Sports Spectrum - Football Sunday 2021 edition by Sports Spectrum

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CONTENTS 2 — By the Numbers Super Bowl leaders, records and ...food consumption 4 — Fun Facts: Tampa What you need to know about the host city. 7 — Football Sunday 2021: Unshaken A media resource for such a time as this. 8 — Feeling the Father’s Love Fueled by the memory of his late father, Brandin Cooks has become one of the NFL’s top receivers and most outspoken followers of Christ. He recently became a father himself, which has only deepened his understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love for us. 12 — Passing the Control Eagles QB Carson Wentz has always yearned to be in charge; it’s what helped him become a Pro Bowl quarterback. But obstacles, challenges and a deeper understanding of grace led him to a freeing revelation: God is sovereign and God is in control. 16 — Just Being Real Sam Acho thought he had it all: money, fame, security. But in reality he was broken, carrying weight he wasn’t meant to. So he surrendered it to God, and the NFL veteran is now on a mission to encourage others to be their authentic selves through a relationship with Christ. 21 — The Genesis of Football Sunday A quarterback’s idea is now a worldwide movement centered around the Super Bowl. 26 — Increase Devotionals Teaching from professional football players and team chaplains. 32 — Gospel Message You can know Christ personally.

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$18, 4 QUARTERLY ISSUES (PRINT) For information on subscriptions, back issues, discount bulk issues, or changing your subscription address: Web site: www.sportsspectrum.com/magazine/ Phone: 1-866-821-2971 Mail: 640 Plaza Drive, Suite 110, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 Email: support@sportsspectrum.com General correspondence, Letter to the Editor, or Writer’s Query No unsolicited manuscripts, please E-mail: support@sportsspectrum.com Permissions, Reprints Phone: 1-866-821-2971 E-mail: support@sportsspectrum.com COVER • PHOTO CREDITS: Brandin Cooks (AP Photo/Justin Berl) Carson Wentz (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) Sam Acho (Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini)

PUBLISHER Sports Spectrum Media PRESIDENT Steve Stenstrom

VP OF MINISTRY OPERATIONS Howard Haworth DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Rick Wright MANAGING EDITOR Jon Ackerman jon@sportsspectrum.com ART DIRECTOR Aaron Dean Sauer aaron@sportsspectrum.com ASSISTANT EDITOR Becky York CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cole Claybourn Joshua Doering Joshua Pease PODCAST HOST/PRODUCER Jason Romano BUSINESS OPERATIONS Jacob House Tricia Hudson COPY EDITOR Lori Stenstrom

Sports Spectrum Global is a multimedia ministry with the purpose to impact people by connecting faith and sports in a relevant way, ultimately directing people, with resources for discipleship, toward a personal, loving God who demands Christ-centered lives. Printed in USA. Copyright© 2021 by Sports Spectrum Media. Bible quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SPORTS SPECTRUM, 640 Plaza Dr., Ste 110, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

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SUPER BOWL BY THE NUMBERS

MOST GAME MVPS TOM BRADY

Steelers (6-2) & Patriots (6-5)

11 Patriots (6-5)

MOST APPEARANCES

FEWEST APPEARANCES

Browns, Lions, Texans, Jaguars

MOST TACKLES 33 - Rodney Harrison

MOST SACKS 5 - L.C. Greenwood 2

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MOST TOUCHDOWNS 18 - TOM BRADY, PASSING

5 - EMMITT SMITH, RUSHING 8 - JERRY RICE, RECEIVING

MOST YARDS

2,838

TOM BRADY, PASSING

354 - FRANCO HARRIS, RUSHING 589 - JERRY RICE, RECEIVING

MOST WINS FOR A STARTING QB

TOM BRADY

MOST INTERCEPTIONS

LARRY BROWN ROD MARTIN CHUCK HOWLEY

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AP Photo/Winslow Getty Images/ Patrick Smith, Getty Images/Focus On Sport

MOST SUPER BOWL WINS

SUPER BOWL BY THE NUMBERS

SUPER BOWL SINGLE-GAME RECORDS:

505 - Most passing yards, Tom Brady (LII) 6 - Most passing TDs, Steve Young (XXIX) 204 - Most rushing yards, Timmy Smith (XXII) 3 - Most rushing TDs, Terrell Davis (XXXII) 215 - Most receiving yards, Jerry Rice (XXIII) 3 - Most receiving TDs, Jerry Rice (XXIX, XXIV)

FOOD

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY IS THE

2ND-HIGHEST FOOD CONSUMPTION DAY IN THE U.S. (AFTER THANKSGIVING)

50,000

MILLION

PIZZAS TYPICALLY SOLD BY DOMINO’S ON SB SUNDAY,

Cost to make the Lombardi Trophy, which weighs 7 pounds

40% MORE THAN A NORMAL SUNDAY

1.4 BILLION

CHICKEN WINGS EATEN LAST YEAR ON SUPER BOWL SUNDAY

17.5

MILLION

PEOPLE WHO MISSED WORK LAST YEAR ON “SUPER SICK MONDAY”

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*All stats through 2020

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AP Photo/Chris O’Meara

Right now, children are enslaved for the profit of others. Join International Justice Mission today. End slavery in our lifetime. IJM.org/TF

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2021

The pandemic hit us all in surprising and life-changing ways. Certainly, pastors and spiritual leaders were not exempt. They were forced to make hard and immediate changes in the ways they do ministry. There’s never been a better time for a media resource such as Football Sunday. This year’s sermon-replacement video marks our seventh season. Football Sunday has already been viewed by more than 5 million people, with thousands committing their lives to Christ after watching the stories and testimonies of NFL players. The potential impact for Football Sunday 2021 may be the greatest yet. Not only can the Football Sunday resources be transformational in the lives of those who watch the film in a church or at a ministry location, but they can also reach those who engage online. This year’s film features the powerful, faith-filled stories of NFL players Brandin Cooks, Carson Wentz and Sam Acho — whose stories we expand on in the pages that follow. Players actually playing in the Super Bowl will share their stories in the video as well. And it’s hosted by Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and retired 15-year NFL tight end Benjamin Watson — undoubtedly two of the leading voices on topics of football and faith. The theme of this year’s event is “Unshaken.” It’s inspired by Psalm 16:8, which says, “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” It’s a verse we can all cling to in such an uncertain time as this. Furthermore, a portion of the purchase price will go toward a movement of Christ-followers who are confronting the issue of racial justice. If you’re connected to a church taking part in Football Sunday, thank you. If you’re reading this because you’re a regular subscriber to Sports Spectrum Magazine, would you encourage your local church or ministry to participate this year or in the future? It’s a practical and encouraging way to re-engage our church families. All the details can be found at www.footballsunday.com. We don’t know what the future holds, but God called us to follow Him. It’s long past time for a Christian revival in this country, and we believe Football Sunday can impact our country in ways we can’t even imagine. >>>>>

footballsunday.com www.sportsspectrum.com www.sportsspectrum.com

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F BS | B R AN D I N C OOKS

feeling the father’s love

AP Photo/Gary McCullough, Stephen B. Morton

Fueled by the memory of his late father, Brandin Cooks has become one of the NFL’s top receivers and most outspoken followers of Christ. He recently became a father himself, which has only deepened his understanding of our Heavenly Father’s love for us.

