It has been my privilege since 1984 to have been hosted innumerable times by Nelson Cook in my years in sport ministry, the most recent was in 2009 where I addressed coaches over breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
This is Nelson Cook's latest letter:
Do you see it? My father always told me ... "Son, there are none so blind as those who will not see!" California recently passed a bill that let's people of the opposite sex go into the others bathroom in schools if they feel that way about themselves.
Teachers, coaches, and administrators are struggling to understand when common sense hit the road and won't come back no more, no more (as the song goes). The righteous boundaries are now blurred and we as a country (world) don't know who or what we are ... let alone what we are to become.
Ronald J. Snider, in his book, "The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience", wrote, "Scandalous behaviour is rapidly destroying American Christianity. By their daily activity, most 'Christians' regularly commit treason. With their mouths they claim that Jesus is Lord, but with their actions they demonstrate allegiance to money, sex, and self-fulfilment."
Aren't we to come out and be separate?
Isn't the call from God to be holy as He is holy? Are the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts to be acceptable in His sight? Since He is Lord?!
School is in for another year! (US education system is back to front to ours – they start their year in our Spring, which is their autumn).
We have another opportunity to let our light shine. But if our light is dim or dark due to compromise, believing the lie of the evil one, trying split level living where one foot is in heaven and the other in the world (living a worldly life), then who really lights the way?
Sin is in our camp and we will live plastic, defeated lives until we repent, get into fellowship with God and His people, and walk in a manner pleasing to Him.
Coaches of Influence
Nelson Cook's ministry involves many different ministry activities with coaches from high school, college and professional levels.
These includes one to one ministry, small group ministrations, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, seminars, golf days, letters and magazines, flyers and prayer, functions, outreaches, and highly specialised ministry to assist the coaches to reach their charges for Christ.
One year they had an athlete watermelon lunch time presentation – ripe, beautiful, tasty watermelons – the kids came, the young people came, the coaches came – well every came – the watermelons were delicious and the talk was like salvation aroma into the heavenlies.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html