"We are his Witnesses" by nike

The 10 story Nike mural that hung in downtown Cleveland of Lebron James with outstretched arms, along with his face looking heavenward and the words "WE ARE HIS WITNESSES" is finally gone, THANKFULLY! Talk about IDOLATRY. That mural made my stomach turn.

In the O.T., idolatry was evidenced by graven images like that of Baal. In modern times, interestingly enough, it's images & names of sports icons which can be found on murals, posters, t-shirts, uniform tops, cards, pictures and more. Both time periods are offering the same thing, images that are to be worshipped by the people! None more obvious than the one that hung in Cleveland, until this weekend.

Sports teams are used often times by people to fill their need for community as well. They want to be connected to all those like minded people who have a similar passion. They become absolutely fanatical, from an early age (thanks to their fathers) about their teams. It's a deep connection that binds people together. If one of these fanatics sees another at a restaurant, store or even a rest stop, wearing the team's logo, even if they are complete strangers, they will exchange pleasantries or maybe even get into a deep discussion about the team! If strangers happen to be sitting next to each other at a game and their team does something fantastic they will often times high five and even hug each other.

Likewise there is a need for many people to have a sports hero or two. Someone who is GREAT and better than all the rest. This gives an individual someone to hold up, follow and revere. Both become part of an individual's worship experience. That which was meant for Christ through the body of believers to be found through the local church is discovered in the sports sanctuaries called stadiums all across our country. The headlines in one Miami newspaper last week pictured Wade, Bosc and James under the headline, "THE NEW KINGDOM." Man oh man, that just feels eerily wrong to me.

Has our love for sports gone too far? Yes, along time ago. I should know. I'm a recovering addict. Due to emotional needs I became addicted to the praises of men and many other sicknesses early on. I overdosed on sports time and time again. I was the worst of the worst of addicts! Yet, my life was spared! This sports junkie who fell in love with God has learned the error of his ways (and there have been many) and little by little, day by day, I have discovered the joy of recovery and consequently, the place sports should occupy in my life as a father, coach and fan.

Here are five lessons learned: 1. What a great platform sports is for teaching our kids about righteousness and training them up in the way they should go. 2. Parents must first adopt a kingdom perspective toward their kids' participation in sports to maximize these teaching opportunities. 3. What a great avenue for fathers to unpack their own emotional issues from past sports experiences, unfulfilled athletic dreams and their relationship to their own father through sports, so that they won't live vicariously through their children's sports experiences and/or pass on some of the same patterns of sin to their children 4. Find the right balance between spending time in prayer, alone with God, the study of the scriptures and ministry service involvement, and watching sports on TV (and/or playing). 5. Those who become coaches at any level should be focused first on being positive "Life Influencers" than on winning games. It's not an either/or, but a priority order.

I could go on and on with the lessons I've learned, the branches that have been cut off and the ones that have been pruned with regards to my involvement in sports as an athlete, coach, father, fan and sports minister. I've fallen oh, so short too many times. And as I've stood back and watched the recent Lebron signing circus, the Woods debacle, the USC sanctions, the cheating in soccer that has just become part of the game, the youth sports environment, and so much more I've come to this conclusion: we desperately need Christians who find themselves in the environment of competitive sports, whether they be athletes, coaches, or parents, to accept the challenge of living out the righteousness of God, by abiding in Him, so that we can be the salt & light to a lost, lost world that is looking for a SAVIOR to WORSHIP and A COMMUNITY TO BE A PART OF. We have the opportunity to join the work of Christ, and He has already left the GREATEST LEGACY ever left on this earth!

Thanks Bo and Mac

Just wanted to say a BIG thank you to Bo and Mac Cramer for taking the initiative to invite 3 friends from Vanderbilt to go with them to Langano to assist Sports Friends with the first week of summer camp. Instead of having the 40 Ethiopian girls attend our first week that we planned for, 65 showed up! EPHRAIM! He just can't help himself. Sure hope Shane found enough food to feed everyone. Sounds like it was an AWESOME week from all the reports I have received. Many of the girls lives were impacted in a spiritual way.... forever! Please keep these girls and their leaders in your prayers. Pray for spiritual growth, courage and wisdom for each of them. Thanks again BO & Mac for making the Vandy team happen (thanks for all the admin. work by Danny, Cindy Ely and Mom & Dad Crammer as well). Oh, and thank you to the David Harding family for sending your girls and their friends to the camp to help as well. Hope you were blessed by the experience.

