Servant Leaders, the Bible and the MBTI...

The following was written by Pastor Kris Freeman as a servant leadership research thesis for Trevecca Nazarene University.

In the hours before his trial, crucifixion and death, Jesus spoke these words to his disciples: “but among you, it will be different.” (Luke 22:26, The New Living Translation). The words of Jesus are true for any servant leader who pursues the calling placed upon a life by God. This calling signifies purpose, defines existence, and aligns lives with the will of God, the Heavenly Father. It was Jesus who knew more about his disciples than they of themselves, and explored their inner voice to be responsive to the coming of The Holy Spirit.

For this reason, every leader must examine this “voice within,” — a vocare, a word of Latin root meaning “to summon (transitive verb) or calling (active noun)” (The Latin Dictionary). I am a servant of God, and have been called by Him for the direct purpose of servant leadership, to His kingdom and to the people I get the privilege to serve. I would like to take the opportunity to explain how the passage of Jesus’ words to his disciples has shaped the calling placed upon my life, and fulfill the “five practices of exemplary leadership” as outlined by this class at Trevecca Nazarene University, and Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge (Kouzes, Posner). 

To better understand how Jesus shaped his words to his disciples as servant leaders, it takes a greater context of the story. Two of the 12 were James and John, the sons of Zebedee and nicknamed by Jesus the “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17, NLT). Both brothers came from a prominent family whose father had friendship and connection to the high priest. Their mother, Salome (All Women of the Bible), a devout follower of Jesus, asked him for a personal favor to give her sons a seat at his right hand when Jesus “came into his Kingdom.” (Mark 10:35-40, NLT). Jesus did not deny her request, but corrected her, and thus sets the table for the conversation recorded in chapter 22 of The Gospel of Saint Luke.

Just prior to The Last Supper, a final meal with Jesus and his disciples before his death, James and John were among a group of disciples discussed who would have the prominent seat by Jesus in the coming kingdom. As he would illustrate visually by washing the disciples feet, Jesus then demonstrates the calling of the disciples and paints a vivid picture of their future with this statement:

But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. You have stayed with me in my time of trial. And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel (Luke 22:26-30, The New Living Translation).

To this point, the disciples had been learners. As servant leaders, he was about to send them as ambassadors and define the role as apostles (MacArthur, 17). 

I am a leader, because I have been called as a servant. I am a servant, because I am submissive to the will of the Almighty God. I am submissive, because I realize that without God, I am nothing. And I am nothing, so I may serve my fellow man with humility and honor. It is this circle of servant leadership which defines my vocare and I hope to illustrate how God has shaped me as a learner and an ambassador to be his disciple and apostle.

Kouzes and Posner further explain the role of a servant leader in five practices: leaders model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and encourage the heart (8-38). There are exemplary servant leaders in scripture who model these five practices. Joshua was commissioned by God as strong as courageous and modeled the way in the wilderness to eventually lead the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. Nehemiah inspired a shared vision, asking the residents of the city to work on the rebuilding of the wall using the section in front of their own homes. Haggai challenged the process by encouraging the people of Israel to work on their hearts before working on their city stirring the spirit of the people. Elijah enabled others to act by passing the mantle of leadership to his apprentice, Elisha, and such did the Apostle Paul in the New Testament to Timothy. Andrew encouraged the heart by introducing many to Jesus including the first disciples and developed a reputation as one with a close connection with the Savior because of his people skills.

Joshua modeled the way for leadership, but this came with humility and respect. At the death of his mentor, Moses, God responded to the prayer of Joshua. “Be strong and courageous, for I the Lord am with you wherever that you go” (Joshua 1:9, NLT). Outside of Jesus, it is my opinion Joshua is the greatest leader of the Bible. He was a military commander, a confident and trustworthy strategist and spy, and was fair and honorable as the leader of people in crossing into the land of Canaan and dividing up the land among the 12 tribes. “As a leader the first person I should lead is me” (Kouzes, Posner 42). Joshua realized to leave a legacy of influence as an exemplary servant leader, he must know himself and exemplify these practices. Therefore, Joshua’s modeling the way leaves an impact worth following.

Nehemiah inspired a shared vision and rebuilt the wall around the city in 52 days. Kouzes and Posner further illustrate leaders envision the future and “passionately believe they can make a positive difference” (53). A servant in the court of the Persian king, Nehemiah requested leave to pray, plan and prepare a vision to rebuild the wall around the destroyed city of Jerusalem. This calculated process came full circle when the people followed the vision, stayed true to their work despite opposition, and celebrated its completion together. Through adversity, the people learned to trust a leader and work together. Nehemiah’s legacy as a builder inspires vision in others to stay the course and see God’s work to completion, and as a servant leader, he did not watch the process. He actively worked on the wall.

