Nelson Cook who established Coaches of Influence (COIN) 30 years ago in Los Angeles USA writes a monthly letter to the many coaches at professional, college and high school levels and the current correspondence touches the spot.
It has been my privilege since 1984 to have been hosted innumerable times by Nelson Cook in my years in sport ministry, the most recent was in 2009 where I addressed coaches over breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
In a recent Nelson Cook newsletter to his coaches he wrote:
Years ago I shared this true story by Tim Kimmel and am moved by it again. It reflects what JESUS does to us when we make Him LORD of our lives.
Reaching with the Gospel ......
One day a lady criticised Pastor D.L. Moody for his methods of evangelism in attempting to win people to the Lord. Moody's reply was, "I agree with you. I don't like the way I do it either. Tell me, how do you do it?" The lady replied, "I don't do it." Moody responded, "Then, I like my way of doing it better than your way of NOT doing it."
We are to be 'seed sowers'. It is NOT our job to convert people to Christ. That's the ministry of the Holy Spirit. But it is our responsibility to sow the seed (Gospel of Christ) in the field God has placed us in. If God has given you His seed, it is a sin to stand in the field, keeping it to yourself and doing nothing.
Go ye into the world and preach the Gospel means start casting the seed all around you in the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord. Do that and you'll be moving...
Focused message
If I were to ask you to describe the Easter message without using any words, only punctuation marks, which mark would you choose to describe this Easter for yourself? Maybe this past Easter was a "comma" for you.
It makes you stop, pause, think, and listen, but that's about it. Perhaps today is a downer - a big bold period. You thought you'd feel excited, but instead it seems to be more like empty ritual. You feel like you're not on the inside, but on the outside ...an onlooker.
It was a day when life felt like a "period" for Jesus' disciples. He was dead. He was buried. An end to expectations. But wait - news of an empty tomb ...the period is no longer a period, it's a "question mark". That's worse than a period. Now they're beginning to doubt. Where is He? They're perplexed. The guards are gone, the stone is rolled away. He is not there. And if not there, where?
An angel speaks, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and how He must be crucified, and on the third day He must rise again." Of course they remembered! The periods are gone. The question marks are removed. There is one massive exclamation point!
That's the Easter message ... an exclamation of gratitude and of praise for the resurrection of Jesus Christ and for the salvation His victory over death brought to us.
- Joe LoMusio, If I Should Die Before I Live
The question remains - have you made the exclamation mark of your considerations of Easter ...true in your heart?
Onward and Upward
Nelson Cook
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 mentors young writers and 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 http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html