lightning. Here again, McMillan dives deep, crafting thought-provoking lyrics, paired with masterful soundscapes of alternative rock. The songs themselves have a grandiose scope and sweeping movements; the only comparison might be the drama of a James Bond theme song. The imagery of the lyrics is striking, matched with McMillan’s mature voice and musical abilities. ‘Body in Motion’ especially features a beautiful cacophony of drums and early 70’s synth accompaniment, driving home the solemn warning of the consequences of our words. “Every rock you ever thrown/Has come back down on you/And the stone wind/And the words that you said are gonna haunt you/You’re gonna have to own them.” Elsewhere, ‘Death in Reverse’ is in itself a poetic track, a stand-out in any album, but is followed by the evocative and stylized ‘e s r e v e r n i h t a e d’. Like a fine wine, in the three years since his last release, McMillan has aged and matured the rumblings in his soul, like casks buried deep in the cellars of prayer and meditation, and brought them out for fans to drink deep and ponder. For an evening of soul searching, nothing pairs better than Mercury & Lightning.
/ ANOTHER LONG-TIME CCM mainstay —Jeremy Camp—returns, putting his soaring, electrifying voice to good use in The Answer. Standout tracks like “Word of Life” and “Storm” move into, and set up shop in, the electonic-pop soundscapes. While finely produced, I can’t help but gravitate to the tracks grounded more in traditional instruments rather than digital synths. Camp’s voice was made to roar in a duet with growling electric guitars, or soar with shimmering, strumming acoustic guitar. While more pop than rock, it’s gratifying to see Camp embrace the un-distorted piano and acoustic guitar on title track, ‘The Answer’. However, I kept waiting for a track that would blow me away, something akin to “Same Power" from I Will Follow. "Awake O Sleeper" showed some great promise with Camp embracing his guttural roar and crunchy guitars. Here, finally, in the last track I felt Camp gave us a glimpse of his true potential. Lyrically, the song is by far the most intriguing of the album, speaking of the slumbering Christian lulled by comfort. "Do you hear the lion roar?/Awake O Sleeper/Stand with me we'll fight the war" Overall, Jeremy Camp looks, sounds and feels like a rock n' roll star, it's disappointing see him try and fit a tamed pop singer mold.
/ STEVEN SUKKAU works in radio on the prairies of Southern Manitoba.
14 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
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FEATURE
THE CHRISTIAN COMPETITION LEARNING TO COMPETE WITH INTEGRITY
BY BILL FARREL
16 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
ver the past few years, I have been privileged to travel to every Canadian province and have noticed a similar trend in almost every hotel; the halls echo with the sounds of young hockey players gearing up for their turn to play. I love it, because it brings back memories of my three sons’ involvement in sports as they grew from boys to teens to young adults. I rejoiced over them when they won and supported them when they lost; parents inspired me as they cheered their kids on, and I was equally amazed at the level of crazy they could go to when they were disappointed. Athletics has a unique way of bringing out the best and the worst in people. Sports have become one of the primary focuses of modern western life. We play games, watch our favorite teams and participate in fantasy leagues. We spend an enormous amount of money, time and emotional energy to build social lives around our favorite athletic competition. Most of you reading this can see an almost irrational connection to sports in your heart that calls to you and longs for your attention. So how do we as men harness the power of competition without letting it get out of control?
Even the results of our relationship with Christ are described in competitive terms. • We are more than conquerors, (Romans 8:37) • Death has been swallowed up in victory, (1 Corinthians 15:54) • We have overcome the world, (John 16:33) • We have overcome the evil one, (1 John 2:13) The conclusion is obvious. Our faith has a highly competitive side to it, so learning to compete with integrity is part of becoming a disciple of Christ. We are called to “contend for the faith,” (Jude 3) “fight the good fight of the faith,” (1 Timothy 6:12) “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21) and “run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)
BUILD A COMPETITIVE LINK
• We are farmers (1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Timothy 2:6) who compete against the elements to yield a harvest.
Taking a competitive approach to life will make us stronger. A friend of mine describes athletics as “life sped up.” He says that everything you face in life, you will face in the midst of athletic competition, but you will face it faster. In other words, there is a link between challenging pursuits and attractive character. One of the best ways to develop self-discipline, perseverance and other vital life skills is to be involved in some competitive pursuit. It forces us to know ourselves better and work out the habits that hold us back. It equips us to identify our strengths and intentionally develop them. It trains us to work with others, overcome adversity, capitalize on victories, and maximize defeats. The apostle Paul again talks in athletic terms in Romans 5:3-4 when he says, “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” This is how athletes talk! They voluntarily put themselves through suffering, which we call working out, practicing, strength training and conditioning, in order to gain the benefits. In similar fashion, believers volunteer to suffer through service, sacrifice, study and seek after God’s will in order to be a part of God’s team here on earth. Consider some of the vital life skills we learn from competitive pursuits:
• We are athletes (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:5) who compete against others to win a prize.