BY J OSH UA P E AS E

brandin

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FBS | BR AN D IN C O O KS

“HE’S THE GREATEST CHAMPION OF ALL TIME. YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN HE DIED ON A CROSS FOR OUR SINS, THE COURAGE THAT HE HAD TO HAVE AND THE ASSURANCE THAT HE KNEW HIS FATHER WOULD RAISE HIM. NO MATTER WHAT, JESUS WILL ALWAYS HAVE A HOLD OVER US THROUGH THE GOOD AND BAD.” < Brandin Cooks filming for Football Sunday 2021

AP Photo/Paul Sancya

randin Cooks vividly remembers the day. He was 6 years old, and had just been called out of his classroom to the school office. He’d always been a good kid, so he knew he wasn’t in trouble. But his brother Andre was called to the office too. Whatever was about to happen, he knew it would be bad. “I remember my two older brothers, Junior and Fred, picked me and Andre up and we got into the van, and the two of them are crying,” Brandin recalled during his interview for Football Sunday 2021. “I’m like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s going on?’ … They told me my dad died.” Worth Sr., a former Marine, suffered a heart attack at 48 years old. He had recently agreed to surgery for some heart problems doctors had discovered, as he yearned to see his four boys grow up. But before he could make it in, Worth died in his wife’s arms in the family’s home in Stockton, California. “I remember, even as a little boy, thinking, ‘OK, now what?’ Because we already didn’t have a lot and my mom (Andrea) is having to raise four boys,” Cooks said. Cooks had always been close to his dad — often literally, as Dad would lay on top of Brandin, the youngest, to hide him during family games of hide-and-seek. But now, without a male role model and with a mom working multiple jobs to provide for the family, Brandin’s life could easily follow the path often taken by young men in such a situation: drugs, crime, jail, becoming a statistic. Andrea was determined to keep him out of trouble, so Brandin played numerous sports — baseball, basketball, even some soccer. But track and football were where Brandin excelled. Especially football. Each of the brothers dealt with the death of their father in different ways, some healthy and some unhealthy. Brandin became determined to succeed. He was the first of his brothers to attend college, starring as a wide receiver at Oregon State. As a junior, he set PAC-12 records with 128 catches for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns. He then declared for the NFL draft, and recorded the fastest 40-yard dash time at the 2014 NFL Combine (4.33 seconds). The New Orleans Saints traded up to select him with the 20th overall pick in 2014. After two 1,000-yard seasons in three years, the Saints traded him to New England in 2017. Following another 1,000-yard season as a Patriot, Cooks was traded to the Rams, with whom he tallied a career-high 1,204 yards in 2018, when the Rams lost to New England in Super

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Bowl LII. In April 2020, Cooks was traded yet again, this time to the Houston Texans. After seven years in the NFL, it’s safe to say Cooks has succeeded. Along the way, he’s thanked his mother more times than she can count. “We had some hard times,” Andrea told ESPN in 2017, “but having faith in God, in the end this is what comes out.”

n addition to being one of the league’s top receivers, Cooks is also one of the NFL’s most outspoken followers of Jesus, a path he’s been on since early in college when he gave his life to Christ. “I remember my sophomore year at Oregon State. Our chaplain at the time was Tom Ramsey,” Cooks recalled, thinking back to team chapels. “… And I remember we would have private one-on-ones after every Saturday night meeting. My sophomore year was when I was saved, and from that moment on, life was different.” In his second year with the Saints, veterans Benjamin Watson and Luke McCown were in the training room’s whirlpool one day. “And that’s when I got baptized,” Cooks said. It wasn’t easy being outspoken about his faith early in his journey. Cooks was fully aware of the eye-rolling attitude older players tended to have toward enthusiastic younger players. “I remember Ben [Watson] telling me one day … ‘I don’t know what it is, but I feel called to tell you this: Continue to walk that path, don’t get distracted and don’t get influenced by things in this world,’” Cooks said. “And he left it at that! But whatever told him to say that, it stuck with me.” Cooks decided he needed a public way to display his faith on the field, and so he came up with a way to celebrate big plays: by pantomiming holstering and shooting an arrow from a bow. The celebration is a reference to Psalm 144:5-6, which says, “Part your heavens, Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, so that they smoke. Send forth lightning and scatter the enemy; shoot your arrows and rout them.” “What’s funny is the NFL, after my third season, wanted to start [fining me] for it, and I remember writing to the league, and Coach [Sean] Payton [helped] at the time, saying ‘Listen, SPORTS SPECTRUM

FBS | B R AN D I N C O O KS

“THE LOVE THAT CHRIST HAS FOR US AND GOD HAS FOR US ... NOW I UNDERSTAND. YOU THINK ABOUT THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON AND WHY THE DAD WAS JUST SO EXCITED

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AP Photos/Bruce Kluckhohn

AP Photo/Michael Wyke, Jeff Roberson

FOR HIS SON TO COME BACK … WHY GOD LOVES US SO MUCH NOW, IT’S A NO-BRAINER.”

FBS | BR AN D IN C O O KS this guy is doing it because, for him, that is his faith, his form of being able to glorify God.’ But they end up making it where if I do it, I get fined. “So I’m like, ‘OK, how do I come up with another way?’ So then I started taking [arrows] out and just stuffing them in the ground. So I kept with that, and then now this season I’m like, ‘You know what? I’m just gonna bring it back and let’s see what happens.’” Six TDs in 15 games this season and no word from the NFL.

AP Photo/Steven Senne

irmly established in the league, Cooks began a new adventure in 2018 when he married his longtime girlfriend, Briannon. Soon thereafter, they attempted to start a family. However, after some testing, they discovered Briannon would need in vitro fertilization (IVF) to have a chance at pregnancy. So she started the long, grueling process, which includes dozens of shots. “I’m sitting here as her husband and I

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mean, what can I do? I can’t do anything. But the power that I got from her, and the strength that I got from her — I say we were both going through it, but from a physical standpoint, she was taking the beating from the shots that she had to do … over 100 shots,” Cooks said. “I remember us traveling, we went to New Zealand last year in January, right after the season, and she had all her syringes, even on the plane. If she missed a day or two it could mess up the process. “But we love to travel, so she’s getting shots on the plane. And all I can do is just comfort her, really, in the process. Women who go through that to do IVF, they are warriors, without a doubt. ... The mindset that she had to be able to start this family, I give her all the credit. The courage that she had, I don’t think I could do that. I play this tough sport, but there’s nothing like that.” On May 10, Brandin posted a video on Instagram announcing that Briannon was pregnant. The video shows a baby onesie surrounded in a circle by dozens of the needles Briannon had to use along the way. On September 28, Maverik Archer Cooks was born.

“I mean, words can’t even explain the joy that little man has brought us,” Cooks said. “I knew God was working because he was born on [Briannon’s] birthday, and there was no gift that can be better than that. To be born on her birthday was, I think, a gift from God, after everything that she went through. It was worth it. Just to see the joy on her face was priceless.” Now Brandin, who lost his father at a young age, is getting his own chance to be a father. In the process, his own understanding of God is being transformed. “The love that Christ has for us and God has for us ... now I understand. You think about the story of the prodigal son and why the dad was just so excited for his son to come back … why God loves us so much now, it’s a no-brainer. The fact that God gave me this blessing with a child of my own” is amazing, Cooks said. But being a father has not just transformed his faith, it’s increased his urgency to talk about race and justice in America. Although Briannon is White, their son will be identified in most circles as Black. While Brandin has always known the conversation around race is vitally important, raising a Black son has made him more inclined to speak up, even when his Christian circles stay silent. “I think the Church … has been kind of discouraging throughout these times [following George Floyd’s death]. And just being honest, I think the Church, there’s some out there [who have] but overall has not stepped in enough when it comes to racial justice. … We need you. We need a shoulder to lean on, we need someone to love us consistently and to be there for us, because when it’s just us saying it, the world acts like we’re just complaining. “But when we have our White brothers and sisters at our back in this, then there’s no more excuses of people saying, ‘Oh [Black people] are just complaining.’ And the more that we can do from a Church standpoint … how about we get outside the building?” Cooks’ outspokenness on racism, much like his arrow celebration or talking about faith in the locker room, is all part of his commitment to following Jesus wherever he is at. “He’s the greatest champion of all time,” Cooks says. “You talk about when He died on a cross for our sins, the courage that He had to have and the assurance that He knew His Father would raise Him. No matter what, Jesus will always have a hold over us through the good and bad, and it’s not easy to follow. But that’s OK, ‘cause He gives us the strength to keep on going.”

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F BS | CAR SON WE NTZ

passing the control

AP Photo/Rich Schultz,

Eagles QB Carson Wentz has always yearned to be in charge; it’s what helped him become a Pro Bowl quarterback. But obstacles, challenges and a deeper understanding of grace led him to a freeing revelation: God is sovereign and God is in control.