Similar to Nehemiah, Haggai had a difficult job of speaking to a broken-hearted people looking to rebuild God’s temple after war-torn destruction. But Haggai challenged the process in leadership, reminding the people of a spiritual problem which needed correction before the physical problem was resolved. “So the Lord sparked the enthusiasm…of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God” (Haggai 1:14, NLT). If the enemy of growth is complacency, then Haggai challenged the comfortably of the people to get the job done. Exemplary leaders have courage, and this incremental change took what seemed like a small challenge and worked a big victory. 

Elijah enabled Elisha to act. One of only two Old Testament leaders to go the presence of God without death (Elijah and Enoch), Elijah was carried away by a chariot of fire. During the process, he was followed by his apprentice Elisha, who asked for a “double portion of his spirit” to fall upon him (2 Kings 2:9, NLT). This double portion was symbolized by a mantle worn around the neck of Elijah, signifying his leadership. The result was Elisha performed double the number of miracles recorded in the Bible to that of Elijah, minus one. After his death, a man was resurrected when his body was thrown into the tomb of Elisha and touched his bones, completing the miraculous double portion of miracles (2 Kings 13:21, NLT). Elijah was not the easiest leader to follow, but Elisha’s persistence matched Elijah’s challenge and he was enabled to act.

Andrew is listed among the first four disciples, but was first a disciple of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ in the New Testament. The brother of Peter, Andrew takes prominence for encouraging others to act. He introduces Peter, James and John to Jesus as the fishermen dropped their nets and followed Christ. In John 12:20, he brings a group of Greek gentiles to Christ despite the hesitation of Philip. Most notable, it was Andrew who courageously brought a young man to Jesus in John 6:8, after the other disciples wished to send away thousands of hungry people. With encouragement and a servant heart, Andrew inspired the young man to donate five loaves and two fishes, and Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children. It appears by examination Andrew was a leader among the people, showed great humility, and loved to be a “right-catcher” (Kintner) and find those doing well and encourage an introduction to Jesus. The fact that Andrew is recognized less than Peter, James and John in the inner circle of the apostles says much about his ability to encourage and inspire others and take the emphasis off himself.

An interesting case study might be the evaluation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) of the leaders in the Bible. While this instrument was not possessed in Biblical times to assess how each would handle and formulate leader opportunities, we have the ability to use their experiences and shape our own. The Myers-Briggs types parallel the gifts of the Holy Spirit as recognized in scripture. 

As a very clear E (extroversion), a moderate S (sensing), a clear T (thinking) and very clear J (judging), I find the shape of my Myers-Briggs profile lends itself to match my spiritual gifts. My top three spiritual gifts are teaching, shepherding and administration, which emphasize my leadership qualities of finding energy as an extrovert and completing tasks as a J. My shepherding heart is matched by a clear discernment of thought and spirit, and my decisions are made administratively as a thinker. The reliance upon discernment explains why I have balanced the role of a moderate S with a lean toward N (intuition) in how I process information.

Thus, becoming a servant leader means before leading and influencing others, one must know themselves. While Biblical leaders never had the opportunity to identify as a Myers-Briggs type, each understood their vocare, even if that was developed by God through discipleship over time. This shapes me, and others, as we look to our heroes and examples in the Bible for further direction in developing leadership principles.

While much of this writing has focused on Biblical characters, I also take inspiration in leadership from other people who have inspired my journey to a calling as a husband and a father, pastor of a church, a missionary to other countries, and an announcer and coach in local sports. Each of those roles contains a foundational parallel - using the voice given to me by God to inspire others with the vocare placed within my heart and soul, the voice within.

The greatest inspiration as a voice to me was legendary broadcaster Jack Buck of the St. Louis Cardinals and radio giant KMOX 1120-AM. Recently, MLB Network produced a seven-minute video documentary (Jack and The Kid) of Jack Buck secretly mentoring John O’Leary. O’Leary nearly died in 1987, in a self-induced gasoline explosion as a child and lost his fingers. As a Cardinals fan, he was surprisingly visited by Buck in the hospital while he was sedated and unable to speak. Buck used his own voice to say “Wake up kid, listen to me, you have to keep fighting.”

