“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.’”
Ruth 1:16
We Need More F.O.G.
Recently I saw cyclists who had matching jerseys. F.O.G. was in large block letters on the back of their jerseys. As I got closer, smaller print revealed the acronym: Fast Old Guys. I laughed. Yes, they were old, and yes, they looked fast. What we need in the world today is Faithful Old Guys, not Fast Old Guys. We need examples of people who have been faithful in their walk with Jesus Christ year after year.
Finish Faithfully!
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to finish faithfully? The “win” is to live well, finish well and die well—to be faithful to the very end. Very few followers of Christ finish well without doing something really stupid.
My pastor, who performed my wedding and baptized my wife and me, ran away with the secretary. He was one of the most influential men in my life, and he jumped off the deep end 25 years ago. Thankfully, he came back to the church.
It’s a daily battle just to stay in the spiritual race. Throughout the world, I am seeing both young and old Christians grasping the power of the circle by staying connected and doing life together. This circle leads to impact and influence. The power of circle is simply a small group. In FCA, we call this Huddles. Coaches and athletes circling up and studying God’s Word is the foundation of our ministry.
Circles Have Power!
Personal connections are the key. We need to invest our time in personal relationships and build trust. We need to move from sitting and listening to walking and growing. Circles are better than rows, and connecting is better than listening. Transformation happens most effectively when we are in circles, not rows. Circles give us opportunities to connect personally with others and take comfort that we are not alone no matter what we are going through. We gain from their life experience and wisdom as we seek God together in community.
We Go Further, Faster Together!
Circles are non-negotiable. Ruth was committed to go with Naomi. Ruth said, “Wherever you go, I will go.” Naomi could count on Ruth. She could lean on her when things got difficult. She was willing to journey with her friend – through trials, tests, blessings and victories. God desires us to experience life together.
All around the world, our FCA leaders are realizing the power of the circle. We have grown from 118 International Huddles in 2014 to 1,613 this past year. God is at work, and He is using the power of the circle to bring transformation.
Father, give me a desire to stay connected and be a part of a circle. I pray for coaches and athletes around the world to be in circles and grow on their walk. In Jesus’ name, Amen.