The 90s were a great time to be a Braves fan. From 1991-2005 the Atlanta Braves won their division every year. As a kid, I was a Braves fan for one reason: my parents were Braves fans.

Georgia and Virginia were great places to foster a love for the outdoors. In middle school and high school I went camping nearly every month. As a kid, I loved the outdoors for one reason: my dad loved the outdoors.

Growing up in the church impacted my life more than I can realize. In the church I learned about serving others, generosity, forgiveness, and how life is best lived. As a kid, I valued the church for the same reason: my family valued the church.

When I grew up, I had to make decisions about all of these things for myself. The Braves. The outdoors. The church. As a kid, my parents chose these for me. In time, I had to choose them for myself.

No matter how old you are, my hunch is that you can relate on some level. What in your life has been chosen for you? Is it time to make some decisions for yourself?

Many people never decide for themselves about the faith. They believe because it’s what their parents believe or because it feels like it’s what they’re ‘supposed’ to do. Many of us (this was me for years) are cultural, rather than committedChristians.

Cultural Christians are Christians because something in their environment has chosen this faith for them. Committed Christians have chosen to follow Christ for themselves.

For cultural Christians, Christianity is important in varying degrees and is incorporated into work, family, and other aspects of life insofar as it is helpful or desired

“For committed Christians, Jesus sits at the center of work, family, and all other aspects of life and everything else revolves around that cornerstone.”

Having experienced this shift myself and having witnessed it in many others, it seems to me that the difference in an ordinary life and an extraordinary life is the shift from being a cultural Christian, to becoming a committed Christian.

In our nation, and particularly in our city and state, it’s imperative that we have our eyes on this distinction: You can believe in God without being a follower of God. We have a lot of people who believe in God (with their minds), but do not follow God (with their lives). Cultural, verses committed Christians.

Where are you? Do you believe God exists? Do you believe that is enough?

Real, true, extraordinary, abundant life is found both knowing that God is God, and living as if God is God. Jesus is pretty clear: “Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”

Want more? The extraordinary, committed life? A very practical suggestion: pray this prayer regularly.

“I am no longer my own, but thine.
Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee,
exalted for thee or brought low for thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
thou art mine, and I am thine.
So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven.
Amen.”

-John Wesley, The Wesley Covenant Prayer

The world has enough cultural Christians, we need men and women committed to Christ to the degree that we are willing to put him at the absolute center.

“Life is best lived when it is radically oriented toward Christ”

Reorienting our life around Christ is the work of a lifetime, work that takes not only time but the grace of God to do things for us we cannot do for ourselves. Many of us are on this journey, I hope you’ll join along.