FCA Kingsport

Identity and Purpose

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 17:24:15 GMT

The best is yet to come.

I have a friend (now in his 90’s) who is one of the most profound teachers of spiritual truth that I know. He had an encounter with Jesus Christ (leading to his salvation) while he was in the Navy, and came out ready to walk with Jesus in all aspects of life.

After being discharged from the Navy, he attended college. His first day in class he asked his professor of philosophy if he could make an announcement to the class. After being granted permission, he stood and addressed the class. This is what he said. “I want to say hello, and then tell you that I know WHO I AM, I know WHY I’M HERE, and I know WHERE I’M GOING.” Needless to say, reactions varied.

What my friend claimed to know has been rendered unknowable by many, and a lifelong search by others. But Jesus promises His followers that we can have assurance deep within regarding our IDENTITY, OUR PURPOSE, AND OUR DESTINY.

Who are we? We are God’s creation and made in His image. According to God’s story, man was formed on the 6th day of creation. (Genesis 1:27) And God made man in His own image. Meaning, basically, that God made man with the capacity to know Him—deeply and intimately. My friend had discovered this. He now knew why he was here. To know God, through Jesus Christ His Son, and to live daily in thanksgiving of what God had done.

Why are we here? Am I, as C.S. Lewis once wondered, the equivalent of a laboratory rat wandering around in a cosmic experiment? No! I’m here to discover what it is that God has for me in this life. God told his friend Jeremiah (yes, God has friends) that “before he was formed in his mother’s womb that He (God) knew him and had appointed him as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:4&5) God knows us—we are His creation—His kids. And He has plans for us. And, ultimately, His plan for our lives will be fully realized as we commit our lives to Him and listen to Him. That’s why we are here.

Finally, where are we going? Well for that I need to give you a word. The word is DISCIPLE. We all have probably heard that word, but what does it really mean. It means a “follower.” One who follows very closely. When Jesus walked this earth, the Jewish culture in which He traveled had many teachers or rabbis. All rabbis had a following, and history records that you could always tell the most committed student. He would be the one that was covered in dust coming from the sandals of his teacher, as they walked the dirt covered roads and trails of the area. “Walking in the dust of the rabbi” became a phrase for being a committed student and follower—one who followed very closely. Our lives begin to make much more sense when we become followers of Jesus, for He leads us by His voice. He assures us that, as a shepherd, He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23), and that His sheep know His voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow. (John 10:5)

But what about when all this is over? When life here comes to its end? He has that covered too, for He has promised that “He goes to prepare a place for us,” so that He can take us to where He is, so that we can be there too (John 14:1-3). Heaven is our destiny. And a rich inheritance is waiting for each one of God’s kids who have faith in His Son Jesus for abundant and eternal life. While life here can become challenging at times, please be assured that “the best is yet to come.”

You see, my friend had insight that many in that philosophy class did not have. He had been apprehended by Jesus. A Friend who sticks closer than a brother. Come join us, as we “walk in the dust of our Rabbi.”

Most Things in Life Are What You Make Them

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:02:40 GMT

A few days ago!!!!!

I joined the Marine Corps in 1987. No one knew I was joining. Actually I hadn’t planned on joining. It just happened. I didn’t tell anyone. On my lunch break, I simply drove to the recruiting station walked into the the Marine Corps office and said I wanted to join. Staff Sergeant Santos was more than happy to get me started on my new life direction. I kept the decision quiet for quite a while but eventually people found out even my parents. It was not one of my best laid plans, but God had greater plans in store.

When my dad found out, he gave me the best advice I had ever received. “This might the worse 4 years of your life or the best 4 years of your life, but it will be what you make it.”

As 2020 close and we prepare for a new year, we are not sure what to expect. The last few months have been unpredictable, at times indescribable and to say the least challenging. Many businesses, churches and non-profits are struggling to carry on and move forward. It is easy in the middle of struggle to focus on what you can’t do. Even more difficult is to make solid plans for what we can do.