• We all have different talent levels. My kids were all talented in sports, but none of them were good enough to play
“ATHLETICS HAS A UNIQUE WAY OF BRINGING OUT THE BEST AND THE WORST IN PEOPLE.” CULTIVATE COMPETITIVE THINK One of the reasons we are strongly attracted to athletics is because we were designed this way. Life is an intense pursuit, so God equipped us to think competitively. Christian living, at its core, is a competitive pursuit. In 1 Corinthians 9 and again in 2 Timothy 2, the apostle Paul compares the Christian life to three competitive pursuits on earth: • We are soldiers (1 Corinthians 9:7; 2 Timothy 2:3) who compete against declared enemies to maintain freedom.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 17
at the highest levels. They worked hard enough to get there, but they had to humbly accept that they were not physically gifted with elite skills. • We must work hard to earn a place on the field. My youngest son spent weeks during his junior year in high school telling me, “I am going to play college football.” At the same time, he was spending a lot of time playing video games and eating snack foods. In my opinion, he had the ability to play at the small college level, but he wasn’t working hard enough to get there. After giving him weeks to figure it out, I finally said to him, “Caleb, I believe you have enough talent to play at the college level but you will never get there with the effort you are putting in. You either need to start working harder, or you need to stop talking about playing at the next level.” To make a long story short, he got focused and played four years at the Division II level, even getting to the playoffs during his senior year. He discovered that opportunities come to those who work at it. • You are only as strong as the team around you. My sons have enjoyed success and agonized over losing seasons. On each team they were a part of, they were the same young men. They were just as talented during the winning years as they were during the losing years. The difference was in the chemistry and commitment of the team. • Athletes need coaches. My kids never played on a team that didn’t have a coach! Coaches coordinate the talent of the competitors and can see the areas that need improvement easier than those who are in the arena. This is one of the reasons churches are so important. When you sit under the leadership of a dedicated Bible teacher and gather with other “players” to implement the truth you are being taught, growth happens and influence spreads. • Perform under stress. Competition by its nature is stressful. You are trying to highly achieve while an opponent tries to prevent you from reaching your goals. You have to outlast obstacles, execute in the face of adversity, and adjust to unexpected circumstances. • Humility. Competition exposes our weaknesses. One year while I was playing high school basketball, I missed
18 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
nine breakaway layups in a row over the course of seven games. I made “spectacular” steals that made the breakaway possible, only to embarrass myself by missing the uncontested and easiest shot on the court. There was no explanation or excuse that rescued me from being really bad at layups for a period of time. • Dealing with disappointment. No game ever goes exactly according to plan. We face surprises, mishaps, injuries, mistakes and unexplained outcomes. Sometimes the best team loses, and sometimes the unexpected team wins. These disappointments can affect your attitude, your faith, your well-being, and your willingness to try again. • Prepare before you play. Every coach wants to take advantage of his players’ talent, but no coach is going to play athletes who are not prepared. Combatants who have not trained, practiced and studied don’t get an opportunity to compete in the game. When they apply themselves ahead of time, however, they gain the full confidence of the coach and get to enjoy the full experience of competing.
AVOID THE COMPETITIVE STINK There is a danger, of course, in taking a competitive approach to life. Winning can dominate your thinking, destroy relationships, and drown the rest of your life with offensive odours. When I was playing football in high school, we wore half-shirts underneath our shoulder pads to prevent getting rubbed raw by the straps. At the beginning of each season, we would wear those shirts without washing them as long as we could just to prove we were tough. The shirts would absorb sweat, accumulating salt and other minerals day after day. The outcome we were looking for was to see if the shirt could stand up on its own. By the time we accomplished that goal, the shirts smelled terrible. We put up with it because we thought it was worthwhile. Anybody else in our life would have thought it was offensive, repulsive and foolish. The athletic pursuit was good, but it was tainted by a silly (and smelly) goal. This is what happens when competition gets out of balance. We think what we are doing is awesome and important. The other people in our lives see it as silly, belligerent and disgusting. What they used to love in our lives now leaves them empty and lonely.
We have probably all seen it. • A dad yelling at his pre-adolescent son who is not performing up to his expectations. • A man spends so much time researching his fantasy league he misses family activities and church commitments. • A man who loves Jesus ruins his testimony at an adult sports league with uncontrolled anger, pervasive swearing or unwarranted evaluations of his teammates. • A parent creates a contentious relationship with his child’s coach because he believes his daughter is being slighted, overlooked or singled out.
THERE IS A DANGER, OF COURSE, IN TAKING A COMPETITIVE APPROACH TO LIFE. WINNING CAN DOMINATE YOUR THINKING, DESTROY RELATIONSHIPS AND DROWN THE REST OF YOUR LIFE WITH OFFENSIVE ODOURS.
