May 2008

STOPPING THE HOPE-KILLER

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!! We just got back from the NASCAR race at Bristol and we’re still vibrating!!! The Lord is so pouring out His vision on motorsports ministry and I want to run off (like I used to…) half-cocked and loaded for bear!!! I so even more than ever see the potential for saving millions of souls and encouraging tens of millions of saints in the love and hopefulness that only comes from the Lord Jesus… using motorsports…

But I’m not running off half-cocked like I used to… I’m going to patiently wait on His timing and His provision for the vision…

Historically I’d run out and start the vision-max out all the credit cards and overdraft privileges-and run wide open with what I saw God intended to do…. Why do you think I’ve been preaching so much lately on credit debt….it’ll kill your hope if you don’t know how to take authority over it. But this time I’m going to wait on Him-listen to His sweet spirit and run on His timing… (Which is still faster than most mortal men can handle anyway!!!)

Okay….so what’s so exciting that’s happening-what happened at Bristol that’s got you so all fired up???

Well, thanks for asking….
As I met with Tom Elam, Director of Bristol Raceway Ministries, and he schlepped me all over the grounds that Friday before the race, I once again saw the huge harvest field potential using motorsports as the point of contact for bringing the love of Jesus to the lost as well as encouragement to the saints.

Tom took me up into the hallowed halls-the suites where millions of dollars and millions of lives are affected by motorsports and introduced me to Jeff Byrd, President of Bristol International Raceway. You know what Mr. Byrd told me? He considers Bristol-both the Spring race and the July “Night” race as an opportunity to minister to almost 200,000 people.!!! If he didn’t have Raceway Ministries, he might as well close the gates and put up a sign-“Go Home-Race Cancelled…)

Then Barry McGee and Leo Johnston and Cross Country-The Band, entertained a big crowd at the drag strip on Saturday morning. Elam has named this “Family Day” and all the churches in the area are invited to bring every one they can to the morning praise, worship and message and then get tickets to the Busch Saturday afternoon race. What another great way to minister to the lost using motorsports as the outreach lightning rod.

Meanwhile back in Oklahoma, Deaven is buttoning up our second video, which is the first issue of our video magazine. Its just a tad bit rougher than what ESPN would do, but when we get the same equipment and staff that ESPN has, we’ll kick their football around the block a time or two we’re here to tell ya!!!

We weren’t home a week and the printer’s got the new magazine finished! Hey, if you’ve never purchased bulk copies before, you have got to do at least 15 of this one. It starts out with Evel Kneivel’s born-again testimony just a few short months before he went home to be with the Lord… This story alone will touch millions.

Then there’s several hot new advertisers that believe in and want to support what we’re doing. For stories we have ProStock drag racers; more fuel and lubrication for gas mileage tech; Jesus at work w/biker gangs in New Zealand; Southern Baptist Convention launches international motorcycle ministry; behind the scenes in NASCAR’s superspeedway ministries; big truck towing and recovery testimony; Hollywood stuntmen for Jesus; NHRA Winternationals coverage by none other than super comp champ and real fast pastor — Jim Willoughby; kids’ ministries w/RFC Hot Rod Garage and Mike Edwards; motorcycle road racing out of the Francis camp: and concluding with the wild and wacky world of snowmobile racing!!! Glory to God, Deaven and Tammy are cookin’!!!!!!!!

For opportunities to change someone’s life yourself consider using a magazine, complimentary subscription, t-shirt, video or just a hug…

This is my last term in Bible school. I will graduate as one of only 35 chosen to complete the RHEMA third year pastor’s program. One of my classmates asked me what I was going to do and I said, “Get a lot more done because I won’t have a half day of school before I start work….” Seriously, I have been immeasurably blessed by this school, this ministry and the mighty men and women of God at Kenneth Hagin Ministries who have tutored me these three years.

