Sunday, June 30, 2024

US Sports Football Feat. USA FOOTBALL X JAPAN | IFAF U20 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SEMIFINAL & Amanda Ruller - Speed Training For Football

 

Amanda Ruller - Speed Training For Football

Amanda Ruller - Speed Training For Football

Amanda Ruller shares a comprehensive approach to training football athletes for speed.  From an understanding of sprint mechanics to drills tech them, she illustrates how to train each position for speed on the football field.  She concludes with sharing effective coaching cues for teaching speed and puts it all together in an example plan.

Amanda Ruller is currently the running backs coach at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada.  She recently served in the role of assistant running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks through the Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship program.

Her unique background in strength and conditioning, data and analytics, and sports media, as well as he experience as an elite multisport athlete is something she is leveraging to advance herself in the profession. Learn more and get started today!

 

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The Rock Almighty Sunday Sermon - Psalm 23: (Pastor Brad) How God Shepherds Us & The Lord Is My Shepherd II

 Pastor Brad Rocks - YouTube

The Lord Is My Shepherd II

  • Author Onyekachukwu Ukeje

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil...." – Psm 23:4(NIV)

On Monday, the 16th of August 2010, I was headed back to my base, Enugu, from Umuahia in Abia State all in Nigeria. As we got very close to the Abia State-Enugu State boundary we started to hear gunshots. Lo and behold we were being attacked by armed robbers.

One of the robbers got out suddenly from the bush and while we were still a little bit afar off opened fire on us. We were sixteen in that bus including a two month old baby with its father and mother.

The driver of the Peace Mass Transit Nigeria Limited bus, which we had all boarded at the park in Umuahia, on discovering what was going on continued to speed on. By the grace of God that move was what God used to bring us all out from the trap of the fowler that day before our tires went flat, and we all had to leave the bus and cross the boundary on foot to the next police checkpoint on the highway.

 Pastor Brad

The testimony? With bullet holes in that vehicle and at least about two flat tires God brought us all alive out of the reach of the robbers who obviously where prepared to kill. A lady sitting in front with the driver was scratched by a piece of glass on her chest – she walked down with us. If she hadn’t told anyone we wouldn’t have known in any way except for a little bleeding. The driver, some say, was bleeding in the leg and that he was got by a bullet in his leg. However he left the bus with us and stopped after a while and hung around his bus till the army team attached to the police at the checkpoint got to him.

Another testimony? We were not even robbed. And all the glory goes to Jesus our Lord.

Now, when God has made investments in your life He is under obligation to preserve you unless you have become reckless with your life that even God Himself cannot control you anymore – you would have become an investment gone bad.

Psalm 91:1-3 says, ‘He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare…." (NIV).

Literally the fowler is a professional bird hunter or catcher who sets traps for the birds. In some methods, if not most, when one or few birds are caught in a trap they start calling out to others for help, and when they come around to offer whatever help they can they too become trapped by the fowler in his snare. This continues until the fowler has caught so many birds and is satisfied. This the fowler does not for the birds’ own good but for his own good.

Now, even under such extreme circumstance God promises to save us from the fowler’s snare. The birds were going about their business, being the birds God created them to be but the fowler who has not their good in mind but his comes and sets a trap on their way.

Why would God go through the stress of preserving, protecting and saving you from trouble, shame and disgrace? Psalm 91:14-16 says, ‘"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."’(NIV)

I addressed this issue of divine protection in my book ‘The Will of God’.

We should be careful to know if we have a place of relevance in God’s program. I believe that the reason why Job lost all his children during his time of testing was because they were more in the party spirit than in the purpose spirit – enjoying father’s wealth. So God considered them dispensable. Also, I believe if his servants who lost their lives were more a people of purpose and rarity God would not consider them dispensable, replaceable. And the wife who even told him to curse God and die was spared because not only was she being tested too but she had been the woman beside or behind the man whose success the world had known and was not considered dispensable(replaceable) for the next level of work to be done in God’s program. Although there may be no hard and fast rule to this but think about that, after all it is the one with the ball that is tackled (Job 1 and 2).