• A man is so expressive in his home watching a sporting event that no one wants to spend time with him. In all these instances, a man’s connection to sports isolates him from the people he loves. So let’s learn to embrace competition and contend wisely with all our heart. 1 Corinthians 10:31 challenges all of us, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” As I understand it, competing is part of “whatever you do,” so let’s Cultivate Competitive Think, Embrace the Competitive Link and Avoid Competitive Stink so God might be glorified in our most passionate pursuits.
/ BILL FARREL challenges people to be adventurous individuals of integrity. He has served as a youth pastor, senior pastor and most recently as the small group pastor for Dr. David Jeremiah. He is a frequent speaker at men’s events including Promise Keepers Canada and Iron Sharpens Iron events. He is also the author of The 10 Best Decisions a Man Can Make, 7 Simple Skills for Every Man, Men Are Like Waffles—Women Are Like Spaghetti, Red-Hot Monogamy and the Her Best Friend app for husbands.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 19
FEATURE
e r u t l u C a g n i t a e r C
t s i r h C r o F NEW YORK JETS ATHLETES BANDING TOGETHER TO BECOME BETTER HUSBANDS
20 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
M
y teammates and I are not only creating community, we’re creating culture. This year we’re kicking off a couples’ Bible study for our team. I’m so excited about this! I’ve seen the difference that our players’ Bible study has made amongst our team, creating a brotherhood and deep friendships. By developing the same atmosphere of growth and fellowship with the addition of our spouses and fiances, the impact can be far-reaching. Recently we’ve been focusing on how to communicate with our spouses, avoiding small arguments and letting go of the petty things that seem to get us all riled up. Though these are issues every relationship faces, they can be lethal. Ephesians 5 has a charge to both wives and husbands that can change the course of a marriage: As husbands, we are called to sanctify our wives through the Word. This is a huge charge. If things between you and your spouse aren’t as you might have hoped, you can change the direction of things through the sanctification of God’s Word. People will make mistakes, things won’t go as you planned all the time, but God’s truth stands firm. Sanctifying your marriage begins when you study God’s Word together, pray together and talk with each other daily about what God is teaching you.
“
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives submit to your husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, His body, of which He is the Savior. Now as the Church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of water through the Word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant Church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
”
God may be revealing Himself to your wife in ways you need to see for yourself. He may be speaking to you through your wife or to her through you. Communicating with each other about God’s truth is crucial to the vitality of your marriage. All these things sanctify us and draw us closer to Christ. When unrealistic expectations go unmet, a relationship might be in jeopardy. Rarely are our expectations fulfilled within relationships; things won’t always be perfect. But you should have high expectations for how you choose to treat your spouse in the midst of any circumstance. Hope for the best and then take the practical steps needed to make that happen. God cares about community. He wants us to come alongside others to become more like Him. We’re not
Ephesians 5:21-27
supposed to be focused on ourselves only. Christ’s first commission to us was to make disciples. This is extremely important to Him. We’re not only supposed to be creating a community here, but a culture of Christianity.
/ MATT FORTE New York Jets running back This article originally appeared on theincrease.com. Used with permission.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 21
FEATURE
ONLY HUMAN 22 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
CHAPLAINS STAND IN THE GAP FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES WHEN LIFE GETS MESSY BY CARTER BROOKS
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 23
T
im Burke is the National Hockey League’s Chapel Coordinator based out of Denver, Colorado. He knows, more than most, how confusing life can be for professional athletes. The former Montreal Expos baseball pitcher is currently the sole chaplain of the Colorado Avalanche, while also overseeing chaplain duties
“THEY ARE JUST HUMANS – PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND I WHO ARE ALL MESSED UP TO SOME DEGREE AND NEED SOME FORM OF HELP.” of 11 other NHL teams. “Most people don’t understand Chapel,” Burke said. “You know what, chapel is probably a bad word for it. It’s such a religious term, but our chapels and sessions really aren’t all that religious.” While chapel times have a Biblical theme, their work is more akin to counselling. “It’s actually funny, because quite often guys will come in and be like “oh man, I didn’t realize chapel was like this.” It is usually quite casual and laid back; it is just a chance for the guys to talk about what is on their mind, the problems they are dealing with, and their own personal battles.” Luckily for these players, Burke’s services extend far beyond the weekly scheduled half-hour chapels. “There are a lot of different players on a team, so it does become a bit
24 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