As I evaluate 2020 and plan for 2021, my dad’s advice comes to mind. 2021 is here. It may be the worse than 2020. It may be the best year ever. I can’t control what the future holds. What I can control is how I react to whatever comes my way. I have decided that 2021 is going to be the best year kingsportfca has ever experienced. The next year is one that the Lord has made. I am going to rejoice and be glad in whatever it may bring.

I hope you can make that choice too.

Aim At Something

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 19:21:00 GMT

Aim at Something.

If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.

As a child, my family (the men) would go hunting every Thanksgiving morning. We would hunt rabbits. Not because we were mean or for sport, we actually ate them. We grew up poor, so it was rare that we would have a hunting dog to jump into the briar patches where the little creatures love to hang out. So, for the younger years of my childhood, I would jump into those thickets and flush out the rabbits so my dad and uncles could get a clear shot at them. At the age of 12, my first real hunt happen. My dad let me actually take a shotgun of my own. I have a real chance of bagging some game. I was so excited to actually be a vital part of the hunt. It seemed like a right of passage. As we were going through the woods looking for the little bunnies, we shook up a covey of quail. Quail always stay in a tight group and when they take off they sound like a helicopter taking flight. To be honest it scared me a little bit and I was a little slow to get the barrel of my gun up. My uncle had squeezed off two shots before I could get my trigger pulled the first time and he got two more shots off as I fired. My uncle hit 3 quail out of his four shots. That was bad for him. My uncle earl didn’t miss.

Me, well I didn’t hit anything. “I missed.” My uncle ask, “Which one was you aiming at?” I giggled a little and said, “Did you see all those birds I was aiming at all of them.” He replied, “That’s why you missed.”

You can only focus on a limited amount of things and be effective.

Simply put, “If you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.”

If you are aiming at everything, well then you're really not aiming, your just pointing. If you don't know your target then hitting it is almost impossible.

What are you aiming at? Where is your focus?

2020 is almost over and a new year is just around the corner. What are you aiming at for the coming year.

Better health, better grades, deeper relationships? Whatever it is, set some goals, make a plan and aim (focus). You may not hit the bulleyes, but at least you will have made your best shot.

Be You!

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:58:16 GMT

Don't "Fake It Till You Make It", Jus tBe You.

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Be Complex!

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:50:18 GMT

"Ogres are like onions."

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Be Helpful!

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:46:51 GMT

How can I be helpful?

My dear friend Evan always ask a simple question that has stuck in my mind. He simply says, “How can I be helpful?”

This question embodies the significant life. Success is fine but what I really want, my deepest desire, is to be helpful. I want to be deeper than success alone allows. I want to be significant to other people. I want to make a deeper impact than making money or providing resources or service. If I am successful, it provides me with resources to be more helpful and that is a win-win for a person striving to be significant. I want to be significant. If you take a moment to think about the most influential people in your life, you most likely will find that they were helpful. There was a time you had a need and they filled it. It may have been a physical need and they had the resource available to help. What was significant was that they were willing to be helpful. They didn’t have to be but they chose to be. That is significant.

All to often we cut ourselves short on just how helpful we can be. We make excuse like I don’t have time or money or ability. In most cases those masks are excuses that cover up the fact that we just don’t want to. If I want a sandwich, you know what I do? Right. I go make myself a sandwich. If I go to the fridge and there is nothing to make a sandwich with, I hit the grocery or the local Subway. Either way if I want a sandwich I usually get sandwich. We usually do exactly what we really want to do. We make excuses for what we don’t want to do. Occasionally there are those times when there are reasons beyond our control that prevents us from being helpful, but those are rare. Usually being helpful comes down to a simple matter of “want to.”

If you want to be helpful, you can. The idea that helping others is costly is a bad rumor. Most people want to help themselves and all they need is a nudge in the right direction. Many times be significant in the lives of others is nothing more than encouragement to do what they already know they should be doing. It doesn’t cost much at all. A smile, a little time it takes to listen and a few questions. It really don’t cost that much.

