A New Proposal for the College Football Playoff

College Football seems to be at an impasse.  There is increasing frustration with the selection of four playoff teams.  Is it most deserving or best four?  Does winning a conference matter? Do non-power 5 teams have any chance?  How do we decide the four best teams when there is often little cross over between teams in different regions of the country.

Conversations have begun about the possibility of increasing the field to 8 or even 16 teams.  I have long been a proponent of 6 teams (with five conference champions and an at-large).  No system is perfect.  No expansion will happen without conferences ensuring their champion gets in.  No expansion will happen without non-power 5 conferences wanting a spot at the table. 

The playoff has offered access to deserving teams.  In 2017, the #3 and #4 teams made the championship, playing one of the most epic games in College Football history.  But it has no doubt had a cost.  The regular season has been diminished.  Undefeated seasons are not special.  Most years, a one-loss power-5 champion will make the playoff, relegated it to equal footing of an undefeated season.  In 2018, it was common thought that the SEC championship game meant nothing but seeding for Alabama – they were in no matter what.  Perhaps the most damaging thing the playoff has done is decrease the meaning of bowl games, with future NFL stars sitting out even what used to be prestigious bowls.

I have grave concerns that an 8-team playoff would do irreparable damage to the sport I love. 

• ·       Teams that simply haven’t had championship caliber seasons would be allowed to compete for one.
• ·       Excellence would be even more diminished, as the #1 team would have the same shot as the #8 team.  
• ·       More blowouts (even like we’ve seen in the current system).
• 
  
• ·       Costs for fans traveling to games would price many fans out of attending, hurting attendance, especially for the first round.
• 
  
• ·       Trying to determine how to work out an 8-team playoff is problematic.
• o   If you use bowls for the quarterfinals, fans will most likely not travel to them, saving money for the semis.  Empty stadiums don’t make for a great product.  Even the playoff games now aren’t going for face value most years.
• o   If you use home stadiums for quarterfinals, the losers of the quarterfinals really get a raw deal.  While an 8-4 team might get a week in Orlando for their reward, a 10-2 team gets rewarded with an overnight trip to Norman, Clemson, Columbus and the like.  The postseason is supposed to be a reward.
• ·       The remaining bowls would be even less important.
• ·       The regular season and conference championship games will be diminished. 

I believe there is a system where the regular season is vitally important, Conference championships are celebrated and critical, more bowls become a part of the conversation and access to more teams is created.  This system is the best of both worlds from years past and the exciting aspects of the CFP.  We don’t need another round of playoffs, we need MORE DATA POINTS to be better educated to choose four teams.  We need MORE CROSS SECTIONAL matchups to help us determine conference strength.  We need a system that enhances more bowls and creates excitement around Conference Championship games.  In a nutshell, here’s the system:

Go back to traditional bowl tie-ins AND choose four teams after the bowls

• ·       Players and schools want to play in the historic bowls that have been a part of their tradition for a century.  Fans want to go to these bowls.  They want the tradition.  They want to make travel plans.  The teams want something to point to.  Win the Big 10 – go to the Rose.  Win the SEC – go to the Sugar.  Tradition is what makes CFB so meaningful.
• ·   There is something magical (the anticipation, holiday travel) and practical (exams and healing from injuries) about the month layoff between the end of the season and the bowls.  An 8-team playoff would put the quarterfinals in between that waiting period.
• ·       This would return the magic to New Year’s Day.
• ·       The Committee would fill the New Year’s Six bowls, namely the at-large spots to create matchups that would be beneficial to choosing the FOUR playoff teams.

Here would be the basic schedule:

Dec. 31

Peach Bowl – 1:30 p.m.

At-Large vs. At-Large

Fiesta – 5:00 p.m.

At-Large vs. At-Large

Orange – 8:30 p.m.

ACC Champ vs. At-Large

Jan. 1

Cotton Bowl – 1:30 p.m.

Big 12 Champ vs. At-Large

Rose Bowl – 5:00 p.m.

Big 10 Champ vs. Pac 12 Champ

Sugar Bowl – 8:30 p.m.

