St. Pete! Cars are lined up and ready!

The USF2000 and Pro Mazda cars started the day off with early morning practice sessions. All 4 of the INDYCAR series are here this weekend. Pray for a safe weekend!

2013 Season in Full Swing!

Congrats to Neil Alberico and Cape Motorsports for taking the checker flag in the second race of the season!
We had a good, but cold, chapel service this morning. Continuing the sermon series, “like” Jesus, we discussed the difference between a secular vs. biblical worldview. According to a recent Barna survey, only 9% of born again Christians have a biblical word view…. more on that in a later blog entry!
Safe races this week. Thanks for prayin!

USF2000 Season Opens at Sebring This Week!

The USF2000 series has their season opener double header this week at Sebring International Raceway!

Chapel is at 7:00 am on Friday morning. Pray for a good and safe week!

INDYCAR Ministry at Indiana State House Tomorrow!

I will be giving an invocation to open the General Assembly at the State House in downtown Indianapolis tomorrow (3/7) at 10:00 am. Pray that Christ is honored and glorified!

First Pro Mazda Event in the Books!

Congrats to Matthew Brabham and Andretti Autosport for their victory today. While there were a couple incidents, God kept everyone safe. Thanking Him this evening!

Pro Mazda Season Opener at Circuit of the Americas this weekend!

The Pro Mazda Championship will begin it's 2013 season at COTA tomorrow. They have a double header weekend with one race on Friday and the final race on Saturday. I landed today and I must say this facility is quite impressive!

The Pro Mazda chapel service will be at 7:00 AM on Saturday at the series transporter. Thanks for your prayerful support!

USF2000 Winterfest Completes 6 Races Series

Congrats to Cape Motorsports and Neil Alberico for claiming the 2013 USF2000 Winterfest Championship. Neil won 5 of the 6 races series. While there were a few incidents, God kept everyone safe.

In Chapel today, we discussed what it might look like to be a faithful servant of Christ. We are to:

1. Humble yourself - Philippians 2:3-4 - Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

2. Deny yourself - Mark 8:34 - Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

3. Live like Jesus - 1 John 2:6 - Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

We ended with a couple questions:

Do you love Jesus?

           OR

Do you love the idea of Jesus?

Are you striving to like Jesus?

           OR 

Are you striving to become like Jesus?

It's your choice.....

USF2000 Winterfest Continues Tomorrow at PBIR!

Congrats to Neil Alberico driving for Cape Motorsports for sweeping all 3 of the races at Sebring International Raceway! The action continues tomorrow when the USF2000 cars take to the track at Palm Beach International Raceway. The Pro Mazda Championship teams will also be testing there in between the USF2000 sessions.

The chapel service this week will be held at the USF2000/Pro Mazda transporter on Sunday at 7:30 am. Please continue to pray for safety for all involved and that God would move in a mighty and powerful way!

Green Flag Waves for the USF2000 in Sebring!

The 2013 USF2000 Winterfest is underway at Sebring International Raceway. 22 entries took the track this morning for practice. Qualifications are this afternoon followed by the first race at 4:00pm. Continue to pray for safety for all involved!

USF2000 Winterfest Starts Next Week!

The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda Winterfest starts next week! It is a six-race mini-series offering drivers and teams a head start on their 2013 campaigns. 

The first three races will be held on February 5/6 at Sebring International Raceway. From there the Winterfest championship will move south to Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) for an identical schedule on February 9/10. USF2000 made its debut at the 2.034-mile, 11-turn circuit during the 2012 Winterfest to accolades from its teams and drivers. The series will be offering track time to Pro Mazda  Championship competitors at PBIR for pre-season testing during the event. You may follow this link for detailed schedule information! http://www.usf2000.com/Schedule.aspx 

INDYCAR Ministry will be present for the entire week and will hold a chapel service at the USF2000/Pro Mazda transporter on Sunday, February 10th at 7:30 AM!

Pray for a safe week of racing for all the competitors!

"Like Jesus" - 2013 Sermon Series!

I am excited to announce the sermon series for the 2013 USF2000 and Pro Mazda Championship chapel services; "Like Jesus"!!!! This obviously is a spin off the Facebook "Like" and will include messages such as "Pray like Jesus", "Lead like Jesus", and "Live like Jesus". If you are at a USF2000 or Pro Mazda Championship event, be sure to catch a chapel service and see how you can be more "like Jesus"!

