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So Who is the Evangelism Linebacker?

We've all heard about the Evangelism Linebacker and we've laughed with the videos, but who is this passionate Christ follower?

Derwin Gray is a man of great passion. For six seasons in the NFL he played with a contagious passion that led to two Pro Bowl nominations. For the last nine years, he has communicated the Gospel of Grace around America and abroad with an intense passion that is both contagious and inspiring. Dewey is a 2004 graduate of the Billy Graham Institute of Emerging Evangelists and a graduate (with honors) of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is being mentored by world-renowned theologian, philosopher, and apologist Norman L. Geisler.
Derwin Gray and his wife Vicki founded One Heart at a Time Ministries in September of 1999. The vision of the ministry is to see people transformed--one heart at a time--through the love, grace, and truth of Jesus Christ. Derwin is also on the Pastoral Leadership Team of theGathering, a young, vibrant multi-ethnic church plant in Charlotte, NC .

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

What Does Eternal Life Look Like? It Looks Nuts!


For some reason -- unknown to me -- I was up this morning at 3:27 am. Since I was awake I thought I would review and comb through some information in preparation for our Pastoral Staff meeting later today. Then I prayed using Dr. Ken Boa's prayer book called Face To Face: Praying the Scriptures for Spiritual Growth. This morning as I prayed the Scripture reading for the day, I was tackled by Luke 6:35-36,

  • But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

I am going to rant a little . . . it's early so go for a ride with me. Friends, this is what eternal life or as Dr. Dallas Willard calls it, "the eternal kind of life" looks like in everyday life. When eternal life is sadly reduced to just a trip to heaven when we die, we greatly reduce the Good News to news that does touch everyday life. And a Gospel that does touch everyday life is a shallow Gospel that produces shallow Christ-followers.

When we come to understand and experience the eternal kind of life we posses in Christ, because the Eternal One (Jesus) now lives in us, His forgiveness, love, passion, and power become ours to use in everyday life (See Col. 3:1-4). All of a sudden everyday life becomes sacred.

Because His life is now our life, we can do the unthinkable: forgive our enemies! And as if forgiving our enemies wasn't enough, the eternal kind of life empowers us to do good to them and to even lend to our enemies . . . expecting nothing in return! Are you kidding! Are you kidding! That's nut's! That's the Gospel!

This kind of a Gospel will attract people to follow Jesus. This kind of a Gospel invites people into a new reality of living that is wonderful and beautiful and supernatural.

I've ranted enough; time get kids ready for a day of being on mission at their public schools. Peace out.

derwin


Posted by The Evangelism Linebacker at 6:00 AM

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

D. Gray...thanks for your blog entry. What a great way to start my morning, reading that because of Christ in me, my eternal life has already begun. Not only that but I have the power THRU HIM to love, forgive and extend grace minute by minute, hour by hour, every single day. That's something to be excited about!

October 28, 2008 7:42 AM
The Evangelism Linebacker said...

Thank you for the encouragement! I never know if these blogs are being read . . . so praise God that you were blessed and equipped to enter the mission field this morning.

May His kingdoma and will be done in and through us today.

d. gray

October 28, 2008 8:42 AM

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