BY C OL E C L AY BO URN

carson

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FBS | C AR S O N WE N T Z

“HE WANTED ME TO KNOW THAT HE LOVES ME SO MUCH, THAT MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN WINNING A SUPER BOWL, THAN BEING ON THAT STAGE IN MY UNIFORM, THAN PLAYING IN THAT GAME, BECAUSE HE WANTED ME FULLY TO HIMSELF.” < Carson Wentz filming for Football Sunday 2021

AP Photo/David Richard

t was just his second season in the NFL, but Carson Wentz was right in the thick of the Most Valuable Player discussion. The Philadelphia Eagles took Wentz out of North Dakota State University with the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, making him the highest quarterback ever drafted from a Football Championship Subdivision school. Led by Wentz’s production in 2017, the Eagles were on the verge of clinching the NFC East title and contending for a Super Bowl. Then, just like that, his season was done. In a Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Rams, in which the Eagles ultimately claimed that division title, Wentz suffered a torn ACL. Led by backup QB Nick Foles, the Eagles went on to win Super Bowl LII. Wentz was forced to watch it all from the sidelines. “For me, I’ve had a fair share of injuries, but never something like that,” Wentz said during his interview for Football Sunday 2021. “Never something where I literally had zero control on my life. I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t get off the couch to go to the bathroom by myself. Complete control had to be surrendered. I’d never been to that place before.” Looking back on the injury more than three years later, Wentz realizes now that that moment wasn’t just about losing control over his career or his daily functions. “To walk through that, obviously it was tough at the time, and I still look back and think it was a tough time, but I know God was moving in my life,” he said. “He wanted me to know that He loves me so much, that my relationship with Him is far more important than winning a Super Bowl, than being on that stage in my uniform, than playing in that game, because He wanted me fully to Himself. “For me, that took surrendering that control and surrendering all of those things.”

or as long as he can remember, Wentz has been wired to be a leader, to be in control of things. Growing up in Bismarck, North Dakota, a young Wentz was always the kid www.sportsspectrum.com

who brought a football to recess. He played quarterback, of course, imitating some of the greats. That leadership mentality carried him through his youth and eventually his high school years at Century High in Bismarck. He’s always hated to lose, so perhaps it’s no surprise he was also the valedictorian of his senior class. His athletic prowess led him to North Dakota State, and while the injury in 2017 might have been what truly taught him about surrender, it was a relationship he made during his freshman year of college that planted the seed. It was the first week of collegiate practices for Wentz, and after one of the first sessions, a fellow backup quarterback named Dante Perez — a senior at the time — asked him if he’d ever read the Bible. “I had just got done learning about two-jet protection and what the X has on certain plays, all these things,” Wentz said. “My head’s spinning and he wants to talk about the Bible. I’m kind of taken aback. At the same time I knew, here it is. I knew God was kind of moving and so I said, ‘I’ve tried, and I’ve never fully understood how.’ From that moment on, we started talking.” During Wentz’s senior year of high school, he started feeling more of a pull to get back to church and get plugged in. His grandmother gifted him a devotional, and that year started a shift where he wanted to pursue a relationship with God more. Growing up, going to church was more of a “check the box” activity for Wentz. His parents, who divorced when he was 7 years old, were believers (and still are), but at the time it was more of a “going through the motions” vibe for his family, which also included his older brother, Zach. “I thought I was right with God because I was a good kid,” Carson said. “I listened to what my dad said. I was kind of afraid of my dad and I didn’t want to get in trouble, didn’t want to miss sports — all those things. All those factors, in my mind, made me think, ‘I’m good. I’m a good person. Spiritually, I’ve got to be good. I’m saved, right?’” Perez had become a mentor to young Wentz, and it was through that relationship that God grabbed his attention. He and Perez read through the entire New Testament together and met up at least once a week to just talk about the Word. It just “came to life” for Wentz. “It was really eye-opening to me. I always said I was a SPORTS SPECTRUM

F BS | C AR SON WE NTZ

“I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL ABOUT WHAT I COULD DO FOR HIM. WHEN THAT MINDSET WAS FLIPPED ON ITS HEAD — THAT IT WAS ALREADY DONE FOR ME, AND THAT IT WAS A THING CALLED ‘GRACE’ AND I COULD LIVE FOR HIM FREELY AND NOT OUT OF RULES AND OBLIGATION

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AP Photos/Bruce Kluckhohn

AP Photo/Rich Schultz, Keith Srakocic

— IT JUST CHANGED MY LIFE. FROM THAT POINT ON, IT WAS ALL IN FOR JESUS.”

FBS | CAR S O N WE N T Z

AP Photo/Steven Senne

believer in Jesus, but I didn’t really know what He did for me. I thought it was all about what I could do for Him. When that mindset was flipped on its head — that it was already done for me, and that it was a thing called ‘grace’ and I could live for Him freely and not out of rules and obligation — it just changed my life. From that point on, it was all in for Jesus,” he said. Fast forward to 2017. Wentz was at the height of his football career, succeeding at the highest level, in a city that holds its teams — and especially high draft picks — to exceptionally high standards. Everything was clicking for Wentz — before the injury. He missed out on the MVP award, which ultimately went to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Wentz was named to his first Pro Bowl, but the rollercoaster continued. In 2018 he missed the first two games while still recovering from the ACL injury, and once he regained the starting QB spot, he finished with just a 5-6 record. Toward the end of that season he suffered a back injury that led the Eagles to shut him down for the season, once again causing him to miss the playoffs. Still, the Eagles decided to exercise their fifth-year contract option on Wentz

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before the 2019 season and retain him as their starting quarterback. Foles left for the Jacksonville Jaguars, effectively serving as a statement that the Eagles were prepared to ride or die with Wentz. They signed him to a four-year extension worth $128 million. He proceeded to once again lead the Eagles to an NFC East title, and he became the first QB in franchise history to pass for 4,000 yards. But in the NFC wildcard game, Wentz took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadaveon Clowney that left him concussed and knocked him out of his playoff debut, after just nine snaps. In 2020, Wentz endured a rough season in terms of success. He started the team’s first 12 games, but was replaced by rookie Jalen Hurts during a Week 13 game against the Green Bay Packers. Drafted out of the University of Oklahoma in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Hurts ended up starting the rest of the season as the Eagles finished 4-11-1.

entz has had plenty of highs and lows, but he said he’s never once gotten to the point of feeling mad at God. He knew he would face trials and seasons of suffering, and he said it’s in those seasons that he leans into those emotions and gets vulnerable with God. He’s learned to submit those moments to God and ask that His will be done through them. “I’m always the guy that says, ‘God, what are You trying to teach me?’” he said. “But it’s hard in the process. That sounds easy right now to say, but to have that mindset in the moment is extremely challenging.” It’s all part of what makes his faith journey what it is, he said. His faith allows him to keep everything in his life in perspective and still use his platform to share the Gospel, whether he’s on the field or not. His wife, Maddie, and their young daughter, Hadley, also help. Hadley was born in April — a “pandemic baby,” as he described it. Together, along with Wentz’s brother Zach, they operate the Audience of One Foundation. AO1, as Carson calls it, operates a food truck in the Philadelphia area that gives free food to anybody and everybody, with whom they share the Gospel as well. They also have an outdoor ministry that takes place in North Dakota, and helps kids get through illnesses and gets them outdoors doing recreational activities. It’s another way to share the Gospel. “They leave with an appreciation for the outdoors, but also an appreciation for Jesus, more than anything,” he said. Additionally, AO1 partners with Mission of Hope to do work in Haiti building a sports complex. For Wentz, it’s all about submitting everything — his life, his talents, his platform — to God. It’s no longer about control. It’s about trusting that God is sovereign. “He’s sovereign over every aspect of my life,” Wentz said. “I can look back and think, ‘At the time that was no fun,’ or, ‘At the time, I didn’t like that.’ But God was moving. It’s always Him behind everything. For me to say He’s sovereign and He’s in control, I think that’s been the biggest thing.”

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FBS | SAM AC H O

just being real

AP Photo/G-Jun Yam

Sam Acho thought he had it all: money, fame, security. But in reality he was broken, carrying weight he wasn’t meant to. So he surrendered it to God, and the NFL veteran is now on a mission to encourage others to be their authentic selves through a relationship with Christ.