of a 24-hour-a-day thing where I’m available whenever to these guys,” Burke said. “Sometimes they will text me or call at 11:00 P.M., and whenever I catch it, that’s when we’ll chat.” “For me, it’s just about caring for these guys. I’ve been around professional athletes my whole adult life—after being one myself for thirteen years—so they know I’m not in awe of them or anything. They are just humans—people like you and I who are all messed up to some degree and need some form of help. I just know that the Lord is the ultimate help and hope for all of us.” A reliance and strong trust in the Lord is what turned Burke into a believer, while going through what he called the most difficult professional season of his baseball career. Since coming to the Lord, changing his ways, and now leading chapels in the NHL, it is safe to say that Burke has witnessed his fair share of rewarding experiences. “There was one player who came to me at a time when his life was kind of falling apart,” he reflected. The player and his wife were really struggling, he explained, with Burke and his wife ended up getting together regularly. “We got to know them and walk
with them through a lot of really difficult stuff. They are now long gone from here, but we still talk every week,” he said. “Their life was very messy, but that’s just the way it is. It isn’t that unusual for life at this level to get messy. We all need people who are going to love us at our ugliest. I have understood and experienced that from the other side too, and there is just nothing better than loving someone where they are at.” Of course this kind of relationship isn’t common ground for all of Burke’s players, but he knows that when he fully holds the trust of a player, and potentially his family, that is where he lets the Lord take hold of the relationship and run with it. “This type of thing is exactly what we are built for,” Burke said. “My wife and I still get together with that family very often, and it has turned into a life-long relationship. It has been fun just watching God do all of that work while using us right in the middle of it. It is really fun to tag along with God and watch him do amazing things in people’s hearts… I love that, because I loved it when he did that with me.” Although many can say that they have had the experience of turning to God as a non-Christian, few can say the life-changing decision came
Tim Burke (left) and Matt Duchene (right)
through sports. Lorne Korol—current Chaplain of the Winnipeg Jets, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and formerly of the Winnipeg Goldeyes—is one of those lucky few. “Growing up as an athlete, I had no idea that chaplains even existed,” Korol said. “It was only after I became a believer in 1998 that I saw an Athletes in Action display at an American Hockey League game and became interested in some of those materials.” The people at the booth explained their work and development with Christian players, which Korol said he found intriguing. Soon after he began helping out with the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team, and was eventually mentored there for three years. Since then he’s added the Moose, the Bombers and the Jets. “It has been a very rewarding ride,” he said. “one that I know God’s hand guided me to.” Between Bible studies for the players and coaches of his three Winnipeg-based professional sporting teams, Korol also manages all of the one-on-one meetings with coaches, players, support staff and front office staff in relation to their own personal needs. “It’s just like guidance counsellors in schools—these athletes absolutely need someone to open up to and listen to them while providing advice,” Korol said. “Many athletes will not want to go to their coaches with some of those emotional, mental or spiritual needs, but they can come to me and talk to me about it. They know it is in strict confidence and we share that trust.” He explained the key is building high-trust relationships with the
athletes, as they often need an outlet where they can just talk to somebody about what is going on in their lives. Whether Korol’s conversations with these athletes are in relation to personal struggles, family difficulties or even simply a lack of playing time, it’s his goal to smoothly transition the relationship from a plain professional standpoint to a trusted personal friendship. “I try to break down that barrier between professional and personal as soon as I can,” he said. “If I can go from being their chaplain to being their trusted friend, I know that I am doing my job well.” Obviously at times there are things beyond his abilities, Korol explained. Those times he refers players to Christian counsellors and trusts God can put the right people in place to help with their problems. “Again, my duties extend further than just meetings and chapels, as sadly I’ve had five funerals in the last eight years with the Bombers,” he said. “Although they can be extremely difficult times, it is then where I see the team draw so much closer together through the adversity, but it’s also a time where they need me more than ever.” Nobody said it was going to be easy, but it sure has been rewarding for Korol, who is now in his ninth season as the Chaplain of the Bombers and eighth with the Moose/Jets. “One of the greatest Christian signs that we have in professional sports happens in football,” Korol reflected. “You will see the guys go head-to-head for 60 minutes, banging and crashing, but then at the end of the game they will put that all aside, take a knee, join hands and pray together at centerfield.” “Of all the sports I know, football is
Lorne Korol
the only one that does that, and it is a testament and witness to our faith. They understand that they have to play hard between the whistles, but after that they are leaving it all on the field for God, and leave all of the animosity there as well.” Tim Burke and Lorne Korol both remind us that we all need to find that person or those people who we can talk to openly and share meaningful conversation with, no matter our age, level of education, or status. If professional athletes are allowed to have problems, we most certainly can have problems too.