SEC Champ vs. At-Large

Key Points and Playoff Follow-Up

• ·       Different years would bring different importance for different bowls.  But, more bowls would increase in importance.  Players would be unlikely to sit for these bowls.
• ·       We would most certainly have a data point for a non-power 5 team against a power 5 team that would like to see in considering them for a playoff spot.
• ·       The committee would use the At-large spots to create match-ups they want to see.  For example, some years, highly ranked 1 or 2 loss teams in the Big 12 and Pac 12 might make for a great Fiesta Bowl that could create a team worthy of one of those four spots. 
• ·       The Committee should avoid conference teams playing each other in bowls.  Again, the point is to create more meaningful cross-regional matchups to choose the 4 teams better.  If two teams from the same conference both look strong against non-conference competition, maybe they both belong in the four team playoff.
• ·       This system also creates some fluctuation from year to year for the committee.  Some years there are 5 teams to consider, some there are 6 or 7.  This could help them do that from year to year.
• ·       On the night of Jan. 1, the committee meets, with the announcement on Jan. 2 of the 4 teams. 
• ·       The first round is played the second Saturday of January in home stadiums of the #1 & #2 teams

o   We do it in every other sport but Men’s College Basketball.  Host it on campuses.

o   NFL teams do it.

o   If Northern schools get to host a cold weather game – they earned it.  If a Southern team gets to host an unusually warm January game – they earned it. 

o   The bowls should clearly tell you who #1 and #2 are – reward them.

o   Fans cannot and will not travel all over the country for three games.  I know.  I’m one of them that goes to a lot of games.

o   The losers of the games have already experienced the fun of bowl week.

o   The hardest conversation will be with the NFL.  This is the divisional round of the playoffs.  There is plenty of room in the time slots for 2 college games and 1 NFL game on Saturday and 3 NFL games on Sunday.

o   Don’t believe the hype that the game has to be prime time for ratings.  The highest rated game of the 2018 season was a 4 p.m. SEC championship game.

• ·       Play the championship game at a pre-determined site (like the current system) on the 3^rd Saturday of January.

o   Get the game off of Monday nights.  Fans can’t travel.  Many of them struggle to even stay up to watch the game with work the next day.

o   This would be NFC/AFC championship weekend in the NFL.  It would create the most epic weekend of football in America.  College Football Championship on Saturday, NFL Conference Championships on Sunday.

• ·       There will be some concern about extending the season into January.

o   Any expanded system is going to extend the season in some way.  You either play games during exams or into the next semester

o   The College World Series lasts after graduation.  It can be done. 

o   Most colleges start classes around Jan. 9 or 10 each year.  The first game would be 1-3 days after classes begin.  Only two teams would play into the second semester, and they’d be happy to. 

Past Hypothetical Examples

(Teams that made playoff in bold)

2018

Semis on Jan. 13 – Championship on Jan. 20

Rose:  Ohio St. vs. Washington

Sugar:  Alabama vs. UCF

Orange:  Clemson vs. Georgia

Cotton:  Oklahoma vs. Notre Dame

Peach:  Michigan vs. Florida

Fiesta:  Penn St. vs. LSU

2017

Semis on Jan. 8 – Championship on Jan. 15

Rose:  Ohio St. vs. USC

Sugar:  Georgia vs. Wisconsin

Orange:  Clemson vs. UCF

Cotton:  Oklahoma vs. Alabama

Peach:  Auburn vs. Miami

Fiesta:  Penn St. vs. Washington

2016

Semis on Jan. 10 – Championship on Jan. 17

Rose:  Ohio St. vs. Washington

Sugar:  Alabama vs. Western Michigan

Orange:  Clemson vs. USC

Cotton:  Oklahoma vs. Penn St.

Peach:  Florida St. vs. Wisconsin

Fiesta:  Michigan vs. Colorado

2015

Semis on Jan. 11 – Championship on Jan. 18

Rose:  Michigan St. vs. Stanford

Sugar:  Alabama vs. Notre Dame

Orange:  Clemson vs. Ohio St.

Cotton: Oklahoma vs. Iowa

Peach: North Carolina vs. TCU

Fiesta: Houston vs. Florida St.