BY J OSH UA D O ERING

sam

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FBS | S AM ACHO

“THE WEIGHT I’D BEEN TRYING TO CARRY WAS THIS WEIGHT OF PERFECTION. I HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER. I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. I’M THE STAR. I’M THE GUY. I’M GREAT. AND GOD’S LIKE, ‘I DIDN’T [MEAN] TO HAVE YOU CARRY THAT. I WANT YOU TO GET TO KNOW ME AND TO SPEND TIME WITH ME.’” < Sam Acho filming for Football Sunday 2021

am Acho felt like he had finally made it. It was the summer of 2018 and Acho had just just signed a two-year, $5.5 million contract to stay with the Chicago Bears, following three one-year deals with the team. About to enter his eighth NFL season, it was one of the high points of his career. And yet, Acho was broken and lost. “It seemed like right around that time, the seams started to fall apart in my life,” Acho said in his interview for Football Sunday 2021. He wasn’t loving his wife, Ngozi, the way he wanted to. He was getting angry at his kids. He was anxious “all the time.” The week before he reported to training camp, Acho met up with a friend and revealed everything that was going on. His friend suggested he go see a counselor, which Acho did at the beginning of training camp. The counselor advised Acho to start journaling. He did so in his dorm room that night, and the tears started flowing. It happened again the next day in the locker room. Teammates came alongside him and offered support when they saw the pain he was in. Soon after, he reached out to some of the team’s staff members asking for prayers. “The weight I’d been trying to carry was this weight of perfection,” Acho said. “I have it all together. I have all the answers. I’m the star. I’m the guy. I’m great. And God’s like, ‘I didn’t [mean] to have you carry that. I want you to get to know Me and to spend time with Me. That’s all I want. I am enough, not you.’ I was never living that out, but I started to.”

he story of Acho’s relationship with Christ begins with his parents, Sonni and Christie, who were born in Nigeria. They moved to the United States in their early 20s after missionaries found Sonni preaching the Gospel on top of a bus. The Acho family settled in Dallas, where Sam and his younger brother, Emmanuel, were raised. Every other Christmas, they would travel to Nigeria to visit family. Their parents also participated in an annual medical missions trip www.sportsspectrum.com

to Nigeria, which Sam started going on at age 15. The first time he went, he met a girl who had moved to the village they were visiting to help take care of his grandmother. Her name was Ngozi Ebichi. They were married in 2014. After starring at St. Mark’s School in Dallas from 2003-2006, Acho committed to play at the University of Texas. It was there that his faith really began to grow. One of his new teammates was a redshirt freshman backup quarterback named Trevor Walker. As Acho was heading to practice one day, he saw Walker waiting for an elevator, reading his Bible. Walker invited Acho to get into the Word with him. “It was at that point I said, ‘OK. There’s something different about this guy,’” Acho said. “And oh, by the way, there’s an opportunity for me to actually walk out and live out this faith that I talked about.” Walker challenged Acho to live out his faith on a daily basis. They would do Bible studies and go to church with 10-25 teammates. The group called itself C.O.A.H — short for City on a Hill — and continued to grow throughout Acho’s time in Austin. By the time he was a junior, he was a regular contributor at defensive end, and Emmanuel had joined him at Texas. The 2009 Longhorns went 13-0 to set up a meeting with Alabama in the national championship game, which they lost after quarterback Colt McCoy left with an injury. Acho finished his college career with 32.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in 49 games, helping lead Texas to a top-10 finish in the final AP poll in three of his four seasons. The Arizona Cardinals picked him in the fourth round of the 2011 draft. He made immediate and significant contributions in the NFL. As a rookie, Acho registered seven sacks and forced three fumbles while appearing in every game. He started all 16 contests in year two, contributing four sacks, two interceptions, two fumbles and 48 tackles. Acho signed the first of those three one-year deals with the Bears at the conclusion of his four-year rookie contract. From 2015 to 2017, he missed just one game, started 25 times and collected 111 tackles. Chicago rewarded him with the twoyear deal following the end of the 2017 season. As Acho went from a rookie to a young player to a veteran, he built relationships in the communities he played and SPORTS SPECTRUM

F BS | SAM AC H O

“THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT TAKING UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOWING [JESUS]. AM I GOING TO TAKE UP MY CROSS AND BE REAL, BE AUTHENTIC? OR AM I GOING TO PRETEND AND ACT LIKE I HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER AND ACT LIKE I HAVE

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AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio, Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini

ALL THE ANSWERS? IT’S A DAILY DECISION.”

FBS | S AM ACHO

AP Photo/Steven Senne

looked for ways to use the influence he had as a professional athlete. A gift drive for prisoners, supported by a sermon at his church focusing on Jesus’ charge to remember those in chains, piqued Acho’s interest in prison ministry. But he wanted to do more than just send supplies. He then received an invitation from his pastor to join him on a trip to the Louisiana State Penitentiary — “Angola” — the largest maximum security prison in the United States, formerly among the most dangerous in the world. The experience challenged and inspired Acho. “I felt safer there than I do outside of those walls,” Acho said. “And the reason why is that the men there had encountered Jesus. There’s no better way to say it.” He went back the following year and the year after that. He started visiting other prisons as well. For Acho, it is a way to emulate Christ by spreading the Good News of salvation and help change lives. “It doesn’t matter who you are,” he said. “God offers you restoration and I’ve seen people restored. Not only do I want that, but I want to extend that to anybody I come in contact with. Jesus wouldn’t avoid prisons. Jesus went. That’s who He hung

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out with.” At the end of the 2018 season, Acho found himself as a free agent again. He signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers midway through the 2019 season and played in eight games. Acho finished the year with three tackles, a forced fumble and a sack. That was the last time the 32-year-old played in an NFL game.

cho’s off-the-field endeavors go far beyond his involvement with prison ministries and have expanded in 2020 without an NFL season to focus on. In February, he started “The Home Team” podcast with ESPN’s Sam Ponder and pastor Steve Carter. After George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis, Acho helped facilitate listening circles among youth, police officers and athletes in Chicago. He also organized a fundraising effort that raised $500,000 to turn a Chicago liquor store into a youth-led food market called Austin Harvest.

His contributions in the fight for racial equality are motivated by a desire to emulate Christ and support those in need. “If you’ll allow yourself to listen and not harden your heart, you’ll see a couple things,” Acho said. “One, you’ll see some of the sin that you’ve been ignoring. But then you’ll also hear your brothers and your sisters pleading for your help. And I think there’s a really great opportunity to model what Jesus modeled, of speaking up for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves.” The freedom Acho has found since opening up about the struggles he was going through in the summer of 2018 taught him the importance of being vulnerable and authentic. It was a lesson he wanted to share with others — so much so, in fact, that he wrote an entire book about it. “Let the World See You: How to be Real in a World Full of Fakes” came out on Oct. 13. Being authentic is a choice that has to be made over and over again, just like choosing to place your trust in Christ. “Every day I have to make a decision,” Acho said. “The Bible talks about taking up your cross daily and following [Jesus]. Am I going to take up my cross and be real, be authentic? Or am I going to pretend and act like I have it all together and act like I have all the answers? It’s a daily decision.” That’s the lesson God is teaching Acho now: how to maintain that authentic, Christ-centered mindset through the ups and downs of life and remember He is present in every set of circumstances. “I’m learning how to make a decision but then follow through with that decision, even when it comes up to obstacles or interference or turmoil or doubt or pain. God is in the pain,” he said. “Jesus is walking with us in our pain, in our doubt, in our confusion, in our sadness, in our grief, in our anger — and in our joy and our excitement and our happiness and in our ups and in our downs. He is with us. And many people don’t understand that.”