Dr. Jan McCormack, chaplaincy department chair for Denver Seminary, also asked me after a meeting at Bristol what I was going to do… She offered that I could complete my Masters at Denver and she would arrange a full scholarship… Hmmm-that sounds interesting… I remember a conversation that RFC president Ken Owen and I had with John Bandimere-(Denver dragstrip owner)-15 years ago about a possible Christian Motorsports Nationals… Very interesting how the Lord works…

In closing, my final exam at RHEMA for my final term is to memorize First Corinthians Chapter 13-Amplified Version….Want to memorize with me as we remember the only important reasons for getting up in the morning? Let’s stop the hope-killer together using the love of God thru Christ Jesus!

Love endures long and is patient and kind: love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated w/pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.

Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it (it pays no attention to a suffered wrong).

It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything (w/o weakening). Love NEVER fails!...

      We love you!!!
      Roland & Dove

April 2008

THE STOREHOUSE PRINCIPLE
or… The Cure For Crisis Financial Management…

Do you know someone who is constantly confessing they’re on the verge of bankruptcy: bank going to repo the car; lender going to repo the house; mad dashing to pay the water bill before the office closes; calling in the electric bill when the 24 hour cutoff notice arrives; recognizing all the credit card collection phone numbers when they come up on the caller id; three bald tires on the family car; negotiating with the gas company to extend the “grace” period because its winter; overdraft fees that are bigger than a week’s wages and credit card interest bigger than two months paychecks?

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results…” Most people work the first four months of the year to pay taxes and the next three months to pay credit interest…

You can help these people by sharing the teachings in this letter with them…

Stop the “automatic bill pay” options and quit using the debit card-unless-you keep meticulous track in your checking account of those transactions. In our hurry scurry life we forget to make note that we got gas for $50 and stopped at Burger King for $25. The biggest profit center in banks today is the overdraft charges. They’ll happily pay the check and collect the $30 charges. They want you to do that because that’s how they make most of their money these days. If people will go back over the last year, many will find they gave more money to the overdraft/late payment column than they did to the church! (We’re assuming you’ve already burned your credit cards!)

Video Production… Recently we sat down to begin work on our second edition of our video magazine. We had a church somewhere in PA call and say they’d purchased a Darryl Waltrip video to show at their church for a car show event in April and Darryl looked to be about 25 years old…. Did we have something a bit more current and suitable to show… high powered action and testimonies interwoven- commensurate with the type of coverage you see in today’s movies and TV…???

Here’s the hoot… we are so living right on the cutting edge of our equipment’s capabilities… Old video cameras; old computers-(we have one computer that has the original PageMaker 1 version on it!)… and yet we’re turning out stuff that looks as good as today’s best stuff from Hollywood! Praise God for our staff-their perseverance and their super creative talent and initiative! Order your copy of Video 0801-Las Vegas Raceway Ministries highlights-NASCAR, NHRA drag racing, motocross thrills, chills and spills-testimonies and live action deluxe!!! $29 + $5 s&h.

New Magazine set to hit the streets… The Spring ’08 issue of CMI is enroute to the printer and it’s the real deal! Great racing action; super inspiring testimonies and a Christian emphasis that is so subtle but so strong that even Hell’s Angels and convicted murderers are giving their lives over to Jesus. Why not order a batch order now and hand them out in the most creative ways you can think of? … schools-(let’s get them before they go to prison), churches, prisons, waiting rooms, break rooms, car shows, bike rallies, racing events and on and on...

What’s this Storehouse deal got do with my financial crisis? I just solved it by canceling all my automatic debits and burning my credit cards! In the January newsletter I made significant reference to the numerous challenges facing ministry today. It’s gone way beyond taking prayer out of schools and merciless coverage by the media of pastors and ministry leaders who fail.

Statistics are that 1800 pastors quit every month because of discouragement and disillusionment… In this newsletter I’d like to encourage our readers to pray much more for your pastors, your ministry leaders and especially the motorsports ministers. These guys pour out everything they are into ministering in circumstances and environments that would wilt anyone but the most valiant. They deserve your support and encouragement!

You still haven’t given me a clue about what this Storehouse thing is all about! What’s this all got to do with motorsports ministry anyway?