I know you don’t have time. Life is so busy. I am amazed with all the technology we have to make things more effecient that we have less time for one another than we did when we had to find a pay phone to make a call. We don’t have time to listen to a great story of overcoming, a struggle or share conversation but we have plenty of spare time to troll Facebook for hours a day. Research shows that the average American spends almost four hours per day on some kind of media. Listening to music, watching TV, checking our news feed, watching YouTube videos has replaced live interaction. We have time. What we don’t have is true aim at the target of how to spend that time. There is still 24 hours in every day. We just have to determine that we are going to spend those hours effectively.

I am convince the down fall of significant relationships started with the invention of the air conditioner. Now, stay with me here. I love my HVAC. I have mumbled some words I shouldn’t during times that it wasn’t working properly. However with the comfort of a cool house and convenience, we quit going outside. When I was a kid it was miserable to be inside. Actually in the summer months of East Tennessee it was hotter in the house than it was outside. Besides if I was in the house the likelihood of my mom finding me some kind of chore increased considerably. My solution, don’t stick around. It was far more comfortable and fun to not be in the house. Because I was now out and about roaming the neighborhood, I bumped into my neighbors. I played in the creek and ran thru the woods. Along with my little pack of friends, I played football (which resulted in losing a front tooth), basketball, fox and hound, cops and robbers. Everyday was an adventure. But when we got some cool air running thru the house it was just more comfortable to sit, watch TV and vegetate. I’m not any fashion suggesting that we ban comfortable temperatures inside American homes. I’m suggesting that if you are a parent be intentional about getting your child outside. If you are a young person, make yourself familiar with the neighbors and the neighborhood. Go knock on the door of that couple who lives two houses down and ask if it’s ok if you have dinner with them. That would be hilarious (I might try that one myself). What I found was those relationships with my neighbors young and old had significant impact on my life. I was molded, shaped and forever impacted by my being out in the world around me. I know times have changed and in many neighborhoods it just isn’t as safe as it once was. I understand, but that is no excuse to refuse the bonds that can be built doing something together uninterrupted with someone of significance in your life.

Let me give you a couple examples. My friend has a son. One day his son informs him that he wants a playstation. My friend replies, “You have two playstation, one is called the front door, the other we call the back door, go PLAY!’ Priceless dad response. Really what my friend was doing was teaching his to be active. We need to be out and about. We may actually bump into someone who change our lives. Another story. My son loves salsa. Since we have air conditioning he would sit on the couch and eat chips and salsa all day if we would allow it. I schemed the idea that maybe we could make our own salsa. So we got the material to make garden boxes and planted the ingredients we would need to make our own salsa. The Perry brand was born. Now, to be completely honest, my son didn’t really do a lot work on the build or the gardening. He did however eat the salsa. The time we did spent nailing 2x6 boards together and checking on the jalapeños was priceless. Our garden wasn’t going to win any kind of prize. There were just as many weeds as vegetables, but it did produce enough to create a few jars of delightful pico and salsa. Significant bonding cost me a few hours, a couple 2x6’s, and several bags of nacho chips. That little venture was an investment.

Most often being helpful to others is more of an investment than a handout. What I have discovered is that significant relationship pay back more than they cost. Whether your planting a garden or having dinner with the neighbors both parties are usually going to reap a reward. We simply just need to look at being helpful to others. Look for a need and fill it. You will become Significant to someone else. Smile, look people in the eye and speak a kind word. They won't know how to react the first time but eventually they may remove their mask and cut a doorway in the fence that keeps them trapped. Build some relationships with the people in your neighborhood. Be nice to your bank teller, your waitress, your hair dresser. If you are intentional and consistent you may get the opportunity to change a life.

I am convinced that I am unable to change the world. I’m just not that important and I’m ok with that. Truth is, if I could change the world it probably wouldn’t turn out that good anyway. What I can do is significantly change someone’s world. I can make a difference in the life of one or two maybe a dozen so, people. If my impact is significant enough they may just go out and do the some for a few others. That is building a significant legacy. That is the success I am striving for. I’m not special. I’m not an expert. I’m simply trying to follow the lead of my friend Evan and be helpful. It quite possibly could change the world.