2014

Semis on Jan. 12 – Championship on Jan. 19

Rose:  Oregon vs. Ohio St.

Sugar:  Alabama vs. Michigan St.

Orange:  Florida St. vs. TCU

Cotton: Baylor vs. Mississippi St.

Peach:  Georgia Tech vs. Kansas St.

Fiesta:  Boise St. vs. Arizona

Grateful

Kicking off the season vs. App. State with Walker & Tanner

I'm so grateful.  I'm so grateful we got to experience this ride.  I mean it.  I guess I'm sad today.  I certainly am, but I'm mostly grateful.  I don't feel a lot of pain and heartache, because I don't think this was a one-off.  You never know, though.  There are no guarantees we'll ever make it back, but it didn't feel like our only shot.  It felt like the beginning.  And we'll likely play those guys in 11 months back in the same building with the SEC on the line.

I'm grateful to be a Dawg.  I mean this sincerely.  I'm biased, but, man, we've got a great fan base.  And, this is just the honest truth, we appreciated this year more than most.  I'm not sure FSU fans in the '90s, USC fans in the early 2000's or Bama Fans in the 2010's really appreciate the winning.  But we're just grateful.  What a ride and what a run.  There are a lot of teams - a lot - who have no idea what a run like this feels like. The run was immensely fun, and it gave me was a lifetime of memories. 

With Morgan at Notre Dame

This season gave me an excuse to take a trip to Chicago with my 13 year old.  We saw the city, I got to hear one of my heroes preach (Bill Hybels) and we beat Notre Dame, kick-starting a season for the ages.

All of us in Jacksonville!

We took the whole family to Jacksonville for us to all see us (finally) beat Florida.  We played on the beach and ate seafood in late October. 

With Brooks watching Nick and Sony's last game in Sanford Stadium

We traveled all across the Southeast.  I took each of my four sons to at least one road game.  We had long drives in the car together, meals by ourselves and new adventures as father and son.  We hugged after Touchdowns and Interceptions.  They dressed up as their favorite players and ate cotton candy. 

Tanner and I took the only long drive home from the Plains, knowing we'd get our shot at redemption against someone in Atlanta.  We did, against those same guys.

With Walk-man at Tech

After Thanksgiving, it was magical enough.  11-1 and we beat most of our rivals...badly.  We had eaten a lot of good food and shared a lot of good laughs.  It was just beginning.

Me & my friend, Chase, at the SEC Championship Game in his hat that has never lost to Auburn

We vanquished our only loss of the season and earned a trip to the playoff.  12-1 and SEC champs.  I had been to every game but Tennessee.  Would there be one or two more? 

My boys at Christmas with their Clemson cousins, Parker & Mason

Christmas at my parent's house was like never before.  My brother's family is all Clemson Tigers.  We were both in the playoffs.  Would we meet in the natty?  There was a lot of ribbing and trash talking. But we were all happy to be along for the ride. 

Emily & I with our good friends, Jana & Buck, after the Rose Bowl

L.A.  Tinsel Town.  Hollywood.  Beverly Hills.  Venice Beach.  Malibu.  Santa Monica.  And a little Vegas.  Emily and I did it all.  It was the first time she and I had been away together for that long in a decade.  We'll never forget it.  When Sony scored we hugged and yelled and cried.  I'm certain it was one of the top 10 happiest moments of my life.

Morgan & I with some of our crew, Heather, Ben & Mark...with the trophy we were oh so close to getting.

My son, Morgan, saved all his Christmas money from family to help buy his ticket to the National Championship Game.  We spent all day together.  We hugged and cheered screamed our guts out.  We lost on the last play of the college football season to the best program (maybe ever) in the last 15 years.  How can I be sad?

Saturdays (and a couple of Mondays) afforded me time with family that nothing else comes close to.  We have little control over the outcome, despite our best efforts at loud screaming and wearing lucky hats.  I wore a tie yesterday because it was an important occasion, but mostly because it was my Daddy's Bulldog tie.  It's probably older than me.  Because my daddy was there with me.