Okay, okay… just go with me on this a bit further and you’ll catch the whole drift…

Here’s the deal…

I’ve known for most of my motorsports ministry career (15 years) that a lot of the folks who attend our chapel services very seldom go to church. In one random survey, I found about 60% of the chapel attendees ONLY went to a motorsports chapel at the racetrack and to church on Christmas and Easter..(Listen, life direction comes from the Word of God in the house of God!!!)

Since I already knew this, the Lord impressed on me most recently that many of His people were missing out on the blessings that He had instituted in Ephesians 5-assembling together in one accord and Genesis 1-the principle of sowing and reaping and how it was directly attached to tithes and offerings…and ultimately their own abundance and blessings.

A little background…
When noted Christian motivational speaker and evangelist Van Crouch spoke at Pastor Al Jandl's Houston church in the late 1990s, he had no idea that he would receive more spiritually than he had come to give. During a casual conversation about managing finances, Al confronted Van about having a storehouse of his own for his ministry, business, and family as outlined in Deuteronomy 28:8. This conversation turned into a life-changing journey for Van as, in the next four years, he started a storehouse of his own. He saw it increase more than hundredfold, met others who had applied this principle with the same results, and began studying the Scriptures to understand how it all happened. That journey led to the writing of The Storehouse Principle.

We’ve read and re-read this little book and applied it here at CMM and can attest to its revolutionary message. The Storehouse Principle reveals how to take what the Bible really says about money and wealth and change your world with it. We’re offering Van’s book this month for $15 + $5 s&h… or as a special thank you for a gift of $50 or more…just write Storehouse on your check.

Tithes and offerings…
So, if you’re not going to church because you have “issues,” I want to first challenge you that the Lord says in Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake the gathering together… (United we stand-divided we fall). Second, if you love the Lord but just can’t get inspired to go to a “hypocritical church,” (get over it and go anyway-find one!) In the meantime you can still be blessed financially by sowing your tithe… If you’re watching some Christian TV/video, radio and/or listening to tapes, you can send gifts to those ministries and still reap the blessings listed in Malachi 3:10-12 until you find a church… Listen, if you choose to question the argument that the Lord will open the floodgates of heaven and pour out blessings you can’t contain, at least confess verse 11 where the Lord will rebuke the devourer — you’ll be protected from unexpected flat tires, washing machine repairs, layoffs at work, blown engines in the race car, kids busted for speeding/drugs/etc..

If the donations to the radio/TV ministries don’t inspire you pick a motorsports ministry that does inspire you and that’s doing something life changing for our society and send your tithes and offerings to them… DON’T SIT ON GOD’S MONEY!!! It will rot your blessings! Finally, start your own Deuteronomy 28:8 storehouse yourself-get the book and start being blessed today… (and tell your insanity-and financial crises- you just gave them up for Lent…and the rest of eternity for that matter!) God’s Best! We Love You!!!

      We love you!!!
      Roland & Dove

February 2008

FIGHT ON!!!

We just got back from addressing all the NASCAR Nextel Cup chaplains w/Raceway Ministries in Las Vegas — doing our video presentation-and we’re here to tell you that God is on the move in motorsports and you are a very important part of it!

But first…

Vern Hoenes, with a very generous donation in response to our “Adversity School” newsletter, wrote in the memo line of his check: “FIGHT ON!!!”  Now the Lord knows that we need encouragement like that, especially when Adversity School is in full session. We walk in such a powerful victorious anointing that the enemy pulls every trick as best he can in an effort to destroy us or at least try to get us to take our eyes off our Lord.

So the first thing I’d like to say is how much we appreciate every one of you!  It’s such a joy-such a thrill-to get up in the morning serving our Lord by serving you! 

Let me tell you how blessed we are and what we’ve got in the works that is going to bless not only you guys-our partners, but multitudes of the lost as well as all eternity!!!...

