Saturday, November 17, 2007

Yes, I'm a DAWG fan.


Yes, I'm a pastor in Charlotte, N.C. but I am also a huge Georgia fan. I don't know how you picked your team...maybe you liked their uniform, or maybe your home team kept loosing so you picked another team, or maybe you gave in to the pressures of your spouse or in-laws (wimp!), or maybe you cheer for your Alma-Ata, or maybe you hate sports (I'll pray for you)...but for me it was and is simple. I grew up in Athens, just a few minutes from the University of Georgia.

When I lived there the city was roughly 100,000 with a football stadium that "now" holds 92,000. Without seeing or experiencing, it is difficult to comprehend the dynamic of a city that size with a football stadium that size. The whole city goes nuts on game day, and it's literally contagious. I don't know how you could live in the city for awhile and not walk away as a die hard Georgia fan. I rearrange my Saturday's according to the game. Truth be told I hope that people in Charlotte will have that same kind of response to Ridge Church. I want them to experience such affection, enjoyment, excitement, acceptance that rearranging a schedule in order to be at church seems normal.

We have set our sites on being an Irresistible Church and we are well on our way. Thanks to all of you that are a part of what God is using Ridge Church to create and do. Keep inviting people, and keeping working hard with us to create environments that reflect our Heavenly Father. Remember that everything we do as a church, reflects something that we believe about God.

**Big win today for the DAWGS. Sorry, Tennessee fans, I hope you lose so we can go to the SEC championship.**

If you happen to live in or near Athens, be sure to check out Athens Church.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree it would be great for church to become the highlight of the week for people in Charlotte. Ridge is doing a great job of making it possible for that to happen!

The only disagreement I have is that you should compare to the SWAMP in Gainesville rather than between the hedges in Athens : )

Anonymous said...

Go DAWGS!!! I trust you all will turn Charlotte upside down for Christ! You got a good one in Patrick M.