So I encourage you to align yourself in accordance with the will of God for your life making Him your Shepherd, your Dwelling Place, your Fortress, your Refuge. If you have already I encourage you to remain stuck to Him for then what readily happens to others will not [readily] happen to you. God bless you.

● Onyekachukwu Ukeje is an itinerant preacher based in Enugu, Nigeria. For more articles and ebook(s) by this writer please visit www.faithwriters.com, and www.onyekachukwuukeje.com/home/ebook.htm.

Saturday, June 29, 2024

US Sports Baseball Feat. Rockies vs. White Sox Game Highlights and 5 Outfield Drills to Work on in Season

 

5 Outfield Drills to Work on in Season

  • By Alec Burris

Developing your outfield doesn't stop in the offseason.  Continuing to work on new drills with your team during the season is crucial as injuries and fatigue begins to set in. 

Implementing new drills in practice will keep your players on their toes and constantly improving as the wear and tear of a grueling multi game week starts to affect their performance. 

Let's take a look at 5 outfield drills you can put your players through when getting ready for a big game. 

Jake Boss Jr. . was appointed the 16th head coach in Michigan State baseball history on July 1, 2008, and has quickly become one of the most successful coaches in the program’s 131-year history. Coach Boss is constantly coming up with new drills to keep his outfielders prepared for any type of ball that comes their way. In the clip below, check out his different drills including diving for fly balls and tracking angles. (click image for video).

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Darren Fenster became the Boston Red Sox's Minor League Outfield & Baserunning Coordinator in 2019. Coach has become known for his innovative drills and philosophies when training outfielders to get the most out of their athletic abilities on the field in game situations. One of his favorite daily drills in practice is “Tapbacks” which is done consistently right after stretches and warm ups. 

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John Marshall is the former varsity baseball coach at Kinnelon High School in Kinnelon, N.J. and also played at Harvard University and then for the semi-pro Paramus Pitbulls of the North Jersey Amateur Baseball League.  He believes that footwork is the key to consistent outfield play, and is a simple but effective concept that you can work on with your players in the middle of the season. Here is a look at some of the drills he uses that can be replicated in your own training sessions. 

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Former head baseball coach at Indiana University Bob Morgan knows all about turning your outfield into a well oiled machine. In his course "Outfield Play: The Defense's Secondary", Coach Morgan covers the  crucial components for the last line of defense including throwing grip, stance, creep steps, and proper techniques and footwork for catching the baseball. In the drill shown below, he talks about creep steps and stance techniques he worked on at the division 1 level.

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Former Detroit Tiger Kevin Hooper has preached TEAM DEFENSE since he got into coaching. His course on team defense includes things like:

Pop Fly Priority

Cuts & Relays

PFP

Pickoffs and Rundowns

Scripted Plays

Having your defense act as a single unit is key to saving runs and getting the team off the field to go hit. This clip covers the proper cut and relay drills for empty bases and a ball down the left field line. 

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Keep in mind that a lot of outfielders rely on instinct when it comes to in-game situations they find themselves in on the field. When you continue to pump in new drills each week before the game, you are adding to their muscle memory and increasing their chances of success when the game is on the line and you are in need of a big play.

Fundamentally sound players WIN!

The Indoor Football League On US Sports - Frisco Fighters at San Antonio Gunslingers

 Kicking off Week 16, the Frisco Fighters (10-3) face off against the San Antonio Gunslingers (6-6) in a cross-conference battle. With San Antonio on the outside of playoff contention, they’ll look to come away with the win to climb the Western Conference, while Frisco could clinch a home playoff game with a win.

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Featured course:
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Having the quarterback who stands at the middle of the field in December and raises the state championship trophy begins with clear expectations.  Beyond being an accurate passer, Coach Dodge shares the characteristics that he must see from his quarterback.

Coach explains the aspects of training a quarterback including his “3 camera” coaching point to help the quarterback understand the “stroke” of throwing a football which helps with accuracy. 

