Facing the Giants

Harmony and I watched "Facing the Giants" this weekend. It's a movie about a football coach at a Christian school. I am usually suspect of "Christian" movies but it was actually quite good and I'd recommend it especially to families with teens as it deals with some important issues such as, what is the most important goal in sports/life. The one noticably missing piece (as is the case with most "Christian" media in my experience) is explicit teaching on sin. Although the theology in the movie was solid and repentance was clearly displayed, the scenes of revival were not clearly connected to people dealing with sin but merely "following God."

On Friday, Harmony went to a "Steer" conference with a couple other ladies from the church. Steer is a very interesting ministry. It enables farmers and ranchers to support missionaries financially when they otherwise might not be able to. One of the ways Steer does this is by a rancher setting aside the calves from one of his cows to be sold and the money to go to a missionary of his choosing. It's a perpetual source of suport for a missionary since healthy cows have one calf a year and so each year around the same time the missionary can expect a sizeable check.

Harmony and I have begun volunteering with Child Evangelism's "Kid's Club" at the local school. This is a once a month activity for K-6th graders in which after school they gather in the cafeteria for snacks, games, songs and teaching from Scripture, including a clear Gospel presentation. The first session of the year was last Wednesday and Harmony and I see it as a good way to get to know the kids and families in the community.

For the first time this college football season, both of my teams won! Notre Dame got their first victory and Northwestern won in dramatic fashion against Michigan State. I believe this is the farthest into the season before both teams won that I can remember, since I've been rooting for ND and NU anyway (c. 1997).

Please continue to pray for wisdom w/r/t to starting up a ministry for the youth, for Harmony planning an outreach Bible study for women in the community and for my monthly meeting with the Elders on Sunday. Pray that we would lead this church to a more God-honoring place. If you'd like to listen to this week's sermon on 1 Peter 2:18-25 entitled, "Respecting Authority Glorifies God: Part 2 (workplace)," click here.