/ CARTER BROOKS is a news writer and sports columnist situated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On top of reading and writing, coaching hockey is his favourite pastime.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 25
FEATURE
26 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER2017 2017
The Grey Cup Breakfast
WHERE FAITH AND FOOTBALL COLLIDE
BY FRANK STIRK
H
eld on the day before the Grey Cup, Athletes in Action’s annual Grey Cup Breakfast is a way to show fans that the “stars” of the game are as human as anyone else—and that what really sets these men apart has a lot more to do with their faith than with football. “They’re not just poster boys,” says Dave Klassen, AIA’s national pro ministry director and chaplain to the CFL B.C. Lions and the NHL Vancouver Canucks. “We like to take people on a journey at the breakfast and help them understand that there’s a different way of life, that faith in Jesus Christ can make a difference.” Athletes in Action has been hosting the breakfast since 1977 as a platform for CFL players, coaches, staff, and spouses to share their life experiences. “What we try and do is show people that the players they watch on the field are real people. They have real problems, real issues,” Klassen says. “We’ll have husbands and wives up there talking about how they deal with the pressures of being a professional football player and a spouse at home. For example, how do you as a wife or a girlfriend deal with angry fans in the stands?” Wally Buono, the head coach, general manager and vice-president of football operations for the B.C. Lions, is a past speaker at the Grey Cup Breakfast. As a Christian, he believes his faith makes it all the more important that people know he’s not just a successful athlete and businessman. “There’s more to you,” he told Convivium
magazine earlier this year. “A lot of people keep things private. Some people believe that they have a platform to be able to share the Good News. I believe that when you're put in this position, that’s a responsibility.” This year’s Grey Cup Breakfast will be held in Ottawa on Saturday morning, November 25th at The Westin Ottawa. Former Toronto Argonaut player and head coach—and a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame—Michael “Pinball” Clemons will act as MC. Today he’s an in-demand motivational speaker and global philanthropist. He and his family live and attend church in Oakville. “He’s been our guest speaker for a while. We’ve moved him more into an MC role for the main reason that the
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 27
“WE GO TO PLACES THAT NOBODY ELSE WILL GO, PUT ATHLETES IN PLACES THAT ARE REAL. WE TRY TO HIT EVERY SEGMENT OF SOCIETY TO ENCOURAGE AND INSPIRE.”
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interviews he does, he’s been able to capture so many things. He’s just been phenomenal,” Klassen says. “We try to get as many interviews in as we can. And people still get a full dose of Pinball because he’s involved in almost everything.” But Athletes in Action does a lot more in conjunction with the Grey Cup than just the breakfast. In the week leading up to the championship game, its members fan out to serve in the local community. The hope, Klassen says, is “to add value” to what others are doing to help their neighbours. “We like to partner with alreadyexisting groups and organizations to help strengthen them. We work in their buildings and alongside their constituents,” he says. “We go to places that nobody else will go, put athletes in places that are real. We try to hit every segment of society to encourage and inspire.” AIA’s Ottawa activities in this year’s Grey Cup Festival Outreach Week, as it’s called, include a church party for single moms and children, as
well as visits to a pediatric palliative care hospice, an addictions recovery ministry, a mission to the homeless, The Boys and Girls Club, Ottawa Christian School, and with varsity athletes at both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. Players will also visit the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre where they will share their faith at the weekly chapel, followed by a pick-up football game with the inmates. In all, AIA is partnering with upwards of 15 organizations. “The groups that we align ourselves with are excited about being part of something bigger,” Klassen says. “We try not to do our own thing. Other than the breakfast, we’re not interested in doing our own thing.” To find out more about the Grey Cup Breakfast, go to greycupbreakfast.ca.
/ FRANK STIRK is a Vancouver-based freelance writer with more than forty years experience as a print, radio and Internet journalist and editor.
PROMISE KEEPERS CANADA NATIONAL MEN’S CONFERENCE
REGISTER NOW Calgary: Oct 21, 2017
Ottawa: Feb 23-24, 2018
Grande Prairie: Oct 28, 2017
Winnipeg: March 9-10, 2018
Toronto: Nov 17-18, 2017
Edmonton: March 16-17, 2018
Simulcast: Nov 17-18, 2017
Regina: March 23-24, 2018
F o u r - t i m e Wo r l d S e r i e s C h a m p i o n D a r r y l S t r a w b e r r y s p e a k i n g i n To ro n t o , W i n n i p e g , a n d E d m o n t o n !
promisekeepers.ca/all-in
#AllInMensConf NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 29
SPORTS SCENE
NFL STAR LEONARD FOURNETTE: BIG RB, BIGGER HEART
RUNNING BACK’S LIFE MARKED BY HUMILITY AND GENEROSITY BY CARTER BROOKS
J
acksonville’s Leonard Fournette is a monstrous individual. The Jaguars’ lead running back has demonstrated time and time again that his power comes from within. Whether it is plowing through a field laced with football-hungry, 350-pound linebackers, hurdling the odd safety, or providing motivational locker room speeches, the man-child from New Orleans is a class act, on and off the gridiron. Fournette’s name absolutely covers the record books of his alma mater Louisiana State University (LSU), as he currently holds or shares 15 school records, including total rushing yards in a season (1,953), rushing touchdowns in a season (22), and career 200+ yard rushing games (5). If that’s not enough, the rugged power back from the south had already become a household name in northeastern Florida, even before his first National Football League game with the Jaguars, at the tender age of 22.
