Meet me in St. Louie
July 31st, 2006I’ll be in St. Louis for much of the week. I’m doing a story on Major League umpire Ted Barrett, and am hoping to get a couple of other stories as well, maybe on the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright and the Phillies’ Aaron Fultz.
Hopefully I’ll be able to do a fair amount of blogging from St. Louis.
Let me ask for your feedback. If you were reading a story about a Christian athlete, what would you want to know? What are some questions you would suggest that I ask?
Hmm…. I’m debating with myself if I should help you out or not. If I do, I’d be giving all my secrets away for my book “The Faith of the Brave,” which I swear I will actually do one day. But, if I don’t, I would feel bad.
Some basic things that I would be interested in hearing are simple. How did he become a Christian? Do they have a special testimony? “Special testimony” does not only apply to someone who was led to Christ because of some miracle after a lifetime of womanizing, drug abuse, alchoholism, you fill in the blank. The guys without those stories need to be heard too. Praise God that they did not have to endure a lifetime filled with those things! In other words, it doesn’t matter how boring one’s story seems right off the bat, it most likely really is a wonderful story.
Another thing that would interest me is how he defeats temptation. Ballplayers face temptations that not too many others do. They are on the road for a large portion of the year, which can lead to many things. Many of them also have the money to do pretty much whatever they please.
How do they avoid and fight these things? How do they make sure they stay in the word, continue to pray, etc.? Are they involved with and strengthened by Baseball Chapel or another small group with other Christian players and coaches?
You may also want to ask them if their relationship with God has influenced their playing careers both on and off the field. Influencing on the field may be something like keeping cool under pressure or not letting anger take over. God may also influence the player’s buisness side of the game (contracts and playing for specific teams).
These are a few points I would hit on if I were writing some articles or my book. Feel free to use any suggestions. I only charge 10% of the royalties. (Just kidding.
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Hope I helped.
Do you just hate that “Angels in the Outfield” movie or what?
-What do you hope to accomplish for the cause of Christ by playing/ump’ing baseball?
-If God has truly given you the ability to do this on a major league level, how are you utilizing this blessing for the advancement of God’s kingdom?
-How does being a Christian affect your professional relationships, i.e. teamate-wise, coach-wise, other teams, etc.?
-Since you are being held to a higher standard, how does that play out on the field?
-With being on the road a lot, how are you adequately fulfilling your responsibility to your family- wife/children?
-With you being on the road a lot, how do you stay involved in your local church body? How are you able to minister to them and how are they able to minister to you?
-What about oversight? Does your Pastor/elder(s) keep up with you as they have to give an account for your soul? How does being on the road, away from your local church, affect that oversight?
These are some questions I would ask; but then again, I am not a sport’s writer and that is probably why I am not one
j razz
Good questions j razz. Perhaps all of us would be better followers of Christ if we each had someone to ask those kind of questions and have some accountability. I submit that these very questions are every bit as important for “ordinary” people as for those we tend to put on a pedestal because of their position or occupation. Maybe even more so.
I would like to know what books/speakers/theologians that he or she is influenced by and how their influence translates to how they live their lives. Also, I would want to know (in the case of professional athletes) what they do with their money in regards to giving — like what ministries do they support (do they tithe, give to missions, individual churches, etc.). Finally, I would want to know what they are currently reading and studying for their devotional time or for spiritual growth.
Me and seven of my closest friends are going on a baseball pilgrimage this week to Wrigley Field, Busch and Kauffman Stadium. We’ll be in St. Louis on Friday night - email me if you’ll still be around.
For those who were wondering, I plan on bringing more than one pair of underwear on the roadtrip.
While Scott, j razz, and D.R. have made good suggestions for an article, I wonder why we “ordinary” people want to know all these details. Is it so we can pray more effectively for them as fellow believers? Is it because we like a good biography? Or are we elevating them to much too high a pedestal through a form of “hero worship”?
I am not trying to cast aspersions on anyone; these are questions I think of whenever I hear or read of a person who has a degree of notoriety, and also is a follower of Christ. I find, regretfully, that I can tend to expect a certain perfection of them because they are famous. Yes, “to whom much is given, much is expected” is true. But as followers of Christ, we ALL have been given much. Perhaps I need some perspective.
I think I’m interested in it for the same reason I like to talk to non-believers about their “faith” (or, more accurately, lack of). God plants nuggets for all of us, sometimes in the most unlikely of places.
I once heard that the perfect way to reach the lost is buried in the heart of someone who is currently lost. Well, while I’m not sure I entirely agree, the principle also means that some baseball-player-guy may have something to say that I need to hear.
Just like God has touched my heart about my family through your postings, Bob, He may touch me through the umpire or next ballplayer Tim interviews. Hearing the testimony of others is uplifting. It’s a reminder of our great God and Savior. I just want to hear how these guys love their God and what God has done for them.
