A Grand Slam for Jesus

posted 03.05.09 by Christian

There’s nothing like the grand slam. When I played ball in college as well as my time spent over seas playing with AIA I hit many home runs, but none were more meaningful than the grand slam I hit my sophomore year. It scored more runs, got the crowd more excited, and gave my teammates more hope that we were going to win. It also got my coach pumped up who had joked in the past about me hitting useless one run homers that had no positive outcome of the game. I can’t remember many of the home runs I hit in college as well as playing ball over seas, but I will never forget the one grand slam I hit.

I remember the team we were playing, the names of the players on base, the look on the pitchers face when I made contact, and even what part of the field it went over. Why the memory? Why was it so important? Because there is something special about the grand slam. Very few players make it through their professional career without hitting a home run, but there are many that never experience the feeling that goes along with clearing the bases with one swing. It reminds me of the church experience.

There are services we go to where the experience hit a single in our life, or maybe even a double or a triple. And if we are lucky there are times we feel we have just experienced a home run at church and tasted the best God has to offer. Well, let me remind you there is nothing quite like the grand slam and I experienced one this past Sunday at Elevation Church in Charlotte NC.

I rarely get to visit other services because I travel as an itinerant speaker but this Sunday I was off and one of my mentors, Dwight Robertson, was speaking at Elevation so I made the effort to go and hear him. From the moment I drove up to the location where they meet and saw the Elevation Banners waving I anticipated something special was going to happen. It almost felt like the bases were loaded and the potential was there for a grand slam opportunity. I talked to one of the volunteers and told them I was a visitor and she welcomed me with a big smile and radioed up ahead for the other parking attendants to park me in the front row at the entrance way.

As I got out I was approached by a man who informed me he was a volunteer and escorted me inside as regular attendees at Elevation greeted me with a smile that could only be matched by the one on my face the first time I saw my wife standing on the steps of her school on our blind date. Let me just say at this point I have experienced enough to make me want to come back for more. Everyone, I mean everyone was polite and giving me the first class treatment. They then took me to the front row and handed me bottled water and told me if I needed anything to let them know. I sat there with a look of shock on my face as everyone there was filled with excitement anticipating a movement of God.

At this point I felt the pitcher was down in the count 3 balls and no strikes. I knew what he had to throw next, and I was ready to punish him. Then the worship started, oh my goodness did it start. Not just the quality of talent but the heart felt experience that you only have when someone’s God cup overflows and you happen to get soaking wet because you were close by. I felt like the pitcher was in his windup and I could see the fear on his face. After worship we sat down and prepared ourselves for Dwight’s message “Plan A there is no plan B”. Wow!!! I laughed, cried, reflected, raised my hands and cheered as Dwight delivered what I believe to be one of the most powerful messages I’ve ever heard. I must say I was very proud to be a part of his ministry. I paid close attention to others that were in this packed house and I must say they were in all the way. What was it they were in to? That every life is important to God and we can all make a difference.

That’s the plan A message at its core. The message makes you fell loved and valued which can be a difficult thing today in churches that are full of clichés that seem to push people away instead of pulling them in and releasing them to serve. At this point the pitcher has released the ball on a bases loaded 3 an 0 count and I am seeing it like it’s traveling 10 miles an hour and as big as a watermelon. I swing away and hit a spiritual grand slam fueled by the Elevation experience. I must send out a thank you to the people of Elevation and their staff for doing it right and making me feel valued and important in the Kingdom of God. Keep it up!!! By the way, the pitcher in this story was the Devil and he just got drilled.

Peace.