A WAVE OF GOD
God is inviting all of us into this move. What an exciting time to be alive! Enjoy this amazing story of God's transformational work.
I am currently typing this in a van on our way back from our spring break trip in San Marcos. I just witnessed a week full of faith from our students, God speaking and encountering students, and incredible testimonies of God’s goodness.
More on this to come. For now, let’s talk about what has been happening in athletics recently!
Something amazing has been happening of recent. If you haven’t been seeing it, Jesus’s name is being proclaimed out of the mouths of Division 1 athletes across the nation. It is somewhat hard to believe what is happening. I’m not here to debate whether what they are saying is genuine or not (we pray it is!), but it cannot be denied that God is stirring amongst college athletes. Some are calling it a mini-revival.
It began with images and videos of Ohio State football players being baptized. And these sorts of things have been sweeping the country. To the point that football players on both teams in the national championship game this past year were unashamedly talking about the name of Jesus on live television. That means 22 million people watching the game witnessed these athletes not boasting in their skill or how the game went, but boasting about the God who made them.
Amazing!
I believing we are feeling this move of God at KU and I want to share a truly incredible story with you of God doing this on the Kansas Golf team.
Meet John (real name not included for his sake!).
John is a junior transfer on the golf team. Let me tell you, this guy can play some golf. More than this, God has encountered this young man.
*For the quick backstory*
I first met John when he came to our church in the fall. I grabbed his number and tried setting up some times to hang with him but nothing panned out, so I figured he was not very interested. He started to slowly come around to our Sunday evening Christian athlete meetings that we would have on campus. My friend and I were able to grab some lunch with John during the middle of the semester to connect with him and hear his story. After this we were able to hang out a few more times and I would cast vision for him for what God is wanting to do in his life.
Fast-forward with me to winter break. While we ate lunch a week into school, John described to me how God had encountered him in a real way over break. During the middle of Christmas break he had attended a Christian Golf Fellowship, where D1 golfers from across the nation met together at Webb Simpsons (former PGA player) house for about a week.
He described what happened to him like this; “Alec its hard to describe what happened. But it was like God filled the hole that I had in my heart in that moment. I can’t even describe the feeling that I had. It was incredible. I heard from God and he touched me and made me new.”
Only God can do this.
Only God turns hard hearts to hearts of flesh. Only God speaks one word and changes a life. Only God fills the void we look to fill ourselves.
John was experiencing the power of God. Amazing!
I sat their listening to him in awe of his story and thanking God for all that he was saying. Over a 4 day golf fellowship conference God had met him and it was a different man that I was talking to across the table.
But this is only the beginning. Stay with me!!
A friend and I met up with him soon after he told this to me. Before leaving, he was encouraged and challenged by my friend to start thinking about guys on his golf team that he could start believing God to change, like his life had been changed. He immediately told us the name of a guy that he really wants to see changed, his name being Mark (again, name removed!).
Fast forward two weeks…
John is at our Sunday evening Christian athlete meeting and he is in front of the 40ish people there sharing his testimony of what God had done in him over break. After he shares, the next guy shares about Gods desire for us to become disciples and for God’s desire for us to grow and change.
Sitting in the audience and there to support/hear John are some of his golf teammates. One of which being Mark. Mark couldn’t keep his eyes off of my friend sharing his message. He was locked in. Why you might ask? Not necessarily because my friend is a compelling speaker (although he is!). It was because God had begun drawing Mark to himself.
You see, before this the KU golf team had their first tournament and Mark was not happy about his performance. He was disappointed and down in the dumps. John recognized this and told him to meet him for breakfast the following day after they got back. Over food, John proceeded to share what God was doing in his life and how God can change Mark as well.
God was drawing him.
He then comes to the Sunday meeting and hears the message (what you already heard).
Two days after this, I am with Mark and my friend (who gave the message that Sunday evening).
In a span of about an hour, my friend and I listened to Mark’s story and shared the story of Jesus with him and how Jesus wants to change his life.
The question is then asked. “Mark, after what we have told you, do you want to give your life to Jesus?”
Short pause…
“Heck yes I do!”
That Tuesday, in a small office on the KU campus, Mark gave his life to Jesus. He knew nothing of Christianity previously. But on this day, he declared out loud that he was giving his whole life to following Jesus. After we prayed he couldn’t even put into words the peace and joy he was feeling. This is what you call New Life.
Incredible.
This is how God works.
God encounters John and changes his life forever. He can’t help share this. So, he shares it with his teammate Mark. Mark’s life is now forever changed.
I believe this is only the beginning of what God is wanting to do on the Kansas Golf Team.
Believe with us for this team and the rest of the KU athletes as Gods Kingdom continues to grow!