!) The figures are in…Last year — 2007— was our best year ever as far as ministry donations!  We had three times the gifts we had in 2006…

2) We got all four issues of the magazine published!!! (’05-’06 only got two issues and one respectively.)  These issues cost approximately $20,000 each to produce, print and distribute, so this is a major feat!

3) We initiated our motorsports church/chaplain resource program with major success…

4) We produced our first high energy “taking Jesus to the track and then to the streets and neighborhoods” video with over 200 distributed so far...

5) We did video presentations at the annual conferences for Raceway Ministries, Racers For Christ and Godspeed Ministries…

6) We initiated a new wearables program of T-shirts, hoodies, and soon to be hats and decals…

7) We added more pages and increased quality to our most recent issue…

Can I say that we couldn’t have done this without you?  Can I say that we did this for you?... Not necessarily for you… but standing for you at the tracks, in the churches, on the streets, in the prisons… wherever you send us… Thank you again so much!

RADIO!!!

“Oh no!!! Roland’s not gonna be one of those tele-radio-evangelists is he?”

Whoa! Hold all your horses!  It’s really not my idea… We listen to the OASIS Christian radio network when we’re not listening to Christian tapes.  The OASIS network has stations from Virginia Beach, VA all the way to Palm Springs, CA and is based here in Tulsa where we live. One morning at 6:00am, when our alarm went off so we could do our morning devotions to start the day, the Lord said, “Advertise the motorsports ministry on this network.”

Okay… so tell us more…

Well, I’m glad you asked… We have initiated 22 rotating “Motorsports Minutes” which inspire the listener with some sort of fun, Christian trivia about racing and/or motorsports.

It directs the listener whether a pastor, Christian layperson or seeker to go to our website and learn more about what God is doing in the world of motorsports.  The spots cost $21 per minute which adds up to about $450 per month and we’re looking for sponsors to help out.  Every month we could use 45 people giving $10; 10 people giving $45 or one giving $450 or any combination thereof.  Please pray about how you can participate as this is going to really be able to get CMI magazines into thousands of new hands generating thousands of salvations and re-dedications! You may donate now...

You can readily see what a huge positive effect this will have on Christian listeners making them aware of the tremendous possibilities in motorsports ministry!

Welcome to this motorsports minute brought to you by Christian Motorsports Ministries...

1) Did you know that the morning of Dale Earnhardt's fateful last lap at Daytona in 2001, Darryl Waltrip's wife Stevie gave Dale the Scripture that was found taped to his dash after the crash?
This Scripture was Proverbs 18:10..."The name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it and they are safe."… and now you know!

2) Did you know that drag racing legend Big Daddy Don Garlits is a born again Christian? His wife Pat prayed for him several years before "Big" finally got it.  Garlits has spoken in a number of Christian Motorsports Ministries chapel services and his inspiration is always profound... and now, you know!

3) Did you know that there are a variety of monster truck ministries that are available to minister the love of Jesus in your town and your church?  "Monsters On A Mission" — the feature story in a recent issue of Christian Motorsports Illustrated, is a family team of four crushing monster trucks that travel the US ministering the salvation message of Jesus Christ... and now, you know!

4) Did you know that the '07 Christian Country Music Association Comedian of the Year was Christian Motorsports' own Barry McGee?  Barry is emeritus chaplain for Richard Childress Racing, and current chaplain with Bill Davis Racing, Racers For Christ and Raceway Ministries. Barry also co-hosts the CMI video magazine, is a platform artist with Chuck Colson/Prison Fellowship, and does racing fan outreach events at many NASCAR events during the season... and now, you know!

5) Did you know that Racers For Christ was founded in 1971 in Pasadena, CA as a racers' fellowship by Arnie Krueger, driver of a NASCAR Sportsman stock car? Pastor Ken Owen took the organization international in the early 80's and became the official chaplain for the NHRA. Owen's leadership spawned motorsports ministries into NASCAR, NHRA, CART, SCCA, IMSA, boat racing and street rodding to name a few… and now you know!

