Oh the depths to which we Christians will sink:
Rick Lemons is a pastor in Texas. He’s able to relate to Christians by drawing parallels with NASCAR. In fact, he wrote a book: The Race.
Is your spiritual engine running on fumes? Do you feel like you’re falling behind in the race of life, or that you’ve hit the wall? Get ready to start your engine once again. In The Race-From Pit Row to Victory Lane, author Rick Lemons offers timely and comprehensive insights that will fuel your relationship with God. Join him as he parallels the Christian life to NASCAR racing.
Just as NASCAR teams work together to improve a car’s performance in Pit Row, God has provided all we need to drive a victorious race. Lemons points out that we have a pit crew-other believers-and a crew chief in God. By making frequent pit stops for God’s Word, Worship, Fellowship, Prayer, Accountability, and Encouragement, we equip ourselves for ultimate performance. He explains how these are like fuel, new tires, a strong battery, receiving instructions from the Crew Chief, listening to your spotter, and receiving a refreshing drink during a NASCAR event.
But it’s not all fun and games:
Lemons also warns of accidents resulting from debris that Satan throws our way; Satan wants to put us on the “dnf” list-did not finish. Lemons forewarns of wreckage that can disqualify us. NASCAR teams understand that having the best car does not guarantee victory on every race day. Forty-three cars begin each race, but not all will finish.
H/T: Andrew Sullivan
…only in America.
Is there something wrong with metaphors?
This reminds me of Paul’s “run the race” metaphor, updated for a particular, and very-American-South, strand of Christianity.
If the metaphor is bad, chuck it. In this case, “making frequent pit stops for God’s Word, Worship, Fellowship, Prayer, Accountability, and Encouragement” constitutes a privatization of faith (something on the side-line) when we’re not performing life in the public square, on the race-track as it were. Thus, the metaphor breaks down immediately, and I doubt the author realizes the challenge that the Gospel presents to the NASCAR enterprise, and all consumer-driven sports that have been used as metaphors in the past.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with metaphors—as Matt pointed out, Paul uses a similar one himself. But we live in a culture where big league sports are a flagrant idolatry, and to baptize one of them as a metaphor that is drawn out in a book-length treatise on what the Christian life is all about isn’t going to do anything to help the situation. CTN is right to point out that the metaphor breaks down real fast.
As much as I enjoy NASCAR—or the other popular sports in this country—it would better serve as an example of the unbiblical ideologies and values of this culture instead of a quirky illustration for the Christian life. Pilgrim’s Progress already wrote the book on that one.
Consider also the forthcoming NIV Bible: Stock Car Edition — http://bit.ly/F2Dsl . . .
“43 cars begin each race, but not all will finish.”
Call me crazy, but I wouldn’t bet on a Lemon to finish the race.
It’s a pretty good metaphor, but for the wrong God.
When you think about how “NASCAR” (and now I’m talking not about the whole ball of wax but about the vague, amorphous group of rule-making and enforcing guys) makes arbitrary judgments about equipment and bizarre judgments about how and when to continue a race after events like crashes and rain, and the conspiracy theories that fly through the grandstand and around the bar about how the fix is in, “NASCAR” becomes something like the Greek pantheon that’s constantly fiddling with the outcome of the Trojan War.
A NASCAR doctrine of providence. Now there’s a book just waiting to be written!
“Yee haw, I’m riding in the number 7 year, good buddy. Gotta flat and I’m comin’ in. Roger, Roger.”
“Just blew a head gasket, team. Think we’re done for in this one…”
Does it teach you how to draft spiritually?
Don’t forget this song in the Simpsons:
Rachel (spoken): This is a love song about dude I met in a sleazy motel…
A dude named God!
Rachel: In a motel room in Delacroix,
I was drinking like a Dartsmouth boy,
and thinkin’ ’bout the wrong turns that I took.
Well I woke up on the puke green floor,
and opened up a dresser drawer,
lookin’ for a bottle but instead I found a book.
A book about a man,
a book about the dude who lives above.
A book about a man,
who drives a pickup full of sweet, sweet love.