Dodge spends a good portion of the presentation covering how the quarterback’s footwork must match the concept. Coach demonstrates how they think about calibrating their passing game with proper footwork illustrating their methods with drill and game film. 

He shares how they drill the quarterbacks in all aspects of developing their technique including RPO execution.

If you are looking for a comprehensive approach laid out step-by-step for developing your QB, this course has you covered. Learn more and book this course....

The Indoor Football League On US Sports - Tucson Sugar Skulls at Duke City Gladiators

 Beginning the Saturday evening action, the Tucson Sugar Skulls (2-10) take on the Duke City Gladiators (1-11). Both teams are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but which team can end their season on a high note?

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Program Design: Practical Principles and Prescription

In this presentation, Brijesh will go over the principles that he uses in designing short term and long term programs for the athletes he trains and practical applications of how to apply them with your clients......Keep reading.....

The Indoor Football League On US Sports - San Diego Strike Force at Northern Arizona Wranglers

 In another contentious Western Conference battle, the San Diego Strike Force (8-5) takes on the Northern Arizona Wranglers (8-4). Northern Arizona sits at the third spot with San Diego trailing in the fourth. Both teams need to win to remain in the playoff picture, but which can come away with the win in Week 16?

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WAKE FOREST’S UNIQUE RPO GAME

  • By Keith Grabowski

It’s no surprise that Wake Forest has made their way into the top 25.  At #24 they have a chance to continue to improve and rise in the rankings as the backend of their schedule is end loaded.

They are averaging an explosive 430.4 yards per game (242.2 Pass/182.2 Rush) and are 20th in the FBS at 38.8 points per game.

Head Coach Dave Clawson explains their RPO philosophy here:

I’ve spent some time studying what Wake Forest does with their offense, and it is truly unique.  

The first thing that almost anyone will notice is that on some of their RPO plays the quarterback and running back literally walk to the line of scrimmage on inside runs as they make the decision of who is getting the ball and where it is going. The ride the mesh long laterally on stretch plays.

A typical zone read mesh takes about 1.3 seconds from snap to decision. Charting a game full of plays of the Deacons shows an average of 2.06 seconds from snap to the decision, with the mesh taking as long as 2.5 seconds on some plays. 

For reference, 2.5 seconds in the drop-back game allows a quarterback to get through three receivers in his progression, allowing for one or two hitch steps before throwing the ball and making intermediate routes like digs and comebacks a possibility.

The slower mesh is utilized on their RPO’s with the quarterback spending extra time riding the mesh with the running back to be able to see his key pull and throw the ball for a big play.

The outside zone with a crack route by the receiver makes this a very difficult play to defend.  Head Coach Dave Clawson illustrates the play in this video.

When I first saw this I thought what would make it even tougher for the defense is if they mixed in a normal mesh timing with the slow mesh timing.  Both require different reactions by the defense. This season they are doing that.

Why does this make it difficult?

The interesting part of the slow mesh is when the movement of the offensive line is examined. The line is not passive in any regard. When they fit on a defensive linemen, they are working hard to distort him and help create the running lane, but they are not taking lead steps off of the line. 

They are using brace-pop or scoot footwork (John Strollo technique). They work to cover up the defensive linemen and let gaps be declared.  Level one is distinctly being taken care of and the offensive line will not chase up to level two until level one is secure. 

They let level two (or three) come to them and get their punch underneath the defender. From there the hips are definitely engaged and they are moving defenders. 

Because the line is not running off the ball, the quarterback and running back can take their time getting to the line and see the running lane opening before them. This technique is used with all of their inside runs. 

So what this requires is for the level 2 defenders to be patient on when they fit.  Too soon and the lineman will step off and open a lane for the RB. They have to be patient all game.

Except now the regular mesh is being mixed in. So that means on some plays it is fit fast and on others, it is fit slow.  It definitely messes with a linebacker’s reaction and forces thinking instead of reaction.

