Encouraging stories of faith in sports 

The sports world is a never-ending news cycle. While keeping up with scores, trades, and firings may be doable for the average sports fan, there are bound to be under-the-radar stories that get missed.

To begin with, baseball news is heating up as the Postseason nears. The little ole Milwaukee Brewers, of all teams, are currently the best in MLB. But the big brands–Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Mets, and so on–are all on pace to end up somewhere in the October playoff dance. Not every storyline circulating recently is about what is happening on the field, though.

You may have seen the viral moment between Phillies fans when an angry fan took a home run ball away from a boy. This story was covered extensively, and thankfully had a redemptive ending, as the young fan received a gift from the ballpark staff and had the opportunity to meet Harrison Bader—the Phillies outfielder who hit the home run—after the game.

Thankfully, baseball (and the greater sports world) has had far more impactful moments in the last week than that fan vs. fan encounter. The purpose of this snapshot is to highlight a few relevant and redemptive stories that may not show up on your favorite sports app or channel.

Texas Rangers Faith and Family Night

The Texas Rangers hosted a Faith and Family Community Night after their game on Sunday. The purpose of the event was to hear from coaches and players in the organization as they shared their testimonies. The community night took place at Texas Live!, an event venue outside the ballpark.

Evan Carter, who was among the players who shared, came on the scene as a clutch figure in the Rangers’ 2023 World Series run. As part of a partnership with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Carter popularized shirts that simply state “Jesus Won” in the Rangers’ font and colors. Teammates quickly began repping the shirts at batting practice.

The Rangers’ third base coach, Tony Beasely, was among the crew that shared on Sunday. Beasley, a cancer survivor, regularly uses social media as a gateway to publicize his faith.

The Rangers have not only shown a willingness to support the faith of their players and coaches but also to stand for truth in an ever-truth-denying culture. To this day, the Rangers remain the only MLB team yet to host an LGBT-themed game. The decision by the franchise’s leadership to remain true to this conviction has certainly brought great backlash and likely lost them fans.

It seems that fewer beacons of hope remain in sports every year. Our prayer should be that other teams create spaces for players and coaches to share their faith and use their platform in an influential, Kingdom-building manner.

With the playoffs getting closer and teams like the Rangers fighting for the chance to continue their season past game 162, now is a great time to jump in if you haven’t already. 

If you are interested in following along, less than three weeks remain in the regular season, and the Rangers are in a tight race to try and play in October. Their next nationally televised game will be Friday night on MLB Network against the Mets.

Ohio State’s “An Invitation to Jesus”

For the second year in a row, a variety of student organizations at Ohio State University collaborated to put on “An Invitation to Jesus.” This year’s event welcomed thousands of students and was highlighted by testimonies from key Ohio State football players, including superstar defenders Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles. Much like the aforementioned Evan Carter shirts, the Ohio State players wore “Jesus Won” shirts stylized to match the Buckeye brand.

The event also included worship and an opportunity to get baptized. Dr. Jim Denison highlighted last year’s inaugural event in his Daily Article at the time. As Gen-Z continues to seek answers in the form of faith, let us pray that more campus events like this will take place and that Gen-Z will find answers in the person of Jesus Christ.

Last year, the Buckeyes won the national championship. Can their faith propel them to a repeat title? Keep track of the Buckeyes as they take on the in-state Ohio Bobcats this Saturday evening on Peacock.

Coach G.A. Moore leaves behind a beautiful legacy

A North Texas legend, Coach G.A. Moore, passed away on Friday at the age of 86. Moore set the (now surpassed) record as the winningest coach in Texas high school football history, winning 429 games between 1962 and 2011. During that time, he also claimed eight state championships and won 68 straight games at Celina High School. Texas Monthly published an incredible article on Moore in the middle of that famous winning streak in 2001 that is well worth your time. 

Moore’s tenure as a coach was shaped by his faith, which he pursued to the point of almost enrolling in seminary with the intent of pastoring in the early 70s. He returned to coaching instead, not knowing that his pastoring days were yet ahead. Upon Moore’s retirement from coaching, he became the Pastor of Mustang Baptist Church in Pilot Point, TX, where he shepherded a faithful congregation until the Lord called him home. 

Hundreds attended Moore’s funeral on Tuesday to mourn, remember, and embrace the great legacy he left behind–one that centered around molding and discipling generations of young men and faithfully leading his church. 

As believers, how we steward this fleeting life that God has entrusted us with matters greatly. We are Christ’s representatives today, so make today count. Leave a legacy that elevates the Lord, rather than yourself (Deuteronomy 6:5-7). Even the local legend, G.A. Moore, will likely fade from memories a few generations from now, and yet his legacy of faithfulness will live on long past that. 

May the same be said of us.