Now if you think he doesn’t care,
or maybe that he isn’t there,
it’s not too late to see how wrong you are.
So when your soul has gone astray,
just let God be your triple-A,
he’ll tow you to salvation and he’ll overhaul your heart!
Ah, the Simpsons… is there anything they can’t do? ;-) Thanks, philq!
Question for all:
If you were wanting to communicate the gospel to a real person or disciple a real person who was a big NASCAR fan, how would you do it?
I think it is easy to shoot these fishies in a barrel, and i don’t particularly care for this approach myself, but how do we communicate to these people well?
Please don’t misunderstand me: i do think critique is valuable, but i think that every once in a while i get a little tired of our propensity to jump right to it, to tell people they are drowning, and not throw them a preserver.
Hi Derek-
Great question. I wouldn’t–unless asked to. (By God or the NASCAR lover)
If it was God asking me, I’d do a lot of listening, and very little talking. If it was a NASCAR fan asking me, I’d do the same.
Just to clarify-
I don’t get NASCAR and I don’t think a NASCAR fan would ‘get’ me. My ‘gospel’ message wouldn’t be to tell them they’re drowning. I don’t know if they are or not.
Having said that, My Name is Earl is funny and Trailer Trash, beer swilling NASCAR fabs are about the only safe human target left for us in America.
And for us Chritisna hipsters, pretty funny stuff. Especially when the prototypical Southern Baptist, penal substitutionary atonement theology is mixed in with car racing. High octane funny!
Derek,
Like anyone else: a real person knows brokenness, loss, fears, disappointments.
I will refuse to treat “the NASCAR fan” as if his or her identity was a name brand. I will refuse to think of the evangel in terms of spiritual goods and services to be delivered efficiently to a targeted consumer (group).
The reason I’m happy to critique such products is because they are signs of something. What might they be signs of? Does it matter? Is it healthy? I doubt it, and I think the value system driving our impulses to generate such “product” is pervasive in the American church, at all levels of its spiritual life and practice.
I think when you framed this part of your question, “how do we communicate to these people well?” in the context of accepting the reality of the “NASCAR fan” identity, you elevate the language-game of the god Market and the priorities of technique. Fight the power!
The actual person to which one might attach the abstraction “NASCAR fan” is first of all an image-bearer of his Creator. He is a son of Adam to whom Christ calls, asking only (!) for his complete trust and to follow Him. We speak to him as a real human being with real human problems, just like us all.
roger,
I understand what you are saying, and i am well aware of the need to be slow to speak, so to speak. So, let’s assume that ask you how to become a Christian, or what it means to follow Christ. What happens next? I don’t think you are deliberately dodging the question, and i appreciate your intuition that we must have some sort of relationship with this person that goes beyond mere love for NASCAR, but i am still looking for some construction here.
Joel,
Yes, the “NASCAR” fan is before all else an image bearer of God, but s/he is also one thoroughly emeshed in his/her cultural milieu. That being the case, following the lead of thinkers like T.F. Torrance, and implications of the incarnation, we need to think about solidarity before sanctification, or maybe better, both at the same time.
I think it is a bit naive to think we can strip away the “incidental” cultural trappings of each individual and get to the “heart of the matter” by merely talking about “spiritual realities.” I don’t know many people who would appreciate a stranger asking them about their past regrets and pain. It would seem that one would appreciate a genuine relationship first, some solidarity, but if said person is obsessed with NASCAR, how does one build that relationship? Do we simply speak truth to power, and expect them to repent, or to be challenged to grow deeper in their faith in Christ? This starts to sound a bit like the street preacher with the megaphone method. I doubt you would advocate this Joel, but then how do you do it?
So while I understand your concern about simply capitulating to the “powers” of technique and Market, but i think you have created a bit of a false dichotomy here by saying that caring about how to communicate within the “NASCAR” context is mere submission to the powers. It could be argued that such an endeavor is merely trying to take the incarnation seriously; God himself lived and worked within a culture in his earthly ministry; he both critiqued and affirmed it value, and so should we.