Some people will wallow in misery over this.  They will say this was the most Atlanta thing ever or the most Georgia thing ever.  Some will say they'll never get over it.  I don't get that.  What's to wallow in?  It's so, so, so very difficult to get here.  Enjoy it.  And if you care for a little football perspective -- we've got a fantastic young coach and more talent coming in than we've ever had.  This won't be the last time.  Trust me, depressing is driving home from the Liberty Bowl after losing to UCF to finish 6-7.  This wasn't depressing.

Others will wonder what's the big deal.  The big deal is that we did this together.  I saw friends from college in Chicago and Los Angeles.  I took a trip with my wife.  I spent Saturdays with my boys.  I was part of something bigger than myself.  It connected me with something deep in my soul.

Sistee, my brother, Courtney, Jim, me, Mama & Daddy

Georgia Football, has been a family thing for me for a long time.  Jim & Sistee Williams got us hooked.  I cheered for Tim Worley & Rodney Hampton the way my boys have for Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb & Sony Michel.  We are linked by generations of silver britches.

Don't be sad, Bulldog Nation.  Be grateful. 

And Dawgs...Keep Chopping.  That tree is coming down one day soon.

Of Matt Lauer and the crisis hitting America

I don’t remember how old I was, maybe 8 or 10.  I just remember the feeling.  A scantily dressed and attractive young woman was bending over a few feet away, her backside up in the air, pointed at everyone.  The older gentleman beside me tapped my arm, pointed her way and said, “Take a look at that.”  There was a part of me that knew I shouldn’t.  There was another part that wanted to.  But all of me knew the comment and thought was wrong.  Why did he think such a comment was okay?

Whether we meant to or not, this is the culture of objectifying women we somehow all created, and the recent allegations agaisnt Matt Lauer bring what has been in the dark to light.  We created the porn industry, that dampened our senses to what is right and wrong.  We created a world in which whistling and cat-calling women on the street is a punchline in sitcoms.  We created a culture in which otherwise God-fearing, married men say things like, “Just because I’ve already eaten doesn’t mean I can’t look at the menu” when talking about ogling a beautiful woman.  We didn’t, as a culture, intend to raise sexual predators.  But we never tried to be holy.  In fact, holiness has too often meant you were a prude.  This culture where the lines of what is acceptable sexual behavior (particularly for men) is more evident now than ever before.  Weekly, we are hearing of another actor, politician, and most recently, a beloved TV personality who acted inappropriately toward a woman or women.  My hunch is that much of the problem is that we passed what is appropriate a long time ago, and without those boundaries, base instincts took over.  It should almost go without saying that in all the cases that have come to light recently, we need to be careful to inject blame when the possibility remains that some of these men are innocent.  People do lie to hurt others.  But many of these women have been truly hurt.  There are enough women sharing “Me, too” to warn us all that this is a pervasive problem in our culture.

Something about this culture we’ve created has never sat right with me.  It’s not the way I wanted to be as a man.  In college, I met a group of mostly seniors who loved Jesus, had godly relationships with their girlfriends, and sought out a kind of purity I’d frankly only heard about, but never seen.  My relationship with these men changed my life.  I haven't perfected it, but I have worked very hard to be my best for the sake of my heart and my marriage to my incredible wife.  For the women who were hurt by any of these famous people, I’m so sorry you went through this.  For the women who have been hurt by people that weren’t famous, and some of them even family, I’m so sorry.  I hope they are brought to justice.  I want to try and help men in a culture that has normalized sexualizing and objectifying women become holy.  Here are some things that have been and continue to be important to me.

1.   What your eyes see gets in your head and heart.  One of those guys in my college Bible Study would flip over any magazine in a dorm room (like a weightlifting magazine) that had an attractive woman on the front.  What your eyes see on TV, movies, and the internet shape our reality.  If we see things repeatedly that treat women as objects, we begin to objectify women.  Porn will rot your soul.  It will ruin your relationship with your wife and tarnish the way you were meant to see women and sex.  But soft core porn is everywhere.  Be careful what you see.  Jesus said lusting in your heart is the same as adultery.  I always took Him at face value with that statement.  I don’t want to do either.  You vowed your eyes to your wife.