The nine-year-old did, and O’Leary left the hospital with skin grafts on 87 percent of his body. He learned to write again using his disabled hands when Buck promised him an autographed baseball of a Cardinals player or legend, as long as John could write a thank-you note in return. The result was over 60 baseballs delivered to his home. Thirty years later, O’Leary is now a motivational speaker, author and was even mentioned by Buck in his baseball Hall of Fame induction speech. This year, O’Leary was brought into the Cardinals clubhouse to speak and inspire the team.

Buck modeled the way, inspired a shared vision, challenged the process, enabled him to act and encouraged his heart and this left a legacy that is now being written by O’Leary — both for the safety of young people around flammable products, and to the disabled and challenged who need inspiration. This is the model for servant leadership. It is quite amazing that Buck’s humility allowed the story to be told 15 years after the announcer’s death from Parkinson’s Disease in 2002.

A servant leader lives to inspire and influence this type of legacy. I have been shaped by the experiences of others, both Biblical heroes and modern servants, to construct the reflection of how God shapes my calling within me and how I see my own abilities to fulfill this calling. My giftedness and talent are ultimately for the betterment of others and the honor of God.

A calling or vocare always involves service to others. May we all grow roots in leadership which are authentic and pure, knowing the fruit each one grows is never for the tree itself. The fruit is always for the one which needs nourishment, and therefore the disciplined working of the crop is worth every effort.

When Jesus said it would be different among you, this is the type of apostle he was calling to go to the world.

References 

Buck, Joe, MLB Network. (Director). (2017, June 15). Jack and The Kid [Video file]. Retrieved from http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/7417714/v1501773283/jack-and-the-kid-the-story-of-john-oleary

Gateway, Bible (n.d.). All the Women of the Bible: Salome No. 2. Retrieved from https:// www.biblegateway.com/resources/all-women-bible/Salome-No-2

Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2013). Carol Stream, Ill, Tyndale House Publishers. 

Lewis, C. T., Andrews, E., & Freund, W. (2002). A Latin dictionary: founded on Andrews edition of Freunds Latin dictionary. Oxford: Clarendon Press

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2004). Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

MacArthur, J. (2007). Twelve Ordinary Men. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc

O'Neill, D. (2017, June 17). Nine-Year-Old Burn Survivor Got Unexpected Inspiration. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved from http://www.stltoday.com/sports/other/year-old-burn-survivor-got-unexpected-inspiration-from-jack-buck/article_c8795f97-83b5-5d26-98e3-0449debf87f8.html

Jesus Serves (07.09.17 Notes)

Jesus Serves

#LoveLikeJesus Week 2

Pastor Kris Freeman

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Revolution Church

Scripture: John 13:1-15 (NLT)

Before the Passover Celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.  (John 13:1-2).

On Thursday night, there is a secret meeting in the upper room. Jesus is about to be betrayed, arrested, convicted and crucified and meets with his disciples one last time before this incredible event transpires. A discussion - who is the greatest among the disciples and will sit next to Jesus?

Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. (John 13:3-5).

Serving starts with your ATTITUDE.

- The disciples were selfish and not very discerning 

- Jesus was listening, humble and diligent to the task

- He even washed the feet of Judas who would betray him and Peter who denied him

He GOT UP - stopped what he was doing and put others ahead.

Why wash the disciples feet?

1. Common courtesy was to wash feet before entering the home/room. This should have already been done.
2. What are the common courtesies of your hospitality? - Take coat, offer place to sit, food or drink, adjust the temperature, place to stay. NONE of these seem like a low and humiliating task!
3. A normal host would have CALLED for a SERVANT instead of doing it themselves.

The act of washing feet was setting an example of HUMBLE service to proud hearts with selfish desires.

But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. Who is more important? The one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. (Luke 22:26-27)

Jesus is:

1. The AUTHORITY - King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, First and the Last, holds the Keys to Hell and Death, the Redeemer, the Rock, the Sanctification, the Righteousness
2. The ALL-SUFFICIENT - The Bread of Life, the Son of God, the Living Water, the Lamb of God, the True Vine, the King of Glory, the Chosen One, the Living Stone, the Righteous Judge, the Light of the World, the Great High Priest, the Prince of Peace
3. He is not either-or, he is BOTH-AND. He set the example: leaders serve and servants lead.
   

Quote this: Serving is not always about my actions. Serving starts with my attitude.

Washing their feet was showing them how much he LOVED them and was willing to humbly serve them, so they by example would serve the world.