6) Did you know that Christian Motorsports Illustrated magazine was originally founded by both Roland Osborne — an RFC chaplain & publisher of Chrysler Power Magazine and Pastor Ken Owen of Racers For Christ?  Owen's original intent was that it would be an outreach for RFC.  Within the first two issues, Osborne saw that it was meant to be much bigger, encompassing all motorsports venues from drag to karts to IndyCar to Formula to motorcycles to street rods to racing to backyard enthusiasts... and now, you know!

7) Did you know that Raceway Ministries was founded by a young pastor named Ed Quattlebaum at a cornfield circle track moonshine runners race in Darlington, South Carolina? Today Raceway Ministries provides ministry at every Nextel Cup race on the circuit ministering through local churches' tents and canopies in the campgrounds and in the stands.  Raceway Ministries is intimately affiliated with Motor Racing Outreach which is the driver's "garage" side of the spiritual team… and now you know!

8) Did you know that the first issue of Christian Motorsports Illustrated featured drag racing legend Bunny Burkett? Bunny was an original Playboy Bunny turned alcohol funnycar driver, turned Christian. Bunny crashed horrendously in '94 and CMI featured her miraculous recovery and return to racing giving all the glory to Jesus Christ… and now you know!

9) You'd have to be a mushroom not to know how stunned the racing world was when Dale Earnhardt died at Daytona in 2001.  However, God's word says that all things work together for good; by the time Dale Beaver had finished the nationally televised eulogy, a number of new motorsports ministries had been born.  The most notable was the NASCAR Vendor Ministerial Alliance. These are the guys who drive all the vendor tractor trailers to every race day.  They were so devastated by the loss, that they began having their own Bible study/chapel services at 6:00 am every race day... and now, you know!

10) Did you know that the Marketing Director for National Street Rod Association, Jim Rowlett, is also the chaplain for the same, plus does "Motorhead Sundays" in his spare time?  Did you know that the Christian Rodders Association founder Dale Daly is the official chaplain for the GoodGuys and at one time RFC vice president?  And did you know that Renee and Gary Bingham are the founders of Godspeed Ministries and official chaplains for the IHRA?... and now you know!

11) Did you know that Prison Victory Magazine was originally produced as a prison/inmate specific version of Christian Motorsports Illustrated? Today, Loving Hearts Ministry produces Prison Victory still using many biker and hot rod testimonies from CMI as well as their best selling books like A Bear & A Dove and You Can Make It When You Get Out!… and now you know!

12) Did you know that Hollywood stuntman, Sammy Maloof, star of thousands of movies and TV stunt scenes including the Fast & Furious series, is a hard charging Christian? He has such a heart for kids that he’s founded Winning The Race of Life Ministries and the hot new Auto Barrel Racing Series. This drifting/drag style stadium race event is now very successfully taking the kids off the streets?… and now you know!

13) Did you know that the Welsh Neck Baptist Association sponsored the first ever Raceway Ministries effort and it was held at Darlington, SC in 1974? Today, the Southern Baptist Convention is solidly behind the NASCAR Nextel Cup Race outreach efforts at every one of the 35 tracks on the circuit-partnered with a huge variety of denominational and non denominational churches?… and now you know!

14) Did you know that in the Christian Motorsports Ministries Church Resource Guide & Workbook that there are ten good reasons why YOUR church should have a motorsports outreach? Reason # 2 — The number one interest on The Father’s heart is the lost… and the lost are NOT sitting in yours or any other church on race day!… and now you know!

15) Did you know that there are 75 million motorsports fans in the US…almost 1/3 of the general population?… and 75% would say that they do not have a personal John 3:5 relationship w/Jesus Christ? Motorsports ministry will build bridges from YOUR church into the local community?… and now you know!

In closing I want to once again thank you for your wonderful support and encouragement!  These projects are steadily advancing God’s work here on earth going “under the radar,” using stealth technology in reaching the lost and encouraging the saints.  I probably don’t need to tell you that there a millions of once-churched Christians that won’t go back near a church for a variety of reasons.