2.   Work hard at it.  You can’t get away from everyday life, and it's not a sin to find someone attractive.  Work hard to make sure your eyes are reserved for your wife (or future wife).  Make her the apple of your eye.  Don’t diminish how you see her because you can’t stop looking at other women.  If you don’t work hard at this, it will deaden your senses.  You’ll begin to think you have the right to stare.  You’re one step closer to thinking you have the right to touch.  On your computer, if you have to, put of firewalls to keep you away from pornography.  Work hard at it.  It’s too important.  

3.    Boundaries. Boundaries. Boundaries.  It’s almost a joke in our church.  I won’t meet with a woman alone.  We’ll need to meet in a public place.  I’ll stand outside and talk with someone rather than go into an empty building together.  Billy Graham took this pretty seriously, too.  I mostly offer the patented “Side Hug” to other women in church.  If another woman touches my arm or says something flirtatious, or I have an emotion that I shouldn't, my wife is the first to know.  I want her to know that my thoughts are accountable to her.  You see, I want to value women and honor my wife, so I set up boundaries on the front end.  I don’t want to get into situations where:  A) I have let my guard down and might be vulnerable to make a huge mistake B) hormones take over or C)  I can be falsely accused because there are no other witnesses. Boundaries protect your heart, your marriage and, if you're a pastor, your ministry.


We are in a crisis right now where left and right it is coming to light that men have forced themselves on women.  I'm sure someone told them not to -- that this isn't appropriate or acceptable. But maybe before that they weren’t told to not touch them.  And before that they weren’t told not to say something vulgar.  And before that they weren’t told not to stare at them.  And before that they weren’t told not to stare at any of them.  And before that they weren’t told they were wrong for even thinking that they should stare at them.  And that’s how you create a culture.  All men aren’t like this.  And if you’re not, it’s probably because you worked hard not to be that way.  And someone taught you better.  We can’t fix this damage, but let’s teach our boys better.  The Church ought to be known for how well we honor the gifts of men and women, and maybe the Church can be the place that teaches men how to be holy.

On Boycotts, the NFL, kneeling & standing and what matters to me

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you stand for the National Anthem.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you kneel for the National Anthem.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you raise your fist in protest.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you raise your nose in disgust of protest.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you post pictures of veterans with a quote about how we should stand honor those who serve.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you post pictures of veterans with a quote about how they died for the right for people to kneel if they want.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you boycott the NFL because too many players are protesting and being political.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you boycott the NFL because no team will sign Colin Kaepernick.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you boycott the NFL because there’s a lot of bad offense being played (okay, that might be a legitimate beef).

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you voted for Trump.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you voted for Hillary.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you didn’t vote out of protest.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you didn’t vote out of apathy.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you want more athletes to speak out more.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you’re tired of athletes speaking out about politics.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you comment on social media that 

the President’s comments about NFL players disappoint you.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you comment on social media that the President’s comments about NFL players encourage you.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you’re a big Tim Tebow fan.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you’re a big Colin Kaepernick fan.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you’re a fan of neither Tebow nor Kaep.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you support all First Amendment free speech. 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you think First Amendment free speech should have limits.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if your heroes wear shoulder pads.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if your heroes wear fatigues.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if think you know how you’d think if you were African-American.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you think you know how you’d think if you were white.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you’re neither but think you know how you’d think if you were African-America or white.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you argue your point well.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you use Martin Luther King, Jr. to prove your point.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you type in all caps.

Nope.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. –John 13:35

I do not want people to vote like me.  I do not want people to think like me.  I don’t want people to like my politics or opinions (and trust me, I have them).  Because this is not about me.  I want them to know that I am His disciple.  Because I want them to know the Jesus who I am a disciple of.

The Jesus who doesn’t kneel because before Him every knee will bow.

The Jesus who doesn’t stand for any flag because before him all nations will come and worship.

The Jesus who’s Kingdom is not of this world (or country or region).

The Jesus who doesn’t have any president because He is the King of Kings.

The Jesus in whose image I was made.

The Jesus in whose image you were made.

The Jesus who bought our redemption with the price of His blood.  

The Jesus who forgave me.

I want people to know that Jesus.  To really, really know Him.

