Super Faith II

Paul may have been in prison, but his chains would certainly not hold him back.  He wrote in
Colossians 4:
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

We read here about the importance of prayer, seeking God's face for opportunities to share His truth. Paul was intent on communicating the message of Christ, no matter what the circumstances, even from behind the prison walls.  We can consider how we can, as he suggested regarding God's Word, "make it manifest."  We can look for open doors and be faithful to share His love and truth as God provides the opportunity.

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We have been called and empowered by the Holy Spirit to share God's love. Galatians chapter 6 offers these words:
9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Super Bowl LIII is in the record books, and while there was much concentration on what took place between the sidelines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, that stadium and the overall event represented, in a sense, a hub for ministry.

We talked about what God has done and is doing in some of the players in the game.  And, each year at the Super Bowl, one NFL player is honored by the Christian organization Athletes in Action.  This year, the winner of the Bart Starr Award was Calais Campbell of the Jacksonville Jaguars.  According to the Jaguars' website:

Campbell runs the CRC Foundation, named after his late father, Charles Richard Campbell, which is committed to enhancing the community through the teaching of critical life skills to young people.

In a Sports Spectrum article from last year, Campbell is quoted as saying:

“It’s simple for me. I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at if Jesus didn’t give me the opportunities, the many blessings that He’s given me,” Campbell said. “I ask myself all the time, ‘why did God choose me to be very successful?’ I know that He has big plans for my life that are much bigger than football, much bigger than money and everything else.”

But, there was much more that was going on in relation to the big game. For instance, around 150 volunteers from First Baptist Church of Atlanta packed 500 gift baskets in partnership with the organization Basket of Hope. The effort is called Super Baskets of Hope, and church volunteers provided gift baskets for children in local children's hospitals and their families.  Baptist Press reports that:

The organization's Super Baskets of Hope project in conjunction with the Super Bowl began in Indianapolis in 2012. The NFL became involved in the organization in 1999 when former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda delivered baskets to children in St. Louis. Warner introduced the program to former NFL coach Tony Dungy, who has since become the group's national spokesman.

So what's in the baskets?  The article says:

The gift baskets include toys, games, stuffed animals, puzzles, books and other educational items. Super Baskets of Hope also provides tote bags for parents with snacks, a Bible, a journal and a devotional book by Charles Stanley, pastor of Atlanta First Baptist Church.

This year's baskets also included a book by Lynda Young, "Hope for Families of Children in Hospitals," that Young wrote specifically for this year's Super Baskets of Hope project.

 Young is a member of a Southern Baptist church in Snellville, GA.

Baptist Press also reports on an effort to address human trafficking during Super Bowl week.  Heather Havard, a student at Sam Houston State University in Texas, led a team of 10 people to "raise awareness during the Super Bowl about the problem of human trafficking."  Havard is quoted as saying, "The Super Bowl is the number one event every year where human trafficking rates skyrocket." The students planned to walk around the stadium and distribute literature about human trafficking. The story, released last week, says:

They'll also make rounds in parking lots to leave literature on vehicles. Havard said it's important for people to know that as of 2018, there were more than 40 million human trafficking slaves in the world. In the state of Texas alone, 78,000 children and infants are being sexually exploited.

The article also spotlights the work of Kasey McClure, who founded the organization 4Sarah. The story relates:

McClure and volunteers she recruited spent Jan. 25-26 at First Baptist Church in Conyers, Ga., which served as a call center. Volunteers combed through online personal ads of women offering themselves for sexual services and documented the information they gleaned from the various ads. McClure then made phone calls to the women, offering them resources to help them get out of the industry. Women in the sex industry -- and the men who exploit them -- see the Super Bowl as an opportunity to make money, McClure said.

And, as Baptist Press reports:

The church has provided McClure with a house that 4Sarah uses as a safe house for pregnant women and those coming out of the sex industry. Women can stay there up to 60 days and get medical care and counseling.

Also, yesterday, the special Football Sunday event was available, which included video material that could be used to share the gospel during a Super Bowl gathering.

The Super Bowl is now history, and there are some points to consider, the first being that ministry occurs as opportunities are utilized.  Calais Campbell has taken the platform of football and used it for God's glory.  An Atlanta church has taken the occasion of the Super Bowl and used it to reach out to children who are ill, as well as their parents.  And, others have seen the dark side of a major sporting event and seen the chance to shine a light.

We can understand that the world of sports offers ministry opportunities: for players to use their platforms, and others to reach out to the attendees.  This past weekend, Faith Radio team members had the chance to deliver halftime devotionals at Upward Basketball at Frazer Church.  This character-building program offers the participants and attendees the opportunity to hear a gospel-centered message.   Playing off the topic of the blown call at the end of the Saints-Rams NFC Championship game, I shared about how we can respond when life seemingly isn't fair.

Finally, we can be encouraged to seek the Lord regarding how He has gifted each of us to share His love.