Pastor Caleb Gordon: What if we knew more about God than football?

Football season is just around the corner and men all around the country are waiting in excitedanticipation.

Men take this thing called football so seriously and it just blows my mind. I know of men who know every stat, detail that they can know about certain players or teams. Men know all this information and these players are strangers to them. Though they may feel like they know the players personally, they do not.

This has plagued the men of our country for generations. We know so much about things that matter so little. We have so much knowledge and information about celebrities and sports players, but that information does nothing to help better or transform our lives. What if men took the time and energy that we spend on knowing sports stats and put it into knowing the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ? It would utterly and eternally transform how we live our lives and how we impact those around us.

Look at these verses: “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb. 12:2-3).

I think the reason we have so many issues and hardships with men inside the church world is that our focus is on the wrong things. Sport has become our idol, and as a result, we grow weary. We put so much effort and stock in these men and teams that when they “let us down,” or lose, we grow depressed, sad, angry, or weary. Why? Because we have turned sports into something that it was never meant to be. It should be entertainment, and that is it. But sadly, we have turned sports into a god.

The thing that I find interesting is that these same guys who memorize all of these stats about their favorite player and sports team also say they have a hard time memorizing Bible verses. Bottom line is, we invest in what is important to us. We do what we want to do. Men do things for a payoff. If we could see that there was a big payoff for spending time in the Bible, we would do it more. The sad thing is, there is a massive payoff to spending time in God’s word, but most fail to understand what that payoff is!

When we devote time and energy into knowing Jesus, we grow closer to Him. That’s a massive payoff, but most men don’t, or even can’t, see it. We are so distracted with the trinkets of this life and its temporary entertainment that we have missed the everlasting blessing of the person and work of Christ revealed to us through His Word.

What would happen if we as MEN approached church, the Bible, and Jesus the way we approach sports? What would happen if we put in as much time, energy, passion, resources, and drive into these three things? What would our communities look like? What would our church services look like? How strong would our families be? Think, if men took all the above things seriously, everything would change!

I think that the reason many men have not approached church, or their faith, with this type of enthusiasm or tenacity is because we have bought the lie that getting plugged into church makes a man weak. We have been duped into thinking that studying your bible is only for those who are in search of a theological degree. Christian men should love studying theology, whether they are pastors or not. All men are shepherds. It is a man’s job to theologically lead their homes, churches, and communities.

Zach Garris writes in his book Masculine Christianity, "Sadly, the modern church has traded the biblical worldview of patriarchy for that of our matriarchal and effeminate culture. The Bible calls for men to rule their households, the church, and society. Men are supposed to protect and provide for their families, which puts their wives in a place of honor. Feminism is rebellion against such God-given authority, and now we are left with women acting like men and men acting like women.

Without godly male rule, we are left with single mothers, fatherless children, promiscuity, cohabitation, abortion, rape, women ‘pastors,’ political correctness, and a father-usurping government that has duped people into thinking it will fix all our woes. Let us cast off such foolishness and restore our society to the rule of fathers."

Men, let us do something much bigger and much more impactful in church this year! Let us invest! Let us approach all things theological the same way we do our love for sports. Then watch and see how it changes the world. Plan, set up opportunities for spiritual wins in your family. Take time to gather as men and study God’s word together. Memorize biblical truth by taking the time to read and study the Bible.

I do not want to just point out the problem. I also want to provide the solution. I want to show you wayswe can invest.

Men, start by doing this: before you go to bed, take time to read a Psalm or Proverb with your family. Start with Psalm 1. Take time to read it aloud with your wife and children. It’s six verses, but those six verses pack a punch. Make it a goal for you and your family to MEMORIZE these six verses together.

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sitsin the seat of scoffers;but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.In all that he does, he prospers.The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Then after that take time to pray with your family. LEAD the prayer…it does not have to be eloquent. Prayto the Lord from your heart. Here is an acronym to help:

PRAY

P – Praise: Take time to praise God for who HE is. “Thank you, God for being so good to us as a familyand providing the way you have.”R – Requests: Present your requests to the LORD… “Father, tonight we want to pray for (name theperson or situation).” Ask God to a work in that person’s life or situation.A – Apologize: Take time to repent of your own sins before the Lord and in front of your family. “Godforgive me of my sinfulness. Where I have fallen short and been hateful today, please forgive me andcleanse me from that, Lord.”Y – Yield: Where the Lord convicts of sin, yield to His will and follow His direction for your life. “LORD,help me to follow and love You more tomorrow than I did today. Help me to obey and trust You more as Iwalk through the day. “

These are simple ways to start leading your home and moving forward to do the same in the placeswhere you go in your everyday life.

I pray that this helps move you in a direction that transforms you into the image of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Caleb Gordon is a longtime Bartlesville resident and pastor of the First Baptist Church of Cedar Vale, Kansas

This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: Pastor Caleb Gordon: What if we knew more about God than football?