Nextel Cup #21...

Roger and I had dinner with the Chief Operating Officer for Woods Brothers JTG Racing. This team will have two cars in the upcoming Nextel Cup race at Las Vegas (#47 and #21). We talked about racing at the highest level, but even cooler was this man's passion for missions. He and his wife were chaplains for Motor Racing Outreach for 12 years. During this time they traveled the race circuit pastroing many of our favorite drivers througout the years. Now they focus on building the race team and sending teams to Africa to help people. What a great combination.

Ron is the kind of guy who gets things done. He shared several stories about his years in racing and how God has used him to minister in a very competive arena. He said something that resonated with me and I thought I would throw it out:

"Christianity is about honest people." He related his thought to racing and how 38 weekends per year their race team is given honest feedback in the form of on track performance in that they make the race or they don't and how they finish. I thought for a moment and realized something very powerful. Every week at The Rock Church we are receiving honest feedback. TRC is given honest feedback by each individual that experiences church. How important is it for us to be honest first and foremost? Simply stated, it is not enough to be good people, we have to be honest. Honest ministry is effective ministry, just like honest race teams are effective race teams.

Another thing Ron said that really stuck, "We have to put the "fun" back in function." That is so true. It is imperative for us to look at our church and think fun. It is important for us to look at our marriage and think fun. We all have a lot of functions to perform on a weekly basis. Putting the "fun" in function creates fulfillment.

We talked for 3 hours about racing, ministry and other things. Ron Pegram is to the Nascar World what upper management is to the Seahawks or Mariners. What an honor to have dinner with a mover and shaker in the racing world.

Tomorrow we worship at a great church called New Spring. One of the bloggers I read weekly is connecting with us at the church. Looking forward to meeting Tony Morgan.

Then we fly out early Monday.