Quote this: When you serve with the right heart, it’s not about you.

1. Your gifts are not about you.
2. Your talent is not about you.
3. Your serving is not about you.

Serving doesn’t need to be seen (but it CAN be), serving doesn’t need to be acknowledged (but it MIGHT be), serving doesn't need to be repaid (but it COULD be).

“But I can’t find a church that meets my needs.” WHAT??? Why? Every Christian has a calling. You are not called to be a Christian CONSUMER, you are called to be a Christian CONTRIBUTOR.

Want to change your marriage? Serve. Want to change your friendships? Serve. Want to find meaning in life? Serve. Want to make a difference in the world? Serve. Want to glorify Jesus? Serve. Want to make your church a better place for others to meet Jesus? Serve. Want to change your community? Serve.

If you want to love like Jesus, serve like Him.

#LoveLikeJesus

The Freedom of Dreams (An Independence Day Devotional)

Photo: The United States Marine Corps

The following was written for the White House Connection and appears in the July 4, 2017, edition of the publication.

By Kris Freeman

Revolution Church

Freedom comes with a sacrifice, and this was one as a young boy I was determined to make to achieve a dream. On Independence Day, I’m reminded of a commercial on which an iron worker heated a piece of metal that morphed into a uniformed United States Marine with his decorated sword.

“The few, the proud, The Marines.” I am certain you have seen the same commercial, and heard the slogan for the USMC which originated in 1977.

My grandfather was a veteran of the United States Army and served post war-time. My pastor served in the Vietnam War. I’ve lost a former ballplayer to a roadside IED, welcomed home best friends and kids from my church from training and deployment. I’ve baptized soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines who have served in combat in Iraq, Afghanistan and been stationed in Germany, Portugal, Japan and the Philippines. I lost a friend to a traffic accident after he returned home from basic training, and I performed the wedding ceremony of a wife and her Marine decked in the same uniform I saw in that commercial. One of my best friends in life is a former Command Sergeant Major in the United States Army stationed at Pearl Harbor.

The military, its purpose and calling, the service men and women who fight and sacrifice for our freedom, and the patriotism to our country matter to me. But part of the reason it has long stood out for me is not just the love for our country, but the opportunity I craved so badly and never achieved.

I never told my parents I wanted to be a Marine. Partly, because I was bullied and meek and thought no one would believe my intentions were pure. I wanted to fight for my country. I was willing to die for my country. And as I entered high school, this took on a greater mission when I saw the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps. I eventually watched them live on July 4, in Washington D.C. on a school trip for FBLA.

Many of you know me as a pastor, announcer and a coach. What you may not know is that I was diagnosed with a benign bone tumor in my left leg in middle school, resulting in the loss of my ability to play high school contact sports (baseball would have been my likely path). A blow to the left leg would break my tibia or fibula in half. So reluctantly, I stayed with a path of music despite my pure intention to play sports and never step in the band room again.

I came from a musical family, so it was an easy transition. I marched six years with the high school band and by my sophomore year in high school, I was leading the trumpet section. I graduated as the winner of the Departmental Award for music at Portland High School. Yes, I’m a Blue Devil converted from a Panther but that’s another story for another time.

I had scholarship opportunities for music and turned them down because even if I couldn’t play baseball, I could coach, broadcast and write about it. And eventually I would, but there would be one hitch to the plan. I still dreamed of that USMC Drum and Bugle Corps, with a shined up horn, dress uniform and Fourth of July parade. I would have done what it took.

No one ever knew at age 17 I met with a recruiter, and the meeting took all of 30 seconds. “Do you have any pre-existing medical conditions?” He asked plainly and I replied, “yes, two years ago I was diagnosed with type one diabetes.” Game over. Dream over. Band horns down. And that’s the moment I decided I didn’t want music as a career.

Independence Day is a celebration of freedom, and what I have learned is that my choices to follow God’s path for my life seem well planned before I choose. What I feel I have missed is often replaced with fulfilling relationships with others who are my heroes.

They serve, they sacrifice and they save. Just as Jesus Christ did for me, and paid the ultimate price for the freedom from much more than foreign regime. He died so that I might have freedom from sin, and for that I am enlisted in a greater purpose to tell others about his grace, love, mercy and forgiveness.

But, as the fireworks explode this holiday into the sky, I can’t help but wonder what might have been and there is both a sense of envy and pride that dreams of marching forward. As band horns blare the sounds of the Fourth of July, I hoped one day I could play the song. I realize that decision could have cost my life, as the 1990s were filled with combat in the Middle East and Africa, among other places.