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Interestingly enough, Leonard Fournette was actually banned from football at age 12, as the New Orleans football registrars felt that the burly preteen was far older than his birth certificate indicated. Luckily the ban didn’t last long and Fournette was declared eligible to return to middle school football. He may be one of the most physically intimidating 22-year-old rookie specimens to ever walk into the locker room of an NFL team, but it doesn’t take much digging to get past his sculpted six-foot, 235-pound frame, and access the many dispositions of Leonard Fournette’s loving heart. Immediately following the Jacksonville Jaguars’ week-one victory over the highly favoured Houston Texans, CBS reporter Steve Tasker caught up with Fournette on the sidelines. Fournette, who had put up a touchdown and 100 yards rushing on 26 carries on top of 24 receiving yards in his NFL debut, humbly stood next to Tasker with his hands folded and treated the former NFL wide receiverturned broadcaster with the utmost of respect. Fournette noticeably began each response to Tasker with a “Yes sir”, a “No sir”, or an “I am unsure sir”—A trained mannerism quite uncommon in the typical mindset of a 22-yearold who had just fulfilled his childhood dream.
Growing up in the Seventh Ward district of New Orleans, Louisiana, Fournette was blessed with two loving Christian parents, Lori and Leonard Sr., who pushed their football-loving son to excel in all areas of his life— not just football. At the age of 10, Fournette and his family fearfully scurried to set up camp on the overpass of Interstate I-10, finding shelter after evacuating their house during the devastation that was Hurricane Katrina. After briefly vacating to Texas in the aftermath of Katrina, the Fournettes moved back to New Orleans, but this time to Crescent City—the urban municipality in the United States that holds the highest murder per capita rate. “I would have to attribute much of Leonard’s persona to his parents,” said LSU running back coach Frank Wilson, in a 2015 interview with The Advocate. “They are very grounded people. They’ve raised him and insulated him, but at the same time prepared him for how to handle success. That is the side that’s not always popular and talked about, but his spirituality has helped him stay humble.” It was through the teachings of his parents and his extreme life experiences that prompted Leonard Fournette to recently donate $50,000 to J.J. Watt’s Hurricane Harvey Relief
Fund in early September of 2017. Watt—a defensive end for Fournette’s very own week-one opponent, the Houston Texans—rallied for the world’s support after taking in the destruction of Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and incredibly raised over $30 million. Fournette’s decision to give $50,000 as an NFL rookie who had never before met Watt, and was matching up head-to-head with the feared defensive end on the day of his professional football debut, was an easy one. In his post-game chat with Tasker, Fournette spoke about the game, his performance and Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. “My coach believed in me, my O-line believed in me, and without God I wouldn’t be here,” Fournette said. “I thank God for giving me this opportunity to come out here with my team. And my heart still goes out to these Houston people for the hurricane. Without God, it would sure be a different situation.” “We knew it was going to be a crazy atmosphere out here because of the relief that happened,” he said. “I gave from my heart because I wish that from Katrina, somebody would have done that for us. I gave back to the people—the less fortunate, because they probably lost everything. Like I said, my heart still goes out to Houston, and I hope that they can
keep moving forward, but also to those people back home in Florida dealing with our own storm.” Generosity is nothing new for the 22-year-old, who as a high school student gave his MVP award to another player who he credited as “more deserving of the award”. In early February of 2017, Fournette also teamed up with a mass water bottle distributor and donated a truckload of disposable water bottles to tornado victims in eastern New Orleans. Although it’s his ability to carry a pigskin through a line of 11 burly individuals that’s provided him with a career in football, it’s his community
outreach and faith-based decisions and attitudes that will carry Leonard Fournette the furthest in life. Coach Wilson of LSU, who knew Fournette since the seventh grade, was clearly onto something back in 2015. However, now the term “successful” seems to be a major understatement.
/ CARTER BROOKS is a news writer and sports columnist situated in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On top of reading and writing, coaching hockey is his favourite pastime. Carter can be reached at carterbrooks1994@gmail.com.
“My coach believed in me, my O-line believed in me, and without God I wouldn’t be here.”
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 31
THE SINGLE LIFE
PREPARING FOR VICTORY
BECAUSE LIFE IS ONE LONG PLAYOFF SERIES BY PAUL BOGE
R
on MacLean’s take on playoff hockey echoes a truth of the Christian life. The co-host of Hockey Night in Canada made a comment on Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry, suggesting when the pressure is on in the playoffs you “sink to the level of your preparation.” His comment reminds me of the importance that, as men of God, we prepare ourselves for each task. Have we prepared ourselves so that when pressure comes we are ready for it? Or do we think we’ll find a way to rise to the occasion after neglecting to get ready? In engineering, I ask myself if it’s reasonable to expect a given project to succeed. In other words, are we confident we have done our due diligence to be able to say that all the effort going in will result in a successful project? The same is true in hockey. Why does a team expect it can win against its opponent? What have they done to prepare in advance of the series to beat the other team? And the same is true in our faith.
