The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, ESV).
In May 2022, one of our long-time Links members suddenly passed away. Tommy White had been our long-time Team Play Captain, so much so that many just called him “Cap.” He was also our former Club President and Tournament Director.
His death affected our golf club in many ways; the Senior Team Play guys wore their team shirts to the reception at the club, many donated to building a bench in his memory on a Par 3, and to his family to help cover expenses.
A vast crowd came to his memorial service and then the reception at Alta Vista Country Club, his club. Tommy was deeply loved and respected.
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His wife always commented that when Tommy joined the Links Group, it changed their home and marriage. Loving and knowing Jesus does that!
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Many learned that day that Tommy White had joined another “club”—those who follow Jesus as their Lord. In recent years, Tommy had joined the Links Fellowship that meets on Friday mornings. He had returned to the Lord; he had become a Jesus guy.
Before passing away, Tommy had started putting notes on his phone to his wife, children, and grandchildren. He also created one for his Links Group! In it, he wrote:
To My Links Group: Thanks, guys, for the last bunch of years and for bringing me back to the Lord. I’m sitting by him right now! The Links Study was my church, and I enjoyed it so much. Thanks to John & Iggy for inviting me in and to all of you for growing with me in Christ. It was so much fun playing golf with you in many states. God will bless you all! Peace.
His wife always commented that when Tommy joined the Links Group, it changed their home and marriage. Loving and knowing Jesus does that!
His wife and family asked me for help with the service and other items. Tommy told them that if anything happened to him, call John; he would know how to help. My wife and I were privileged to help them through their time of grief. They asked me to speak at the reception, which I did. It offered me a chance to tell everyone who attended about Tommy returning to Christ and what it meant to be a Jesus guy.
It allowed me to tell everyone in that room that “ “Jesus was the way, the truth, the life and that no man comes to the Father but through Jesus.”
Being a Links Leader is an important calling. Many club members don’t have friends outside the environment of their clubs. We get to go through the club gates where members can play golf, share their lives, and share Jesus.
We can also become the functional chaplain of the club, the person many look to as the “religious guy.” But more importantly, we meet the needs of those whom God puts in our path; it’s our mission field. We are “changing the conversation.”
Recently, our Leadership Team has coined a new phrase, Project 1000, to help lead our ministry toward the goal of 1000 Links Groups; please pray about joining us, joining a Links Group, or starting a Links Group.
Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest field.” We need you, workers in the harvest field of golfers and their families. Please pray about being a part of our ministry.
Prayer – Lord, at your command, we ask that you would send workers into the harvest fields of golf courses from coast to coast.