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genesis of

By Jon Ackerman

A QUARTERBACK’S IDEA IS NOW A WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT CENTERED AROUND THE SUPER BOWL

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY HAS BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO OUR CULTURE. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF WE LEVERAGE THAT MOMENT TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS AND TO REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT? — JOSH MCCOWN

he conversation began as two friends just catching up, quarterback Josh McCown and pastor Craig Gross sitting around late one night in an Orlando hotel, taking in a Christian sports conference. Before long, the creative thinkers were tossing out creative ideas. Before they called it a night, one idea in particular stood out. “We were kind of kicking around some things and [had] this thought that, ‘We’re at this conference where we have a bunch of athletes and guys that are passionate about their faith and willing to speak out about it, what that would look like if we captured some of that content and just shared it with churches,’” McCown told Sports Spectrum. “Super Bowl Sunday has become so important to our culture. If we leverage the importance that it draws in our culture, [we] said, ‘What would that look like if we leverage that moment to tell people about Jesus and to really have an impact?’” The Increase, a community of Christian pro athletes, had recently begun releasing videos of such pros sharing their stories of the decrease of self and the increase of Christ (John 3:30). McCown was among the athletes who’d been filmed. Pondering ways to get the videos in front of more people, he thought, “Why don’t we put two or three of them together, the best ones, get a host that tees them all up, and present it to the Church? ‘Hey Church, show this instead of preaching on Super Bowl Sunday.’” The morning after that late-night brainstorm,

McCown presented the idea to Steve Stenstrom, the president of Pro Athletes Outreach, the ministry behind The Increase. “It took me about a half a second to smile and embrace the idea and say, ‘That’s brilliant, Josh. I love it. Let me go to work on what we could do and get back to you,’” Stenstrom said. While still at this same conference, Stenstrom floated the idea to Gary Molander, the co-owner of Floodgate Productions, the company hired to produce The Increase videos. “My initial thoughts were, ‘Oh my gosh, yes. … If we do this right, I think in 10 years, churches who don’t use Football Sunday on Super Bowl weekend are going to be the minority.’ And I still believe that,” Molander says. That was February 2013. Within the next year, the idea had been branded Football Sunday. Eight years later, it’s on that steep trajectory. The seed planted by McCown has sprouted into a movement that’s estimated to have now reached more than 5 million people. “Not all ideas are created equal,” Stenstrom says. “So in this case it was very clear to me, having walked with the Lord for a long time and having been in ministry for many years, there’s just a language of faith and there’s an understanding that something is rich with God’s wisdom, and God’s divine direction. There’s just a difference, like when you hear an idea, that something in the spirit of God within your heart, as a ministry leader, knows that God is orchestrating something. And that was obvious in

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson www.sportsspectrum.com

SPORTS SPECTRUM

THE GENESIS OF FOOTBALL SUNDAY

Gary Molander and TrentDilfer Dilferinfilming & Trent 2015. for Football Sunday 2015

that moment. “Sometimes you’ve got to really mine for the gold, but this one was on the surface. It got my attention and it kept my attention, and that attention quickly led us to an action plan that we began to pursue and consider.”

he next Super Bowl was 11 months away, but Stenstrom didn’t feel the door was open to debut this short film in 2014. “Producing the product was an easy thing for us to do,” Stenstrom says. “We already had the stories. We had a great guy in [former NFL quarterback] Trent Dilfer who was willing to host it for us in the first year. The creative side, the production side, the product side, we had.” It was the marketing and distribution side that lacked. But within that year, The Increase got connected to Life Church and Bobby Gruenewald, creators of the YouVersion Bible app. Gruenewald helped get The Increase videos put into Life Church’s Open Network, which is full of free resources (largely created by Life Church) for pastors and church leaders. He also facilitated getting the videos distributed through the app — one of the first times YouVersion accepted third-party content. “That partnership with them unlocked a church network that we didn’t have before,” Stenstrom says. And so Floodgate was given the green light to forge ahead and produce the first Football Sunday. With stories from athletes shot in early 2014, Molander arranged to film Dilfer, who got the crew access to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. They shot him in a day. “And then Steve had the idea, ‘What if we sent you guys to the Super Bowl cities the week before?’” Molander says. “We’re like, ‘Are you kidding? How do we turn that around? We’re not the news; we’re editors and storytellers, we’re not the news. How do we turn that around so fast?’ Steve was like, ‘I don’t know, just do it.’ “So I’ll never forget that first championship weekend, where there’s four teams left and they’re all playing on Sunday. We knew that Monday morning we were flying somewhere, and we had no idea where.” New England and Seattle became the destinations. Tickets purchased, bags and gear packed, the crew set out for Boston first. They attempted to get access to players through the team’s media relations staff — no luck. They tried going through Don Davis, a former Patriot who worked for both PAO and the NFLPA — no luck. “It was one of the scariest feelings for me, just as a human, flying into a city, knowing nobody, knowing that the expectations were that somehow we’re going to interview the Patriots players, who by the way are playing in the Super Bowl in a week or two,” Molander says. “It was insane.” Matthew Slater, New England’s special teams captain, became their ally. A well-known believer, he helped corral offensive lineman Nate Solder and defensive tackle Chris Jones to also sit down for interviews. Then it was across the country to Seattle, where, thankfully, quarterback Russell Wilson and offensive lineman Russell Okung were connected with The Increase and more than willing to help. “Just set up out there on our practice field,” they told Molander’s crew. “We’re going to start sending all the believers out to you.”

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Prince Amukamara filming for Football Sunday 2020 w w w. f o o t b a l l s u n d a y. c o m

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

“IF WE DO THIS RIGHT, I THINK CHURCHES WHO DON’T USE FOOTBALL SUNDAY ON SUPER BOWL WEEKEND ARE GOING TO BE THE MINORITY.”— GARY MOLANDER

THE GENESIS OF FOOTBALL SUNDAY

“So here’s the thing: God always intervenes, every single time,” Molander says, adding, “It’s, ‘God, if You don’t do something, we can’t make this happen on our own. There’s no way. Like, if You don’t prod a player’s heart to come over to us where we’re set up, we can’t do it.’” Despite venturing into the unknown, the Floodgate guys returned home fired up, thrilled at the possibility of doing this annually. They landed in Fresno, Calif., that year on a Friday, then went right to work editing down everything they captured into a 30-minute video. Already away from their families for a week, they didn’t emerge with a polished product until the following Wednesday. With Dilfer as host, Football Sunday 2015 featured wide receiver Brandon Marshall and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, along with the New England and Seattle players filmed just days before its release. “We set a very modest goal,” Stenstrom says. “We said, ‘What if five churches from every state on average did Football Sunday? So what if we have 250 churches sign up?’” More than 1,400 churches participated in Football Sunday that first year.

uper Bowl XLIX featuring the Patriots and Seahawks took place in Phoenix on Feb. 1, 2015. Stenstrom, a former NFL quarterback, was watching the game with his son, Blake, in an NFLPA suite when Marshall walked in. “I remember him tapping me on the shoulder and he said

something to the effect of, ‘Hey, you told me about Football Sunday, but I didn’t realize what a big deal it was. I’ve had people texting me and DM’ing me all day saying they saw me in their church.’” Stenstrom knew they were onto something when “we blew past our human goal of 250 churches,” and the notion was only reinforced upon returning home to Denver to the feedback coming in from churches that showed Football Sunday. The vast majority said they would participate again in 2016. So the process was repeated. Year 2 saw more than 2,600 churches take part, the third installment had more than 2,750 churches participate, the movement grew to more than 3,100 churches in 2018, and 2019 saw more than 3,400 churches involved. The model shifted a bit for 2020. The media resources largely stayed the same, but in an effort to help transform the lives of children living in abject poverty around the world, the Football Sunday producers arranged to donate more than half the price of every FBS package sold to the ministry of Compassion International. This trusted ministry partner employs a love-driven strategy that is Christ-centered, child-focused, and church-based. Seven hundred thirty-five churches took part. The best news: More than 17,000 people have made decisions for Christ through watching Football Sunday in its first six years. “The beautiful thing about Football Sunday from my seat, and when you get a chance to talk to any pastor or a church leader, is we’re hosting an outreach event in partnership with local churches … and [millions of people are] watching it in the church buildings,” Stenstrom says. “So they’re already in the place where they need to be once they make a decision to follow Christ. It’s beautiful

