Question #9, July 2022:
What motivates you to stay involved in the game as a Christian?
Mike Massey
Mike Massey:
What mainly keeps me going is not so much the love of the game, but to witness to others about Jesus, who is my Lord and savior.
I have no doubt about Jesus dying for all that repent of their sins and believe in their heart he died for you, that you might have eternal life and spend eternity with him in Heaven.
I believe the Bible is the word of God, and it is good news that although we were born sinners that we can be born again and actually live an abundant life here on earth when we live by his teachings.
I’ve been playing pool for 62 years now and I thank God for what the game has done for me, but I’ m very disappointed in the pool rooms today that allow the filthy music that’s being played and all the TV ‘s that are going at the same time. Pool room owners are concerned more about making money than protecting their souls from the garbage that is being fed into their minds.
The Bible says in the last days what seems right will be wrong and what seems wrong will be right.
Pool can be a wonderful sport or hobby if you put God first. If you don’t put God first in your life it will become an Idol and it will be controlling you instead of you controlling it.
It doesn’t matter how many titles you win, if you don’t put God first you’ll never have joy or peace in your life. You might become famous and acquire many material things, but if you don’t have a true relationship with God, you’ll still feel empty and try to fill the void with more stuff.
The Bible says where your treasure is that’s where your heart is. Store your treasure up in Heaven where they won’t rust and thieves can’t still them.
Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and God’s righteousness and everything else will be added to you.
My way is through what Jesus did for me on the Cross. My Salvation is God’s gift, I’m saved by Grace through faith. Without Jesus I can do nothing that is productive for his Kingdom, but through him I can do all things that strengthens me.
I still love coming up with new shots. Pool is great for using your creative ability. It’s amazing what some of the players are doing today. Florian and some of the other players have taken the artistic skill shots to another level. Look what John Smith did, and then Jayson Shaw. That’s God’s given skill that made these players great, and of course, them practicing to try and get better.
I found out if I play in fellowship with Jesus, there is no strife. Everything is easy,
not only in pool, but everything.
Steve Lillis
Steve Lillis:
I quit to the game in 1985 and made a promise to the Lord to never play again unless He asked me too! Being a top local New Jersey pro for 6 years and then a touring pro around the USA for another 9 years from 1970-1985, I had used the game primarily for my glory at the expense of a lot of important relationships including my relationship with the Lord. For more details, please go to www.amazon.com and order my first book “But You Must!” by Steve Lillis. Twelve years after I quit playing pool in 1985, God finally confirmed for me to come back to play again in 1997.
On this comeback journey the Lord used many of my former pro pool playing friends to confirm the call. First, it was a former road player Jeff Ballentyne turned campus pastor who said in 1989 that he was praying that God would use pool in my life to share Jesus. Next, it was Tommy Kennedy’s amazing testimony after he won the U.S. Open 9-Ball in 1992! Then in 1993, I was reunited with LoreeJon Ogonowski Brown and Sammy Jones as we shared working together with a local youth group from their home church here in New Jersey. Next Robin Dodson called me and we met at a tournament in Amsterdam Billiards in New York City in 1998 and shared what the Lord was doing in our lives.
The ministry was incorporated in 1998 and then Tom Rossman called me and invited me to join him in Las Vegas at the first ever WPA Artistic Pool Championship in Year 2000. Tom also shared with me about his amazing RACK vision which can be found on his website at www.drcuepromotions.com. Finally in Year 2000, I was reunited with my old road partner Mike Massey who went on to win that first WPA Artistic Pool Championship. Mike was the first one to share Jesus with me back in 1976 at a pro event in Greenway Billiards in Baton Rouge, LA. We went on to partner both in business and on the road from 1979-1984. As the years went on God used many other people and pool players along the way to encourage me!
My sole motivation when I came back to pool was to share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to work full time with the ministry of (GTS) Gospel Trick Shot Ministries, Inc. which God first entrusted to me back in 1997. Every decision to play, promote, or serve in the billiards industry and beyond always did and always will to the best of my ability with the Lord’s help revolve around the ministry of GTS. It is such a joy to go to various venues like community centers, pool halls, racetracks, summer camps, schools, churches, senior centers, and prison sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ on a pool table. We even have a portable pool table that was made for us by a Christian owned billiard company! What a privilege to be an ambassador for the Kingdom of Heaven while continuing to play and enjoy the game that God gave me as a gift over 60 years ago and most importantly use it for His glory! For more information on the ministry go to www.gospeltrickshot.org and www.gtsrackrooms.com.
Tom Rossman
Dr. Cue Tom Rossman:
First and foremost, as I focus on what Jesus did for me (and everyone) on the Cross, I keep discovering the Holy Spirit “motivating” and “directing my steps” as He uses the gifts and talents (through my senses) that I have been equipped with.
Additionally, I have realized one particular “fruit of the Spirit”; namely, JOY that has become a hallmark of the billiard journey God allows me to share with thousands of players, fans, and industry contacts worldwide. I understand that sharing Jesus with others can be a dangerous thing; however, I have never met a person that did not “warm up” eventually to a presentation of JOY…via the humor and antics of “Dr. Cue”, which are really Holy Spirit led using “spiritual senses” via a bodily conduit.
In particular, I remember doing a JOY-filled presentation of God’s gifts on the pool table for Hezbollah in Tripoli, Lebanon several years ago with Brother Steve. God opened the door to share with them in an otherwise very dangerous situation. Angelic protections, the “JOY of the Lord”, and the amazing grace “Message of the Cross” shared with them put a smile on their face and planted seeds in their hearts of something they had probably never seen or heard before. The actions, words, and deeds given that night to this distant people group and an extreme of ideological thinking was used in a very special way, as the Holy Spirit directed our steps.
Someone once told me that the safest place to be is exactly “where God puts you” as the Holy Spirit leads with confirming steps and a fervent focus on Jesus — just like when Peter walked on water! As long as Peter focused on Jesus, the Holy Spirit kept him afloat miraculously. Once he took his eyes off Jesus and started to focus on his circumstances, he sank…as the Holy Spirit did not have latitude to work due to the diminished focus by Peter, as his “self” interfered with the supernatural purity of a Jesus-focused walk.
In summation, one of the greatest motivators of staying in the game as a Christian is seeing God work in the hearts, minds, and lives of players, etc. Witnessing the Holy Spirit doing supernatural things is great, but as the Bible tells us from Luke 10:17-21:
The seventy-two returned with JOY and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Lamb’s Book of Life)
At that time Jesus, full of JOY through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.”
Thank you Jesus for your continuing motivation and using the Holy Spirit “JOY” to reach the world…
Blessings, Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman
