Not forsaking our own assembling together… (Hebrews 10:25a, NASB)
The year: 1965.
The tournament: Philadelphia Golf Classic.
Occasion: The meeting to discuss the importance of “assembling together.”
The place: A two-bed room at the Howard Johnson Motel.
The participants: My brother Babe, Paul Bondeson, new in faith; Joel Goldstrand and Kermit Zarley, both members of our University of Houston NCAA Championship teams. All new PGA Tour players. All followers of Jesus.
The prevailing tenor of the PGA Tour players and officials at that time ranged from negative to hostile toward expressed faith. No PGA pros professed faith in Jesus Christ openly.
Meanwhile, the church considered golf an adversary, more or less, because many golfers preferred golf on Sunday to a pew.
I was concerned that my brother Babe, Paul, Joel and Kermit—all brothers and friends—did not lose their faith.
That June evening as we sat on the double beds, I poured out my heart about the necessity of meeting together on a regular basis for study in the Scriptures and fellowship. And to pray for each other and other pros on the Tour.
We discussed the model Jesus gave for disciple making: He chose but four men to launch the greatest ministry the world has ever seen. Two brothers, all fishermen. Then added eight more. Then 70.
Babe and his three close brothers agreed to meet weekly. Dave Ragan was soon part of their gathering.
And later Gary Player, when he wasn’t in South Africa.
The few men, their wives, and caddies met faithfully once a week.
I joined them twice a month until I gained my Tour card in 1967.
We continued to meet for 20-some years, even if our group was only two or three people.
As careers wound down, a new fellowship emerged with Wally Armstrong, Rik Massengale, Larry Nelson, Don Pooley, Morris Hatalsky and many others, eventually including Scott Simpson, Larry Mize, Bill Rogers, Corey Pavin, Tom Lehman and Bernhard Langer, just to mention a few. In 1980 we asked Larry Moody, the president of Search Ministries, to be our informal chaplain. He accepted, bringing with him his lifelong friend and ministry partner, Dave Kruger.
This group spanned more than 30 years and became a model to the succeeding fellowship of Ben Crane, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Jonathan Byrd, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Mark Wilson, Billy Hurley and others who see the importance of being networked together in Jesus Christ.
My mentor and pastor, Richard Halverson, now deceased, used to tell us that “fellowship is the matrix of mission.” Only God knows the combined impact of these professionals, their wives, caddies, and others who have been part of this small group upon the world of golf.
Where are you today?
Have you neglected the “assembling of (yourself) together” with others of like faith?
Are you networked together with a group of men or women? Or a couples’ group?
If not, why not join one near you or be part of starting a new one? You need faith and friends to get going. And if you’d like your group to be a Links Fellowship, we can help with that. As with all things in following Jesus, just don’t hesitate.
—
Jim Hiskey
April 4, 2018
Copyright 2018 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
OTHER DEVOTIONS IN THIS SERIES:
Behind LINKS: The Big L
Behind LINKS: The All-the-Time I
Behind LINKS: The Compassionate K
Behind LINKS: The Ambassadorial S