AP Photos/John Raoux, Willie J. Allen Jr., Tony Dejak,

“THAT MAKES IT FUN TO THINK ABOUT WHO WE’RE GOING TO MEET IN HEAVEN SOME DAY AND HEAR THE STORIES OF HOW THEY GAVE THEIR LIFE TO CHRIST BECAUSE THEY SAW FOOTBALL SUNDAY.” — STEVE STENSTROM

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SPORTS SPECTRUM

THE GENESIS OF FOOTBALL SUNDAY

Trent Dilfer filming the first Football Sunday

because again, those pastors and leaders, they know what to do. God’s wired them to be part of the Great Commission. And so we feel like we’re getting to partner with those pastors and leaders in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. “That makes it fun to think about who we’re going to meet in Heaven some day and hear the stories of how they gave their life to Christ because they heard D’Brickashaw and Kirsten Ferguson’s story, or whatever it might be.”

n the next three to five years, Stenstrom would love for every church leader in America to know about Football Sunday, that it’s a resource there for them whether they use it or not. The pastors who do take part often experience their third-highest attendance day of the year, behind only Easter and Christmas. Many church services will be online in 2021, which could reach even more people. “There’s a segment, a large segment of the American population that loves football so much that if they knew they could hear from the pros playing in the games that day, or Trent Dilfer or Benjamin Watson or James Brown as host, then they would come,” Stenstrom says. “They would 24

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Nate Solder filming for Football Sunday 2020. w w w. f o o t b a l l s u n d a y. c o m

THE GENESIS OF FOOTBALL SUNDAY

2021

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come on that day but maybe never come again. But it might be the one chance when they can hear the Gospel.” There’s no telling what God will do in the future. Stenstrom says this ministry will “remain faithful and obedient to do what God tells [us] to do without knowing the outcomes or the hows.” Says Molander, “We don’t ever want to plan the Holy Spirit out of this thing.” And it all began when an idea, sparked by a late-night conversation between a quarterback and a pastor, ignited a movement among millions. To convey the reach Football Sunday boasts, Stenstrom tells the athletes that they’ll speak to more people that day than any pastor in the world. “That’s the power of it when you think about it,” he says. “There’s nobody on planet Earth that speaks to that many people in churches on Super Bowl weekend. Some of the large churches in our country reach 50,000 people. But this is now reaching millions. “And I think we’re just scratching the surface.”

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INCREASE DEVOTIONALS

MON DAY

IT’S NOT ABOUT ME

It’s not about me. I’ve been reminded again and again about this fact recently. And again as I was listening to a sermon by Francis Chan, who spoke about us being the body of Christ. Our role as Christ’s Church is not to ask, “What can I get out of this?” but to instead ask, “How can I bring the best of my part to benefit others?” As a byproduct, we will benefit as well. As I read and study more of God’s Word, my selfish thinking and ways are made more apparent and less desirable to me. Even when I pray, I often get caught in the me-focused prayers, so I have to stop and think about how I can pray for others. It’s eye-opening. As football players, it’s super tough because we can easily be idolized, trashed or stepped on. And for all athletes, it’s easy to be driven by statistics. You can be super high when you’re doing well and super low when you’re not. The fluctuation of highs and lows is challenging. What I had to realize is that there will always be critics, but you have to be centered on something to keep you calm. Outside of the stats, numbers and outcomes, life is so much bigger. God is so much bigger and worth so much more. While the world may focus on these things, as Christians we need to be focused on Him. He then changes our perspectives to care more about our locker rooms, our cities, and the peace of Christ He gives us. Only then can we let others know they can have the same peace.

TREY BURTON INDIANAPOLIS COLTS TIGHT END

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Anxiety is seen most exaggerated in the young players or those who are on their way out. They feel pressure from everyone to perform or prove themselves. Obviously, we all want to do well, but this can’t be our be-all and end-all. When we, as Christ-followers, demonstrate a calm spirit despite the circumstances surrounding us, people will take notice. Suddenly, when the guys you don’t usually see at Bible study show up, you know they’re struggling with something, grasping for hope or simply a rabbit’s foot for luck. Your peace and joy may not be talked about, but it is noticed. Then eventually, they may just come up and ask you about it, which gives you the opportunity to share Christ’s saving power with them. I know that, just because I’m in the NFL, people are watching. I’m watched as a father, a husband, an athlete and a Christian. There are enough people paying attention to make me want to do this right. I want to reflect Christ. “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” — 1 Peter 3:15 SPORTS SPECTRUM

AP Photo/Ron Schwane

INCREASE

DEVOS

TUESDAY%%

I KNOW YOU & WANT YOU [Open with Isaiah 43:1-4]

The laws of economics tell us that you can determine the worth of an object based on what someone is willing to pay for it. The more valuable, the higher the asking price. This same principle is transferable from the price someone is willing to pay for sneakers, electronics and cars to the price that was paid for our souls. The Father loved us so much that He bankrupted Heaven on our behalf. He thought you were so incredibly valuable that He was willing to pay the ultimate price for you. However, the payment he offered was not money, but the Messiah.

For Old Testament Jews and the people who intersected the ministry of Jesus in the first century, it was clear that worship was confined to a place. But then Jesus happened. One of the key messages of the Messiah was that worship would not be confined but released. The Holy Spirit would no longer dwell in a place, but within people.

We are “God’s temple” and because of this we must be aware of what we feed it and how we use it, and make sure we’re taking care of the temple we’re given so we can fulfill God’s Kingdom work assigned to each of us. Eating well, exercising and sleeping are all components of honoring our body as a temple of God. True health is not about looking a certain way, but honoring, The prophet Isaiah was compelled to tell stewarding and caring for our bodies the all of Israel (God’s people) their true eternal way we would take care of God’s house — because it is. worth. He affirmed how precious God’s people are to Him and that long before Jesus came into the world, the Father had put a plan in motion to pay the ransom for our sins.

THURSDAY%%

The truth is that sometimes you and I get caught up in the things we engage in and allow our perspective to be muddied by the stain of sins. But in God’s eyes, we are so valuable that the ultimate price was paid for us. God in His great redemption plan named and claimed us as His own. There was a ransom no human could dare pay for us to be set free from the bondage of darkness. And out of His great love for us, the price was freely paid.

WEDNESDAY%% YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE

[Open with 1 Corinthians 6:19-20]

Temples are places of worship. Throughout history people have attempted to create glorious resting places for the gods they choose to commemorate and celebrate. The Egyptians had the pyramids and the Greeks had their glorious temples. Our spiritual ancestors also created places of worship. When the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, they set up a tent where the Spirit of God dwelt with His people. Then Solomon built the great temple that housed the presence and worship of God for many generations. Although it was torn down and rebuilt, the activity was consistent. www.sportsspectrum.com

SEEN BEFORE YOU WERE BORN

FRIDAY%%

LIVING SACRIFICE [Open with Romans 12:1-2]

To live Biblically is to live counter culturally to this world. It is often said that the Kingdom of God is a kingdom of opposites. And when Jesus talks about His Kingdom, it’s not necessarily something we wait for in the future, because as followers of Jesus we must be a part of His “Kingdom coming on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). One way to live “Kingdom-minded” on earth is by the way we interact with others. Paul tells the believers in his letter to the Romans to “offer their bodies as living sacrifices.” The term “living sacrifice” is peculiar because typically sacrifices are dead. The nature of a sacrifice is that something loses itself on behalf of others. Here, Paul is telling believers that one way to honor God is to redirect your life from what you attempt to gain to how you serve others.

Biblical worship is giving God the glory and honor due to Him for who He is. Do you know God saw you before you were One chief way we can honor God is by born? Not only did He see you, He formed worshipping Him with the way we use our you. There was intricate purpose involved in bodies and lives for other people. [Open with Psalm 139:13-17]

the shape of your face, the color of your hair and the size of your arms and legs. In Psalm 139, we read about the intentionality involved in the development of every human.

The reason you and I forget our value is because we know exactly how we have messed up and how we have tarnished this body and life we live. We live in a world marred by sin, and the hardest part of being human is that we get distracted by the way sin has dishonored the creation God intended when He made us.

It doesn’t matter what you look like or how you feel about yourself, God created you on purpose and for a purpose. A great way of showing our appreciation is how we bless and honor others He created in His image.