The QB even gets involved in the block. In some instances, the QB uses the old Jim McNally “butt block” technique. An extra man off the edge isn’t a problem with this answer. He still executes the slow mesh while looking over his shoulder and maintains the illusion of an RPO threat.

One thing is certain, the Wake Forest offense is fun to watch!

Now you have something new to watch and learn.

Click the link to find the full Wake Forest RPO System course

Wake Forest RPO System - Dave Clawson

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The Rock Almighty Weekend On The Rocks With Fight! And How does God come into someone’s life?

 

How does God come into someone’s life?

  • Author James Rondinone

Introduction

What inspired me to write about this topic was a conversation I had with a friend who was a Spanish teacher at the same high school where I taught mathematics. Being devout to a particular faith, he occasionally asked me about my relationship with God, which differed significantly from his.

I told him that in my youthful years, I would attend a local church with my parents, having participated in the various aspects of it. Initially, I was baptized (sprinkled) in water as a baby, which according to their doctrine causes an infant to become a child of God or a son of light. First comes repentance that the parent(s) of the child provide. And afterward, at the time of the sprinkling, the congregation would be praying for the Holy Spirit to show up. This, they argue, would bring about the forgiveness of sins.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Literal water, along with the reality of the Holy Spirit, would allow an infant to enter God’s kingdom. This, they’d say, is the baptism that now saves us as supported by Scripture. The sacrament of water baptism is the sacrament of regeneration. The result of this rite is that the new child of God becomes freed from the power of darkness, liberated from sin, and is brought into the realm of the freedom of the children of God.

Years later, when I reached the age of seven, I began attending catechism, which was the mechanism used to teach the fundamental truths of the faith. This instruction prepared me to receive certain of the seven sacraments, which are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant, and essential. I eventually received my first communion (the elements of the bread and wine are that which nourish the disciple with Christ’s literal body and blood for his or her transformation into Him). A short time later, between the ages of eight and twelve, I was confirmed. According to this sacrament, the Holy Spirit was given at this time to those already baptized in order to make them strong and perfect Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Attending church weekly, occasionally participating in the confession of sins to a priest, observing the six days of obligation throughout the year, as well as the two church fasts of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, became my routine. At some point, a neighborhood friend who was an altar boy in a local Catholic church I attended, asked me if I, too, wanted to become an altar boy. I said yes and proceeded to enroll in special classes at the church for this purpose.

I told my colleague at the school where we taught that as I grew older, in my teens and early twenties, I stopped attending church altogether. I felt that something or someone was missing. Church became boring. It seemed as if I’d never met the God I was trying to obey and follow.

In my mid-twenties, not being thrilled with how my life was turning out (e.g., job difficulties, girlfriend relationship issues, family conflicts, alcohol abuse, etc.), I decided to go on a quest to determine if God existed. I reasoned that if He did, He’d help me address these problem areas of my life.

So, how was I to begin? Where might I find this higher power? I’d assume in church. There are so many faiths; it would be hard not to figure that He would be operating in at least one of them. Which one? I had no idea. So, I decided to attend just about every church assembly in my home city. As I’d enter and leave the church setting of each faith, there was nothing I heard in any of their teachings that I heard that stood out. What I mean is I recognized that there were evident differences in theology, but for the most part, the way to heaven was similar. Obey the church’s teachings, and hopefully, when you die, you might make it there.

This approach didn’t sit too well with me. I needed some kind of evidence that substantiated a God reality and an assurance of eternal life. Eventually, something happened to me that changed my life forever. I heard about this through what I now believe were providential circumstances. A certain church Bible study was being conducted near where I was living at this time. I attended the study and after the pastor gave the message, he asked if anyone wanted to have a personal relationship with God. He said God’s desire was to come into a person’s life and indwell, thus providing them with a new nature, a new life, a divine purpose for living, and a secured afterlife. This got my full attention. I wondered what I’d have to do in order for these spiritual possibilities to take place in my life.

