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Take a Risk!

A monthly publication from Risk Takers for Christ

Volume 10, Issue 11 November 2019

moving believers from the sidelines to the frontlines

I Coulda’ Been a Contender

by Rev. Dale M. Glading, President

Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, a dockwork- er and former prizefighter

On the Waterfront won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1954 for its realistic depiction of the rampant corruption and union violence of the commercial docks in Hoboken, New Jersey. The film starred Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy, a dockworker and former prizefighter, and featured an all-star cast that also included Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb, Rod Steiger, and Eva Marie Saint. Brando won an Oscar for Best Actor and Saint was named Best Supporting Actress. Elia Kazan also took home an Oscar for Best Director.

Perhaps the most famous line in the entire movie is spoken by Brando as Malloy. Years earlier, his older brother Charlie had convinced him to throw a fight in order to placate a union boss who had bet on Malloy to lose. Now, full of regret and wondering how things might have turned out differently had he won, Malloy tells Charlie, “I coulda' had class. I coulda' been a contender. I could've been somebody...instead of a bum, which is what I am let's face it.”

Those words echoed in my ears during a recent lunch meeting I had with a local businessman. A committed Christian, he invited me to lunch to discuss Risk Takers for Christ and to encourage me during our recent financial struggles that have delayed our payroll by as much as 30 days.

Because he grew up in Memphis, where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated, we started out by discussing the Civil Rights movement of the 1950’s and 1960’s. We have both visited the National Civil Rights Museum there and have also read several books by or about Dr. King. We also spoke about my efforts to foster racial harmony throughout our community and the numerous racial reconciliation conferences I have helped organize.

From there, we went on to discuss other subjects including the connection between fatherless homes and criminal behavior. Naturally, that led to me talking rather passionately about our Living H2O Initiative.

“You know something?” the gentleman said. “You could have been the CEO of some large company.” He meant his words as a compliment, meaning that he felt my organizational and communication skills would have attracted attention and commanded a hefty salary in the corporate world.

“Maybe so,” I replied. “I was named Most Likely to Succeed in high school and planned to go to law school at one time. But then God got hold of me and changed the direction of my life.” My response to his kind words wasn’t meant to sound egotistical or remorseful. I was simply letting him know why I didn’t parlay my God-given talents into a legal career or some other well paying job.

Having recently celebrated my 60th birthday, I must admit that it is tempting to look back and wonder “what might have been” had I chosen a different path. In the world’s eyes, “I coulda’ been a contender” instead of a prison minister. However, God has blessed me over the past 33 years with the privilege of impacting an estimated 500,000 inmates in three countries on two continents… and I wouldn’t change that for a minute.

Sure, those three decades of ministry have come with a price. My salary is not large, and the manufactured house Deanna and I share still has a mortgage. On top of that, ministry pressures have turned my hair gray while my knees ache from the thousands of softball and basketball games I have played behind bars. But those sacrifices pale in comparison to what awaits me in Glory someday. Not only will I (undeservedly) get to see Jesus face to face, but I also hope to see the faces of the tens of thousands of inmates who have trusted Him as Savior through the various ministries I have been involved in. At that point, it won’t matter how big my paycheck was or whether my earthly house was mortgage-free. Because of Christ, my heavenly mansion is already paid-in-full.

So, my friend, don’t judge yourself or allow others to judge your life according to this world’s standards. Accolades are nice, and there is nothing wrong with wealth as long as it is acquired ethically and used properly. But honors and possessions will all pass away, where- as souls are eternal and what is done for God lasts forever. As the Apostle Paul wrote in I Timothy 6:7, “For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take any- thing out of the world.” Job echoed those same sentiments in Job 1:21 as did the Sons of Korah in Psalm 84:10, which reads, “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”

Lawyer, prison minister, or doorkeeper… it really doesn’t matter. Seek God and His will for your life, period. Only then will you be a true contender.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Blank Stares

Author

As part of my previous ministry, our basketball team used to scrimmage the varsity squads at two different Bible colleges in our area. The scrimmages were mutually beneficial, providing a valuable preseason tune-up for the colleges before they started their league schedule. For us, it was a way of finding out how we stacked up against a much younger team, similar to the ones we would soon face behind bars.

However, the biggest reason we were interested in scrimmaging these Bible college teams was it gave us the opportunity to recruit some of their players. Even though several of our players had played in college themselves, most of the men on our team were in their 30’s and 40’s. And so, the chance to add a couple of “young bucks” to our roster was a big incentive.

Surprisingly, we won our share of these preseason games and afterwards, we would venture into the home team’s locker room to make our “sales pitch.” Usually, one of our veteran players would share about his involvement in our ministry and then I would highlight the different ways they could get involved themselves.

My usual presentation had two parts. First, I would remind them that God had blessed them with athletic talent and a first-class Bible education. Second, I would offer them the opportunity to apply that talent and education by playing in prison and leading inmates to Christ, thereby fulfilling the Great Commission.

“To whom much is given, much is required,” I would remind them, quoting from Luke 12:48.

Unfortunately, that was usually when things went a little “off the rails.” No one was ever rude or discourteous, but you could tell from their body language and the blank expressions on their faces - that they weren’t the least bit interested. It was as if they were saying, “All I’m worried about right now is graduating with a degree, landing a job, getting married, launching a career, buying a house, and starting a family.”

