Today, my daughter ran away.
Shoeless—but helmeted—she pedaled as fast as her lanky seven-year-old legs could carry her. Desperate to reach her favorite place, she zipped through the best “shortcut” past the swim teacher’s house, cautiously navigated a busy main road, and made it straight to the safety and comfort of Grams’ house.

My highly fashionable minivan pulled into the driveway just as she rapped on the front door. I watched as my mom answered—confusedly trying to piece together a bike, a van, and a clearly defeated little girl.

We sat, three generations, soaking in the warmth of the setting sun. Tears flowed from my precious little one as she unearthed the day’s wounds, big and small. “I feel like I have all the pieces trying to stay together, and then they just crumble,” she said.

And while I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of our household drama, her processing reminded me of the Lord’s sanctifying work within family—those life-on-life relationships where we love each other best and hurt each other most.

There were a dozen parallels I could have drawn from our unexpected evening (as I’m sure you could too). But most striking was the reflection of our church family, as we also love each other best and hurt each other most.

And yet, what a gift.

God, in His kindness, uses us to refine one another. We point each other back to Him, encourage one another through Scripture and truth, and sand down our rough edges—all within the gravity of our shared humanity and desperate need for grace.

A friend recently described our church body as a sea of faces—faces that have hurt us and have been hurt by us. And yet, we walk forward together pursuing His truth, light, forgiveness, and reconciliation. We extend the Lord’s grace. And by His mercy, we become a picture of His ongoing work of restoration.

We're an imperfect body. And still—as a family—we keep showing up. We press into the good things and hard things together. And in doing so, we get a sweeter, fuller glimpse of God’s heart for His people—His limitless love and His redeeming grace.

This summer, we’re diving into the book of James, exploring its call to pursue wisdom together as a community in Christ. We’ll reflect on passages like James 4:6, which says:
“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says,
‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'”

And James 5:16:
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.”

We're a fellow flawed people— showing up, growing, and pursuing Christ together. If that sounds like you or you have questions about that, come join us Sundays at 9:30 AM. We’d love to share our story and hear your story.

At Free Church in Cañon City, CO, we gather every Sunday to worship, study God’s Word, and proclaim the life-transforming message of Jesus Christ. Today, we turn to Luke 23:44 and journey through one of the most astonishing claims in history: the resurrection of Jesus.

The Unbelievable Truth of the Resurrection
“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:44-46)

The story of Jesus’ crucifixion is filled with undeniable drama—the sky darkens, the temple curtain is torn, and a Roman centurion, witnessing these events, declares, “Surely this was a righteous man.” But what follows is even more astonishing. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the council, secures Jesus’ body, places it in a tomb, and the women who had followed Him observe where He was laid. Then, silence.

Then, the unthinkable happens.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away… but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Luke 24:1-3)

Angels appear, shining like lightning, proclaiming that Jesus is alive. The women rush back to tell the disciples, but their words sound like nonsense. Peter runs to the tomb, finds only linen wrappings, and leaves wondering what has happened. The absurdity of it all is undeniable.
How are we supposed to believe such an impossible claim? We live in a world that demands proof. If someone told you today that a man had risen from the dead, would you believe them? Likely not. And yet, this message has endured for over 2,000 years.

Skeptics argue that belief in the resurrection is nothing more than a psychological crutch, an invention of the oppressed to endure suffering, or a tool of manipulation wielded by religious authorities. Some prefer to treat it as a metaphor rather than a historical event. Yet, the Bible presents it as an undeniable reality.

What if the resurrection isn’t just a hopeful story but a divine declaration? What if God truly raised Jesus from the dead?

"e message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Yes, the resurrection is humanly absurd. A lifeless body doesn’t simply walk out of a tomb. But if we believe in a God who created life, why should we doubt His ability to restore it? The disciples did not believe at first either—until they saw the risen Christ with their own eyes.
This truth changed everything. Peter, who once denied Jesus out of fear, boldly stood in the same city where Jesus was crucified and declared:

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs… You, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead.” (Acts 2:22-24)

This message is not just history—it is an invitation. The resurrection is not valid because a preacher claims it to be true or because our ancestors believed it. It is valid because God Himself has testified to it. The resurrection is not just an event; it is a promise.

“Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)

One day, every person will hear His voice. Some will rise to eternal life; others to judgment (John 5:28-29). The difference comes down to one thing: faith in Jesus Christ.

