November 2023

How come everything you talk about comes around to God?

Why do you always have to bring God into everything?

Why is everything always about God?

These are some comments I hear from the boys whenever we are together. They wonder why, no matter what we are doing, no matter where we are, we end up talking about God, or Jesus. We occasionally meet for church at my house, but as I tell the boys: Whenever I come get you and we are together, we’re having church. Jesus said “Whenever two or more of you are gathered in my name, I am among you.” (Matt. 18.20) So when I come to get you… to play basketball, to go bowling, go out to eat, or on a trip… it’s to share Christ. And if Christ is with us, we are having church.

So, in this ministry we don’t often go to church, or have bible studies, or do formal discipleship training… these things are ongoing aspects of our time together. You really couldn’t point to where one begins and one ends. I call it “hip pocket discipleship”, to borrow a phrase from my brothers.

They were telling me once about training soldiers (both of them are military vets… thank y’all for your service!).  One of them told me about taking advantage of some idle time waiting in line to do some “hip pocket training”. What is that? I asked. He explained that in the army soldiers being idle was considered a waste of their time. So their leaders would develop ways of training and teaching them various skills in small moments of opportunity… hip pocket training.

That describes perfectly the discipleship method I employ. My young guys will rarely respond to invitations to go to church or have a bible study. Instead, I bring church and bible study to them… constantly.  They are immersed in it and they don’t even know it. I take advantage of idle time: time riding in the van, time between games at a tournament, time spent at the gym or bowling alley or arcade, time at McDonald’s.  The boys call it God time.  God time transforms any moment or place into a Sanctuary. Guys who won’t sit still for a sermon or bible study are transfixed by God time. Sometimes I talk but mostly I do, and model.  It’s amazing the volumes I can preach just by being me… in Christ.

My guys couldn’t quote you chapter and verse on various biblical subjects but they can tell you who God is, who Jesus is and what he’s done for them. They can tell you what a Christian ooks like and how one should behave. I endeavor, by God’s grace, to model and teach Christ constantly, relentlessly. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not a pillar of virtue by any means. But it’s being around me, seeing my weaknesses as well as my strengths, seeing my flaws and my dependence on God… that’s what preaches! This is the way we circumvent short attention spans, emotional crises and even dysfunctional behavior. God is in everything and about everything. I don’t do 3-point sermons. I endeavor to get one point across… God loves you and cares about you, Jesus is with you and can change your life… usually over the course of days, weeks or even months. Sometimes a lifetime.

My version of hip pocket discipleship is to let them see who I am. In every situation and circumstance. And Lord willing, they’ll see Christ.

“Chris, why you gotta bring Jesus into everything?”  “Cause Jesus is my life, bro.”