JESUS FREAK TRUCKER

EPISODE 66. Men’s Ministry. Nine Components of Success

Tom — Fri, 24 May 2013 21:34:22 +0000

What makes a great men’s ministry? I spent a little time on this and came up with nine components of a successful men’s ministry. Let’s talk about how these nine things apply to both the Jesus Freak Trucker podcast, and your ministry as you travel the continent.

Nine Components of a Men’s Ministry

Christ centered. A ministry is nothing if Jesus isn’t at the core.
Like minds. Although you want to also draw in the seekers, you need a base of like minded men.
Prayer driven. Men need to pray, together, for men’s needs and ministry.
Multiple ways of entry. How do men find out about your group?
Relationships built on trust. You have to have a core of men who trust one another.
Gifted men leading. Leadership is everything if you want to be successful.
On time, planned out and executed. Men don’t like unplanned, poorly executed events.
Inviting. Is the ministry event something you want to talk about?
Evaluation and review. Do you review the ministry regularly and look for ways to improve?

Marriage and Sacrifice

I was hoping to get a little more feedback from listeners on this one, but I will cover it partially and wait for feedback. What does sacrifice look like as a trucker with a wife at home? It goes way beyond the obvious. We ask a lot of our wives as truck drivers. We ask them to do without us for days, or weeks. Whether we want to admit it or not, we also ask them to be totally in charge of day to day life on their own. Decisions about kids, the house, bills and so many other things land on them. How do we sacrifice for them?

Episode 65. Being a Husband, Father and Christian Leader on the Road

Tom — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:07:03 +0000

I have quite a bit to cover on this week’s show. The main subject is a blog post from Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, WA. He wrote a great list of 11 practical things a Christian man can do to lead his family. We will talk about them, one by one. Being a Christian husband and father isn’t getting any easier. Add the trucking lifestyle to the mix and it just gets tougher.

I haven’t talked a lot about politics, but I want to put a Christian spin on what is going on. I don’t want to give it too much time, but I can’t let it slide. I promise I will be brief, but we always have to remember whose kingdom we serve.

I was talking with a friend this week, and the subject of fitness items came up. We were talking about the GymStick that Ben Greenfield talks about in his podcast. Ben is a Christian, personal trainer and Iron Man triathlete. I have listened to him for years and this is something he takes with him when he travels. Give it a look. Here’s a great video of Ben using the GymStick. Also, take a look at Hallelujah Acres’ intro video. This pastor is well into his 70s and uses the GymStick every day. I think this, along with a walking routine, would be a great place to start a fitness program.

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64. Sanctified, Bull Haulers and The Girl In The Little Pink Mack

Tom — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:21:40 +0000

What does it mean to be sanctified? You may be surprised at the simplicity of this word. It isn’t complicated. Why do denominations argue over just what being sanctified means? Is it something you can do? Is it something you should do? This will be the theme of today’s show.

Sanctified Truckers, Bull Haulers and The Girl In The Little Pink Mack

The bottom line on all 3 of these examples is that they are all atypical. They are different. Set apart. There is certainly more to being sanctified, but it’s a great place to start in the journey of understanding sanctification. Set apart is half of the equation.

The other half is being holy. As Christians, we are a holy people, set apart. Deuteronomy tells us “for you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession”. Is there action required to live this holy life of a people set apart?

Driver Questions

Johnathan in Virginia asked a great question on Speakpipe. He asks about staying healthy on the road, both physically and spiritually. Talk about great timing. It blends right in to our discussion on sanctification. The answer ties in so well to the theme of the show. If we are to live this life in Christ, we need to do it deliberately. I suggest we do it with three things in mind:

Prayer. Our prayer life on the road becomes critical. Not only in your own prayer, but having a few people you pray with. My wife and I prayed together daily while I was on the road. We still say our evening prayers together. I know a few of you have started this habit and reported great results.
Fellowship. You need a few brothers you can call. It doesn’t always have to be about God. You can talk about trucks, fishing, or just about anything, but having conversations with someone else who walks the walk is important. Ending your conversation with prayer just solidifies the bond.
Diet and exercise. The Christin life is the deliberate life. What you eat and how you take care of yourself are both parts of the sanctified life puzzle. If your work schedule is so hectic that you can’t find time for 30 minutes of exercise, four or five times a week, change companies. It just isn’t worth it.

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EPISODE 63. Flatbeds, 9 Reasons I Prefer Pulling Them

Tom — Sat, 04 May 2013 14:35:15 +0000

FLATBED TRUCKING

Flatbeds, vans, refers, even livestock. I have pulled them all at some point in my trucking career. My favorite was always the flatbeds. Here are 9 reasons why.