He went on to say that in order for God to come into a person’s life, they must respond to what is called the gospel. The gospel? This gospel is otherwise known as good news. The good news is that if an unbeliever repents (acknowledges and expresses a desire to turn from their sins) to God the Father and believes in His Son Jesus Christ, then their life will forever change at that moment.

I decided that I wanted this new life. So, I repented (God, I acknowledge my sins and no longer want to continue committing them) and repeated the following words about Jesus out loud after the pastor verbally expressed them. I believe in Jesus, who:

●Pre-existed time as one of the members of the Trinity (one God in three persons), the other two being God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

●Came to the earth (God come in the flesh), deity (having divine nature), and took upon Him the form of a man, being born of a virgin.

●Lived a sinless life.

●Listened to and obeyed the directives of His Father.

●Went to the cross and paid for the penalty of and forgave (wiped away the debt) the sins of the whole world.

●Rose from the dead after three days, never to die again.

●Walked the earth for forty days in His glorified body, witnessing His resurrection.

●Ascended into heaven.

After which, he mentioned to me that according to Scripture, whosoever repents and believes in Christ will receive another member of the Trinity, this being the Holy Spirit, who’ll come inside their body and reside. I followed his lead, but unfortunately, nothing happened. I thought, shouldn’t I somehow be aware that God had come into my life?

Then, after a few moments, the pastor made a comment that surprised me. He said that I was currently involved in an illicit relationship with a married woman and needed to confess this sin to God the Father and not continue with this involvement any longer. I admit that I was taken aback by this declaration. How did he know about this? I confessed this interaction as a sin and stated that this wouldn’t continue. Immediately, I was filled with divine peace and joy that permeated my whole being. God the Holy Spirit had come into my life.

When I told my fellow colleague about this God encounter, he responded that, likewise, God had come into his life, albeit in a different manner. He said that when he partakes of the elements of communion at church, the bread becomes the literal body of Christ and the wine becomes the literal blood of Christ. And the more frequently he chose to receive communion, the more he’d experience an increase in Christlikeness (i.e., a lessening of racial and national prejudices or neighborhood resentments, and an increase in neighborliness, compassion, patience, and forbearance [toward] others1). He was essentially saying that partaking in the elements of communion resulted in him being spiritually nourished by Christ’s literal body and blood. And this is what would change his character into evidencing divine qualities toward others.

He asked me what my thought about this particular teaching was. Well, having been a member of this church, I was aware of this church doctrine as being otherwise known as the doctrine of Transubstantiation. This view states that when any member of this faith partakes in the elements of communion, the bread turns into the literal body of Christ, and the wine turns into the literal blood of Christ.

My response to him was that I believed there could be an alternative interpretation concerning the purpose of partaking in communion. According to this perspective, the bread symbolizes Christ’s body, and the wine symbolizes His blood. For what purpose? We’ll find out as this study progresses. I then proceeded to ask him the million-dollar question.

Why does this church believe in the literal perspective of the elements of communion?

He said that their belief was based on a view held by most of the early church fathers (these are Christian writers who lived during and following the lifetime of the original apostles of Christ) whose writings reflected the history, doctrines, and traditions of the early church. I wondered if what he’d just told me had merit (basis, in fact). I told him that I’d write a paper on this subject and when it was done, I’d bring it to him so that he could read it over and provide comments.

With that said, some of the questions that this study will attempt to answer are the following.

Do the elements of the bread and wine actually become the literal body and blood of Christ at communion?

Did most of the early church fathers believe this to be the case?

Does the partaking of communion frequently cause the participant to increase in godliness, thus exhibiting Christlike compassion, patience, and forbearance toward others?

By the way, I’m not writing this study to give offense to what this church might consider a cardinal doctrine of their faith. Like any biblical topic, shouldn’t Scripture be the basis for such if it’s to be substantiated? So, let’s see if this is indeed the case.

Did you know that this doctrinal belief isn’t just ascribed to this faith? There are a few other religions that also believe in this literal view.

Some of the names of these faiths are as follows.