“If we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.” (Romans 6:5)

The resurrection is not just a belief—it is the very foundation of our hope. God has given us an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade, secured through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3-4).

At Free Church, we proclaim this message boldly because it has never changed: Jesus is alive, and He’s coming back.

Will you believe?

The Power of the Resurrection: A Life-Changing Reality

He is risen! What a profound truth—one that changes everything. As we celebrate Easter here in Cañon City, CO, we proclaim this life-altering reality: Christ is risen indeed!

The Deep Longing for Resurrection
The desire for resurrection is deeply ingrained in us. We were made for eternity, and death was never meant to have the final word. Recently, I came across the concept of ghost bots—AI-generated avatars designed to replicate deceased loved ones. A grieving father even expressed his desire to “resurrect” his dead son through AI. This longing for permanence reveals a truth imprinted on our hearts: we were made for more than this life.

The Resurrection Changes Everything
Easter Sunday is a reminder that Jesus Christ has done the unimaginable—He has conquered death. The resurrection of Christ is not just a historical event but the cornerstone of our faith. It confirms His power, His identity, and the fulfillment of God's promises.

The Apostle Paul emphasizes this in 1 Corinthians 15:14-19, stating that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain. But because He has been raised, we have a hope that is unshakable.

The Empty Tomb: A Historical Reality
The resurrection is not just a matter of faith—it is historically verifiable. The empty tomb is one of the strongest pieces of evidence. In Luke 24:1-12, we see that women were the first to discover the empty tomb, followed by Peter and John. If the resurrection were a fabrication, no one in the first century would have relied on women’s testimony, as it was not highly regarded at the time. Yet the Gospel writers recorded it because it was true.

The Invitation: Experience the Power of the Resurrection
Easter is more than a tradition—it is an invitation to experience the life-changing power of the resurrection. If you are searching for hope, meaning, and a relationship with God, we invite you to celebrate with us.

Join us this Easter at the Free Church, located at 3000 E. Main St., Cañon City, CO. We gather for worship at 8:00 & 10:45 AM, and we'd love to celebrate the risen Christ with you! We will also have a fellowship hour at 9:30 AM with Breakfast Burritos, photo booth, and egg hunt for the kid. We have SO much to celebrate on Easter, and it is a joy to celebrate together!

If you’re in Cañon City, CO and looking for a church family, we welcome you with open arms. Christ is risen—come and see what that means for your life today!

For more details, visit our website or download our church app to stay connected!

I’ve always enjoyed asking questions, and finding answers, about what seems obvious (but really isn’t).  In so doing, many times discovery is right around the corner.

The above question is one of those inquiries.  Why do we call the 8 day period, beginning on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday, with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday in between, Holy Week?  [And, by the way, what is the meaning of Maundy?]

ORIGIN OF HOLY WEEK

Christianity.com tells us that “some of the first uses of the name Holy Week appeared in the 4th century, from St. Athanasius (the bishop of Alexandria, Egypt) and St. Epiphanius (of Constantia) when Good Friday and Holy Saturday were recognized as holy days by the 4th century church.  By the end of the 4th century, the tradition had been established of honoring the various events of the days of the week (just before Jesus’ death).  These included:

• Judas’s betrayal and introduction of the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday 
• the Passion and death of Jesus Christ on Good Friday
• His burial on Holy Saturday
• and His Resurrection on Easter Sunday

I find this interesting.  Apparently the early church (1st century through 3rd century) did not openly celebrate “holy week” (reason?  Perhaps because the church was under increasing persecution?  It wasn’t until the A.D. 325 conversion of the Roman Emperor Constantine that the Christianity became legal and recognized.)  This means, of course, that later church tradition, rather than Biblical mandate, instituted these observances.

There could be other events which the Bible describes that might be celebrated, such as Holy Monday: Jesus cleansing the temple courts & cursing the fig tree.  Yet perhaps it’s not best to multiply such things.  The multiplying of traditions – and requiring worship and observance of such things – often encases simple faith and walking with God with unnecessary extra baggage.

By the way, if you’re interested, the “maundy” of Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin “mandatum” (or “command”).  It points to the day of Holy Week in which Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples in the upper room.  At that supper, He instituted the observance of the Lord’s table (we call it “communion”) and gave the “command” to “love one another as I (i.e., Jesus) loved you” (John 13:34).