Listen, we’re reaching them, ministering to them and when I say “we” I don’t only mean RFC, Raceway Ministries, Godspeed or CMI.  I mean “we” — you and I and all those who love the Lord — the underground church — the Christian soldiers for Jesus coming off their bikes, out of their circle tracks and off the drag strips using motorsports as a point of contact to inspire destinies and change lives.  Let us know how we can help facilitate YOUR ministry to the lost…

      We love you!!!
      Roland & Dove

January 2008

STRIFE IN THE CAMP…

You’d have to be a mushroom to not be aware of some major shaking going on in the spirit realm these days.  Being here in Tulsa, OK, home of Oral Roberts University, where the whole thing started, we have a most unique perspective on what’s truth… and what’s a bunch of hot air baloney being stirred up by a devil who knows he’s going down for the last time…

I want to share with you an excerpt from God’s Word: The Apostle Paul said in II COR 6:4-10 (NLT) “In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God.  We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.  We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food.  We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us.  We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense.  We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.  We are honest, but they call us imposters.  We are ignored, even though we are well known.  We live close to death, but we always have joy.  We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  We own nothing and yet we have everything!” 

We areWarriors in the End-Time Army!!!

One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned in the last 2 ½ years in Bible School I learned just last week… Your ministry will never go any further than the pain you’re willing to endure.  Your success will never be any greater than the pressure you’re willing to ignore.  The devil will use every trick in the book to distract you from your destiny, starting with fear and finances.

For example:  We had several people cancel their magazine bulk autoship last month… Unfortunately these people supported almost one fourth of our magazine preprint finances. It just happens that we depend on our advance bulk orders to seed the printing of each issue.  The printer wants to be paid for the ink he puts on the paper in advance and our bulk program does that as well as puts thousands of copies into the hands of those who don’t know the Lord.  It’s a fabulous ministry tool! The devil wants us to be so disheartened by this financial crisis that we’ll quit… just when we’ve gone to more pages and super-incredible stories and layouts… and… the news today that we’ll be out on the secular newsstands probably next issue!!!! GLORY TO GOD!!!!  (That’s when we’re really going to need some serious financial support!) But we will NOT be defeated and we will NOT quit!!! Newest Issue-More Pages/More Color!!              

Here’s how you can help out…and ransack the enemy’s camp in the process!!! If you will commit to only 58 cents a day… (which adds up to $17/month over three months-$52 every issue) we will send you copies to hand out at work, on the street, at schools or at church.  Enclosed is a simple form for your ordering pleasure.             

Back to why the devil would want to discourage us… I have been invited to show our new motorsports ministry DVD to the annual conference of the National Fellowship of Raceway Ministries at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in January.  NFRM is the NASCAR ministry which reaches out to the fans and is closely affiliated with MRO (Motor Racing Outreach) which is the NASCAR “garage” ministry. Motorsports chaplains from all over the world will be there. That same weekend, Barry McGee will do a similar presentation to all the chaplains at the Racers For Christ annual conference in Florida. Our objective is to teach the chaplains about what tools are available to make their ministry job easier and how to take these same tools to their local churches for use as motorsports outreach opportunities into the local community. It’s absolutely revolutionizing the way churches look at motorsports and teaching them they can use motorsports as a point of contact to reach the lost… AND NOW WE’RE POISED TO GO OUT ONTO THE SECULAR NEWSSTANDS!!! Glory To God!!! Doesn’t that just make you want to order a hundred magazines and 10 more videos!!!???

In light of all the media hoopla, most of the mega-ministries under attack have published their financial records for all the world to see.  I thought that might even be prudent for us albeit laughable when you see the numbers…Total ministry donations 2006: $17,705.38  Total ministry expenses: $14,430.20… $3275.18 carried forward to 2007. (You’ll remember we only put out one magazine in ’06…Thank God that’s changed!!!)

