photo credit: telegraph.co.uk

 

One of my favorite Christian influencers, is Dr. Jim Denison.  I use the term “influencer” because that seems to best describe him.  Holding a PhD in philosophy of religion, he has spent over 30 years teaching and lecturing at seminaries around the world, and pastoring churches in Texas and Georgia.

In 2009, he left his last pastorate, the 10,000 member Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, to launch the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture to “equip people to change the culture for the Kingdom. As a catalyst for moral and spiritual renewal, DFTC is joining God in building a global movement of culture-changing Christians.”

His daily (Monday – Friday) free column is distributed to more than 114,000 subscribers in 203 countries.  His extensive social media, internet, writing, and speaking ministry equips people to creatively engage the culture at the level of things they are thinking about every day:  politics, sports, entertainment, leadership, morality, and other issues.

In my opinion, few people connect Biblical truth to the things that real people are talking about every day like Jim Denison.  For example, in his Monday column this week, he shared some facts about the previous night’s Super Bowl:

•    Peyton Manning became the oldest quarterback ever to win a Super Bowl.
•    He is also the first quarterback to reach the game with two different teams.
•    For the first time, two quarterbacks who were number-one picks in the NFL draft competed against each other in a Super Bowl.
•    The age gap between Manning (39) and Carolina quarterback Cam Newton (26) was the largest in Super Bowl history.
•    John Elway, Denver’s general manager, became the first to win a championship as a player and as a GM.
•    Over the last fifteen championship games, the favorites won only three times.
•    A thirty-second Super Bowl ad cost at least $5 million.
•    Around 170 million people worldwide watched the game from 180 different countries.
•    People eat more food on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year except for Thanksgiving. Around 4,000 tons of guacamole were consumed yesterday, with the assistance of 13,500 tons of chips. Around 90 million pounds of chicken wings were eaten yesterday as well.

From that opening of fun facts, he went on to describe His admiration for how Peyton Manning consistently kept the focus on the Denver Broncos rather than on himself, both before and after the game.

He followed that with powerful leadership quotes from recognized business and Christian authors that highlighted unselfish service as the greatest mark of leadership.  Finally, he pointed to Jesus, who reminded His followers that He came, “not to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28) and invited them—and us—to follow His example.

I have met Jim Denison a few times and consider him a mentor, though my only regular contact with him is reading his daily column.  Though our approaches differ somewhat, I also want to influence people to look at everyday life though the lens of a Christ-focus.  This is why I write every week and remind my considerably smaller number of readers that your life really matters to God.

 

I want to influence people to look at everyday life though the lens of a Christ-focus. Click To Tweet

 

The Super Bowl is over, the guacamole bowls are washed.  What’s next as we listen for God’s voice in our everyday circumstances?

About

Just an ordinary guy living an amazing life. Amazed by God and joining Him in His amazing activity in the world. Seeking the flourishing of fellow travelers. Author, Blogger, Speaker, Singer, CoachSultant, Husband, Dad, Grandpa.