But I still remember that sun-soaked, 104-degree day in 1993 when my friends and I stood on the Fourth of July at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and toured Arlington National Cemetery. The freedom we possess is not about trumpets, or uniforms, pomp or circumstance. It’s about sacrifice. That day, there were no trumpets, no fanfare and no sounds. Just silence in honor of sacrifice.

And I am thankful for those who gave up their dreams so the rest of us could imagine them.

Happy Fourth of July, be safe, and serve someone today with significance.

Kris Freeman is the pastor of Revolution Church and the voice of the Blue Devils for White House High School football and basketball.

Jesus Forgives Sinners (07.02.17 Notes)

Jesus Forgives Sinners
#LoveLikeJesus Week 1
Pastor Kris Freeman
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Revolution Church

Scripture: Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

If you forgive those who sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14-15)

Jesus makes this statement during the Sermon on the Mount, at the close of teaching about THE LORD’S PRAYER. What does the Lord’s Prayer say about forgiveness?

And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

The story of Jesus is about FORGIVENESS and it is the HARDEST thing in the world to do.

Why did Jesus have to forgive?

• Most of you have been wounded by someone in need of forgiveness. 
• Abused you, took advantage of you, left you, lied about you, gossiped about you, betrayed you, cheated on you, hurt you, hit you, slandered you, hated you.
• Some times its what we consider a BIG-TIME OFFENSE and other times it’s ongoing, small things which build up to a great hurt over time: bitterness, unresolved anger, grudge, picking/bullying, racism.

People did these same things to Jesus - but one difference between us and Jesus.

Jesus was always hurt by others, but he was never the OFFENDER.

You need to forgive others, and you also need to forgive YOURSELF.

Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified - one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. (Luke 23:32-34)

But I’m not Jesus, how can I learn to forgive like him?

1. Pray for those who have HURT you.

Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. (Luke 6:28)

You have heard the law that says love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:43-44)

The Romans worshipped revenge and punishment like a god. The Jews believed in an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” War criminals have tortured for pleasure. Regimes have destroyed for gain. Modern-day we want payback before we pray-it-back. We are a vengeful, ravaged culture with grudge in mind and fight at heart. BUT WAIT…

Jesus taught forgiveness because ATTITUDE precedes right actions. You have to get it right in you, before you can expect it in anyone else!

Quote this: My prayer for others may not change THEM, but it always changes ME.

2. Forgive as you have been FORGIVEN.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (Colossians 3:13)

I don’t know about you - but Jesus has forgiven me. And sometimes I forget that!

What good is it doing you to hold on to the grudge?

“Unforgiveness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die” - Anne Lamont

Quote this: Forgiving someone won’t change the past, but it will change your future.

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and find out the prisoner was you.” - Lewis B. Smedes

When you forgive, five immediate things change in your life:

1. Your love
2. Your perspective
3. Your time (no, I really mean this. Just listen up!)
4. Your joy
5. Your future

#LoveLikeJesus

I Still Remember the Score...

By Kris Freeman
Revolution Church

You don't often have a lot of memories of younger days, especially not positive ones. I can recall my first spanking as a child. I remember throwing up on a blanket in the living room. I wasn't really fond of a head-on collision with the front porch rail, though I did triple in the winning run that night at six years old with stitches in my head. Perhaps pulling the bathroom rug and towel out from under my brother was a bad idea when he ended up with a busted chin.

One of my earliest memories was waking up in the hospital room after tonsil and adenoid surgery and hearing my pastor, Clayton Hall and his booming voice. I don't know what he said, but he brought me a tool set with a blue hammer and it was authentic with a wooden handle and iron tip.

So when I consider my memories of childhood, most of them center around trauma. Divorce of my parents as a young child was bitter. I can remember getting smacked in the mouth for talking too loud (and probably too much). My brother was kidnapped (and found) at White House City Park during a baseball game. We rushed home one night at age seven to beat a tornado from White House to Cottontown, only to have a tree collapse over the road before my dad got into the driveway of my grandfather's house.

Recalling a good memory takes effort, but I am thankful how adversity shapes me. But this is a good memory.

It was late October, 1982, and I was seven years old, playing in the floor of my Paw-Paw's house, just feet from the television. I remember the player tracking the ball, leaping to the fence and making the catch. I asked my dad and my Paw-Paw who the player was, and they answered Willie McGee of the St. Louis Cardinals.