I also thought it would be prudent to once again list our Board of Directors:  Barry McGee 336.724.9780 — shop chaplain (former) Richard Childress Racing/MRO/RFC chaplain — ordained by Jerry Falwell.  Dominick Gaetano 336.977.2410 — RPM4HIM Ministries/MRO Chaplain — ordained by Full Gospel Churches International. Flip Lacy 301.371.6595 — USMC Veteran/American Airlines pilot/ordained by AA.  Bill Ferg 218.624.7717 — Chariots of Light North Central Region president-Founder/Pastor — Living Faith International Church/Ministries Duluth, MN-ordained with Mark Barkley Ministries.

Back To Why There Is Strife In The Camp…  There are numerous references in Scripture regarding strife all the way back to Genesis-the strife between Abraham and Lot’s herdsmen.  In virtually every instance, strife ended in major sickness, disease or death to those who created the strife. James 3:16 speaks of strife, confusion and every evil work.  Strife, naturally as an evil work is a product of satan-who only comes to kill, steal and destroy.  Those who enter into any kind or affiliation with strife are certainly not going to walk in their God-ordained destiny and their personal health and life could be in serious jeopardy.

Two that really stand out are when Achan, in Joshua 7, kept some of the gold for himself. His whole family, all his possessions and animals were stoned and then burned! Even more sobering is when the Israelites made Moses so mad that he struck the rock at Meribah twice in anger-Deut 52:31- and so disqualified himself from being able to enter the Promised Land!

So the devil has done his best to stir up the body of Christ, using Tulsa-one of the world’s most spiritually powerful cities-as the focal point of this strife.  The sad part is that many well intentioned Christians have been duped by this media circus/dog and pony show.  Dove and I are very close to several of those currently under attack.  We are on Oral Roberts campus nearly every week and the allegations against the Roberts are pure fabrication.  If you had 50 people with microscopes crawl up your distribution records of millions of dollars, I’m sure they’d find a hangnail or two in your program.  Current ORU president, Billy Joe Daugherty, is our pastor and we know him to be of only the highest caliber of integrity!

Another named mega-ministry leader personally paid for the translation and printing of our Bear & Dove book into Spanish for the prisons.  That same minister also paid for the printing of our Prison Victory Magazine current issue. Another named mega-ministry leader supported the motorsports magazine printing in June of this year and the prison magazine printing June last year.

Referring back to the opening paragraphs, you won’t go to any significant levels of accomplishment without some significant levels of challenge.  Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:16, “At my first answer no man stood with me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”(My prayer is that someday I will be more like Paul who was so much like Jesus!!!)

In closing, don’t get caught up in the madness of the age.  These are perilous times and the Bible speaks about a falling away of believers…  DON’T GO THERE!!!!      

      We love you!!!
      Roland & Dove

December 2007

GLORY!!!!!

NASHVILLE, TN… Barry McGee, NASCAR shop chaplain, RFC Chaplain, Prison Fellowship platform artist and Christian Motorsports Illustrated/Ministries Director of Evangelism has just been named “Comedian of the Year” by the Christian Country Music Association.  Barry was in the top five running for this award and Sunday night, November 4th, Barry got the nod and the award as NUMBER ONE!!!

Listen friends, it’s a proud day for all motorsports ministries… It a day to rejoice, for not only is Barry one of our own but his crossover and recognition in the other venues brings our cause much more credibility and visibility!  GLORY TO GOD!!!

“As usual, you’ve put out another wonderful CMI magazine!  Thanks for the profiles of Larry and Linda (Smiley-RFC President), Glenn and Linda (Krieder — RFC Division 3 Directors) and Team RFC.  Hopefully, that will attract the attention of people willing to explore serving Christ through Team RFC.  We have to turn down dozens and dozens of ministry opportunities each year because of not enough chaplains..”  www.TeamRFC.org

Paul Neighbors — RFC Executive Director

Paul’s comment is why we get up in the morning… what we live and breathe for each and every day at CMI… The lost are wandering aimlessly over the precipice to hell and believers are challenged and ravaged by the daily issues of life.  There aren’t enough chaplains, magazines, DVD’s or finances to go around and our mission here at CMI is to change that!