Less backing up. Nothing worse than a tight loading dock between two shiny expensive semis.
Job satisfaction in load securement. I always took pride in how my load looked and was attached to the trailer.
Delivering to some interesting job sites. Heck, I even took an oversize load to an island, requiring a ride on a ferry boat to get there.
Tarping can pay well, and it can be great exercise. I know, most of guys don’t like this, but $40.00 to toss a set of lumber tarps is good money when you are fast and accurate.
No worries about the bridge scale formula. As long as you are staying in the lower 48, spread axles are the only way to truck.
Oversize loads are a challenge, and they pay well. The other great thing is getting more sleep because of the daylight driving requirements.
No lumpers. Other than paying a couple of guys $20.00 to tarp, I have never paid a lumper for flatbed loading or unloading.
No grocery warehouses. I take that back. I have delivered an oversize roof A/C unit to a grocery warehouse. Between my truck and the crane, we blocked about 9 dock doors and I angered more than one trucker whose load was delayed.
Great opportunities to witness. This is where the rubber meets the road. More chances for dialog. Folding tarps, tossing straps or just talking while waiting for your load, you get time to start conversations.

FIVE THINGS I LEARNED FROM PADCASTS

We will also talk about 5 podcasts like we have done in previous weeks. Christ Chapel is where you will find the study on the book of Acts. Great stuff. Backpack Radio is where you will find the interview about evangelical recession. Both of these are in iTunes, but the links are here to help if you need them.

I also have 4 things we’ve learned from Moses. I hope you enjoy them.

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EPISODE 62. And Moses Gave Them the Shaft.

Tom — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:42:00 +0000

It was back in 2010 when 33 Chilean miners were trapped in a caved in mine, five miles below the earth’s surface. With no hope of rescuing themselves, they had no choice. They had to wait. With rationed food and a small amount of milk to drink, they rationed the amounts to a very small amount, every other day. They surrendered their fate to the rescuers above and waited. They waited for a small hole, then a shaft, and finally a basket to pull them out one by one. The ordeal took 69 days to get them out, but they all made it out live.

About 6,000 years earlier, the Israelites found themselves in a similar state of hopelessness. They were trapped in that dark hole of slavery. Moses led them, but he didn’t save them. He led them to the light where they could bask in God’s grace, in the land of milk and honey.

I’ve enjoyed taking a different look at the book of Exodus, and I hope you enjoy the comparison. I thought it was a great analogy of how hopeless we are, and how great God’s saving grace really is.

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Episode 61. Searching for Mayberry.

Tom — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 19:02:05 +0000

We all wish for that perfect place. You know the one. Mayberry. That home town where everybody knows everybody. That place where there still is trouble and commotion, but it’s manageable. That place where everyone probably owns a rifle, but the sheriff doesn’t need a side arm. Truckers know the places in this country where Mayberry is alive and well.

I want to take another stab at 5 things I learned from podcasts this week. I love podcasting, and I would like to make this a regular part of the show. The first podcast review is this one. I made a few changes to how I do this podcast. I think you will enjoy the changes. The last podcast, and the one I wanted to link to is dancarlin.com. Follow the link to a 271 minute long podcast that had me hooked. If you are a fan of history, you will enjoy what this guy does.

WWII vets and organ donors. Are you wondering just what these two things have in common? Last week I said goodby to my uncle Bob, a WWII vet. I also said goodby to a friend, also named Bob, a recipient of a double lung transplant. Although his death was over a month ago, I was moved by the comments left on his Facebook page by the family of the teenage girl whose lungs were donated.

I talked a few minutes with Dana Tucker, the webmaster in charge of Christian Truckers Forum. Follow the page link at the top of the page and spend some time browsing around. Please sign in and let us know who you are. The forum will be an important component of this show as they both continue to grow.

Please sound off on today’s show. Let me know what you think. Have you found Mayberry? Have you driven through a town or community that still has that appeal?

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EPISODE 60. 5 THINGS I LEARNED FROM PODCASTS THIS WEEK

Tom — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:35:48 +0000

Podcasts are a big part of the trucking life for most of us. They are a great alternative to buying satellite radio. Podcasts are a great way to hear the works and published work of some great teachers and entertainers, Christian and otherwise. Podcasting is also a great way to get your thoughts out if you so desire. This week I want to talk about five things I learned from podcasts. Some are new to me, and others are podcasts I have listened to for quite some time. You may or may not want to add some of these podcasts to your subscribe list. I linked to most of them for you.

Michael Hyatt has a podcast called This Is Your Life.This week his show was titled Three Components of Job Satisfaction. I find that most truckers have all three of these components. We are a fortunate few.
Dan Miller’s 48 Days podcast had a great sound clip I included in the show. I think you will chuckle over it. His point? Just STOP IT. He makes a great point. I may do a show on this as a stand alone podcsast some time.
Jack Spirco does The Survival Podcast. Although he doesn’t claim to be a Christian, I catch about 2 of his five shows per week. He gave some advice on one of his shows that is good for me as a podcast host. It could also be good for you as an evangelist. State a fact, tell a story.
Once again, I am bringing up Andy Stanley. He does a leadership podcast, not the same as the Your Move podcast, but with a focus on leaders. You can find it at AndyStanley.com. Although it doesn’t seem to be produced on a regular basis, it is in iTunes, and I found it in Podkicker.
I am not going to put a link up for number five. Use it at your own risk. I suspect the site just hasn’t been properly maintained or updated for a while. Google gives a security warning for the site. I found Mini Bible College on my smartphone and I have listened to about a half dozen shows a week. There are 180 shows there by Pastor Dick Woodward. I am guessing the recordings are older, but they are good. I haven’t opened any of his stuff on my computer.