His catch in that baby blue uniform helped propel the Cardinals to an eventual seven-game World Series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. My recognition of McGee had deeper roots, however, as my first official baseball game was a Double-A contest in Nashville when a younger McGee played for the Sounds as a part of the New York Yankees organization. He was traded as a minor leaguer and joined another defensive superstar in St. Louis for the 1982 season.

Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee laid the foundation for a run of three World Series appearances in six years. It's pretty easy to develop a love for a team who played frequently on NBC's Game of the Week, hoisted trophies and were regular starters for the National League in the All-Star Game.

By age 10, I had thousands of baseball cards. The Cardinals were on top of the world, and the Mets were pond scum (yes, that's a thing. Google it for the story). I'm still mad at Don Dekinger for blowing the call that cost the Cardinals another world championship in 1985, when the team collapsed a 3-1 lead and lost to the Kansas City Royals.

I was a baseball player, a baseball fan, and had the rosters of every single Major League Baseball team memorized, and made edits by reading the transaction wire in the newspaper. So in 1986, my dad and step-mother loaded up our baby blue Buick with my brother and step-sister and headed to St. Louis for my first MLB game.

The trip almost never happened. We suffered car trouble and rode to St. Louis with no air conditioning. My dad made the best of a bad situation and few things I remember from the trip include my father taking my brother's Pound Puppy named Buster. He was brown and every Pound Puppy stuffed animal had a stub tail. Dad rolled up the tail in the window on Interstate 24 somewhere around Paducah and my brother screamed in the back seat until he took it down. Somewhere, Buster STILL has a notch in his tail. I guarantee it.

The hotel had a pull out bed, and I think that's where Dawn slept. We went to the Arch and rode that claustrophobic enclosure to the top. It was June 23, 1986, and we arrived at Busch Stadium on a Monday. Ace left-hander John Tudor was pitching, but the Cardinals were 29-37 coming off a three-game win streak at Philadelphia and already 17.5 games out of first place of the dominant and hated Mets.

I remember watching the Cardinals warm up in front of the dugout, gazing for that infamous "51" on the back of McGee's jersey. As the game started, a superstar backflipped his way to shortstop as he was introduced, and my dad would tell me the story of The Wizard being traded before the 1982 season from the San Diego Padres. That had significance, because it's the first time I remember my father telling me that he was born in San Diego and moved to Tennessee at a very young age and never went back.

Both my favorites would play a role in the win. The game went to extra innings, tied 1-1 after a brilliant pitching performance by Tudor. Barry Bonds struck out in the top of the 11th and Terry Pendleton led off the bottom of the 11th with a single. Andy Van Slyke popped up a bunt, but the Cardinals cycled back to the top of the lineup and Vince Coleman and Ozzie Smith drew walks to load the bases.

Second baseman Tommy Herr stepped to the plate and singled to left field off Pat Clements, scoring Pendleton. My first Major League game was a walk-off win for the Cardinals, 2-1.

We went Tuesday also, and the Cardinals won 5-2. Coleman stole two bases and McGee one against famed defensive Pirates catcher Tony Pena and that wicked stance. Ray Burris got the win, but most notably, I remember closer Todd Worrell coming into the ninth inning and playing both pitcher and right field, as manager Whitey Herzog let him pitch to Mike Diaz who singled. Worrell then moved to right field, and Ken Dayley struck out Barry Bonds with the bases loaded to end the game.

We headed home on Wednesday. Listening to the game on our way out, the Cardinals again won on an extra innings, walk-off with a 2-1 victory as Herr drove in Coleman off Clements. The Cardinals swept the series, but the season bookended between World Series appearances in 1985 and 1987 would end in a disappointing 79-82 mark and third place.

In 1996, I got to see the Cardinals play again. It was my first game in 10 years and I was now dating my future wife, Jennifer. The Cardinals were part of a six-team exhibition at Greer Stadium in Nashville against the Indians, and Mike Busby surrendered a home run to Albert Belle that has never landed. The Cardinals lost the game, but more importantly, Willie McGee had returned to the Cardinals after playing with the Giants and the A's. It was Ozzie Smith's final season. That night, Ozzie scored on a double by McGee and came up limping on his way into home plate.

Royce Clayton started the season at shortstop and it was Ozzie's final season for the Redbirds. But, I got to see them play together one final time, and was inches away from getting their autograph in a mob of people after the game, when a security guard pushed me off a curb and I was lost in the mass, holding the Beckett magazine with Ozzie's picture on it in my hands.