I guess that’s why, despite scrimmaging these two colleges about a dozen times, we were only able to recruit two players for our prison ministry. Fortunately, they were both “keepers.” One starred on our basketball team for about a decade and the other one has been playing on one of our softball teams for close to 20 years. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the basketball player was the best overall player in our ministry’s 30-year history, and I groomed the softball player to take over coaching the team for me when I moved to Florida in 2011 to launch Risk Takers for Christ.

But the point remains that here we were, sharing an incredible ministry opportunity with hundreds of soon- to-graduate Bible college students, and most of them couldn’t have cared less.

A friend of mine who taught and coached at one of those colleges and currently serves at a different Christian university in the Midwest put it this way. “When I first started teaching, kids would come to a Christian college to pursue a calling. Now,” he said, shaking his head sadly, “they come to pursue a career.”

Compare that to the experience I have had countless times behind bars. I would be standing at the gate to the prison recreation yard, shaking hands with inmates and distributing gospel literature to them as they entered to watch one of our games. Time after time, in institution after institution, someone would approach me with a broad smile and a serene look on his face. Almost immediately, and without a word being spoken, the Holy Spirit within me would recognize him as a fellow believer.

“You’re a Christian, aren’t you?” I would say as I offered my hand. “Yes, I am,” would come the reply. “How did you know?” And so, I would share with him that his facial expression had given him away.

Blank stares versus a peaceful countenance. Which one does the world see when it looks at you?

Book Now!

We are booking now for all of 2020. If your church is interested in scheduling a Risk Takers Revival Meeting or a Dare 2B Daring Men’s Conference, please Dale Glading at 772.539.1826 or dale@risktakersforchrist.org.

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Revival - coming soon to a heart near you

Ben Matlock, For the Defense

Author

“I know the prosecutor in this case, and she is a very tough cookie.” - Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock

Andy Griffith as Ben Matlock

For a period of several months, Deanna and I relaxed in the evenings by watching old episodes of Matlock. We recorded them, so by fast-forwarding through the commercials, a single episode only took about 40 minutes. If it was late or we were really tired, we would only watch one episode and then turn in for the night. However, if it was early and we weren’t sleepy, we would often watch two.

On the show, Andy Griffith plays the role of Ben Matlock, an Atlanta-based attorney who is one of the top defense lawyers in the country. His $100,000 fee is prohibitively high (remember,the series ran from 1986-1995); but he rarely loses a case.

In addition to being expensive, Ben is high- strung, blustery, scheming, and given to courtroom histrionics. He is also very cheap,which may be one of the reasons why he loves to eat hot dogs. But the bottom line is this: if your life is on the line, Ben Matlock is who you want representing you.

Nobody argues a case better than Ben!

In the same way, there is no better defense attorney in heaven’s courtroom than Jesus Christ. Unlike the above scenario, there is nothing blustery, scheming or cheap about Jesus. In fact, He is always under control and when He speaks, waves stop rolling and winds cease to blow. And there is absolutely nothing cheap about Jesus either. On the contrary, He purchased salvation with His own blood and offers it freely for the taking.

Sitting at the prosecutor’s table is someone with thou- sands of years of experience. He digs up dirt on the defendant and then hurls torrents of accusations at them, one after another. Worst of all, he has the evidence to back up his hateful claims.

The courtroom shakes with his boisterous allegations and the verdict is never in doubt. Surely a jury of the defendant’s peers would find him guilty as charged...and sentence him harshly, too. All hope is seemingly lost.

As the courtroom drama comes to a close, Jesus Christ rises to His feet and everyone falls silent out of respect and awe. “It is true,” He begins His closing argument, “that my client has committed the crimes for which he has been charged... and many more, as a matter of fact. However, I have already paid the fine and served the sentence for his crimes and here, in heaven’s courtroom, there is no such thing as double jeopardy.”

Because there is no jury, the verdict is left solely to the Judge. As His gavel comes down with a thunderous roar, He announces in a voice loud enough to be heard throughout all of creation, “Not guilty!”

The case is closed and the verdict is forever sealed. The only thing left to do is to fall at the feet of Jesus out of love and gratitude.

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.” Romans 8:33 (NKJV)

Upcoming Risk Takers Events:

  • Nov. 4: RTC Board Meeting, Vero Beach FL
  • Nov. 9: Basketball at Zephyrhills CI, Zephyrhills FL
  • Nov. 23: 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Vero Beach FL
  • Dec. 14: Basketball at Martin CI, Indiantown FL

Our Staff & Board Members

Rev. Dale M. Glading, President

Rev. Larry “Chap” Lilly, Vice President

Christopher Glading, Director of Programs and Publicity

Rebekah Bailey, Director of Communications

Trustees: Rev. Thomas Griffin, Michael Kelley, Steve Navarro, Dr. Matt Parris, Rev. Greg Sempsrott Advisory Council: Robert Bartosz, Steve Schoch

Take a Risk! is a publication of Risk Takers for Christ, PO Box 651421, Vero Beach FL 32965-1421. Excerpts may be published or reproduced providing proper attribution is given.