The Catholic Churches are located throughout the world and have 1.345 billion members.

The Oriental Orthodox Churches are comprised of over sixty million followers that are part of the World Council of Churches. Most live in Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, and Armenia.

The Eastern Orthodox Churches purportedly has over two hundred twenty million members. Most live in the former Soviet Union, parts of Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.

The Church of the East is comprised today of two separate, distinct churches totaling about one million adherents. Many live in India.

The Anglican Church, known as the Church of England, has over eighty-five million members worldwide. Their view on the elements of communion differs from the Catholic position of Transubstantiation. According to their theology, the literal body and blood of Christ are received at the intake of the bread and wine for spiritual nourishment and growth, but the bread and wine don’t literally become His body and blood.

Many of my studies and books that I’ve written on various biblical topics provide in-depth analyses and contrast from opposing views so that a reader will understand why their church believes what they espouse and why other churches believe differently. Hopefully, this kind of teaching will incorporate accurate scriptural interpretation called hermeneutics, which is based on an analysis of grammatical features and historical background that will reinforce one’s belief system or provide an alternative perspective.

Are you ready to join me in the search for truth in this crucial doctrinal subject?

I ask you, Lord, to help me in this endeavor. Provide me with your insight utilizing the Word of God and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We’ll begin by taking a look at what verses are used to substantiate that the elements of communion become the literal body and blood of Christ and, likewise, which ones are used to support the narrative that the components of the Lord’s supper are figurative or symbolic of the body and blood of Christ.

But before we do, you might be thinking, why should I study this at all? What’s the fuss about whether the bread and wine turn into Christ’s literal body and blood? I’ve left an article for you to read on this sentiment.

PROTESTANT FRAY OVER [THE] MEANING OF BREAD, WINE

Lutherans vote this month for or against ‘full communion’ with four [faiths.]

Since the early days of Christendom, the meaning of the Lord’s Supper - the ritual sharing in churches of bread and wine - has been a battleground for the faithful. Martin Luther, disbelieving in a literal transformation of bread and wine into the body of Jesus Christ, broke with Rome partly over the Lord’s Supper. Protestants waged bloody wars in Europe over whether Jesus was actually - or figuratively - present in the Eucharist. In the theologically calmer 20th century, most mainstream American Protestants have tended to view the Lord’s Supper, one of the most sacred of the church rites, as a figurative or symbolic act commemorating Jesus.

Yet [today,] a shift in that view of the Eucharist is under way. A core group of liberal Protestants, many trying to reclaim 16th-century reformer John Calvin’s ideas, are moving their denominations closer to the position that Jesus is physically or “actively” present in the bread and wine of communion. They want to find common sacred ground and, through this rite, offer “meaning, mystery, and majesty.”The shift is still limited to a scattering of theologians and pastors. But a push to recognize the “real presence” of Christ in the eating and drinking of the Eucharist is manifesting itself in more communion services, new hymnals and prayer books, ecumenical dialogues, and workshops across the Protestant spectrum. Though now small, the change could reopen one of the deepest debates of the Reformation, having to do with the character and nature of Christ Jesus. But it also represents a potential shift in theology and worship that may echo into the 21st [century] and in time move many Protestants closer to an evolving Roman Catholic view.

Later this month, for example, the largest Lutheran church in the US will vote on whether to accept “full communion” with three other Protestant churches. If accepted, ministers would be interchangeable among the four faiths. But differing views of the Eucharist remain a sticking point. Lutherans believe that Jesus is present in the bread and wine. In order to join with the Lutherans, the other three, the Presbyterians, the United Church of Christ (UCC), and the Reformed Church of America, have been reexamining their [roots] and finding new ground to share with Lutherans.“There’s a recovery of tradition,” says Gabriel Fackre, a UCC theologian. “We can all affirm the real presence of [Christ;] we just differ in the mode. We agree the Lord’s Supper is not just a visual [aid] but represents the real presence in a sacrament that ought to be celebrated every Sunday.”