IMPORTANCE OF HOLY WEEK

My personal preference is away from traditional obligations and to keep my walk with Jesus simple.  So I am not inclined toward 40 days of “Lent” or even observing every possible aspect of Jesus’ pre-crucifixion week.  The tendency of the church throughout the ages is to turn tradition-oriented practices into measurements of righteousness before God.

Still, the events of the week before Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion are important to know, if for no other reason, they provide a stunning spiritual blindness on the part of Israel’s leadership and Jerusalem’s population.  Compelling to me is Jesus weeping over the city as he rode the cold down the mountain of Olives.  His heart broke for what would happen to people because they “did not recognize the day of (their) visitation.”  Striding in their midst was the God who created the world, and the innocent Lamb who would be crucified for their sins.
 
Peter put it simply.  “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous (one) for the unrighteous (ones), that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit” [1 Peter 3:18].

Whether or not you celebrate church traditions or the events of Holy Week, may I urge you to fully understand the critical importance of Jesus Christ’s death in your place on the cross.  Worship Him for the life that comes to you through His remarkable, undeniable resurrection.  These two historical events, when recognized and embraced, can change your life and eternity.

Let Jesus bring you to God.  He has fully paid the penalty for your sin.  Believe in what He did for you on the cross, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Embrace by faith the new life He will give when you trust Him.

Come to our worship services this Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week.  We will speak of how Jesus loved us to the very end.

Leadership.  What is it?  How important is it?  And where do we find the kind of leaders we need?

On a recent Sunday evening, Pamela and I watched a report by Nora O’Donnell (CBS news, 60 Minutes) on the state of our United States Navy to face the challenges coming from Pacific arena.  It was a fascinating 27 minutes.  She interviewed Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, commander of the US Naval Fleet in the Pacific.
 
Leadership is his duty.  Readiness, combined with capability, to do what the Commander-in-Chief (i.e., our President) calls for when defending our allies (and specifically Taiwan) from China’s intentions to invade and take over that island.

China has become openly aggressive in and around the South China Sea, as well as in international air space and waters.  It has declared its intention to attack and assimilate Taiwan within the next several years.  This threat to Taiwan’s freedom requires leadership and strength on the part of her allies.  On the part of Admiral Paparo.  “We are living in the decade of concern,” he admits. “The Chinese navy has numbers which exceed that the U.S. Navy.”  Strategy and leadership in the years ahead is undeniably critical.

This is true not only for our country when considering international challenges.  This is true for the health and future of our church, the Free Church of Cañon City.  Today, the church remains the hope of the world.  Our church is the hope of Cañon City.  It is a key lampstand of the Lord Jesus.  It must be led well.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

Having studied leadership for decades, I understand leadership to be “wise, timely initiative with others, humbly for the glory of God and purposefully for the benefit of people.”  Leaders take initiative.  They seek to become like the Lord Jesus in every way.  In the arena of church ministry and effectiveness, they step forward at the urging and calling of God’s Spirit.

They also understand the mission of the group – the church -- they are leading.  They have thought carefully about how to help the group accomplish that mission.  Positively, they make leadership investments which help people successfully accomplish that mission.  Their leadership must promote the health of the church in key areas.  And, negatively (if you will), leaders take proactive steps to guard against whatever seeks to diminish or destroy God’s purposes through the church, and in people’s lives.

At the Free Church of Cañon City, the key group of leaders is our Elder Board, in partnership with our ministry staff.  They are to be men of spiritual character, coupled with clear-headed thinking about the purpose of the church.  They must also be capable of prayerfully, wisely leading in such a way that our mission (“helping people become like Jesus through the community of the church for the glory of God”) is accomplished through Gathered Worship, Communities, Core Groups, and Serving.

In short, elders are (to be) humble yet initiative-taking leaders.  They are examples.  They are watchmen.

IDENTIFYING NEW LEADERS

In the next few weeks, our Elder Board, through Nominating Committee, will be seeking God’s wisdom, through God’s people, in identifying new elders to serve on the Board in the next term (2023-2025).  Those nominated will be invited to an orientation regarding Elder leadership.  If you are a member of this wonderful Free Church of Cañon City, please do the following.

First, pray for the Holy Spirit to identify and call godly men to this important role of ministry.  Paul said to the elders at the Ephesian church, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock (note: the order there!) in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God” (Acts 20:28).

