Field of Dreams

by Dale Reeves

Story Pastor

Last weekend I got to do something that has been on my bucket list for many years—I attended the Little League Baseball World Series (LLBWS) held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. I watch some of these games every year on ESPN, which brings together baseball teams comprised of boys ages 10-12, from around the world. As a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan, I remember when Todd Frazier’s team from Toms River, New Jersey, defeated a team from Japan to win the championship in 1998. The title game was punctuated by a standout performance by the future MLB Home Run Derby champion, who went 4-for-4 with a lead-off home run, and was also the winning pitcher. He went on to become one of our favorite players in Cincinnati, known affectionately as “The Toddfather.”

I owe my trip to Williamsport to my good friend Glenn Rossi, who is the lead pastor at First Christian Church of Montoursville, PA, which is just a few miles down the road from Williamsport. A former member of Christ’s Church at Mason, after a successful career as an attorney, Glenn felt called by God to go into the located ministry, and I was pleased to be able to be a reference for him at the church in Montoursville. He, his wife Kathryn, and their son Chase have been serving this church for over two years now, and the church is growing and doing great things in this community.

During his family’s return trip to Christ’s Church not too long ago, Glenn and I discussed the possibility of me coming and preaching for him one weekend, and I responded, “I’d love to—especially if it coincides with the Little League World Series!” I got to spend a great weekend with the Rossi’s, as well as some of the church’s staff and eldership.

A Dream Is Birthed

Founded by Carl Stotz, an oil company clerk, the LLBWS first took place in Williamsport in 1947. It’s been held here ever since. Every year I think to myself, Some of these baseball players look older than twelve years old! Well, this year, I got to see them up close as I sat in the outfield at Lamade Stadium, along with my host for the day—one of the caring elders from First Christian Church, Montoursville, Joe Myers. This field in Williamsport is a “Field of Dreams” for untold thousands of little-league ball players from our nation and around the world. The LLBWS has two brackets, one for the ten United States regional champions, and one for the ten International regional champions; with each bracket being a double-elimination tournament.

On Saturday afternoon, while tons of kids were sliding down the hill behind us on pieces of cardboard, Joe and I sat among thousands on the hillside behind the 225-foot home-run wall. I marveled at the beautifully-patterned ball field in front of us. The first game of the day, the International final, pitted Chinese Taipei against Venezuela. In front of a crowd of 23,000, Lai Cheng-Xi struck out twelve batters and allowed just three hits in 5 1/3 innings as Taipei won 4-1, advancing to the LLBWS championship.

The second game on Saturday, the U.S. title game, featured the little league team from Boerne, Texas, and the team from Lake Mary, Florida. Texas had previously beaten the Florida team earlier in the week, so Florida had to claw their way back through the loser’s bracket for a rematch with Texas. Before 28,000 people in the stands and on the hillside, the game was a matchup of two of the top hurlers in this year’s tournament. Lake Mary faced elimination twice in the semifinal game against the Southwest Region representative, but they managed to come from behind for a 10-7 victory.

On Sunday, after I preached to the kind people at FCC Montoursville, I watched the LLBWS championship with Glenn and his family. The underdog, Lake Mary, Florida, was behind the whole game 1-0. They had gone 0-8 in LLBWS title games all-time. Then it happened. Just before the final sixth inning, Florida’s coach, Jonathan Anderson, turned to his faith to inspire an epic comeback. He pulled his kids together in the dugout and said, “Stay calm. Stay composed. Stay within yourself. But understand that it’s already been written. We’re already the champs. The Lord put it in his book. We’re just going to finish the story right here, right now.”

Well, they tied the game in the sixth inning, sending the game into extra innings. Then, Lake Mary’s Hunter Alexander laid down a game-winning, walk-off bunt in the eighth inning, stunning Taipei 2-1. Their win was the latest in a series of comebacks at the tournament for the Florida crew. And, immediately after their victory, Coach Anderson and many of his players were seen consoling players for Chinese Taipei, because they had been there many times before.

Dare to Dream

This month, our lead pastor, Brad Wilson, has been preaching through a series called, “Dare to Dream.” If you missed last Sunday’s message, you can check it out here.

After winning Florida’s first LLBWS, Coach Anderson was interviewed by ESPN reporter and two-time Olympic gold medalist in women’s soccer, Julie Foudy. She asked the coach about his faith and motivational speech to his team in the sixth inning, and he responded:

“This was already written in the books. It’s already done. I was prayed over earlier in the week. All we had to do was just to believe and do everything we were created to do, what we practiced to do. I knew it was gonna happen.”

What kind of dreams is God asking you to dream? And, what is he asking you to do to help those dreams become a reality in your life?

I asked my friend Glenn Rossi about his dreams for First Christian Church in Montoursville. In the 26 months that he, Kathyrn, and their son Chase, have been serving this congregation, their attendance has doubled. They have broken through the100-person barrier; they’ve had over 35 baptisms in the past two years; they are planning for two services and increased service opportunities for their partners; they have a full-time worship leader coming next month, with other staff additions to take place over time. In his words, Glenn dreams . . .

“That we would glorify God by passionately fulfilling the mission he gave us—helping people find and follow Jesus. We want every partner of FCC to use their life experiences, talents, gifting, and passions to reach others for him. We want to share Jesus with a lost world in such a way that in our day-to-day lives we are disciples who continue making disciples. We want to break down barriers to the unchurched so that his people here in this place would increase, reproduce, and grow. We want to be in front of the curve to anticipate and meet the needs of reaching lost people for Jesus.”

Do you realize that the average church in America has a membership of less than 200 people, with about 65 in attendance on any given weekend? This church where Glenn pastors is way above average. Would you join me in prayer for them as he continues to minister in a town that is all about fulfilling kids’ dreams? We in Mason, Ohio, are blessed beyond measure. May we continue to ask God to birth new dreams for us individually and for the church of Jesus Christ.

“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20, AMP).