This has been a crazy week with podcasts, iTunes submissions, work and a planned weekend away. Thanks for your tolerance.

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EPISODE 59. Andy Stanly, Ronnie McBrayer, Roger Brown and You.

Tom — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 03:43:07 +0000

What do Andy Stanley, Ronnie McBrayer and Roger Brown have in common? What do you have in common with all three of them? All three of these guys are Bible trained and realize their call to serve in God’s kingdom. Like me, most of you have never been to a Bible college. I say most because I know a few of you have, but we all share a common link.

Andy Stanly is well known and preaches to thousands every week. If you listen to his show this week you will be listening to the first of an eight part series titled Christian. I thought it was great. Turns out being a Christian and being a disciple are one in the same. That’s one of the teachings that branded me a Jesus freak in years past. I am excited to hear the rest of the series.

Ronny McBrayer did a great podcast series titled The Waffle House Gospel a few months back and I thought it was great. If you haven’t listened to it yet, you’re missing something great. This week I am recommending you take the time to read his blog post, Where Nothing Is Sacred. It’s easy to read and makes a great point.

Roger Brown is a name you have never heard. He is one of us. He is a trucker. Roger has been through Bible and missionary training and has some great stories to share with the JFT audience. Stories of the American mission field in truck stops and factories across the United States, stories of trucking in the days of deregulation and stories of a great Bible school that is no more. I know you will enjoy Roger’s time on the podcast.

Paul made tents in the first century as a way to fund his ministry. In the same spirit, Bethany Fellowship made tent trailers in the 20th century. We can’t all make tents, or tent trailers, but most of us fund our life and mission by driving a truck. We get paid by the mile, or by the hour, as we drive from one mission opportunity to the next.

As far as Bible school is concerned, we live in the 21st century. Great Bible training is an mp3 file away. What’s holding you back?

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EPISODE 58. Closing Benjamin’s House and Jesus’ Greatest Commandment.

Tom — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:00:20 +0000

The only homeless shelter in Rice Lake, WI is closing it’s doors soon. Benjamin’s House announced the doors will most likely close on April 30th. Most of the staff has been laid off and the remaining residents have been told they will have to go. If you want to know why I had to stop myself from blowing a gasket over this one you will have to listen to the short, midweek show.

Just what is it that the Church is supposed to do? Keep people busy? Raise money? Build bigger Churches? God gave us, in writing, perfect, easy to follow instructions on what our greatest commandment is and how to carry them out. He even gives us case studies of how to do this in the form of his work, his parables and the teachings of the Apostles. How can we miss it?

We are saved by grace ALONE, Through faith ALONE, in Jesus Christ ALONE. We should all get that. Realizing this, we should be following his word to the best of our ability. Not because it is earning us merit badges or brownie points of any kind. We should do it because our Savior told us to. We should do it out of love, from a regenerated heart.

Today you get to hear my rant about a situation that shouldn’t happen. But it is happening. It is only happening because a bunch of carnal, self serving “church people” (of which I am one) can’t get along and loose sight of the true mission of THE CHURCH. Not the dozens, or hundreds of churches built in and around every town. The one Church that God calls His chosen, His elect.

If I come off angry, I am. But there is hope. Each and every one of us can and should do what we can to make a difference in our towns and churches.

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Episode 57. Who Is That Jesus Freak Trucker Guy, Anyway?

Tom — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 15:55:36 +0000

Every time I find a new podcast, I want to know a little bit about the host. I do a little digging and I go back to the first few episodes to get an idea of just who they are and why I should listen. If it’s a Christian podcast, I want to know if the host “walks the walk.” I want to know his credentials if he is teaching. Where did he learn what he teaches? Is he still learning? I hope so. I have never met anyone who knows all there is to know about the Bible.

As I launch into the 2nd year of podcasting I want to pause and give you an idea of who I am. This week’s show is my story. I want you to know the things in life that truly influenced my faith in Christ. Although this isn’t an all inclusive biography of the life of Tom Ballard, it is a from the heart testimony of my walk with Christ. The things that people usually equate with testing one’s faith are left out. I never considered the things like my wife’s cancer a test of faith. Those types of things are the way we learn that God always comes through. ALWAYS!

I requested a few iTunes reviews and a few of you REALLY came through. I am touched. Seriously, I am moved by your kind words. I wasn’t sure whether to read them on the show, but a listener suggested I do so. We picked up a few new listeners because of those reviews, so please keep it up. I am totally committed to producing a better show every week. If you all help get the show found by things like reviews and Facebook shares, I will focus 100 percent on producing to the best of my ability.

We will have a mid-week show, probably on Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. It will be about 15 minutes long with a focus on surveying the Bible. I think you will enjoy this addition to the podcast.

God’s Blessings to you all, Tom

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