Be Real

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:43:51 GMT

Behind every mask is a face, and behind that is a story.

Growing up Halloween was my favorite holiday. Much like every other kid who are up with blue collar parents, I love the idea of getting candy. We weren’t always afford the livery of having multiple flavors of candy at one time. On Halloween night dad would load us in the car and we would hit every possible neighborhood. Some years we would come home with pillow case full of teeth rotting candy. And we would eat as much as we could get away as fast as we could. It was glorious. Although I loved the candy that wasn’t the part of Halloween that captured my heart. I loved to dress up. Halloween offered permission for me to be anyone or anything I wanted to be. If I could find or create the costume then I could be that person. My obsession with being someone else wasn’t confined to Halloween. I became a catcher for my pee wee baseball team because I wanted to be Johnny Bench. Summer days as a little fella would sometimes find me with one of mom’s towels pinned around my neck as I saved Gotham. Me and friend once cleared a hillside of brush with two sticks because in our mind we were Zoro and each bush, briar and sappling represented some sort of bad guy we had to defeat. I loved being someone else.

That is fine for a kid. I had a good imagination. Both of my kids were blessed with their own dose of imagination. I believe it should be embraced by parents. If your a parent let, even encourage, your kids to dress up, pretend and create. Research shows that it actually stimulates the brain and increases learning ability.

Although it is great in childhood most of us put on a different kind of mask as we mature into adulthood. We cover up the things we consider flaws. We never let anyone, except the closest of friends see the real us. We keep who we really are completely under wraps.

Some of the cover up is caused by what we perceive of other people. The Jones’ are the perfect family so we have to be too. We cover up the fact that we have some struggles and pretend to be something we are not. The cover up causes stress which then in turn creates conflict and then we have to cover that up, too. It is a viscous cycle of cover up and creating something else to cover up.

When I cover up the real me, what I am actually doing is building a fence around myself. People in my life never see beyond my mask so they can never truly know me or my story. All of a sudden my ability to influence is fenced off. Tim the tool man would stand at the fence and talk to his neighbor Wilson. He never saw Wilson’s face, he never got beyond the fence. The relationship could only go so far because the fence kept it contained. Our mask do pretty much the same thing. The thing we sometimes miss, is that fences actually serve two purposes. They prevent outsiders from coming in, but they also contain those who are inside them. So, just as Tim was kept on the outside of Wilson’s fence, Wilson was contain inside. The relationship was confined to the barriers. Those barriers can be fences, mask, attitudes and/or differences.

We also fall into the stereotype of our occupation or role. A lawyer is suppose to act certain way, dress a certain way and associate with a certain class of people. A stay at home, preacher, teacher, janitor all have standards that society has set up. These standards then become our defined way of life. They determine who we rub elbows with, how we act and even where we go. Many of us wear the mask without even realizing it. They confine us to a certain circle of influence and prevent us from being influential beyond that circle. Actually unless you really paid attention to the last chapter you could very well be trapped wearing the mask of your job or role has assigned to you. If so, you may be significant in one socio-economic circle and a stuck up snob to all others. That is ok if you want to live your life on a leach, confined by what the world has determined to be your area of access. I prefer to be “free-range.” Being complex will help to clear away some of the mask that society has set up, but in order to completely be free you will have to be honest about who you are. You’re not perfect, you have flaws.

It is ok to flawed.

My daughter was a bit mean as a little girl. I don’t believe it was her goal in life, it just kind of snuck up on her like a ninja and stuck like magnet. Eventually she would grow out of most of her meanness and turn out to be a beautiful princess. But it was touch and go there for a little while. The great thing and only redeemable side of her meanness is that she really never hid it well. When she painted the entire dining room carpet with bright green paint, she was so proud that she danced around in it. Whatever the act of defiance, she never really attempted to hide it. She was just open and honest about whatever the flaw of the moment may by have been. I loved the honesty and laughed a lot about the small acts defiance and pulled my hair out over the larger ones. When confronted with her flaws or disobedience she always owned it. Love her.