Second, consider nominating individuals you regard as truly qualified to serve in this role.  Read 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 for a refresher of the character of elders.  The present Elder Board and its Nominating Committee welcome your prayerful suggestions.  We will be looking for 2-3 new elders to be affirmed by the membership at our June 25, 2023 annual meeting.

Our church is a wonderful treasure, a gift from the Lord Jesus to this community.  We have had good men serving as elders whose terms are expiring (i.e., Don Burr, Dyle Knifong).  May the members of this body spend time praying, considering, and affirming those whom the Spirit would call to this ministry.

It is important!

Just about every generation of humans arrives at a point where heads are shaking and hearts are lamenting.  “Our world is a mess.”   Unless you stick your head in the sand to remain oblivious to the world around you, the evidence before us is compelling.  Any newspaper or news cast gives ample testimony.  The one I read on most days offered these headlines:



But Christians understand, better than most I’d argue, what kind of world we are living in.  It is small, and it is badly broken.  And, it won’t get better by simply staying-the-course.

Prompted by God’s Spirit, Paul said it:


If this is the only world in your future, your future is dim.

THE CHRISTIAN’S LARGER WORLD

In his book, On Christian Truth, Harry Blamires says it well:



Our citizenship is in heaven.
Our wait is for a Savior, the risen, living Lord Jesus Christ.
Our hope is in complete transformation (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53, Romans 8:18-21).

If you have friends who are reading only the paper…well, offer them Philippians 3:20-21.  They too could step into a larger and hopeful world.

Allow me to gently challenge you for a moment.  Especially if you are under 30 years of age.

Turn off your smartphone.  Power down the TV.  Come to Sunday worship this weekend with a purpose.

“I’m gonna get to know a gray hair.”

I’m not challenging you to become bosom buddies.  Rather, give a godly gray hair some of your time and attention.  You may never be the same.

I did this week.  It took all of 30 minutes.  But I came away amazed at what God the Holy Spirit could do in someone’s life.  I’m still worshipping His Wind.

Of course, you’d never know it by just looking at him.  Quiet, unassuming.  Doesn’t walk very fast.  Can’t see very well.  Likes it when the preacher speaks louder.  “I can hear YOU,” he shared with me.  “You speak up.  I really appreciate it."

I just started asking questions: “Tell me about your life?  How did you meet your bride?” (they’ve been married and faithful for over 6 decades!)  “How did Jesus find you?”

That’s when the worship started, when he shared with me how he used to go fishing every Sunday morning instead of to church.  But a new preacher came to the local Baptist church, an interesting one.  At his wife’s urging he went.  And the Word of Life was both clear and powerful.  “I learned for the first time that Jesus had died for me, in my place.  I couldn’t get over it.  It took me by the throat.  I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Within days, at the next worship service, he stepped out, went forward, and the Spirit claimed his life, by grace through faith.  It was so powerful to hear him explain it…

…AND how his life changed immediately in the days afterward.  He was never the same man.  By the power of God.

Now, he’s in his 80’s, but with a sparkle in his eye when he explains the moments he met the Savior.
 
It was the best 30 minutes of my week.  Could be yours too…if you come to church with a purpose.  “I’m gonna get to know – and listen to – a gray hair.”

I dare you…

Being a technology luddite, I am almost never on social media.  So I hadn’t heard.

Until this week.  Have you?  The Spirit of God is blowing where He will through the Asbury University campus (Wilmore, Kentucky).  More precisely, in Hughes Auditorium. 

What began as a normal (and required) chapel service on Wednesday, February 8, has become a quiet, unrelenting bonfire of prayer, repentance, praise and Presence.  As the midweek chapel concluded with a song from the gospel choir, ten students stayed and prayed. Christianity Today reports that what is happening “defies easy description. Students did not leave.  They were struck by what seemed to be a quiet but powerful sense of transcendence, and they did not want to go. They stayed and continued to worship.  They are still there.” (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2023/february-web-only/asbury-revival-1970-2023-methodist-christian-holy-spirit.html) 

What’s more, students from campuses around the Midwest—and from around the country (as far away as California)—are flocking to Asbury.  Each night, thousands are packing the auditorium.  As inside space evaporates, they stand outside the doors, the windows.  Praying. Singing.  Reading and reciting Scripture.   Many say that they “hardly even realize how much time has elapsed.  It is almost as though time and eternity blur together as heaven and earth meet…something unusual and unscripted is happening” (CT).

