I may be going out on a limb here, but if the apostle Paul were alive today, I think he'd be a big fan of car racing.
How can I say that? Because Paul was so fascinated with the racing of his day. In his first letter to the Corinthians, notice the way he illustrated the spiritual life: "Do you not know that all those who run in a race run, but one receives the prize? So run, that you may obtain it" (1 Cor. 9:24).
He often spoke about the "race of faith." And look at how he summed up his life in his letter to Timothy: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, and I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7).
There's no doubt Paul witnessed foot races, and obviously he saw a bigger meaning in them. In this day and age, when life is moving at breakneck speed, why wouldn't Paul be attracted to the thrill of car racing? I know I am, and like Paul, I can easily see symbolism in this modern-day sport. The sport of auto racing can help us describe our lives. One day we will cross a finish line. The clock will stop. But what are we racing for? The aim of this book is to help us think about that question.
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I didn't start out as a car-racing fan. I was 5 years old, growing up in North Carolina, when I went to my first race with a friend whose dad was a big fan. All I remember of that experience was clamping my hands against my ears, trying to block out the ear-splitting roar of the engines, and then having a headache that lasted three days. Not exactly the way to make a kid fall in love with the sport.
Yet all that has changed since I've served churches in the two biggest auto-racing cities in America: Mooresville, North Carolina, and now Indianapolis, Indiana. Mooresville is about 30 miles north of Charlotte, which most people consider the home of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing—of course more popularly known as NASCAR. Yet Mooresville is where most of the NASCAR race teams locate their garages and offices, and many drivers live in the surrounding area of beautiful Lake Norman. A Mooresville water tower declares it's "Race City USA!"
During my time there, I got to know drivers, team owners and people involved with various aspects of the racing, such as crew teams, mechanics and suppliers of car and engine parts. I learned more about stock-car racing and began going to races. From Mooresville I moved to Indianapolis, which, of course, is known for one of the biggest racing events in the world, the Indy 500.
It's easy to tell the difference between Indycars and stock cars. Indycar is known as open-wheel racing because the wheels extend outside the car body. The wheels on stock cars are located under the fenders. Indycars go significantly faster than stock cars because of their lightweight and low-to-the-ground design.
Over the years I've grown in my appreciation for car racing and all the traditions that go with it. One that especially intrigues me is the sport's use of flags to send signals to the drivers. It's amazing to think that, for all the sophisticated engineering that goes into today's cars, the racing world still sticks with this age-old form of communication. The use of flags in competition can be traced to bicycle racing in France in the 1860s, and they became a common sight when car racing was born in the 1890s.
Historians have tried unsuccessfully to trace the origins of racing's most famous flag, the checkered flag, but they speculate that perhaps someone improvised with a checkered tablecloth to signal the end of a race. Other flags eventually came along to send different messages to the drivers. However, the use of flags began, they're obviously practical. Early racing, especially, was a dusty affair, so drivers could see the flags through the haze. Flags also speak boldly amid the deafening noise of the race.
It's no giant leap to see larger symbolism in this symbolic form of communication. God, too, is signaling to us amid the bustle and noise of our fast-paced lives. As I reflected on the racing flags, I began to see how their messages correspond to the important moments in our spiritual lives as God seeks our attention. And so in this book I will be using the flags of car racing as a jumping-off point to discuss different aspects of faith.
If you are a racing fan, I hope this book will give you new appreciation for your race of faith. Even if you are not a race fan, I hope you find relevance in the meaning behind the symbolism.
The aim of this book is not to make you into a racing fan but a greater follower of Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith. Just as God is sending us signals, Jesus holds the key to the ignition of faith.
But that still puts you in the driver's seat. So buckle your seat belt, strap on your helmet, and in the words of NASCAR announcer and former driver Darrell Waltrip, "Boogity, boogity, boogity ... Let's go racing!"
The tools you will need to start this race of faith are:
Study book (available in regular and enlarged print)
- Includes questions at the end of each chapter
DVD
- Segments using auto racing flags to illustrate spiritual themes in our Christian life
- Teaching and commentary by Rob Fuqay
- Downloadable PDF group guides for leaders of children, youth, and adults
Quick Flag Stories Personal Stories | Personal Stories |
---|---|
Ed Carpenter Jerry Cook Conor Daly Austin Dillon Scott Dixon Larry McReynolds Danica Patrick Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | (In order of appearance) Michael McDowell Chocolate Myers James Hinchcliffe Ann Schrader Cliff Champion Nick Terry Sam Hornish, Jr. |
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