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God's playing field
Gospel ministry is truly a team sport, and we all play a role and have a position.
“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
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My answer was simple: “Fran Tarkenton.”
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Some of you are old enough to remember Fran and his quarterback skills. I wanted to be like him and play in the NFL on Sunday in front of huge crowds.
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Thankfully others knew my skills and encouraged me in a different direction—to be a pastor. I did get to play quarterback at a small college called Northwestern (think Martin Luther College today) in front of crowds that were not so huge and not on Sundays.
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Today my Sundays are filled with preaching and building relationships with the crowd at the church I serve. I’ve been a pastor for more than 35 years. My wife has been a teacher for about the same amount of time. She graduated from Dr. Martin Luther College (think Martin Luther College today). We both received excellent training from our ministerial education schools and have been blessed to serve. But it’s clear that the end of our careers is approaching. I would like to think that along the way a young person or two has heard me preach or had my wife in class and said, “I want to be like him.” “I want to be like her.”
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We need more people to be like my wife and me. Not us per se, of course, but our positions—the ones that we get to “play” in the field that God provides.
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What is love? First Corinthians chapter 13 gives a simple answer. Love is patient and kind. On the flip side, love is not proud, self-seeking, or easily angered. But love isn’t just a noun. Love is a verb. It acts. Love rejoices with the truth, protects, trusts, hopes, and . . .
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Most people would undoubtedly agree that the birth of a child is on the shortlist of life’s most joyful events. Few events bring as much joy to families, relatives, and whole communities than the arrival of a newborn “bundle of joy.” As the child grows up and celebrates a . . .
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Seeing a banner for an airplane-themed science camp for ages 3 and up. Having a chance meeting at a Mexican restaurant. Listening to a song from a confessional Lutheran rapper. For many, this is a series of seemingly unrelated, random events. But . . .
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