COIN ministers beside professional, college and high school coaches and a recent message Nelson Cook sent to these coaches of influence Mark Tronson says is just as poignant and applicable to Australia.
Nelon Cook cited an American WWII pilot Charles Brown (known as Charlies to all and sundry) explained that he was in terrible shape. "Our compass was damaged. We were lost flying deeper into enemy territory. Our tail and rear section was heavily damaged. The tail gunner wounded, top gunner dead, nose of plane smashed, and there were bullet holes everywhere."
A German pilot, Franz Steigler, was ordered to shoot it down, but seeing the severe damage of the bomber and the remaining crews' efforts to get home, Franz waved at Charles Brown to turn around 180 degrees and he escorted and guided the stricken plane over the North Sea towards England.
Forty years later, the two men were reunited at a 379th Bomber Reunion together with 25 family members who would not be alive today if Franz had fired his guns.
When asked why he didn't shoot them down, Steigler said, "I didn't have the heart to finish those brave men. They were trying to get home and I was going to let them do that. I could not have shot at them. It would be like shooting at a man in a parachute.
Nelson Cook asks, 'Why this great story?' He notes that it speaks to the COIN ministry efforts. Coaches and kids (and parents) are 'lost' today and going in the wrong direction. The world has shot them up and they're heavily damaged.
COIN exists to provide Godly direction and encouragement, to lead people 'home' (the saving life of Jesus Christ), not to judge and "shoot people down"; but to help provide guidance and direction.
Nelson Cook pointed out that you (coaches & spouses) stand in the gap for so many. You are the ones where kids need to 'see Jesus in you'. You (coaches & spouses) stand in the gap for so many. You are the ones where kids need to see Jesus in you!
Mark Tronson says that this same message can be applied to Australia in the hundreds of specialist ministries from school chaplaincy to community ministry projects.
But it also applies, he says, to the 33 young writers that are in his Press Service International ministry where their monthly Comment articles are published in Christian Today Australia and where their import into people's lives extend far beyond the local church.
Nelson Cook's message to his coaches of influence has poignancy and applicability to these Australian young writers today, for they too stand in the 'gap'.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html