July 4th, 1966

I remember the day so clearly. I was on the porch of our home on 9 Arcade Street in Whitinsville, Massachusetts and lots of people were coming to the house. I kept trying to go in the front door, but no one would let me in and I had no idea why. I kinda made it into a game and when I thought nobody was looking, I'd try an sneak in. I never succeeded and the funny thing was nobody else thought it was funny! Finally, my brother (I think it was Steve?) took me up to the ball field to play catch and not long after that I was taken in a car to my other brothers house to be with my nieces and nephews. Yes, my nieces and nephews. You see I was an uncle the day I was born. Not the most planned baby in the whole wide world, maybe even a mistake, but then again God doesn't make any of those now does he? Mom was 46 and Dad 51 when I was born in a Worcester hospital and my brother Jim was already married with 2 kids and 26 years old. My sister Carol was just a couple years younger than Jim, and my brother Bruce just a couple more after that. Steve was the first mistake (?) and was 14 when I came on the scene.

Well I stayed at my brother Jim's house under the care of his wonderful wife Joanie for a week before my Dad came down. Soon after he arrived he took me up the street for a ride....just me and him. When we reached the fairgrounds he slowed the car down and proceeded to tell me (I was sitting in the back seat) that Mom had died. I WAS SHOCKED! I knew she was sick but I guess at the age of 6 you don't really realize or even think your mom could die. Never in my wildest imagination did I think she was dying! That I would never ever see her again!

After I had a short time to grieve it was back to "normal" life again, never did my Dad and I ever talk about Mom again. But she had left a lasting impression on me, forever! Her greatest gift was that she regular prayed over me. Apparently, 2 years before I was born, a woman by the name of Estell Carter led my Mom to Christ (she also met with my mom regularly to see that she grew in her faith). Obviously my mother knew she was dying of cancer and our time together would be cut short on this earth. I'm sure this must have intensified her prayers for me and that's exactly what I remember about her. She prayed with me everyday. I don't remember one word of any of those prayers, but I have burned into my mind the picture of me kneeling next to her bed as she put her right hand upon my head and PRAYED FOR ME! Could she have given me any better memory? Any better gift? "The prayer of a righteous person has great power...." James 5:16. I am one grateful son who indeed wishes I had more time on this earth with my mom, but knows that in our short time together SHE GAVE TO me something more valuable than any materialistic thing on this earth....SHE GAVE ME HER LOVE AND HER INTENSE PRAYERS....WHAT ELSE COULD I HAVE EVER ASKED FOR!! Thank You Mom.

PS "Mom....I've got good news and bad news....the bad news is I'm the chief sinner of a sports ministry...the good news is I love GOD WITH ALL MY HEART, SOUL, STRENGTH and MIND.........hmmmm....guess you knew that already though huh? Thinking of you on this independence celebration day which I'm so grateful to our troops for -what a privilege to live in a free country! But nothing compares to the freedom I have in Christ. Mom I believe your prayers played a role in that....THANKS!

A grateful man.....

Yesterday was the first day in 3 months that I felt the invisible weight off my shoulders of the cumbersome regular doctors visits, testing, sickness, lack of energy, and pain that went along with my recent health related issues. It was a day in which I just felt filled with joy and I even had a zeal for doing some of the most mundane tasks in life (even went to Loew's and replaced a shower head!...if you know me that's BIG!...I mean huge!).

Along the way, people have encouraged and challenged me as I've sought to listen to God for what He would have me learn during this journey. Today I share with you one of these challenges from a brother in Christ:

"OK, here’s my challenge for you…ask God to never let you be the same given He has spared your life. Be curious about that and remember it often so that you remain a grateful man!"

Good words...no...Great words! But what do they mean and how do they apply to my life as a follower of Christ? So this of course got me to thinking, asking, praying and reading.... What are the characteristics of "a grateful man?" What does the Bible say about being grateful? Teach me Holy Spirit about what it means to be a grateful man of God in the days ahead as I have been spared battling cancer and perhaps even my life? Being "a grateful man" should impact my life for the cause of Christ how?

Any thoughts, comments or lessons learned from your life experiences in this area, or your reading from the Word or convictions from the HS are absolutely welcomed, as I take time to understand it's application for my life. Thank you brothers and sisters in Christ.

UGLIER THAN NORMAL.....

Well after Mohs surgery on the side of my face and a biopsy on my lip which required several stitches I was looking uglier than normal. Ugh! Today I received the report back on my lip and the biopsy tested positive for scimus cells. So next Thursday they will dig away at my lip to remove all those cancer cells and two other spots on my back. I'm very grateful for the outstanding job the nurse and surgeon did last week and I'm almost looking forward to seeing them on Thursday Am...almost!