Some have been praying for this for years.

NOT THE FIRST TIME

Historians would remind that Asbury has been the site of revivals like this several times, “as early as 1905 and as recent as 2006.”  In 1970, as revival broke out at Asbury, classes were shut down for over two weeks to give room to step into God’s manifest presence.

Further back, the American colonies and then the newly formed United States experienced several revivals – the “First Great Awakening” in the colonies (1730 -1750), the "Second Great Awakening” (1790’s-1820’s) which fueled the anti-slavery movement, and the “Third Great Awakening” (1890’s-early 20th Century).  Segments of our history when the Holy Spirit used the worship and prayer of Jesus’ disciples to challenge our country’s spiritual lethargy.

A professor at Asbury recently wrote, “In previous revivals there has always been fruit that has blessed both the church and society…Likewise, I look forward to seeing what fruit God will bring about from such a revival in our generation.”

WHAT ARE WE PRAYING FOR?

I am challenged to evaluate what I am praying for on a regular basis.  In a book I’ve read with district pastors (Transforming Prayer), the author challenges me not merely to seek God’s hand (i.e., His gifts), but first to seek His face (His presence).  Jesus taught, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these (other) things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).  “Seek ye first…what a verse!” Sara Groves quietly sings.

Praise God for what He is doing in a special way on the east coast.  Kentucky news broadcasts are featuring this remarkable visitation from God.

Shall we not pray for a similar visitation…for the good of the body of Christ, and the world around us?

See you Sunday.

As I write today (Wednesday), the death toll from Monday’s 7.5-7.8 magnitude twin-earthquakes in eastern Turkey and northwestern Syria has climbed to over 11,000 human beings.

Rescue teams worldwide have raced “to reach people buried under buildings. The U.S. Geological Survey has projected a possible death toll of up to 11,000 people, while a senior World Health Organization official said it could rise to more than 20,000” (WSJ, Feb. 7, 2023).  Beyond the quake, a major snowstorm is pummeling the area.  Airport runways are compromised.  Roads have disappeared.  Turkey’s president is begging the world for help.

It’s a race against time and conditions to rescue the dying, the trapped under layers of rock and earth, concrete and steel.

Men and women.  Young people and children.  The toll mounts.  Imagine every person today living in Canon City, Penrose, and Florence suddenly losing their lives in a matter of minutes.

8,000 have been pulled alive from the rubble.  A baby and her mother trapped for 29 hours.  Another woman stranded for 22 hours.  Yet another child buried for 18.  The searching continues.

EVIDENCE OF CREATION’S GROANING and THE CREATOR’S HEART

Prompted by the Spirit, the Apostle Paul wrote it plainly to the Roman Christians.  In 8:21, he describes the physical creation as enslaved to deterioration, to corruption.  In 8:22, he hears creation lamenting (deep weeping, groaning) as it suffers the agony of dysfunction.  Of course, the world does evidence the beauty of an Artistic Creator.  But ever since Adam invited sin into his God’s gift of creation, the world itself is very broken, shockingly unpredictable and unsafe. Under the curse imposed by a holy God, nature itself often, and vividly, reminds us that sin destroys (cf. Genesis 3:17).  Our home is a fallen creation compromised and wrenching, violently crushing life.

When it does, people find themselves buried, tossed into utter helplessness.  Apart from outside intervention, they will die and be gone forever.

The image of God in us ignites sacrificial efforts of recovery.  Desperately clawing through rubble, rescuers mirror the selfless heart of a Savior, God who chose to became human.   Who willingly left his glory to dig through our gore.  A Savior relentlessly seeking, and saving, the buried, the trapped, the helpless, the lost.  And in so doing, to show us the actual heart of His Father.

WATCH THE NEWS and PONDER OUR RESPONSE

May I urge you to watch the news?  Look at what videographers transmit back through our news stations.  Look long and linger over pictures of rescuers urgently scrabbling through the debris.  They call out, they dig, they strain to hear any sound of possible life.  At any possible signal, they burrow to save a soul.  

They are modeling our Lord’s heart for those under the earthquake of sin and rubble of sinfulness.  Even here, in our safe, stable community, there are hundreds, thousands, so buried.  Desperately needed is the rescue available through the gospel of life.  We follow a searching, digging, clawing Savior who  looks over his sweaty, dirt-stained shoulder to say, “Please!  Join me!!  Dig for the lost!!!”