WEEKEND%%

CONTINUE READING ABOUT LIVING FOR GOD Matthew 6 & Romans 12;

I don’t know about you, but when I look Matthew 7 & Psalm 68 in the mirror, I immediately see all the things I don’t like about myself — my hair, the shape of my neck (or lack of a neck), my shoulders, maybe waist, etc. The list goes on and on. And when I look in the mirror, I see all the mistakes I’ve made and sins I’ve committed, and because of all this I have a hard time accepting myself. But God sees all that too. Yet, He does not judge us the way we see ourselves. He judges us by the intentional design He intended when He formed us. What would it look like to live your life knowing that you and your body are fully accepted?

REZA ZADEH

Denver Broncos CHAPLAIN

SPORTS SPECTRUM

For more stories from the lives of athletes, all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30, visit TheIncrease.com.

MON DAY

INCREASE DEVOTIONALS

HE’S IN MY CIRCLE

Often I’ll travel back to my small hometown in Florida to speak to groups in schools or at events, and almost every time I do, I am asked, “How is it playing in front of millions of people? Are you scared to mess up?” And my immediate response is, “I don’t know how anyone could go out there and perform at this level without having a relationship with the Lord. That is where I find my comfort and identity.” I know that I will inevitably disappoint coaches, fans, teammates, family, friends, and even myself for that matter, but I know that the Lord Jesus is in my circle, fighting for me. I can’t imagine myself playing at this level — or doing anything, really — without having Him in my circle. I never want to compromise my team in any way. I don’t play just to play; I play to play my best and to win. I prepare the same way every week and weekend, giving my team, my coaches and my fans my all so I don’t let anyone down. But even if I fall short after giving it my all, I know that in God’s eyes — the most important eyes — I’m still loved and valued as His child. When I play before millions, I’m playing with the best God’s given me in order to bring glory and honor to Him.

JUSTIN SIMMONS

My play on the field is bigger than myself; it’s bigger than my team or my family and friends. I use this platform to make sure I can spread His name to others who may not know Him as I do, so that they may find the joy I’ve discovered in Him. If I can do that, I would count my career successful. If I can go to the Pro Bowl and make the Hall of Fame, that would be amazing. But the reason I can go out on that field feeling stressfree is because I know my purpose is way bigger than me. At the end of the day, all I want to do is to spread the love of Christ. “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” — Philippians 3:8 Who’s in your circle?

DENVER BRONCOS SAFETY 28 28

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DEVOS

TUESDAY%%

FROM PARABLES TO REVELATION [Open with Mark 4:1-2]

Jesus had a way with words. He knew how to reach people right where they were. He could step into the lives of people and give a word that would change their lives forever. But the word He gave to the multitude was different than what He gave to His disciples. In the first verse of Mark 4, the text says “a great multitude was gathered to Him.” Could you imagine how many different personalities were in that multitude? The truth is that the personalities of the people didn’t matter; all that mattered was where their hearts were. To the heart that was not born again, Jesus spoke to them in parables. But for those who were born again, He spoke by revelation! Wait, wait, wait ... I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me define what a parable is. It is a narrative or story told by placing one thing by the side of another. Jesus told stories that paralleled the Kingdom. The hope was that the parable would paint a picture of the Kingdom, and that picture would bring them into the Kingdom of God. By having the parable revealed, one could then believe in Him. The parable was the bait to know the King of the Kingdom.

by John and had been following Jesus. They were not like the multitude; they had come into a relationship with Jesus. Thus, Jesus held them to a higher standard of understanding the things He taught. Mark 4:3-8 is arguably the most important parable in all of Scripture. Jesus said by revelation to the disciples, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?” (verse 13). This parable is the foundation of understanding many, if not all, of Jesus’ teachings. When was the last time you purposefully and intensely studied Mark 4? I challenge you to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to the understanding of the parable of the sower.

THURSDAY%% SOW THE WORD [Open with Mark 4:14]

In Mark 4:14, Jesus gives us the title and purpose of this parable: “The sower sows the Word.” The parable is not about the soil or the heart of the hearer of the Word, but about the person giving or sowing the Word. Now, the heart is a very important part of the parable, but the sower is most important.

In the opening of the revelation of the parable, Jesus reveals the archenemy of the Word of God. His name is Satan. He It is one thing to know a parable, but it’s only has one agenda: take the seed of the entirely different to have revelation. Jesus Word out of your heart. “…Satan comes wanted the Kingdom to be revealed to men. and takes away the Word that was sown in them” (v. 15).

WEDNESDAY%%

FRIDAY%%

LET THEM HEAR

[Open with Mark 4:16-17]

In each of these examples that Jesus gives, each individual is in the position to hear the Word. This is why it’s important to be in community as followers of Christ. Each of His examples heard the Word first. This also echoes in Scripture every time Jesus made the statement, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” You have an ear, I have an ear, but are we listening? In verse 16, the listener heard the Word and received it with joy. Have you ever heard a sermon and received it with joy? I have plenty of times. “To receive with joy” simply means the Word penetrated your ears and then your heart and you accepted it with no reservation. It added value to your soul and spirit. You didn’t complain about how it was delivered or what the pastor was wearing, you simply received the Word and were sincerely happy about it. Mark 4:17 says, “Since they have no root, they last only a short time.” A root is nourished by something deeper. In other words, we have to have confidence! A tree has confidence in producing fruit because the roots are rooted in something deep. Even though we may receive the Word with joy, we must have confidence in the One who gave us His Word! James said to be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22). As we do the Word, it builds confidence in the One who watches over that Word to perform that Word in and through our lives!

The attacks from the enemy are not personal. Stop taking things and people so personally. Satan wants the Word and [Open with Mark 4:13] nothing else. He doesn’t care about you, your family, your job, your marriage, your I really don’t think the disciples knew children or your destiny. He only cares what they were getting into when they said about the Word that is in your heart. If he “yes” to following Jesus. As time went on Revelation 1 & 2; can get the Word out of your heart, he has and they realized who He truly was, their Hebrews 4 & Romans 10 you, your family, your job, your marriage, eyes were opened. They went from being your children and your destiny. The Word part of the multitude to being a follower of God is so precious and priceless that of Christ. They went from hearing parables Satan comes himself. Notice that Jesus to understanding the real word that was didn’t say any demons or evil spirits come coming from the Word. for the Word. The CEO of hell leaves his office to come for your heart! Did you catch that? Jesus was and is the Word! But only those whose eyes and hearts What are you willing to do to protect the were opened could get that. He opened Word that’s been sown in your heart? His heart to His disciples. When Jesus was LaMORRIS alone with them, He had an expectation CRAWFORD that the parable in Mark 4:3-8 was revealed Cincinnati Bengals to them. The disciples had been baptized CHAPLAIN

THE REAL WORD

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WEEKEND%%

CONTINUE READING ABOUT THE POWER OF THE WORD

SPORTS SPECTRUM

For more stories from the lives of athletes, all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30, visit TheIncrease.com.

INCREASE DEVOTIONALS

MON DAY

DON’T BE ACCIDENTALLY SELFISH

Getting married and having children is the greatest way to show you just how accidentally selfish you really are. When I realized I was doing things, or failing to do things, which resulted in others being hurt or feeling rejected, I felt awful. Most of the time, I just had not thought of it from their point of view. We call it “my life” for a reason. We forget about others and focus on what we want, need or think we deserve. It takes a conscious decision to serve others. Having a relationship with Christ changes your perspective on everything. It’s Him alone who can show you how to put others before yourself. It sounds simple to put others’ needs before your own, so why is it so hard most of the time? Just like anything else, it’s our choice whether or not we put others first. I try to lead my family by example. I aim to treat my wife and kids the way I would want them to treat me. I try to set the tone of the house to be one of lifting each other up at all times. When I spend time with my daughter, I tell her how beautiful, smart and loved she is. With her twin brother, I tell him just how handsome and strong he is. It’s become second nature to tell my wife how beautiful, amazing and loved she is. I never want them to go a day without knowing how cherished they are, that I’m choosing them first.