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As Christians, we are encouraged that we can be victorious over sin, and walk as Jesus walked. We need to “Run in such a way to win the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24b) So how do we do that? First, we need to spend time with God so that his love permeates us. When it does, we will love Him and our neighbour. Deliberately spending time with God prepares us. We should ask ourselves—out of all the things in life, what gives us the greatest joy? Do we love spending time with God, praying, reading our Bible, and serving people? If not, we should ask ourselves why; “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21) Second, we should biblically cast off whatever is slowing us down. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1) Third, we should not go it alone. We should be willing to reach out
to people, and be willing to let people reach out to us. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25) As singles, there can be a natural tendency because of our circumstances to not be around people as much as those who are married. This is why it is important to intentionally stay connected. The body of Christ needs us, and we need it. By allowing the love of Christ to permeate us, by casting off restraints, and by staying connected we can be prepared for whatever comes our way. Preparation and victory are always connected.
/ PAUL BOGE is the author of Father to the Fatherless: The Charles Mulli Story and six other books. He is currently working on a true story of human trafficking in Canada. He’s an engineer, single and lives in Winnipeg. paulb@boge-boge.com
OUT OF MY DEPTH
THE GOSPEL, GRACE AND HOCKEY EVALUATIONS “I JUST WANTED TO SWEEP HIM OFF THE ICE AND RESCUE HIM FROM THIS BIG, BAD JOKE OF CANADIANA” BY PHIL WAGLER
I
t may have been one of the hardest evenings of my life. That’s a sad statement if I think about it now—given everything I have persevered through, and especially when compared to the challenges others face. It was a hockey practice. I volunteered as the one ice-parenthelper for my son’s first ever hockey evaluation. The whole family was anticipating the occasion because we all knew how much the little guy loved the sport. I didn’t think I was vicariously living some hockey pipe-dream through my boy. Really, I didn’t. Yes, I enjoy the game and played it a ton in my youth, but my other kids have participated in a myriad of other activities and it never bothered me at all. I celebrate their unique interests and joys. Then he stepped on the ice. His newly sharpened skates had a dull edge making pushing off frustratingly futile. We solved that, and he returned with eagerness. It became abundantly clear, however, that he was not even close to the level of his peers. Some of those boys had played competitively for three years, were just coming off summer hockey, and may very well have spent the day consuming energy drinks laced with Sidney Crosby DNA. My boy was out-of-his-league. I could see it, and that stirred
strange emotions. He didn’t see it, but only at first. His hopelessness grew as the coach ran drills he’d never heard of, or expected abilities he’d not yet developed. It unraveled rapidly from that point, his little soul crushed with his head down and his eyes pouring water like a Zamboni. Watching this, of course, wrecked me, but I couldn’t show it. I had to help guide the drills and keep the swarm of sweaty young males moving. My heart was a mess. My boy was doing all he could, but it wasn’t nearly enough, and I just wanted to sweep him off the ice and rescue him from this big, bad joke of Canadiana. Yet, strangely simultaneous to this soft-heartedness, I wanted to push him harder. I desperately wanted him to suck it up, grow up and play like he can and not embarrass me. Dangerous words fought to get from my head to my tongue; words that had the potential to make me feel better and him feel worse. I wrestled all these things in my depths, and it wasn’t pretty. Into this messy space the Holy Spirit spoke more clearly than if a referee had blown a whistle in my ear. I was called to be onside with grace. I looked in my son’s teary little eyes that pleaded with me for protection, that begged me to end the torture, and I knew that what he needed most was two things: he needed to experience the joy that comes with
persevering through despite the pain, and he needed to know that my view of him was not remotely connected to his performance. He needed to know that sonship trumps everything; that grace is tangible. I needed to know that. This was a Good News moment where the hope and mystery of the Gospel of Jesus could break onto an ice pad and parent and child could know together, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we might also share in his glory” (Romans 8:17). Now, I know that a challenging hockey practice is not the same as the sufferings of Christ, but if I’m not going to join the ways of Jesus there, I’m probably not doing it other places either. The hope of the Gospel is for every situation, and as a father who follows Jesus, that Saturday night became an occasion for teaching and embodying the Gospel that so satisfyingly declares that God delights in his kids and is routinely more interested in my faithful perseverance than any slick performance. And that, for fathers and sons, is good news indeed.