We don’t have to take a back seat to any worldly endeavor if we choose not to… and some of us choose not to!  How about you?  How’d you like to see chaplains at EVERY race track in the country?  How’d you like to see a motorsports ministry at EVERY church in your town?  How’d you like to see racers, rodders and riders to be more fulfilled-more inspired and more tuned in to the love of Jesus?  How’d you like to see every kid who’s looking to get high, get high on Christ?

Barry’s doing it; Paul & RFC are doing it: Larry and Linda and Glenn and Linda are doing it; CMI is doing it; Raceway Ministries is doing it; Circuit Riders MM is doing it; thousands of other motorsports fans are doing it too!  But we need millions to be doing it to overpower the status quo.  If we at CMI had the advertising budget that just McDonald’s does, we’d kick a whole lot more serious Philistine tail feathers!  If we had just the credit card interest that those reading this news flash spend each month, we could put 10,000 CMI magazines into every NASCAR, NHRA and IHRA race next year.  Talk about changing lives!!!!

Don Durant, of Denver, one of our long time supporters, said recently how much he admires our “Warrior Spirit” here at CMI.  Won’t you please help us out with some serious prayer warrior intercession of your own for us?  You’ll experience the huge changes yourself if you do!

Back to the matters at hand…  Our DVD is rocking the traditional church world!  We’ve been showing it to churches all over the country as of this writing but there are over 100,000 more churches in the US that we haven’t gotten to yet.  Order a DVD yourself for $12 (which includes shipping) and take it in to your pastor and let him watch four minutes of it.  If he isn’t moved or inspired, check his pulse…

I have a brief but very pregnant teaching this month…  Jeremiah 1:5 says,” Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…”  That word “knew” is the Hebrew word yada and is the same word used in Genesis where Adam knew his wife Eve and she conceived…For all of us who skipped Biology class when DNA was being studied, not only were your mental and physical characteristics programmed into your genes, your spiritual characteristics were also intimately interwoven.

That means that you have already seen your entire destiny before you were born… But the devil started right away trying to drown your destiny in fear, alcohol, drugs, relationships, anxiety and hopelessness.  Why do you think in Matthew 25:31-46 the Lord makes such a big deal about comfort and compassion for those six categories of hopelessness…?  Listen, ever wonder when you get a de ja vu flashback what’s going on?  The reason is that you’ve already seen it before — when the Lord programmed your destiny.  Your mother’s choices, your father’s choices and your choices have all affected that destiny… but thankfully Romans 11:29 says that God’s gifts and callings are without repentance! That means you can pick back up wherever you left off and finish your course strong!  Glory to God!!!... if that doesn’t get you whoopin’ you better check your pulse too!

In closing I want to share some notes from Rick Renner which are so timely for all of us… “Never let the devil tell you that your partnership with a Gospel ministry isn’t important.  Think of what would happen if everyone simultaneously stopped giving.  Preachers would be like automobiles with no gas in the tank.  Although equipped to go with a vision burning in their hearts, they would be unable to do their work and fulfill that vision because of their empty tanks.”   Who would do weddings, funerals, counsel the weary, visit the sick and bury the dead?  Even I’ve spent a thousand dollars on a set of wheels and racing slicks and winked at the pastor’s bald tires.

The gifts you sow into a ministry put gas in the tank so the work of the ministry can go forward.  “Thus it isn’t just the minister’s work but your work as well.  We want to thank you for what you do for God’s work. Your partnership in the Gospel is not a light matter.  It is one of the most significant things you can do in this life.  When you stand before Jesus and see all the people who are in Heaven because of the gifts you sowed, this is the golden moment when you’ll really understand the power of every single gift you ever gave for the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” 

Thank you for giving to the Lord; I was a life that was changed.  If Steve Haynes hadn’t coaxed me into that RFC chapel service one fateful July Sunday morning at Bandimere Drag strip in Denver, 1984, I wouldn’t be the same man I am today.

Thank you Steve; thank you RFC; thank you Jesus!

      We love you and believe only for God’s Best for you,
      Roland & Dove