Who near you – near me -- has a life that has been demolished by the earthquake of sin?  Are we praying that they might cry out for help?  And, are we willing to search and dig and pull someone out of the rubble?

“For the Son of Man (and his disciples) has come to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10)
See you Sunday morning!

Decades ago, I played the game.  I’ll admit it. I didn’t care much for the guys in the striped shirts (yep, they were all guys back then).  

And, I gave my share of “lip” when one of their whistles stopped play and the hand was pointed at my waist (again, back then, the referee would point to your waist when you committed a foul and play did not continue until you raised your hand).  Competitive juices prevented me from ever fully admitting my round-ball transgressions.

Today, I’m blowing the whistle, seeing the game from a very different angle.   My weekly experiences are teaching me that becoming a good basketball player – and becoming like the Lord Jesus – both take practice, time, and game minutes.
 
BECOMING LIKE JESUS TAKES PRACTICE 

New referees often are assigned games played by newbies to basketball.  Newbies, at the start, are not very good.  To say the least.  All the time – very frequently – they don’t understand the rules.  They are unskilled at ALL the basics: dribbling, pivoting, passing to teammates, shooting, ball handling, rebounding, playing defense.  They are also often out of shape, which means tiring easily.  And sometimes, when ALL those basic skills are just not happening no matter how hard they try, they give up.

There’s just very little that looks like the game of basketball when new players -- who haven’t put in the time practicing basic skills -- nevertheless try to play the game.
 
If you’re a new Christian and feel a bit daunted at the very idea of thinking and living like Jesus, hear this.  IT’S NORMAL!

But if you’re new to following Jesus, it’s important that you quietly, off-the-court-of-life, practice the basics.  Here are a few I’d suggest – reading the gospel of John 3-4 times a week with a spiritual friend, and talking about what you are encountering.  Praying together for one another – especially about applying what the Holy Spirit is telling you in your reading.  And reviewing what becoming like Jesus looks like, to get a picture of what the Spirit wants to produce in your life.   Here’s the picture the Spirit has given disciples at the Free Church of Canon City:

• LOVING God supremely and others sacrificially
• ALIGNING with God's Word
• PARTICIPATING in the life of the church
• ANTICIPATING the return of Jesus
• SEEKING the good of our neighbor and world

BECOMING LIKE JESUS TAKES TIME

My life in basketball began in 5th grade.  Mr. Louis Bjorn, my 5th grade teacher, loved tennis and basketball.  He willingly volunteered his afterschool time to open the school gym 3 afternoons a week for 4th-6th graders to come and bounce the ball.  He started me dribbling, aiming for the corner of the square on the backboard, urging us into pick up games.

Through the grades and with each successive year, I spent more time with the ball and a basket and friends.  It simply took time to learn how to move in a coordinated way with the ball and with teammates.  The more time we spent, the better we all became.

Being shaped into the image of Jesus takes time, but it needs to be “time well invested,” and with others.  There’s no substitute for hanging with other disciples who also want to become like Jesus…not merely talking about the weather or sports or your last vacation.  Rather, talking about Christ and the challenges of Him living in you and you living like Him.  When this is our focus, the image of Jesus emerges more and more.  The Apostle John spoke of Christians who begin as “children,” then grow to be “young men,” and finally mature into “fathers” (cf. 1 John 2).

BECOMING LIKE JESUS TAKES GAME MINUTES

Game minutes.  That’s when you are on the floor during a real game, where playing great defense and offensive scoring proficiently are a must.  Frustrating your opponent’s attempts to score, and prevailing past your foe’s attempts to keep you from scoring.  Again, great basketball requires a team – a group of players who love the game and work hard together to play team defense and unselfish offense.

Playing well against a determined opponent can bring out the very best, and so it is with becoming like Jesus.  Our lives are an important “game” and the stakes are high.  When temptation lures, we need to live like our Savior lived by quoting and applying Scripture.  When a neighbor’s life is broken and needs Jesus, we need to live like our Savior offering grace and truth.  When forces threaten the unity of our church, we need to live like our Savior bringing a word of peace and humility, that our enemy not destroy our fellowship.

Jesus said His church would prevail against the gates of Hell.  Each day we suit up, our objective is to become more like Jesus even as He lives more in and through us.

Practice.  Time.  Game Minutes.   The Free Church in Canon City is a great team.  In the weeks and months to come…let’s become more and more like our Savior.