/ PHIL WAGLER serves with MB Mission in areas of training and mobilization. He and his family live in Surrey, BC.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017 SEVEN 33
POWER PLAY
TOYS / TOOLS / TECHNOLOGY FROM HERE TO THERE AND FUN ALONG THE WAY BY SANDY MCMURRAY
GREAT SOUND FOR LESS
// amazon.ca Cheap wireless speakers are usually terrible. If you want good sound, you have to pay a premium price. At least, that's what I thought until I bought this $30 speaker from Anker. The SoundCore mini is a portable Bluetooth speaker with amazing sound quality, including powerful bass. It has a noisecancelling microphone for hands-free phone calls, and an AUXin jack so you can play music even if you don't have a Bluetooth device. Bonus features include an FM radio tuner, SD card slot, and a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 15 hours of continuous play time. You get all this for $30. Anker also makes great battery packs and charging cables. Check them out at anker.com
The SoundCore mini is a portable Bluetooth speaker with amazing sound quality, including powerful bass.
34 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
UNIVERSAL GAME CONTROLLER
// 8bitdo.com PC and Mac computer games are usually controlled with a keyboard and mouse, but there's a whole generation of players who prefer to use a handheld controller, like the ones packaged in with an Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendo game console. The SN30 Pro looks like a classic Super Nintendo controller, but it's designed for computers and smart phones. It supports Windows, macOS, Steam, Android, Nintendo Switch, and even the Raspberry Pi mini-computer. The rechargeable SN30 gives you a full set of buttons with clickable joysticks, rumble vibration, motion controls, and a proper D-pad. It works with Bluetooth wireless but you plug in via USB if you prefer. (USB cable included.) The SN30 controller sells for about $50.
PRINT YOUR BREAKFAST
// pancakebot.com Fun fact: pancakes do not have to be round. As every young parent knows, you can make animal shapes, letters, numbers, faces—almost any twodimensional shape—provided you pour the batter carefully. What if there was a printer for pancake batter? If you connected a computer to a mechanical dispenser suspended over a hot griddle, you could make any shape you want. This amazing contraption exists, and it's called PancakeBot. Download your desired pancake design to an SD card, insert the card into PancakeBot, then sit back and watch as it prints your edible art. PancakeBot sells for about $300.
DARK SOUNDS
// blackpods.store
Apple's cordless headphones debuted last year with the iPhone 7. They look a lot like the white earbuds sold with every iPhone, but without the wires. AirPods come in a handy storage case that doubles as a battery charger, and they sell for about $220. BlackPods is a service that adds a black finish to AirPods and their case, to better complement iPhones that come in Black, Jet Black, and Space Gray. You can buy a pair of finished AirPods or send in your AirPods to be coated. BlackPods are available in Classic High Gloss Black (US $279) or Stealth Matte Black (US 299).
WALK CYCLES
// lopifitus.com Walking on a treadmill can be good exercise, but isn't it silly to walk for hours without going anywhere? And who wants to be stuck in your basement or at the gym when you could be exercising outdoors? The solution is obvious: go for a walk. Or you could spend $3,000 to buy a treadmill mounted on a scooter. The Lopifit bike looks like a big scooter with a moving sidewalk mounted on top. At first glance you might think the treadmill powers the bike, but a lithium-Ion battery drives the whole thing. Adjustable multispeed gears control your walking pace, so you can take it slow or sail past joggers who are running faster than you. The field of hybrid exercise machines is just getting started. Stay tuned for a bike that combines a flying drone with a rowing machine, so you can strengthen your biceps while you take photos of the traffic below.
36 SEVEN NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2017
Adjustable multi-speed gears control your walking pace, so you can take it slow or sail past joggers who are running faster than you.
MONSTER FUN
// amazon.ca King of Tokyo is a board game version of king of the hill, where the hill is the city of Toyko and players are radioactive monsters, robots, and alien invaders. The object of the game is to control the city and destroy the other monsters. Each turn, you roll a set of dice with symbols for attack, energy, health, and victory points. Attacks reduce the health points of other players. Energy buys cards that give you special abilities to attack or defend yourself from other players. With luck and a solid strategy, you can hold your position as King of Tokyo while you attack all the other players. But beware—you can't increase your health when you're the King, and everyone else is attacking you in order to take your place in Tokyo. The winner is the first player to destroy all the other monsters or collect 20 victory points. King of Tokyo is loud fun for monsters of all ages. It sells for about $50.
BETTER THAN ONE
// packedpixels.com Business laptops are getting thinner and lighter, which is great for portability but not so great for your eyes. If you're used to multiple monitors at your desk it's hard to be productive on the road with just one small screen. Packed Pixels has the solution: portable, high-resolution monitors you can clip on to your laptop. Each kit contains a screen, a video cable and a USB cable (for power). You can buy one screen, a set of two, or a set of four. Packed Pixels kits sell for about $250.
/ SANDY MCMURRAY writes about games, toys, and gadgets at funspot.ca.
NEXT ISSUE
HEALTH Our bodies are temples, yet we can so easily neglect our health. In this coming issue we examine the physical, spiritual and emotional implications of being in good health.
38 SEVEN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017
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