Rediscovering sacraments

“[It’s fair to say there’s] a stronger push among mainstream Protestants to find the presence of Christ in the Eucharist,” says Geoffrey Wainwright of Duke University Divinity School. “The Catholics are rediscovering the word, and the Protestants are rediscovering the sacraments.” The new UCC hymnal includes a classic Catholic hymn by Thomas Aquinas, stating that “underneath these forms lies your reality,” a notion of Christ “in” the bread and wine. A new Methodist prayer reads, “Pour out your Holy Spirit ... on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us, the body and blood of Christ.” The most recent Presbyterian “book of worship” urges more liturgical services for the Eucharist.

Other Protestants, from evangelicals to the mainstream, say the evolving emphasis is misguided and smacks of betraying church history. Much of the Protestant reformed tradition has held that Christ is purely spiritual, can’t be evoked by a rite, and is not “containable” in a finite ceremony. “As a conservative evangelical, I don’t believe in the physical presence of Christ,” says Wayne Gruden of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Ill. “I think this is a willingness to sacrifice historical distinctiveness in our views in order to preserve church structures in the face of declining membership.”

The Lord’s Supper is a form of ritual worship that dates back roughly to AD 1000. The rite usually takes place after the sermon, involves a sharing of bread and wine or juice, and derives from Jesus’ command to his disciples before his crucifixion to “take” the bread and wine as his body and blood. The ceremony can be modest or elaborate, depending [on] the church tradition followed. Evangelical churches, and, until recently, many mainline Protestant churches, [haven’t] stressed a formal Eucharist rite. Protestant denominations traditionally require about four communion services a year. Yet that number increased dramatically in the 1980s and continues to rise today. [It’s] especially popular among younger people as a ceremony that adds color and evokes mystery. Advocates say it restores a sense of the sacred in churches that are criticized for emphasizing a [social justice agenda] or that are “too secular.”

A Presbyterian study shows 40 percent of its churches have monthly communion. “When I was growing [up,] there was a sense that the more frequently you celebrated communion, the less it meant,” says the Rev. Gregg Mast of First Church, Albany, N.Y., a Dutch Reformed church. “That’s changed. Now you see a number of churches moving to a weekly ceremony.” For some critics, the Eucharist - as an answer to [the] lack of spirituality in church - is a chimera. “T.S. Eliot used to say that when the church stops hearing serious biblical [preaching,] it compensates by elevating the mystical,” says one leading East Coast theologian. “I think that’s what we are seeing.”

The taproot of today’s debate dates to a historic 16th-century showdown between Martin Luther and Swiss reformer Huldrich Zwingli. Luther, who earlier revolted against the Catholic idea of “transubstantiation” in which Jesus Christ becomes bread and wine when the right words are said, still felt that Christ was present in the Lord ’s Supper. To Zwingli, the spiritual nature of Christ was absolute and above the possibility of entering material elements. Zwingli felt communion was a symbolic act made meaningful by the subjective prayers of the worshiper. The two reformers fought unstintingly at a meeting called the Marburg Colloquy in 1529 - creating a gulf between Protestants that helped spawn a war that itself took Zwingli’s life in 1531. (A typical exchange. Zwingli: “This is the [Bible] passage that will break your neck.” Luther: “I don’t know what it is like in Switzerland, but in [Germany] necks don’t break so easily.”)

In many ways, the Protestant world has since remained divided along the Luther-Zwingli lines. Lutherans hold [to] the idea that the infinite Christ can enter into the finite elements of the Eucharist. Many in the reform wing feel that Jesus’ famous act of sharing the cup [isn’t] to be taken literally. “Jesus didn’t mean the cup he was holding was itself the new covenant,” says Dr. Gruden, “he meant it as a symbol.”

