They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas. It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down.
For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through. Did you hear that? The other team's fans?
They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.
It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on - by name.
"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"
And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.
But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five-handcuffs ready in their back pockets – and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.
This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery-many of whose families had disowned them – wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.
So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans-for one night only – cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."
Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."
Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!"
I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "
They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"
It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"
Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.
After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this:
"Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."
And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.
As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home - a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.
The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."
And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.
Anyway, with the economy six feet under and Christmas running on about three and a half reindeer, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give is still absolutely free.
Hope.
Thanks to Clyde Davis for forwarding this to me...its a great time to have a little perspective!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! If you are like me, you have put on your “fat pants” in great expectations of overeating and are making plans to see family and friends. Perhaps your day will be one of quiet relaxation. Whatever your plans, I want you to think about this: While it is okay to be thankful for what we have, we should be more thankful for Who we have!
I had the opportunity to see the sunrise this morning and I was reminded once again of our Risen Savior. We have so much to be thankful for in Him and I want to encourage you today to concentrate on the good things. The sermon this week will be from Colossians 1 and Paul tells us that we are to be thankful for the faith, love and hope we have in Christ Jesus. We are to hold to the Truth we have in Him and nothing else. Paul tells us to be joyful always, pray continuously and give thanks in all circumstances. Together, we have so much…we have God in our lives, Jesus for our salvation, each other to help us through the tough times and a plan to make real change happen. God is Good!
I am specifically thankful for each of you and God’s providence for bringing us together. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. That reminds me…if you are traveling, don’t use that as an excuse to miss church. Find a church where ever you are and worship with them. What a blessing to you and to them!
A couple of things I missed in This Week at Fellowship. First, we are trying something a little different this Sunday. We are moving Steve Adam’s Sunday School class into the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary Class will meet every Sunday at 9:45 am and will be encouraged to grow and grow. This class will be an alternative for adult Bible study. Also, December 14 is our Adult Choir Christmas Cantata in both services.
See you Sunday – remember…it is Southern Gospel Sunday…wear the pearl snaps! Sunday night is our Campfire Worship service with hot dogs and ‘Smores. Bring a chair and a friend!
I love you all…may God Bless You!
Pastor Michael
Throughout the Bible, God brought revival and renewal when the people were willing to change. We have been talking about revival for months and have been preparing for it through prayer, discipleship and evangelism. We see the beginnings of revival occurring around us and in our church. We just have to look at the changed lives and people giving their lives to Jesus to see God is at work in Liberty Hill!
This weekend, we are taking revival to the community and we are desperately seeking God to bring renewal…not just to Fellowship Baptist (revival has been here for some time), but to our homes, our community and our nation. If we really expect revival and change to occur, we must follow Biblical principles to effect change.
First, there must be a vision for renewal and revival. Fellowship Baptist has been praying and seeking revival for years. The spirit and desire for change and renewal has been here for some time and God has been preparing us for His good works.
Second, we must confess. Confess your shortcomings to God. Name them. Allow yourself to grieve those things that separate you from Him. Turn from those things and recognize that God can overcome all things.
Third, we must be willing to change. Even this morning, I see people changing their lives to move closer to God. I see new activities to reach people. I watched in wonder last night as our Youth swarmed neighborhoods and passed out fliers and talk to people about revival. What an awesome sight to watch these kids walk up to perfect strangers and begin talking to them about church! We are willing to change and change has begun to occur!
Fourth, we have to earnestly pray with conviction and lift our voices with expectation! In our Sunday morning messages, we have discussed prayer and preparation for several months. You have been encouraged to devote time to being alone with God. I pray you have been praying for God’s revelation to come upon you. I trust you are being faithful in setting aside time to be still and know he is God. Now is the time! Pray for change, pray for revival!
Fifth, the people fasted. We see the connection throughout the Bible. Whenever a person or a group of people had a deep spiritual need, needed protection, or were crying out to God for revival, they prayed and fasted. Last Sunday, I called for the church to enter a daylight fast for Friday, September 5. I challenged you to spiritually prepare to fast through prayer and seeking God’s will for your fast. I challenged you to make a list of needs and people to pray for during your fast. Are you ready?
Here are the rules to fasting: there are no rules. Fasting is a matter of the heart and is a relationship between you and God. I have challenged you to abstain from solid foods from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm on Friday. As you experience hunger, rejoice that God is your sole provider! As you experience discomfort, find a quiet place to pray your list of needs and people.
Hopefully you have been preparing all week and have been reducing your diet already. If not, no big deal. Remember – we rely on God to see us through.
Eat a salad tonight…nothing heavy. When you wake up in the morning, pray with God to help you through the day. Concentrate on the purpose of your fast. Pray the list of names and needs. Prepare for your day just as you always do. (Read Matthew 6:16-18).
Every time you think about fasting (and you will…it might even occupy most of your thoughts) lift a silent prayer to God and smile because of His strength and His providence. Thank Him for allowing you to worship Him in this way.
As the day goes on, you will several experiences. First, there will be several times when you are tempted to “break the fast” early. Hold strong! Remember who it is that tempts us and rebuke him! You will find that as lunchtime comes and goes, you will experience hunger but it will subside. Drink TONS AND GALLONS of water! Have a soda or a sports drink. Smile to everyone. Share a kind word with everyone you meet.
When you can, slip away for alone time with God. Listen to His moving. Feel His providence. Think your prayer to Him. Name names, identify needs, confess sins. As you near the end of your fast, pray in victory! Claim that God has heard your petitions and His Spirit is already moving in the people and needs you brought to Him.
When your fast ends, enjoy a salad…nothing big, nothing heavy. Rejoice in the pleasure food brings and recognize it as a gift from God.
Remember, fasting is between you and God. Follow Jesus’ example and do your fasting in secret, except for prayer partners who are supporting you through your fast:
Matthew 6:16-18 "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Fall onto God’s promises during your fast:
Isaiah 58:6-10 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Finally, believe God is faithful and prayer and fasting are sweet worship to Him. Believe God hears our prayers and answers them.
James 1:2-6 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
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