Former Pastor Recalls ‘Giant Leap of Faith’ to Become NFL Chaplain
By Movieguide® Contributor
Kent Chevalier has served as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ chaplain since 2019, but landing that role took a “giant leap of faith.”
“I was serving at a local Pittsburgh church, a wonderful church, Northway Christian community. About year ten into that, I just began to feel like something was shifting,” Chevalier said on an episode of the “Jesus Calling” podcast. “I didn’t know what was coming. I didn’t want to chase that feeling, so I was going to wait on the Lord and His timing.”
“About two years into that waiting process, the San Francisco 49ers traded their tight end to the Pittsburgh Steelers. His name is Vance McDonald, and Vance and his family began attending the church where I was pastor,” he continued. “And like I did every weekend, I would stand up in front of the congregation and say, ‘Hey, if you’re new with us today, I would love the opportunity to meet you after service.'”
McDonald came up and introduced himself. The two grabbed coffee, and McDonald shared that the Steelers didn’t have a chaplain at the time, “which is crazy because they’ve always had a really strong history of chaplains,” Chevalier said.
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH STEELERS CHAPLAIN KENT CHEVALIER WANTS TO ‘REPRESENT JESUS’ IN NFL
“And so the fact that God was kind of messing with me on the inside, I knew something was coming when I met Vance and he told me that the Steelers didn’t have a chaplain,” Chevalier explained. “I was like, ‘What does an NFL chaplain do?’ And so when Vance began to tell me, it was basically running Bible studies and leading chapels and leading couples ministries for the players and their wives or girlfriends and the coaches and their wives. I was just awestruck like, ‘Oh my goodness, that would be something that I would love to do.'”
Chevalier wasn’t sure of the move, though, but trusted God.
“I was very intimidated. It would take a giant leap of faith to leave the ministry role that I was in and to become a full-time missionary to serve as the Steelers chaplain,” he said. “Obviously, God convinced us. We took a step of faith. And Erica and I both love serving in the role.”
A key phrase for Chevalier’s ministry is “Deflect the glory,” something he hopes reminds players of who gave them the talents that built their careers.
“Deflect the Glory! When millions are chanting your name, it’s very important to deflect the glory given to you back to God where it belongs,” he explained on Instagram in 2023. “People aren’t built to receive that kind of attention and adoration…deflect the glory. Win or lose…deflect the glory. It keeps you humble and steadies your heart.”
Chevalier’s main priority? Representing Christ well.
“One of the goals that I have is that I hope that I can represent Jesus in that Steelers context,” Chevalier told Sports Spectrum last year. “As a guest in that building and that, when people interact with Erica and me, that they would say something along this line…because of the presence of Jesus that we bring into that place.”
READ MORE: PITTSBURGH STEELERS CHAPLAIN ENCOURAGES TEAM TO ‘DEFLECT THE GLORY’ TO GOD
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