View from the pews

Studies show that in the pews, most believers, even many Catholics, lean toward [the] notion that the bread and wine isn’t the real body of Jesus Christ.[Yet, for some Protestants,] the views of Zwingli seem too transcendent for the building of bridges with liturgical [advocates] like Lutherans. “Pastors and theologians have a higher view of the Lord’s Supper and are less Zwinglian now,” says Theodore [Gill,] a spokesman for the Presbyterian Church. “[They’re] looking for ecumenical answers that could link Presbyterians with Lutherans and even with the Roman Catholic church eventually.”For that task, the upper Protestant echelon is rediscovering John Calvin, who split the difference between Luther and Zwingli on the question of the presence of Christ.

Whether Lutherans will later this month join a pact agreed to by the three reform churches is unclear. “Is the finite capable of holding the infinite? We say it is,” says John [Reumann] at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, speaking of the view that Christ is objectively present in the bread and wine. “The other side disagrees. And we say finally that theology matters.”2

Endnotes

1Jeff Vehige. “The Doctrine of Transubstantiation,” 2008, 10 April 2009

http://catholic-teaching.org/

2Robert Marquand. “Protestant Fray over Meaning of Bread, Wine,” THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR 11 January 2023

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New Covenant Ministries - Ministerios NuevoPacto - Harbor Church, Block Island

Sunday & Thursday Worship - Domingo & Jueves 7:00PM

My name is James Rondinone. I am a husband, father, and spiritual leader.

I grew up in Massachusetts and began my own spiritual journey early on in life.

I attended Bible college, having completed a two-year Christian Leadership Course of Study and graduated as valedictorian (Summa Cum Laude).

Studying and teaching the Word of God has been a passion of mine for over 20 years.

The Indoor Football League On US Sports. Iowa Barnstormers at Arizona Rattlers

 Wrapping up the Saturday night action, the Iowa Barnstormers (4-8) take on the Arizona Rattlers (8-5) in a cross-conference battle. Both teams sit on the outside of the 2024 IFL Playoffs, but a win would help either side. Get Tickets....


Win Downfield - Attacking Different Areas Deep with 3rd Level RPO

  • By Coach Grabowski

For teams that are RPO-heavy in their attack, the defense will start to take away conflict by bringing a safety down into the box They will bring safety down into the box either pre-snap by alignment or by rotation in buzzing a safety down into the box.

With this move, they effectively equate numbers in the run, and the underneath passing windows are typically left open by a 2nd level player whose run-fits are now taken away.

This creates the necessity of having vertical answers.  An offense can drop back and use seam reads or choice routes, but the objective of any RPO is to run the ball while having a protection answer.

Of course, the RPO can remain the call by simply shifting to a 3rd Level RPO. Most of these are designed with some sort of underneath throws still available with quick routes or key screens.  When the offense is successful with these, then the defense needs to decide if it really wants to bring that extra defender down.

Today, we will take a look at three 3rd Level RPO with the Glance, Bender, and Slot Fade and how each attacks a void in the defense.

Glance

If the backside safety comes down, then Glance is a favorite for many programs.  These typically are run as a 5-step break. 

Glance can be run to the field as well. At Alabama, they call it “pop.” The idea is to attack space as Alabama WR Coach Holmon Wiggins points out in this video:

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Glance is fine to the field as well, but you have to be wary of the backside safety.  Noel Mazzone has his receivers flatten it out to what he calls a grass glance.  The purpose is to not bring the Glance into the safety. He explains it in this video:

Bender

Another option is to use a Bender route allowing the receiver to bend into the void rather than giving a distinct break.  This type of route comes into play versus different rotations but it allows the offense to attack a void in the middle of the defense with an easy throw.  Former Averett OC Kirkland Brown explains it off of a gap scheme in this video:

Slot Fade

Glance and Bender bring the receivers into the middle of the field, so safeties are always a danger, but the slot fade attacks a different void of the defense and can be protected with back shoulder throws as well.

Former SDSU OC Jeff Hecklinski explains the Slot Fade RPO here:

Defenses are getting better and better in how they defend RPO.  Having a mechanism to attack their aggressiveness can provide answers and explosive plays.

Planning for some 3rd Level RPO answers can be an effective way to get the chalk back for the offense.