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:13-16

Be "Like Jesus".....

What is THE Christmas story?

The Christmas story is not just that Jesus came to this earth in human form, but that he came to save us.  His mission on earth was just that; to seek and save the lost. That is what the name Jesus means; "the Lord saves".  Check out Matthew 1:20-21 that is often overlooked which says, "But after he (Joseph) had considered this (divorcing Mary), an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Do you know this one who saves?

We can't say it first....

That's what the checkout clerk said to me at Lowes when I said "Merry Christmas" to her while I was paying for my items. She said, "Thank you for saying that because we are not allowed to say it first". That is the world in which we live. One that is wrought with sin and darkness; even to where employees are not free to proclaim Christ during this Christmas season. And people question why there is so much trouble and tragedy in this world.
Will you agree with me to keep Christ in Christmas this year?

Star Mazda becomes Pro Mazda Championship under Andersen Promotions

See article below for details on the transfer of ownership of the former Star Mazda series that will become the Pro Mazda Championship in 2013! INDYCAR Ministry will continue to provide coverage for the new Pro Mazda Championship in 2013. Please pray for the logistics of the transfer and that God's name will be glorified in the renewed series!

http://www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/12-December/12-7-Pro-Mazda-Series-on-board-for-2013

INDYCAR Ministry at IMIS

I am at the IMIS show today at the Indianapolis Convention Center for the USF2000 and Star Mazda series winter meetings. Lots of buzz and excitement about 2013 with major announcements for the leagues coming soon! INDYCAR Ministry will again be covering all four series under the INDYCAR sanctioning body in 2013. Looking forward to what God has in store!

As God's chosen people....be thankful.

Take some time today to reflect on God's goodness and just exactly what he did for us by sending his Son to died for us. If you cannot think of anything else to be thankful about today, rest on this verse below. As God's chosen people....be thankful.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." - Colossians 3:12-15

Happy Thanksgiving

Endured the cross.....

Hebrews 12:2 tells us we are to "Fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith." Jesus is our example in everything we do and how we act. The interesting part is when the writer of Hebrews says, "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame". Throughout the 2012 season we have discussed how to be "Faithful to the Finish" in our lives to secure our eternity on the other side of this life. To "fix our eyes on Jesus" is the way!

The part of that verse that moved me when I read that passage this time was He "endured the cross". We endure many things but never to the extent Jesus did on the cross. It is 4:00 am as I am writing this because I cannot sleep due to the pain in my back from my spinal fusion surgery (see pic below) I had done last week. Jesus knew the pain prior to his crucifixion and He endured it with joy! Remember, we are not just talking about physical pain; but emotional pain and spiritual separation from His father.

I know it is quite a stretch to compare back surgery to a crucifixion. That's not the point. The point is, left to our frail humanness and our own will we could not be saved from the wrath of God. God chose to send his Son and Jesus agreed to the pain and agony of the cross; for us. Aren't you glad you serve a God full of grace and mercy that sent His Son who, with joy, endured the pain for you?
Fix your eyes on Jesus.....

Atlanta Pics!

Below are some pictures from Star Mazda's final race in Atlanta! Thanks for all your prayers and support! Looking forward to 2013!

INDYCAR Ministry at Christian Church of Jasper - TONIGHT!

I will be speaking at the Christian Church of Jasper, IN tonight at 6:00pm. Their student program named "The Well" is hosting our ministry and a parent open house for all of their middle school and high school students. The Pennzoil show car will be on display in their lobby.

Pray that the Holy Spirit moves in a mighty and powerful way as I share from Ephesians 2 on the topic of what sin does to our relationship with God!

Faithful Servant

This past weekend in the chapel service at Road Atlanta, we discussed what it looks like to be a faithful servant of Christ. Just as Jesus washed the disciples feet as an example for us, Philippians 2:3 tells us to "value others above yourself". Have you considered anyone more significant than yourself today? In Mark 8:34, Jesus tells us to "deny ourselves". Have you surrendered to the Lordship of Christ making Him number one in your life? 1 John 2:6 tells us that "Whoever claims to live in Christ MUST live as Jesus did". Are you living like Jesus?
A couple questions.....
1. Do you love the idea of Jesus or do you love Jesus?
2. Are you striving to like Jesus or are you striving to become like Jesus?
Where do you stand?
Humble yourself. Deny yourself. Live like Jesus.