Grant Taylor had been coaching the Shiloh Christian School Eagles football team for six seasons – six loosing seasons. His expectations for the coming season are dashed when his star player transfers to another team. Compounding his discouragement, he and his wife are facing infertility and he has recently discovered that a group of fathers are secretly organizing to have him dismissed as head coach.
This is the plot for the new movie Facing the Giants that opens this Friday night in area theaters. The story illustrates how a man who is drowning in discouragement can find strength and hope from his relationship with Christ. Using a sports scenario, the movie shows how faith can be integrated into every day life, allowing us to gain victory over the challenges and difficulties that plague us. It also teaches how one man’s influence can impact the lives of many more.
Facing the Giants has been described as a blend of Rocky, Hoosiers and Friday Night Lights. It is rated PG because of its religious themes. Sadly, the Motion Picture Rating Association has decided that parents need to be warned so they can protect their children from Christianity.
Try to see the movie on opening weekend so it will have the opportunity to have a longer run and movie executives will see that there is a market for family friendly movies.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
You cannot please everyone!
It’s been many years since baseball great Willie Mays, the “say-hay” kid roamed center field for the Giants. It seemed there was nothing the man couldn’t do in baseball. At the plate he was one of the league’s best hitters with a career total of 3283 hits, and 660 home runs. He was also a fabulous base runner. To top it off, he was a golden glove award winner for four seasons. He was a fan favorite, playing in 24 All-Star games and winning two “most valuable player” awards over four World Series.
When it came time for the Hall of Fame vote, you would have thought it would have been a slam dunk. Yet, when Mays was eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame, 23 out of 431 baseball writers voted against him. On what basis did these baseball experts think a living legend like Willie Mays should not be in the Hall of Fame? When asked how they could not vote for the all-star, several of the writers said, “Well, he wasn’t always friendly to us!” Since when did friendliness become a criterion for the Hall of Fame?
The Bible teaches us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Certainly this should be our goal. We should not go out of our way to make enemies. We should build more bridges than walls, but the harsh reality is you cannot please everyone. No matter how well you perform, no matter how hard you try, someone will find fault with you.
Even Christ had His enemies. If the Son of God cannot please everyone, what hope do you and I have? Actually, one of the most important lessons I have learned along the way is that I am not called to please everyone, but only to please One, Jesus Christ. In my experience, if I am pleasing to Him, I will be pleasing to most of the people.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
When it came time for the Hall of Fame vote, you would have thought it would have been a slam dunk. Yet, when Mays was eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame, 23 out of 431 baseball writers voted against him. On what basis did these baseball experts think a living legend like Willie Mays should not be in the Hall of Fame? When asked how they could not vote for the all-star, several of the writers said, “Well, he wasn’t always friendly to us!” Since when did friendliness become a criterion for the Hall of Fame?
The Bible teaches us, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Certainly this should be our goal. We should not go out of our way to make enemies. We should build more bridges than walls, but the harsh reality is you cannot please everyone. No matter how well you perform, no matter how hard you try, someone will find fault with you.
Even Christ had His enemies. If the Son of God cannot please everyone, what hope do you and I have? Actually, one of the most important lessons I have learned along the way is that I am not called to please everyone, but only to please One, Jesus Christ. In my experience, if I am pleasing to Him, I will be pleasing to most of the people.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Dream big
After opening on August 25, the movie Invincible was the top movie for three consecutive weeks. The movie Invincible is based on the life of Vince Papale. Vince had a dream. His dream was to play professional football. He had graduated from Philadelphia's University on a track scholarship. He played in the World Football League for two years until it folded in 1975. At 30 years of age, his prospects for playing in the NFL were remote to say the least.
Enter Dick Vermeil. Dick also had a dream. A college coach at UCLA, he wanted to coach professional football. In 1976 he was hired as head coach by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was facing some big challenges, especially since the team was coming off of 11 straight loosing seasons. As a publicity stunt, he decided to publicize an open tryout in the Philadelphia area. He admits that he was more interested in stirring up the team than finding new players.
Vince Papale tried out and so impressed Vermeil with his speed and grace that he received an offer to attend training camp and eventually earned a place on the team. At the age of 30, Papale became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL to play without the benefit of college football experience. He went on to play wide receiver and special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 through 1978. During that time, he played in 41 of 44 regular season games recording two fumble recoveries and one fifteen-yard reception. He was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates, and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. A shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a TV and radio broadcaster for eight years, then became a commercial mortgage banker.
What is your dream? Psalm 34:12 teaches us to “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I hope your heart desire is something more noble and enduring than just playing in the NFL. God is looking for men with pure desires who will plant them by faith in the will of God and trust they will return in His perfect timing. I challenge you to dream great dreams for God and then watch Him bring them to fruition.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Enter Dick Vermeil. Dick also had a dream. A college coach at UCLA, he wanted to coach professional football. In 1976 he was hired as head coach by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was facing some big challenges, especially since the team was coming off of 11 straight loosing seasons. As a publicity stunt, he decided to publicize an open tryout in the Philadelphia area. He admits that he was more interested in stirring up the team than finding new players.
Vince Papale tried out and so impressed Vermeil with his speed and grace that he received an offer to attend training camp and eventually earned a place on the team. At the age of 30, Papale became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL to play without the benefit of college football experience. He went on to play wide receiver and special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 through 1978. During that time, he played in 41 of 44 regular season games recording two fumble recoveries and one fifteen-yard reception. He was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates, and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. A shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a TV and radio broadcaster for eight years, then became a commercial mortgage banker.
What is your dream? Psalm 34:12 teaches us to “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I hope your heart desire is something more noble and enduring than just playing in the NFL. God is looking for men with pure desires who will plant them by faith in the will of God and trust they will return in His perfect timing. I challenge you to dream great dreams for God and then watch Him bring them to fruition.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
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