Your words, Jason, are well taken. I appreciate your kind words, and the perspective you have brought to my wonderings. I find that when I know of, for instance, a baseball player who is a Christian, I find myself rooting for them no matter what team they play for. Until they play the Cardinals……LOL.
…I wonder why we “ordinary” people want to know all these details.
Bob,
I don’t think that I have commented on any sports listing on this blog and if I did, I am sure that it did not have anything to do with the players/sport, etc.
Actually I am probably one of the few who have been blessed with the ability to care less about watching televised sports or keeping up with the stats for my favorite team since ‘82. Alright, everybody can start throwing the stones now
So, I do not come at it from a “hero” perspective, rather I come at it from a perspective that whether we like it or not- those who get paid to play are considered by our society to be worthy of more honor than the man who goes to work everyday to provide for his family. I am not sure as to when this flip in social acceptance occurred, but I would dare say that it has not been beneficial for our society. I do not know a single kid (elementary to highschool) who said I want to grow up and be a responsible provider for my family and work hard. They all have aspirations of becoming a basketball player or baseball player or the next big football player. Why is this? Why is being a player of sports more prestigious than earning an honest days wage and providing for your family?
I’m not upset about it, I just don’t understand the mentality. So as not to cause misconstrued notions, I do believe that those who play sports work hard and earn their keep, but it is ridiculous to pay someone a million dollars a year or so to play a game.
Us “ordinaries” go to work each day (probably something we would rather skip out on) and get paid a reasonable wage and that is what keeps us coming back each weekday. On the other hand, a sports player lives out his or her dream and gets paid millions to do it when, if the truth be known, they would probably do it for little of nothing.
So, back to the question, why do ordinary people want to know all these details… I really don’t care to know stats, what they like to eat, what they do in the off season, etc. I posted the questions I posted b/c Tim asked what we would ask if we were in a position to ask. The answers to those questions matter a lot more than stats, underwear habits, or when the last time a sock-change occured.
If I could ask a professional athlete questions and they professed to be a Christian, those would be the questions I would want him/her to answer and from those, I believe a great conversation would ensue.
Sorry for the rambling.
j razz
That’s why I like this blog. Sharing our opinions, asking honest questions, getting good words from good honest people…….it’s all good.
Go get the stories Tim. We all trust you to bring us articles that are true, factual, and encouraging.
Just checked into the hotel, now I’m off to the ballpark.
“I do not know a single kid (elementary to highschool) who said I want to grow up and be a responsible provider for my family and work hard. They all have aspirations of becoming a basketball player or baseball player or the next big football player. Why is this? Why is being a player of sports more prestigious than earning an honest days wage and providing for your family?”
j razz,
You just might not be looking hard enough.
You just might not be looking hard enough.
Or, I might just be generalizing a common consensus.
I am probably a little skewed coming from the population of children and families I worked with.
j razz
Well, granted, that is quite common. Of course I wasn’t around back then, but I’d probably be right to say that teens are much less responsible than they were, say, in the 50’s. Most teens could care less what they do after college - if even college. Proof of that is in the overwhelming number of potheads that roam the earth.
Now, there are the teens that do have their heads on straight, and realize that 99% of us won’t get a lucky break and win the lottery or become a professional athlete. A good many of my friends, myself included, actually are looking forward to having a family, settling down, and working hard to provide. But, although that is my primary goal, to get a good education, a steady job, etc., I won’t lie to you and tell you that there isn’t a dream that still lingers in the back of my mind somewhere. That part of my mind still thinks that there is a small chance that I’ll get my knees fixed up in order to revive my baseball career, then maybe, just maybe…
Now, would I bet my bottom dollar on that dream, of course not. I’m not an idiot. But, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, as long as I have a primary focus on what’s most likley going to happen.
j razz, you may not be this way, but I’d bet I could find a good many number of men in their 30s, 40s, on up with families and good jobs that still have a lingering dream of getting signed by their favorite ball club.
Your right, I am not that way, but I do have my dreams: NASCAR Baby! WHOO HOOO! really though, there are things that I would like to do- my dreams, and reality is that I will probably never get to experience them this side of heaven.
j razz
Which begs the big question for us baseball fans - will there be baseball in heaven?
If I were to be a captain in heaven, I’d be the coach of the New Testament Team. Here’s my starting lineup and roster:
Starting Lineup:
1. Peter, SS
2. John the Baptist, CF
3. Paul, C
4. [Pitcher’s Spot]
5. Luke, 1B
6. James, LF
7. Mark, RF
8. John, 3B
9. Matthew, 2B
Pitchers:
Jesus, SP
Mary Magdalene, Setup
Mary, Mother of Jesus, Closer
Reserves:
Barnabas
Timothy
You’re wise to keep Peter off the mound. Just think if Jesus was behind the plate flashing the signs for Peter; he’d deny every one of them.
Ooooohh, snap. I’d be careful if I were you.
Well, I figure I’d only need one starting pitcher if I had Jesus - he could go every night and throw a perfecto every time. Granted, neither of the Marys would get to play, but hey, we’re out to win.