Football, God and Kurt Warner

After battling lingering injuries and back-up status demotions the past few seasons, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner has been back to his old form this year. The two-time league MVP was recently named to his third Pro Bowl and has re-joined the ranks of the top tier signal callers in the league.

Despite all of his accomplishments on the field, Warner is perhaps most well-known for his faith and off the field charity. ESPN.com posted a feature article yesterday detailing how his faith shapes his perspective as a professional athlete and how it affects his relationships with his teammates.

Since taking the league by storm in 1999 while leading the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl title, Warner's Christian faith has been the subject of a number of discussions. Since he is vocal in sharing his faith with others and frequently mentions Jesus in interviews there are some that feel that Warner has crossed the line at times into unfair proselytizing towards unwilling teammates and reporters.

In era that seems dominated by ego-driven and money hungry athletes, I find it peculiar that so many fault Warner for being so active in sharing his faith. Granted, Warner is a flawed human, as we all are. He makes mistakes and is not going to be perfect. But aren't there worse things that he could be doing than telling others about Jesus and serving his community? While I am concerned about the prevalence of athletes who give shout outs to Jesus in interviews and live lives in seeming opposition to righteousness, Warner appears to be legitimate in the sincerity of his faith. I don't know him and I'm not one of his teammates, but he generally appears to carry himself with class and integrity.

However, one of the anecdotes in the article is a telling reminder for all of us as Christians and how we seek to relate to others outside of our faith:

"This past summer, Warner invited his Cardinals teammates and their families to his home for a day of swimming and eating. Barely anyone showed up. Warner believes the perception, still after all these years, was partly to blame.

"When I asked Larry [Fitzgerald] what happened, he told me that everyone is afraid to come over because they don't know if I'm going to stand up on a podium and preach to them," Warner said. "They just think I'm going to jump up and down and introduce them to Jesus. But that's crazy. And the people who know me realize that's not who I am."

The poor turnout disappointed Warner, Brenda said. "We try to keep it normal so that people don't think we're a bunch of weirdos, but that perception is out there," she added. "We fight it every day."

He fights it in the locker room, where some teammates don't feel comfortable around Warner and giggle like little kids on rare occasions when he curses. They fight it in the marketing world, where Warner's agent struggles to find endorsement opportunities for a potential Hall of Fame quarterback with a pristine off-the-field résumé. And they fight it in the media, where Warner tries to walk the line of getting his message out to the public without alienating fans."

As I read this particular story, I, too, felt for Kurt. At times I have also rubbed people the wrong way or pushed them away when attempting to discuss issues of a spiritual nature. I feel for a guy who is simply attempting to share the difference that Christ has made in his life with those he cares about. Though my personal interactions with others in this matter have been far more positive than negative, it is challenging to be a welcoming person while, at the same time, share challenging perspectives.

The reality that Kurt Warner faces is one that is on a much broader scale than most of us face, but it is still very similar. Those of us that consider ourselves followers of the One whose birth we celebrate today have the challenge of living out our faith in word and deed among some that are mildly indifferent or actively opposed to the message we bring. Former teammate Josh McCown brings an interesting and, possibly, very accurate assessment into the discussion:

"I think a lot of people relate to athletes who make bad choices because it brings the athlete down to their level," McCown said. "It helps them feel good about who they are and what they're doing.
"On the other side, when you hear the stories about Kurt, here is someone squeezing the most they can out of their life. And at the end of the day, that causes all of us to look in the mirror. And I think sometimes we don't like what that mirror looks like. So it's easier to rip on the things Kurt does than change yourself."

You can read the full ESPN article by Wayne Drehs here.

Holding Out Hope for Detroit

As far as American cities go, it would be hard to find another one that is having as rough a go at it as Detroit is right now. With an economy in steady deadline and a population that is half the size it was a half-century ago, Motown has certainly seen better days. Having just seen a mayor leave office after a well-publicized scandal and a professional football team that has become the butt of jokes in sports bars across the country, Detroit is a city that needs some hope. And needs it fast.

Although I didn't grow up in D-Town (I was raised outside of Detroit - an hour traveling northeast on I-94), my heart is with the Motor City. Some of my fondest memories of childhood are taking of trips downtown to Tiger Stadium, just blocks from where my dad has worked for years. My wife grew up mere minutes from Detroit and went to college in the heart of the city at Wayne State University. The blue-collar work ethic and grittiness of the city defines southeastern Michigan and, thus, is part of who I am.

Our home now is in central Florida but we feel the pain of fellow Michiganders. The auto industry is what made Detroit (and the state of Michigan) what it is and the decline of that same industry is what so affects it today. Other factors have contributed to its present state:

"The roots of Detroit's current plight go back decades. Court-ordered school busing and the 12th Street riots of 1967 accelerated an exodus of whites to the suburbs, and many middle-class blacks followed, shrinking the city's population from a peak of 1.8 million in the 1950s to half that now. About 83% of the current population is African American. Detroit's crime, poverty, unemployment and school dropout rates are among the worst of any major U.S. city. Car and home insurance rates are high. Chain grocery stores are absent, forcing many Detroiters to rely on high-priced corner stores. "There's always been a real can-do spirit among our people," said the Rev. Edgar Vann, pastor of Second Ebenezer Church. "That's being beaten down right now. ... These times, unlike others, have sapped a lot of that spirit from them.""

Not only is it difficult to see the challenges that the current economic realities have brought to a large number of family and friends, but it affects us in a very direct and tangible way. As missionaries dependent upon the financial generosity of others, we feel the struggling economy as well. Over 3/4 of our financial support base is within southeastern Michigan so although our jobs might not be on the line, we feel it every time a financial partner gets laid off or loses their job.

Even with those realities, we are so thankful for those that give sacrificially so that we can engage in our ministry to college students. We have ministry partners that are on fixed or limited incomes but still give because they believe in what we do. They give because they recognize that eternity is in the balance for individuals and that their giving, no matter how small or large, makes a difference.

It is these types of people that make up the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan. We are hard workers. We are people committed to our families. We are folks loyal to our employers. We are fans that stick through thick and thin with our teams (although the Lions are testing this truth.) And we are hard-nosed individuals that don't back down from a fight. It is this spirit that defines Detroit and the good people of Michigan.

I am proud to say that I am from Michigan and that I have kids (though they haven't really lived in the state) that know where their parents come from. Detroit is a city and Michigan is a state that possesses a rich history that has helped to shape America in so many ways. From the auto industry to the music of Motown. From the greatness that is Michigan Wolverine football to influencers like Malcolm X and Gerald Ford and Magic Johnson and Thomas Edison. From Coney Island hot dogs and Better Made chips to Vernors pop and paczis.

I'm confident that the faith and spirit of the residents of Detroit will one day help this great city to return to better days. I am in no way an economic expert so I really can't speculate on what has caused the Big Three of GM, Ford and Chrysler to bring things to where they stand today. I do know that in order to see Detroit return to its previous glory there needs to be better leadership in place across the board. The residents of Detroit and Michigan cannot elect people or support leaders of business that are high on eloquence but low on morals. The recent mayoral embarrassment and excesses of selected CEO's goes to show that morality does still matter.

It is times like these that many turn to a higher power to get them through their struggles. I trust that many will return to Jesus or, for some, turn to Him for the first time. Our cars may fail us, our money may run out and our sports teams may come up short, but I believe that God is not through with Detroit or its people yet. I'm still holding out hope...

A Blue Christmas

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