The reality is so obvious that we miss it. We are a flawed people. All of us, no matter how perfect we may think we are, have flaws. We are messed up. In our messed up state we are at a crossroads. We have a choice to make. The decision can be intentional or we just float along to one side or the other. We can choose to wear the mask and pretend we are just fine, perfect, good and unflawed. Or, like my daughter we can be honest and can live dancing around as our flawed self.

I’m in no way suggesting that if you have a character flaw that you can correct that you ignore it and continue living as if nothing is wrong. With corrections and effort we can create improvement in our actions, attitude and character. If you struggle with something that you can fix by all means fix it. But don’t hide the fact that you have something that needs fixed. That just isn’t real. We all are flawed. The Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. That word sin actually wasn't original to the church. It is an archery term that means missing the mark. We miss the mark. Sometimes our aim just isn’t true. Sometimes there are outside forces that determine the trajectory of our actions. Other times it may just be a personal weakness in a certain area or our lives. But, we do miss the mark. That doesn’t give us permission to intentionally aim at the wrong target, it just means we are not perfect nor can we be. Own it.

One of my struggles in the Marine Corps was learning to shoot the M16 rifle. I grew up in the South. Although I was/am a bit of a “country boy”, I never really shot rifles very much. We had shotguns and there is a big difference. When you shoot a shotgun you kind of just point and pull the trigger. The shells themselves are made in such a way that a group of small pellets go in the direction of your aim. There is a pattern, but the spread of the shot covers a large area and increases as it travels. You hit a much larger target area. A rifle on the other hand has one single trajectory going down range. Your aim must be true or you miss the target. Shotguns are made to shoot at much closer range than rifles. So when you take one single piece of lead and miss by a fraction at 50 feet the distance of you’re off target increases as it travels farther down range. Most of us aim our influence and simply pull the trigger. We aren’t particularly aiming at anything just pointing inside the fence we have been confined to by our little world. How significant would we be to others if we began to be intentional about our targets and our aim. How much impact could make if we could get outside the fence we have allowed to confine us to a certain hunting ground.

I also don’t suggest that we glorify our past failures and pretend that it is perfectly fine to intentionally be in the wrong. In my past I struggled with many things. I don’t openly announce that and glorify the fact that I spent a few years spiraling downward. But, I don’t dismiss it either. It is part of who I am. I made it thru some pretty significant struggles and I am a better person because of it. I am a bit embarrassed by some of the things I have done in my past, but I’m pretty sure I would be a different person today had I not travel through some of those flawed times. I don’t glorify them, but I’m not going to hide them. They don’t define who I am now, but getting through them did help shape me. Again, being flawed is normal. Most of the people I know have some kind of skeletons hiding in their closet. Those who don’t are wearing mask, hiding behind fences or just plain lying to themselves.

When we mask our flaws we build a fence that prevents others from ever getting close to who we really are. As a youth minister, I a lot high school boys who would confess their struggle with alcohol abuse. I think they knew they could talk to me about those kind of issues because they were aware that I had the same struggles. Now because there was no mask we could build a relationship that could actually help those who wanted to change. When the fences were torn down and mask remove we could actually get to the heart of our struggles and help one another. We could advance beyond being acquaintances and impactful to being significant. Change happens when we are significant. And it happens in both directions. Significant people impact others and at the same time are impacted.

In case you haven’t notice a life of significance is all wrapped up in your ability to influence others. If you are one sided your influence will be narrowed. If you wear a mask and hide your true character then your influence will be shallow. To get beyond success and into significance you need to have a reaching reality of influence. There are people who need a positive influence and your may be the only option at a particular moment in time. Be ready. That means you have to be available and real. If people never get beyond your mask they will never hear your story. And whether you know it or not you have a story.

WHAT WE DO

bperry@fca.org (Brad Perry) — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 01:54:28 GMT

What do you do with FCA?

What Does FCA Do?

FCA exist to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus.