The Cardinals have been a major part of my life. I became a sports writer and a broadcaster. I wanted to be Ozzie Smith, Willie McGee or famed announcer Jack Buck. My dreams were attached to their success. And I guess the point of all this is that our lives are shaped by little things which develop key principles that we never forget.

So, two days after Father's Day, let me share this.

I am glad when the Buick nearly died, my dad didn't turn around. I am glad the Yankees traded McGee and the Padres traded Ozzie. I am glad Tommy Herr can hit. I am glad Barry Bonds didn't know how to hit home runs yet. I am sorry that Pat Clements had such a bad week.

And I am glad my dad took me to first baseball game. I still remember the score. Not because of the Cardinals, but because I couldn't stop telling him about it after the game.

You know, we saw Willie, Ozzie and John Tudor. But the most important thing is that Dad was there.

Happy Father's Day. Thanks for taking me out to the ballgame.

The Thoughts of a Man Leaning on a Fence...

This is an article originally published June 19, 2011, on Revolution Church's first trip to Jamaica by Pastor Kris Freeman.

Photo by Leslie Mitchell

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike - and they will prophesy. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below." - Acts 2:17-19a

Far beyond me to explain how amazing my God is, I am rather going to admit I often have trouble understanding it myself. Staring at the tip of the sun, peeking over the horizon in Clarendon, Jamaica, this past Sunday night, there were so many things running through my head.

I looked at the ball of light slipping into darkness. I knew that was the same sun my wife and kids could see in White House, Tennessee. I thought of my church, which a little over nine months ago was starkly a vision and now God was changing lives of hundreds of people. I missed them; not so much the stuff, the songs, the magic of American worship experiences or the hospitality; I missed the people. I regretted that Brynn West couldn't smile at me during this moment, or I could not read Dana Bulla's connection card and see what God is going to answer for her next. It was a shame that Danielle Sanchez wasn't there to remind me how great of a volunteer she and her family are to our church, or Joe Smith to look at me with quiet eyes that tell a story he is about to turn loose for Jesus. It was the people I missed. Some of those people, I knew little about before the beginning of Revolution Church.

I leaned on the fence. I could hear the sounds of a sputtering engine across the street as two native Jamaican men worked under the hood. But my glance was caught, and as I saw him place his hands on his hips in a white tank top and reversed ball cap, I wondered what he could see in my eyes. Could he sense fear, or hurt? Could he see I had joy, or did he wonder why he wasn't important enough for me to exit the church yard and say hello to him. Forget for a moment that he might have been smoking marijuana and I was in another country. Could he see through the smoky haze to my heart and wonder, did I really know his plight; or would I simply board a plane five days later and return to normal?

I brushed an insect from the side of my face and heard the laughter of Whitney as the rest of the team gathered at the back of the church. Leslie snapped her camera, through the distance I heard it. I turned and she snapped again; the moment caught. I was caught; but the question is, what had me?

Was it a photo that distinguishes the incredible love I have for my church, or was it deeper? I was searching that horizon for a vision I found which may be bigger than my church can handle. Can I truly explain to them that we can plant a church in Jamaica for $20,000 and support them for one year - while all the time knowing that WE OURSELVES need a building and have no financial base to make such a purchase to house our own worship? Would it be too bold to cast that vision, knowing that some will shout the common cliche of "why should we send people to other countries when we have so many problems here" - and then realize I once uttered the very same statement behind my pastor's back?

Would it be possible to imagine that six days from then I would be sitting in the gym at H.B. Williams Elementary School, setting up for our church at home when misery would grip me and my spiritual eyes would see how much of American worship is superficial and selfish and I really had no desire to "produce" a service this weekend? But I will, and we did, and I placed signs in the pouring rain in hopes for Sunday to bring a new family to our church for the first time.

Goodness, that's a lot to think about in one minute. Vision not only transcends time, it also tends to stop it. In those moments, the mind races so fast it's impossible to remember everything He is sharing with you.

Church was supposed to begin in this building at 6 p.m. No one had arrived. Some on our team were beginning to ask and wonder if we were even going to stay. But God just continued to pound my spirit. I was restless, even inside the building where we posed for photos and creepily annoyed Sam Ramdial without his knowledge.

The crowd began to arrive and our team sat on different sides of the aisle on the front row. The second song started and I sat down, which is not customary in Jamaican worship. Amber turned to me and asked if I was ok. My response a bit telling of the truth. I said, "I don't know." Seconds later, I whispered, "something incredible is about to happen."

