Stick to Making Bats

Last week I was privileged to be a part of a retreat with my mentor Bob Russell (and I only claim he is my mentor because I used to steal a lot of his sermons- he doesn’t claim me).  We were in the Louisville area to learn and grow together and it was a great couple of days.  Southeast Christian Church runs 19,000 and has one million square feet of building.  It’s pretty crazy what God has done there.  And now Dave Stone is doing a great job at the helm.

 

Anyway, as a part of the retreat we were taken on a private tour of the Louisville Slugger plant and museum.  These are the baseball bats used by most of the players in history.  I got to hold the model bat that Babe Ruth had made for use as a template.  While we were there, they were making stock bats for sale at stores and they were also making bats for several Major League players.  They have a computerized machine that makes the pro bats, they are each custom made.

It was an interesting tour and it was personally given by Jack Hillerich, who’s grandfather started the company.  The interesting thing is that the only thing they make at this plant are wood bats.  They used to make golf clubs and they quit.  They’ve taken a shot at several projects along the way and quit.  They still make aluminum bats, but it’s a separate place and company now.  After all of these years, Louisville Slugger decided to stick to the main thing - wood bats.  And 99% of pro ball players use their bats, because they are the best.

They gave me a custom one – and Jack autographed it for me.

Why are they the best?  Because that was always their main thing.

My wife has been teaching a class at church on the Book of Acts.   As she has been re-studying this book, she told me she was really surprised at the amount of times it said, “And the church grew in number,” or “the Lord added to their number.”  It seems like growth was just something natural that occurred.  Why?  Because they stuck to making bats.  You don’t read about Bingo or Christian concerts or politics or Single\Womens\Mens ministry.  I’m not saying those things aren’t important, because they can be the way we accomplish the main thing (maybe not Bingo).

Jesus said the main thing is to “seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10).  The early church made wood bats.   They focused on the things that would Reach, Raise, and Release so that more people would find Jesus.  

As we enter into this fall season, I want to remind you of that.  And one very easy way you can help us is to move to Saturday night.  On October 24 we will be adding something to our programming here at Parkview.  It’s not a golf club or a bat made out of titanium.  It’s another wood bat.  It’s another service.  Simply a way for more people to come and meet Jesus.  What we need you to do is pray about joining us on Saturday.  Just by giving up a seat on Sunday, you can make a bat with us.  I’ll be honest, I’m nervous about it.  I don’t want to give up more of my weekend so that we can have a few hundred people rattling around in one of these services.  So move on over!  We will have the entire Student ministry on Saturday night.  We already have full Children’s ministry.  It’s exactly the same service (only I’m not tired yetJ).  Please consider helping us by moving over. 

Several of you asked for a link to watch the Dave Ramsey stuff we showed last weekend. This is the link to the entire Life, Money, Hope series at Life Church in Oklahoma.  Debt is week 2.  Watch all three. 

Dave Ramsey at LifeChurch

God is going to do some powerful things this weekend; I hope you will be there.

 

Tim

 

Comments

[James1:1]

Nice PT. Parkview is "going yard"
You're MVP(pastor)

[Mr. Puggle]

congrats on your fancy bat. :)
will be moving to sat.
thanks for the link.

[A Cubs Fan]

you're right. it was a very powerful and enlightening sermon. and it really put things in perspective. the Holy Spirit was really with you speaking truth strong and clear. Amen that more will be able to come see that too. GOD BLESS YOU.