We get this question quite often. So, we wanted to evaluate and simply put out a list of what God is leading us to provide for the local community.

What We Offer to the Coach

The Intentional Coach podcas t- Weekly podcast available on Apple and Spotify for coaches to equip them to be eternally influential. New episodes load every Thursday.
Coaches Bible Study - FCA staff and/or volunteers lead a Bible Study designed to equip coaches at local schools.
Currently leading studies at East High and Dobyns-Bennett
Coaches Night/Day Out - Events designed to engage coaches. Golf Outing: Fall
Coaches Cookout: Spring Kingsport Axe House
Character Coach - FCA provides a Character Coach to teams as a way to support the coaching staff and engage athletes with Character building devotions weekly. Coaches can contact FCA staff to schedule a Character Coach for their teams.
FCA/Dobyns-Bennett Strength Clinic - January 9 2021- FCA partners with the strength and conditioning coach at Dobyns-Bennett high school to be helpful to other schools.
Intentional Coach Workshop- We take the best of our podcast and provide tools to equip and empower coaches to make an impact.
Offered at Impact Community Center on Tuesday evenings March 2021. Offered to staff at local schools when requested.
3D Coaching Workshop- Led by veteran coaching FCA Staff Andy Barnes the 3D Coaching Workshop empowers coaches to lead at the highest level.
Offered at various locations twice annually and/or as a weekend coach camp.
Coaches Weekend- Designed to engage, equip and empower coaches to be intentional and influential. We hope to recharge the batteries and offer new tools.
FCA Bibles & Resources

What We Offer to the Athlete

• School Huddle - Led by school staff the school huddle engages students with the gospel and an opportunity to fellowship with other Christian athletes. FCA support school huddles with training and resources. Huddles meet at various times at their school.

Team Huddle - FCA provides a Character Coach to teams as a way to support the coaching staff and engage athletes with Character building devotions weekly.
Circle Up - FCA partners with Cumberland Marketing once a month to combine student athletes from all our schools to empower them to grow in their faith and lead in their schools and sport.
Provided at various locations
Nationally known and local leaders engage students.
Student are offered resources, FCA Swag and fellowship opportunity.
2 Minute Drill - Weekly topic based video from one of our area leaders to encourage athletes. We offered this during the COVID shutdown and plan to re-visit the idea.
Bold and Beautiful Workshop - Currently looking for a leader
Designed specifically for female athletes to empower them to lead the teams and grow in their faith. This workshop will be offered at Impact Community Center but can also be offered to local teams at their location. We offered a Zoom version of B&B during the COVID shutdown.

• Pure Athlete Workshop- Led by coaches Brad and Tanner Perry
Pure Athlete empowers student athletes with the tools to reach their maximum potential. This workshop will be offered at Impact Community Center but can also be offered to local teams at their location.

• FCA Bibles & Resources

What We Offer to the Community

FCA Impact Wrestling Club - led by Coach Brad Perry
6:00-7:30 Monday and Thursday evening at Impact Community Center
Athlete Combines
1) Similar to the NFL Combine offered annually. We have offered combines at Sullivan Central, Sullivan East and Dobyns-Bennett. We hope to offer a Combine to area athletes at Impact Community Center in the future.
2) Similar to the Crossfit Games offered annually. We had this event planned and cancelled it due to COVID.
3) The Ultimate Athlete- Six week challenge course designed to push the athlete to their limit. We offered a similar challenge with Sullivan Central Football called the Ultimate Cougar Challenge.
FCA Tumbling Club- Currently looking for a leader Tuesday evenings
Various Clinics and Camps- Led by local and some national coaches and athletes. Impact Community Center will be able to host camps and clinics.
Wrestling Camp- We have offered clinics locally for 3 years. Football Skills Camp
Basketball Skills Camp
Middle School Volleyball Camp
• Team Retreats- Teams can have their own team retreat at Impact Community Center. FCA can support by providing spiritual leadership, activities, housing and meals. As
renovations at Impact begin to near completion we will be scheduling retreats. Current teams; East Wrestling, East Basketball