Lastly, let me emphasize again that this doesn’t exclude the importance of critique; we need both sanctification and solidarity, lest we merely fall into putting spiritual garb on our cultural values. This could very well be happening with this book, but i think that we should (a) read it first before we label it as a demonic power structure or a capitulation to it, and (b) offer our own solutions as to how we can minister, or participate in Jesus’ ministry, within culture without becoming swallowed by it. I think that this is a much tougher task for the theologian or teacher than just critique. In this case, how do we do that with the NASCAR fan?
Sorry if this discussion seems a bit ridiculous to many. I just get flustered at times by the seemingly immediate impulse to jump to mere critique instead of how to actually provide better resources for the guy who earnestly desires to see the people surrounding him/her know the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Derek, I’d prefer to keep the issues going on in your reflection separate.
First: Halden files this under “Humor” and “Christian Insanity.” I agree with those labels. It is a product conceived, designed, assembled and marketed to Christians: “[Lemon]’s able to relate to Christians by drawing parallels with NASCAR.” The subject of the post concerns a product that acquiesces to and participates in a system at odds with the Kingdom. Such products and practices are signs of something deeply unhealthy about the American church (as I said before). In one sense you’re right: people (in the Church) are drowning. This product exemplifies that.
Second: evangelization. I think you misunderstand the points I was making, or I wasn’t clear enough, or both. I didn’t have an encounter scenario in mind at all, nor was I suggesting a methodology. No further comment since this is unrelated to the product and the subject of the post.
Halden may get as much mileage out of Nascar Christianity as he did out of Mark Driscoll (who’s GOT to be a NASCAR fan, by the way!)
Derek-
i echo Joel’s sentiment on ‘evangelism’…I do not believe that a verbal encounter,(i.e. a direct question posed to the NASCAR devotee. e.g. Do you want to become a Christian or Do you want to know Jesus? or Do you know if you are saved?) is called for in my hypothetical encounter with the ‘FAN’.
Joel said: “I agree with those labels. It is a product conceived, designed, assembled and marketed to Christians.”
Right, hence my inclusion regarding how to disciple somone who was already a Christian and a big fan of NASCAR. If you don’t want to address evangelism due to the subject matter of the post, that is okay. I think it is a relevant question in light of your position, but i have no problem with focusing solely on the issue at hand.
So to the issue of the post. As you put it: “The subject of the post concerns a product that acquiesces to and participates in a system at odds with the Kingdom.” I understand what you and Halden are saying. In part, my comments are aimed at challenging that view, or at the very least the assumption that a few introductory paragraphs and front cover artwork provide enough material to determine whether a book is a part of “demonic power structures.”
I doubt the author is the next Barth or Pannenberg, but come on, lets read a chapter or two at least. Coming out of a somewhat fundamentalist upbringing, your comments sound much like some in my past. If you have actually read it, then i sincerely apologize for questioning you, and from my very limited interaction with you, would then guess that your take would be spot on.
Furthermore, i understand your concern about products like this being at odds with the Kingdom, but disagree with how to deal with this issue I think that methodology, how we relate to and exist in culture, is a relevant and inextricably related issue in how we deal with institutions opposed to the Kingdom.
While i understand that Niebuhr’s typology is rightly criticized at many points, do you really think that Christ and his followers can be that “against,” or if you prefer Craig Carter’s term, that “separate” from culture to where we can look at anything that comes (in part, in my view) out of a worldly system and make a wholesale judgment on it after a mere cursory glance? I do not. I think these things are a bit more complex than that.
So again, if this product exemplifies that “people are drowning,” how do we help the Christian who is NASCAR fan and is caught up in bondage to the god Market? If you believe that this question is irrelevant, then i believe that we are at an impasse, since you and i maybe see the task of theological reflection differently.
Thanks for the chat so far Joel and Roger, i have enjoyed it.
I guess what I am saying Derek, is that I don’t know if we can really ‘help’ others who are drowning unless they ask for help…
As we change and grow, hopefully, we can help others.
Why didn’t I think up this crap? I could be rich, or at least have a small passive income stream.