Skip to main content

Anchor House Week 2: Have a nice forever

The second week at Anchor House concluded with my return to State College of Florida for a very special event. I had the great honor of overseeing the celebration of life services for Robert C Wynn.  Coach Wynn was the first baseball coach and athletic director at then Manatee Junior College. Under his leadership, they won championships, expanded the athletic department by adding other new sports, and were pioneers and champions for women in sport. He was a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, coach, teacher, mentor, and friend. The fact is, he built a legacy. However, that legacy wasn’t just what occurred on the baseball field, athletic department, or within his family. It was about people's forever. 

Coach Wynn was one of the most passionate soldiers for Jesus I have ever known.  He was more concerned about people's salvation in Jesus than anything else. It was the focal point of all of his relationships and decisions. His unashamed passion for sharing the gospel was contagious. Coach Wynn experienced significant achievements in his life. He'd be the first to tell you, they were all because of his Jesus.  

As I wrapped up the second week at Anchor House, Coach Wynn's service was the perfect reminder of what it's all about.  In this Jesus was clear.  Our job is to Love Him and Love our Neighbors (Matt 22: 37-40).  What does that mean? How do we do that? 

We do that by being like Robert C. Wynn. We share this amazing gift of Jesus with whomever we can. We realize that the goal is to change people's forever and the process to get the privilege to share that good news may take time. In the meantime we simply love them.  We show hospitality (Heb. 13:2). We care for them and the troubles they are walking through (Gal 6:2). We push each other to become better versions of ourselves (Prov 27:17).

Matthew 28:19-20 says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Coach Wynn was a disciple maker. His life is an inspiration to follow.  We are here on this earth to be developed as followers of Christ and to build followers of Jesus.  It's a process. One that we all play a role in.  God has placed each of us in a position to do his work.  We only need to recognize and embrace it. Go forth for you may be the place you work, it may be in your community, it may be across the world, and it might be right in your backyard at Anchor House. 

At Anchor House we have some people whom we get to serve every day.  Others we serve every few weeks. Others we may never see again.  Whatever the length of time we are given with God's children, our job is LOVE.  

Whatever we do at Anchor House, it must come from a position of love. Fact is we love because we were first loved (1 John 4:19). We love because by it they can tell we are disciples of Christ (John 13:35). Whatever we do at Anchor House we must do it because we want all to have the same glorious forever Jesus has secured for each of us.  

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Glow Differently

I saw this quote recently, “You glow differently when your confidence is fueled by belief in yourself instead of validation from others.” I found myself wrestling with it. I completely agree with the concept that the validation of my worth is not established by the thoughts of others. While I think a positive self image is important, I do not think that it is what really makes me “glow differently.” I hope I glow differently because of whom I believe in, rather than what I believe of myself.  The author of Titus says, “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7) . Love and kindness entered the world in the form of a m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus Paid It All

This morning I found myself searching for songs to add to my playlist. I have decided I want a list of songs to play while I run. As I've shared before, I don't particularly enjoy running, but we have committed to this 5K at the end of October. Running becomes tolerable when I can blast worship music and simply be with God. I was in search of particular version of a hymn from the 1800's titled "Jesus Paid it All." The Passion conference worship team did a rendition of it 5-6 years ago and I quite enjoy it. Anyway, in the search for the song, I got to reading about the lyrics.  I have always been drawn to the refrain because of it is a reminder of Jesus' incredible gift to us.  It goes: "Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." The images portrayed by the comparison between a crimson stain and white snow are vivid. Dark red stains are the type of stains that just don't come out. Th...
Post a Comment
Read more