Synopsis "Established in the Gospel"
In July of 1961 the members of the Green Bay Packers assembled for their first practice. The previous season ended with the Packers squandering a lead late in the 4th quarter and losing the NFL Championship to the Philadelphia Eagles. This loss consumed the minds of the Packers the whole off-season. What changes can we make to go to the next level? What little details did we miss---what special plays can we introduce this year? Vince Lombardi had a different plan in mind. In his best-selling biography of Vince Lombardi, author David Maraniss writes of what happened at training camp in 1961: "He took nothing for granted. He began a tradition of starting from scratch, assuming that the players were blank slates who carried over no knowledge from the year before... He began with the most elemental statement of all. "Gentlemen," he said, holding a pigskin in his right hand, "this is a football." Lombardi was determined that his group of professional athletes would be the best at what everyone else took for granted. They won the NFL Championship that season 37-0. He would go on to win again in 1962, 1965, 1966 and 1967. Fundamentals matter. This is a fundamentals book. It is not fancy, nor is it filled with many great stories (for cool stories see my other books). This is about establishing a strong foundation, the strong foundation you will need to walk with Jesus. Even though these are fundamentals, you will keep coming back to them, and seeing them with greater clarity. It will also be your joy to teach these truths to other people in their spiritual journey. I guarantee that if you learn these fundamentals, you will be far ahead of those who want a quick fix or easy answers. You will have depth. Fundamentals matter. The Creator of the universe has summoned you into His Kingdom and you will find His Kingdom to be much different than the current world system. Therefore, it is important for you to be established in some of the foundational truths of God's Kingdom. You may be brand new to the ways of God, returning to your first love or just getting reacquainted with God. Nevertheless, it's critical for you to have a strong foundation, which nothing can shake. He destined you for a life of joyful endurance, overcoming, influencing others and knowing Him as a Friend. I pray you will be diligent in these studies, so that you may be Established in the Gospel. "This is a football..."