TRESS WAY WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM PUNTER 30 30

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We all need people who have gone before us, and those who are walking with us, to exemplify how to journey with God in a Christlike way. When it comes to sheer accountability, I know my brother-in-law, who has turned into my best friend, will constantly be pushing me to chase Christ. We both know we will never be a completed project, so together we seek to improve as men, husbands and fathers. We want to be the men of God we are created and called by God to be. This is how God designed it. When times are great or when times are bad, we need to have people around us who will point us toward Christ. These are the people who will always be there to love on you, care for you, and spur you on. Only when we have outside, Christian perspectives will we be able to step outside of our selfish ways and into God’s full potential. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” — Philippians 2:3 Jeff Haynes/AP Images for Panini w w w. f o o t b a l l s u n d a y. c o m

INCREASE

DEVOS

TUESDAY%%

WHAT’S YOUR GOAL? [Open with 2 Corinthians 5:9-17]

What should our goal be? To live a life pleasing to God. “So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” — 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 In this passage, Paul gives us the reminder that we are to make our goal to please Him (Jesus). This is the call on our lives as believers. It is no small task and may seem impossible. However, we have the Word of God, which gives us His statutes and commands. And within us we have the Holy Spirit, who gives us the power and strength to obey God’s Word. Just like playing a sport, learning an instrument, or studying for class at school, it takes discipline in our daily lives. How can we delight Him if we don’t have a clue as to what pleases Him? This is proof that we must be in the Word daily. When in the Word, we don’t just read it, we obey it. This pleases the Lord.

- You are a part of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). - You are unique and have specific gifts God has given you within the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12). - You are special to God (Luke 12:7, Psalm 139:13-18). So, the next time you feel down and out or discouraged in any way, look back on these truths from God’s Word and be reminded of how God thinks about you. His true thoughts about you are much more important than what anyone else thinks. Live in the truth of who God says you are today!

THURSDAY%% FAN THE FLAME [Open with 2 Timothy 1:6]

In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul encourages Timothy, his younger brother in the faith, to stay fired up in his daily ministry of preaching, teaching and leading. Paul knew Timothy was getting beat up by the culture. There was much opposition to the Gospel and he was concerned that Timothy might grow weary.

FRIDAY%%

MAKE IT A PRIORITY

[Open with 2 Timothy 3:16-17]

The Bible is true and should be a priority in our lives. As Christ-followers and believers of His truth, we stand on the truth of the Bible — God’s Word. Our entire foundation of faith and life is rooted in His Word. If it’s not true, then we are hopeless! There is so much external evidence that proves the truth of the BIble. For instance: historical evidence and archeological discoveries, eyewitness accounts of hundreds of people, and many fulfilled prophecies. I hope you will take some time to dig a little deeper so you will be able to give an educated answer as to why you believe the Bible to be true, accurate and relevant. It’s so true it should be the most important voice in our lives; we should value the Word of God above all other opinions. It should be the most influential voice in our lives; it should be our ultimate authority. It should also be the most listened-to voice in our lives; we should be spending time in God’s Word daily so we can drown out the lies of the world.

This can happen to us at times too. Then there are also times when we are really fired up and encouraged; we are As you read God’s Word today, is there in the Word and growing, we have a a specific truth you need to obey? Find out boldness, we are praying for people and what pleases the Lord! sharing our faith.

God’s Word gives us direction, hope, peace, wisdom, counsel, encouragement, answers, victory over temptation, power, comfort, joy … and a whole lot more.

WEDNESDAY%%

WEEKEND%%

WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU

[Open with Galatians 3:26]

Who are you? There are so many voices out there trying to tell you who you are. It is so critical that we understand what God’s Word says about us. If you are in Christ, then here are just a few things His Word says:

It’s like the moment when we first met Jesus and were on fire. We had this new, vibrant relationship and couldn’t get enough of the Word, the fellowship and the ministry. But if we are honest with ourselves, as time goes on, we drift from Philippians 2 & Matthew 5; those early days and are a little more James 1-2 & Matthew 6 cautious and less bold in our faith. That’s why Paul challenged Timothy: “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the Gospel, by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:6-8).

- You are a child of God; you can call Him “Father” (Romans 8:14-15, Galatians 3:26). - You are chosen by God, holy and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:4). - You are a new person, your past is forgiven, everything is new (1 Corinthians 5:17). - You have a home in Heaven (John 14:3). - You are the salt of the earth and the light Rekindle that fire and passion for Jesus of the world (Matthew 5:13-14). today. Get fired up!

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CONTINUE READING ABOUT SHINING LIGHT FOR CHRIST

CHRIS LANE

Miami Marlins CHAPLAIN SPORTS SPECTRUM

For more stories from the lives of athletes, all pressing toward the goal found in John 3:30, visit TheIncrease.com.

YOU CAN KNOW CHRIST PERSONALLY

OUR PROBLEM, GOD’S SOLUTION

God created mankind in His own image … God saw all that He had made, and it was very good.” Genesis 1:27, 31 God made human beings with personal and relational qualities like His own (Genesis 1:26) and desired to have a delightful relationship with them. But something went terribly wrong. When Adam and Eve chose to follow Satan’s advice in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), sin poisoned the world and now we are all born with the desire to do things our own way, not God’s.

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 Our sins against a good and holy God have distanced us from Him (Isaiah 59:2). God “cannot tolerate wrongdoing” (Habakkuk 1:12). Through sin we forfeit a relationship with God, and along with it our happiness. The result of all this is death. Spiritual death is separation from God in a very real place called hell. Physical death marks the end of our opportunity to enter into a relationship with God and avoid eternal condemnation (Hebrews 9:27).

If these words reflect your heart and you would like to receive salvation through Jesus Christ, say this prayer to God. It's as simple as A-B-C: Admit, Believe, Confess. SPORTS SPECTRUM

By Randy Alcorn

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23

There is absolutely nothing we can do to restore ourselves to God. He is holy, we are not. In fact, He says even our good deeds are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). But God loved us so much He sent us His Son Jesus, fully God and fully man, to deliver us from death and give us life (John 3:16). "God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus went to the cross to pay the price for our sins. He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. When Jesus died for us, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). The Greek word translated “it is finished” was written across certificates of debt when they were canceled. It meant “paid in full.” Jesus then rose from the grave, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).

w w w. f o o t b a l l s u n d a y. c o m

Benjamin Watson, Retired NFL tight end

“I remember how draining it was to that live a which performance-based “There is no greater decision in life than affects ourlifestyle before I accepted Christ as Lord of my life. The peace eternity. A holy, just God in His infinite mercy providedofabeing wayunconditionally loved by a Savior who paid the price for my salvation for our sins to be forgiven and our relationship with Him to beis humblingthe andfinished uplifting atwork the same time.Son. There’s no greater joy than reconciled through of His Salvation knowing that I can abide in love instead of having to work foris it.” comes through Christ alone. For a sinful separated man, this indeed good news!”

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 God’s greatest gift is a restored relationship with Himself, delivering us from hell and granting us entry into Heaven (John 3:36). This gift depends not on our merit but solely on Christ’s work of grace for us on the cross (Titus 3:5). He is the one and only way to God. He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

[ 3

If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Whoever hears My Word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24

To be right with God, we must admit our sinful hearts and actions, and ask God’s forgiveness. If we do, He graciously promises full forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness”(1 John 1:9). Then we are to affirm to others that the resurrected Jesus is our Lord.

The life we long for is freely offered to us in Christ. We can believe His promise and call on Him to save us, humbly accepting His gift of eternal life: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). God’s Holy Spirit indwells us and helps us obey Him (2 Timothy 1:14).

Romans 10:9

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“Dear God, I ADMIT that I’m a sinner and the penalty of my sin is death. I BELIEVE that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that He died and rose from the dead for my sin. And I CONFESS Jesus as my Savior. Please forgive me. I repent of my sin and surrender my life to You. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen." — Miles McPherson, senior pastor & former NFL player

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Sports Spectrum - Football Sunday 2021 edition

Articles inside

Just Being Real

Passing the Control

Increase Devotionals

Feeling the Father’s Love

Football Sunday 2021: Unshaken