Christian Athletes Share their Faith in New YouTube Series HUDDLE UP
By Allyson Vannatta, Staff Writer
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes launched a new YouTube series where professional Christian athletes come together to talk about the Lord.
The first episode of HUDDLE UP dropped last Friday and featured retired NFL tight end Benjamin Watson, Los Angeles Rams’ receiver Brandin Cooks, retired NFL quarterback Luke McGown, and the St. Louis Cardinals all-star MLB pitcher Adam Wainwright.
Watson moderated the episode where the men talked about using this unexpected downtime to strengthen their relationships with the Lord and with their families.
“As Christians, we are called to be the light,” said Wainwright. “In this time, there is a lot of negativity around. This is a time that we can spend encouraging others to make us look different.”
According to the Christian Post, Wainwright is also leading an online one-year Bible study via Twitter for over 16,000 followers.
McGown explained how the situation everyone around the world is facing today has either been allowed or ordained by God to happen.
“This is intentional. God doesn’t do anything by accident, even all the things that you read about in Job,” the father of six said. “God either ordains or allows every circumstance or situation. He ordains it, meaning that He makes it happen. Or He allows it; He gives permission for it to happen. This is just one of those things.”
He continued,
“I can’t help but think that we have gotten so busy in our lives, whether it’s just going from ballgame to ballgame or ball practice to ball practice or [taking] the kids to dance recitals and this and that and the other, that there is an element that we are missing.”
McGown then shared a thought originally form pastor Greg Laurie, “a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family.”
“I thought, man, that is never more true than right now, where God is causing everything to slow down and He wants us to pull into each other and engage with one another around the dinner tables, around the board games, around the movie night schedule, whatever it is. We have kind of lost that art, if you will, that discipline of engaging as a family.”
His final thoughts included him explaining how spending more time with his children in scripture and how we should “draw closer to [God]” during this time.
Cooks jumped in with thoughts about how he and his wife are reading through different books of the Bible during their downtime.
The star receiver also encouraged people to rest in God.
“Sometimes we forget how important rest is and how important God makes the art of resting,” Cooks said. “I think during this time right now, we need to figure out a way to rest. I am not saying lounge around. But I am more so saying rest and what it means to rest in His word, praying and getting that reset button and being restored at a time like this.”
Wainwright shared how he is spending time watching Marvel movies with his kids, and touched on how Christians should “become that light for the world to see” amidst all the negativity right now.
“We are not supposed to be the same as the people who don’t believe. We are called to be different. We are called to be a light. In this time, when the chips are down, we still got the big man. We still got our Lord Jesus. … We still got a lot to be thankful for.”
Watson ended the episode by sharing the Gospel and encouraged those who are not of faith to know Jesus as their Lord and savior.
“The offering now, the way to be encouraged, the way to have some sort of peace and understanding, the way to have salvation, the way to have your debt paid — the one that you could not pay — is by putting your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. It’s about repenting and turning away from your sin and putting your faith and trust in what Jesus Christ did for all of us on the cross.”
The full episode is available to watch below.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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