Drafted: NFL or Jesus?

If you had the talent, ability and opportunity for an NFL Football career, would you be willing to give it all up.............to go to seminary and answer a call to preach the gospel? This guy did.



Drafted: Why Chris Norman Said No to the NFL from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Leadership Lessons from RG3

We're Washington Redskins fans at my house, so there was a lot of football joy last night as the 'Skins beat the Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC East Division title. We are also very excited about the present and potential future achievements of rookie 'Skins quarterback, Robert Griffen III, aka "RG3", last year's Heisman Trophy winner.There's a whole lot more to this talented Christian athlete than first meets the eye.

Read Denny Burk's take on Leadership Lessons from RG3. For background, here's a link to the Washington Post article he quotes from.

Denominational Football

Christian Denominations are like NFL Teams-

There's some truth there, as well as hilarity. Enjoy!

Watch it for the Commercials

From: The Sacred Sandwich

Does God Care Whether Tim Tebow Wins?

Check out this well-written and theologically astute article by Owen Strachan in The Atlantic on the question of the week: Does God Care Whether Tim Tebow Wins on Saturday?

Tim Tebow succeeds on the football field because of elves.

You can't see them on television. They're tiny. But when the game gets tight and the Denver Broncos need a fourth-quarter miracle, the elves come out and do his bidding. Forming a dense pack, they push 350-pound lineman aside, knock defensive backs off their stride, and give speed to Demayrius Thomas after he catches a pass.

That's why he wins.

What? You don't buy that? It's a lie, you're right. You know Tebow doesn't accomplish what he does because of elves. But when you hear about his faith, and the connection that some make between his devout Christianity and the success he enjoys on the football field, you might think it's about as likely that Tebow succeeds because of God's direct and benevolent intervention as it is that he wins games because of a roaming band of miniature wood elves.

Both sound ridiculous. God doesn't care about football games, right? If he exists at all, isn't he up there making sure that the planets spin in their proper orbits and, I don't know, that there's enough rainwater falling on Argentinean forests? Doesn't he have better things to do than to propel a certain football team to victories?

How often do you find an article in a secular publication that discusses everything from the Doctrine of Providence, the Theology of John Calvin and Martin Luther, Biblical teaching on suffering, and the interpretation of Ephesians 1:11 and Hebrews 11, all in the context of a sporting event?  And, I might mention, with a quote from Tim Keller thrown in for good measure.

This is a very good article! Read it all at the link above.

A Tale of Two Qarterbacks

Everybody's excited about Tim Tebow's "miraculous" season and playoff win Sunday over the highly favored Pittsburgh Steelers. But did you know that the other quarterback in that game also has something to teach us about Christianity; namely the power of redemption.

Read God’s quarterbacks: What Tebow and Roethlisberger reveal about evangelical politics in The Washington Post.

Rising Above the Flood

An Important Day on the Church Calendar

This is an important day on the church calendar...at least in the USA. Go Saints!

Hat Tip to Internet Monk for the cartoon.

Water Cooler Christians

From: Water Cooler Christians The Sacred Sandwich

In Memory of "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh

Fans of the Washington Redskins, and NFL fans in general, are mourning the passing of one of the great football heroes o earlier times, Sammy Baugh -The First of the Gunslingers. From a Dec. 18 article in the Washington Post:

Slingin' Sammy Baugh, 94, a record-setting passer, punter and defensive back who led the Washington Redskins to two NFL championships in 16 seasons with the team and whose wide-open style of play helped usher professional football into the modern era, died yesterday at Fisher County Memorial Hospital in Rotan, Tex...

The article goes on the describe the famous freezing cold game against the Chicago Bears on December 12, 1937.

The Redskins, on the other hand, had a secret weapon, although the exploits of rookie quarterback Sammy Baugh -- "Slingin' Sammy Baugh," from his baseball exploits -- had made him less of a secret as the season unfolded. On that championship Sunday, those hardy fans shivering in the stands at Wrigley Field witnessed a legend in the making, a star who, like Ruth or Jordan, transformed the way the game is played.

The first time the Redskins got possession of the ball, the Bears had them backed up near the goal line on an out-of-bounds kick to the 5-yard line. Baugh, who had never played in such treacherous weather, ambled onto the field, stood in his end zone and calmly assessed the Chicago defense. His breath misting, he watched the Bears, then walked over to the Redskins huddle.

"Punt formation," the 23-year-old quarterback told his teammates, "but we're gonna pass." Ten surprised teammates stared back at him.

"On two," he barked.

The Redskins broke the huddle, and Baugh dropped back to punt, a common strategy in those days before slimmer, easier-to-grip footballs and split-T offenses opened up the game. On the snap, the Bears' formidable front line scratched, clawed and burrowed ahead on the icy surface, intent on blocking the kick.

The 6-foot-2 Baugh, with his offense lined up in what was essentially today's double-slot spread, straightened and whipped a forward pass from the end zone, possibly the first such throw from that precarious field position (and certainly the first such throw on ice, with players in sneakers). Running back Cliff Battles gathered in the ball and rambled 42 yards before being pulled down. A few plays later, Battles scored on a reverse, and the Bears realized that with Baugh on the field -- he played both offense and defense -- they were in for a game.

Rest in Peace, Slingin' Sammy Baugh.

Hat Tip: The Corner

Bailout Needed

Best sign seen at a football game today-

"Congress: Bailout the Detroit Lions."

Update: "Geeks on Caffeine" agrees

Moment to Gloat

I promise to not do this too often, but got to take a minute to gloat: The Washington Redskins are 4 and 1! GO SKINS!

Hat Tip for Picture: The Washington Post

Two Redskin Greats Make NFL Hall of Fame

Saturday night Colleen and I watched six fine men be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame. Two were from our beloved Washington Redskins- Darrell Green and Art Monk. There were a lot of DC fans there in Canton - The 'Skins play in the HOF Game Sunday night. Art Monk got a 4 minute long standing ovation by the fans (see ESPN picture).

Both of those guys are outspoken Christians who are tremendous examples for us all as men, husbands, fathers (both introduced by their sons) and community leaders. Both were true team players who played the game with fervor, excellence and integrity. Both honored the Lord in their speeches, and Art Monk really preached the Gospel!

Hail to the Redskins, and congratulations to these two men who received greatly deserved honor.

Update: 8/6/08 - C.J. Mahaney comments on Art Monk's speech.