And I am convinced that will not happen through my politics, boycotts, protests, kneeling, standing or clever social media posts, but only through my love – because that’s how my Jesus said they would know.  What if those of us who called ourselves disciples were most concerned about loving others first?  And if we’re not, are we really disciples?  If you’re not a Jesus Follower, is one of the reasons you’re not because those of us that are seem more worried about issues rather than loving others?

So let’s grab a cup of coffee.  Or let’s chat.  I’d love to listen to your story.  Because I love you.  Because He loved me.  Whether you stand, kneel or couldn’t care less. NFL fan or not.  I’m so much more concerned about before Whom we will one day stand and inevitably kneel.  

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (5.12.17)

 

Hey Church! I hope you you've had a great week.  We have an exciting and powerful Sunday ahead of us.  It's Mother's Day!  Bring your mom.  Celebrate your mom.  Remember your mom.  We all have a mom and often many women who were mothers to us.  Let's celebrate and remember them this week.  And we'll learn how mother's teach us something about the nature of God. Plus, we'll have a Mother's Day Photo Booth, so get ready to take some fun pics! Thought for the Week "My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching."  Proverbs 6:20 Don't forsake your mother's teaching.  Mother's teach you... what forgiveness looks like. that a skinned knee can be fixed with a band-aid and a kiss. how to make a PB & J. that you can always make more food so you can welcome more people. how to wrap a present. that it's okay to cry because you're sad. that it's okay to cry because you're happy. how to sing in the car. how to put together an outfit for throwback day at school. to trust people. how to make someone feel special. how to pray. that worship is important. what serving looks like. that one can be graceful and scream at a football game at the same time. how to make biscuits. what love feels like. that you're never too old to hug and kiss your momma. Don't forsake this teaching because it's probably just a snapshot of all that your mother taught you. In Christ, Carter McInnis Lead Pastor

Thought for the Week

Thought for the Week
"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."  2 Corinthians 5:21

We were not capable.  We couldn't pay the debt we owed.  Someone would have to stand in our place.  Have you ever had a debt you couldn't pay?  Any little bit you COULD pay of it seems so meaningless.  It's almost offensive to the lender.  You know it's not close to what you owe.  They know it.  It's almost not worth bringing up.  The only way to be free and clear from the debt is for someone to just pay it for you.  You become free and clear.  The only way to pay the debt of sin we owed was for someone without sin to die the death we deserve.  When the very first humans sinned, God warned that it would bring death.  We didn't know how to get out of the mess we created.  Even our feeble attempts at 'goodness' still left us unworthy.  In Christ, we are made righteous through the death and penalty payment he paid on our behalf.  That's the miracle of the cross.  That's the miracle of Good Friday.

Sunday Preview & Thought for the Week (3.31.17)

Hey Church! Can you believe it's the last day of March?  25% of 2017 is already in the books.  We're continuing our "Pray-er" series on Sunday, and I hope you'll be there to hear about 'Only Pray-er'.  A few other things that are important for the weekend: Workday at Harmony Grove Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.  We'll have donuts and coffee to kick things off and lunch will be provided.  Painting, cleaning, and light construction. Reminder that our Lawrenceville Campus will begin meeting in one service at 10 a.m. this Sunday. Bring candy to fill our Easter Eggs for our Easter Festival & Easter Egg Hunt beginning this Sunday.  Preferably no chocolate. Thought for the Week "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  Romans 5:8 There has been a lot of talk about bridges in Atlanta the last day.  Thank God no one was hurt in the mess on I-85.  Lewis Grizzard once said they'd never finish 85.  He might have been right.  But, a lack of a bridge has halted all traffic.  You can't get from one side to the other.  That's what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross.  He made a way when we couldn't get from one side to the other.  As sinners, we can't get to God.  We can't do enough good works and deeds to bridge the gap, so our relationship with God screeches to a halt without Jesus.  There is a gap we can't overcome.  We are not holy.  God is holy.  And we can't be with Him unless we're holy.  Jesus is the bridge.  Even though we are sinners, Jesus died for us to forgive our sins and present us as holy before God.  Blameless before Him.  That's how much God loves us.  He became the bridge when we couldn't find a way over the gap. In Christ, Carter McInnis Lead Pastor