Tomorrow Chris and I leave for Charleston where we will visit a cancer center on Wednesday morning. I will have some more Cat Scans and possible needle biopsies done as well as a consultation with a head & neck specialist by the name of Dr. Lentsch. This will serve as our second opinion. Boston got cancelled after I had purchased tix. Did some RDM instead!

On this trip I'm looking forward to seeing a former Eagle player, friend and partner of ours in ministry Josh Farrar, who currently is in residency at this hospital. In fact, Josh set all this up for me. Josh was a terrific player with a tremendous competitive fire who I enjoyed coaching so much........I'm trying to remember if there would be anything I did to him where it might incite him to want to stick a needle in my neck just for the fun of it! Let's hope not!

With shoulder rehab on Friday it's a busy week of doctor visits. Praying for a conclusion on the root cause of all the issues in my neck area, continued improvement with the muscles in my shoulder and positive minor surgery for the removal of skin cancer cells on my back/neck area & lip . Pray with us for these requests will you. thanks, bd

Note from Kenya leader who attended SF Africa Vision Trip last July

*Sports Friends is partnering with the Charlotte Eagles/MAI on a project in a M***** region

on the coast of Kenya. David and Mitch Sanford have been working on training leaders in

this area for several years and planting the seeds for the development of sports ministry. Last

year they invited us to partner with them to assist them in the training of sports ministry leaders and the establishment of strategic initiatives. We agreed only after bringing in their top leader to see the work in Ethiopia in our Arsi Negele region and to share with him the SF long term approach to developing ongoing sustainable CCSM led by nationals. We wanted to be sure he bought into this approach and believed a similar approach could be used effectively in Kenya among the unreached groups. This former Iman now strong Christian leader who is radiant with Christ sweet spirit and love strongly felt a similar approach could bare Kingdom fruit in his region and beyond. A brief note from this leader after a recent training for Pastors and level 2 coaching leaders is below:

Mama and I do hope that all is well with you and your family, and God is blessing you and your ministry. It was good that you came at this time of the year, and ran the training with the key Pastors of *Blank and Blank* Districts. More fire is lit and Pastors have gone back to their respective Churches with fire for starting sports ministry teams!

This month of April, I have visited 4 Churches in the bush and these Pastors have started sports ministry teams– many people gather outside the Churches to watch. I am excited about your returning trip in August for the first ever Football Camp.

Thank you for all the s[ports equipments you sent for all the teams, every team/coach had something to take back home. Our Lamu team is registered for this season’s league – I will make sure we keep you informed….. I went to the boarder of Somalia and Kenya, and started a preaching point (seeds of a church plant) of 39 people by using the ball – we left a missionary there.

***PRAY FOR THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THIS MINISTRY AND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE PASTORS, COACHES AND YOUTH FROM THE EVIL ONE!

^OUR FUNDING INVOLVEMENT WITH THIS SPECIAL INITIATIVE IN AUGUST FOR 70 YOUTH IS $3500. IF YOUR INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN THIS MINISTRY INITIATIVE OF $10 OR MORE THEN PLEASE SEND TO SIM PO BOX 7900 CHARLOTTE, NC 28241 WRITE IN THE MEMO OF YOUR CHECK AFRICAN EXPANSION PROJECT 99803

For just $39.....

YOU can provide an incredible life memory for a young african child by assisting with the expenses of a one week camp experience. These youth are part of an ongoing Sports Friends church centered project somewhere in the country. They come to camp with their trained SF coaches who have often times been investing into the lives of these young people for at least a year. $39 bucks (avg. cost between our camps) will help send one child, between the ages of 11 to 15, to either our Ethiopian, Nigerian or new Kenyan Sports Friends camp location. It's a dynamic camp environment from the moment they step off the bus. Singing, cheering, games, team building, ping pong, foose ball, swimming, soccer training, individual and team competitions, drama's, teachable moments, daily talk times, reflection times, cabin inspections, SF awards daily, interaction with Ethiopian staff and Western Guests, a bon fire, goat roast, cultural dancing, wacky wednesday dress day, and informal one on one chats along the path headed to the field or to the dining hall. It's a GREAT ADVENTURE, one that these kids will remember forever. It's an experience that is often times life changing for many of these young people. To Donate Please send to SIM PO BOX 7900 Charlotte, NC 28241-7900 and PUT IN MEMO LINE: SPORTS FRIENDS PROJECT 92764