We sang, I preached. God delivered a powerful word and the worship was amazing. He may have radically changed the lives of three of our team members during the service, but it is impossible for me to share exactly what that means without their words.

What I know is, I saw it. I saw it on the horizon, under the hood of that card, bristling through the evening sky and skipping through Whitney's laughter. I saw it in Dana's prayers at home and Brynn's smile. I saw it in the sunset, and I also saw how the sun is going to rise. I saw it in a baby's face and sprinkled on the tile of a sparkling Jamaican church floor.

God changed me this moment. Perhaps the prophet Joel was speaking to me when he cast this vision of God through the scriptures. Maybe Peter was experiencing this wave when he defended the actions of his peers and disciples at Pentecost. It is likely, neither knew me or my name, but this scripture revealed itself in power to me at this moment.

I'd just like to be clear. When I step onto the stage tomorrow, it may be different than it ever has been before. God showed me a new Kris. He freed spiritual burdens and released a captive spirit I had held about missions since 1998. He showed me a new world which my eyes have never seen. He made me a new dad, a new pastor, a new friend.

An old man or young, I am blessed by the dream and vision God has placed in my heart. You may be tempted to use the word prophecy, but I'd like to remind you I am simply a man who should be speaking what God has given to me. A dreamer, a visionary, a missionary; it's just not fitting to label it when I serve a Savior who died for the sins of the whole world, and privileged me enough in his esteem to grace me with opportunity to share this news.

I attempted to write it down, my only prayer is you can see it. I pray you can see God. I pray you can see me. I pray you can see God in me.

I'm nothing but a servant and these are my thoughts.

Pardon me while I lean on the fence.

- Written June 18, 2011, by Pastor Kris Freeman of Revolution Church.

God is Bigger Than Your World (06.11.17 Notes)

God is Bigger Than Your World

Outside the Box Church Week #2

Pastor Kris Freeman

Revolution Church

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Scripture: Ephesians 3:20-21 and 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NLT)

²⁰ Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. ²¹ Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

⁹ That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Last week, we discussed the magnificence and the intimacy of God, and how to make sure not to contain or limit his greatness in the church and how we structure our place in His kingdom.

In week two of #OutsideTheBox, we examine the DEPTH and the EXPANSE of the world God created.

Principles which have been questioned about the world God created:

1.     How big and expansive is the universe?

2.     Was the earth the only place where human form exists?

3.     Creation or evolution?

4.     Was the world flat?

5.     Why are there different races of people, and where did we all originate?

When we consider “big world” questions, there are two dangers that limit our answer to God’s call to a kingdom-minded mission:

·       Problem 1 – We are INTIMIDATED by what we cannot comprehend.

·       Problem 2 – We are LIMITED by what we cannot reach.

This was a BIBLICAL problem too!

1.     There was racism during Bible times caused by difference and lack of understanding

2.     There was classism in Bible times caused by demographics and poverty

3.     There was elitism in Bible times caused by education and power

4.     There was activism in Bible times caused by zealots and politics

The issues we face rarely CHANGE, but the question is, will the CHURCH change to meet the issues? Our methods are often a direct result of a limited MISSION.

The writer of both letters in today’s scriptures is the Apostle Paul. He was a MISSIONARY to the Gentiles (the non-Jews). When Jesus died, he established a new FAMILY and it is our job to make sure everyone can be a part of it. PEOPLE MATTER!!!

At Revolution Church, we want you to understand the Live.Love.Serve. mission and how it relates to expanding our outreach.

1.     We will not exclude a demographic based on differences.

2.     We will not be intimidated by those who have big questions about faith.

3.     We will not be trapped by short-sighted mission.

a.     Don’t fall into the pit of making the argument against international missions that is both prejudicial and hateful

b.    “Why should we go when there’s much to do here?”

c.     THERE’S MUCH TO DO EVERYWHERE!

4.     We will not be limited by impossible resources when we serve a possible God!

Bust the outreach myths!

·       I’m not called to that – but you are called to SOMETHING!

·       We’ve never done it that way before!

·       “Church people won’t like it”

·       I can’t afford it

·       I just need to work on me

Discipleship IS IMPORTANT.

You cannot lead others until you are committed to lead yourself. But you cannot lead yourself until you are truly submissive to love God and love others AS you love yourself!

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NLT)

⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

#OutsideTheBox