Competing for Christ Podcast

When you think of certain mentors in your life, you probably don’t have to think too long before thinking of someone in your time as an athlete that helped mold and shape who you are as a person today. For Coach Evan Kee, he continues to mentor and shape the minds of young men as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at The Apprentice School. The Apprentice School is a very unique Division 3 school, whe...

As someone who wants to grow closer to Christ every single day, I often ask myself, “Can I grow closer to Christ while simultaneously growing as a person?” While this may be very challenging to find that balance, as people and as athletes, we always want to be the best version of ourselves while still shining the spotlight on what Jesus has done through us.  Today, we talk about consistent gr...

KD Hill was a football player at Ole Miss and getting ready for the NFL Draft, destined to play with a pro football team. But in an instant, this reality shifted dramatically. KD’s life changed when he got in a car accident that severely injured his leg, and eventually had to get the leg amputated. To most people, this would be seen as a curse and would be stuck asking God, “why me?” But not KD.&n...

On this episode, we are talking with Ultra Runner Matt Burdette about a friendship that he has that is one of the coolest things you will ever see. You will hear the background of Matt’s athletic journey, more on him as a runner, but something that we focused on today was his relationship with Kevin DiLegge. Kevin has cerebral palsy, but this does not stop him from being inspirational and just an...

It seems like everyone is in a hurry nowadays, especially athletes. You are constantly going and going, and a lot of times your faith is the first thing to go on the back-burner. But for athletes, what can we do to slow down while still competing at the highest level and getting everything you need done, all while growing closer to Christ?  For University of Indianapolis soccer player Sam Hev...

Today, we’re talking about staying ready for the moment and being ready to not only perform on the field, but perform off the field when sharing the Gospel with someone. Just like when you’re on the bench or getting ready to go in a game, you have to be ready. Jesus even says that we will not know the day or time when He comes back, so we have to be ready at any point. Seth Porter is a Kansas Stat...

For athletes, working hard is a part of our DNA. It's an essential part if you want to succeed or play to the best of your ability. But what does the Bible say about working hard? How do you know if you're working TOO hard? Is there such thing as working hard for the wrong reasons? Today, I'm going to be talking about what athletes can learn from studying Colossians 3:23, what hard work should mea...

Geremy Davis has been sharing the Gospel through sports for years now. While it may be in a variety of different ways and capacities, he continues to put Jesus first in everything that he does.  Geremy played football at UCONN and went on to play in the NFL for three different teams. As someone who had one of the most prolific careers for a wide receiver at UCONN, he dedicates everything that...

Something that is so important for every person that follows Jesus is putting people around you that love you, want to see you succeed, and most importantly speak God’s truth into your life. As an athlete, the teammates and friends that are around you will most likely influence how you live and how you act. On today's episode, Braxston Cave, former Notre Dame and NFL offensive lineman joins the sh...

Joseph Mwaura is the Founder and Director of New Hope Sport Centre in Naivasha, Kenya. Not only does this organization give opportunities to children in Africa through sports, they also share the Gospel with athletes that otherwise may never hear about Jesus.  Today, I sit down with Joseph to discuss how New Hope Sport Centre gives opportunities through sports to children. Joseph gets to be a...

Success for Christian athletes may look different than others. Although we may want to succeed by performing well, winning, or even earning a scholarship or going pro, success for someone that loves Jesus means trusting His plan, sharing His word, and showing Christ through our actions.  Author , podcast host of The Success Chronicles , motivational speaker, and former football player Chip Ba...

Chris Elliott, Athletic Trainer at Grand Canyon University and former collegiate basketball player, joins the show to discuss what it means to play "beyond the game". The thoughts and wisdom that he brings to this conversation really shows how you can make an impact on athletes in a variety of different ways.  Throughout this episode you will hear a lot about Chris’ background as an athlete a...

For athletes, it’s so difficult to feel content when everyone and everything around you is striving to be better and wanting the next best thing. We have to ask ourselves where that line is, that fine balance between feeling like you have it all covered yet still push yourself to be the best person, the best Christ follower you can be. Joining the show to talk about this important issue is collegi...

According to the Pew Research Center , about half of Americans believe that God determines what happens to them most or all of the time. Nearly eight-in-ten US adults think God or a higher power has protected them, and two-thirds of Americans say they have been rewarded by the Almighty. For us as athletes, we have to ask ourselves if we believe that God has put us where we are right now for a...

In Matthew 19, Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” How can sports be a way of reaching children for the sake of the Gospel? How can you show Jesus to children that may have experienced trauma in their lives? Joining us today is Jimmy Larche, founder of Breakaway Outreach , an organization founded to empower y...

Today, we get to hear about Somi Azubike’s testimony, his journey through football, and how he has grown his faith in Christ throughout recent years. Somi plays collegiate football at Kentucky Christian University and you will notice that his testimony is real, and you get a real sense of what it’s like to be a collegiate football player nowadays by his story.  During our discussion, Somi sha...

Today we are talking with Liberty University Track Athlete and Captain Will Jefferson on his journey and how God has guided him to get to where he is today. We dissect how Will has allowed Christ to be at the center of his life, how He has played a huge role in his life, and more on the life of a college recruit/athlete. No matter what stands in Will's way, there are three things that stuck out th...

Luke Heaton, UNPACKIN’ it Sports Ministries Social Media Director and the Co-Host of The UNPACKIN’ it Podcast , joins the show today to talk about how to have passion for Jesus over the sports that we can be consumed by. UNPACKIN’ it is a sports fan ministry that is such a great resource for anyone and everyone that follows Jesus and loves sport. This organization is one of a kind and helps sports...

In John 15, Jesus states that if we were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But since Jesus has chosen us to be out of the world, we should be prepared for the world to hate us. Are we ready for those kinds of trials as Christians in sports? Are we prepared to have boos pouring on us just because we wear a cross around our neck or put on eye black that says John 3:16? Today, we get...

When Head Basketball Coach John Mosley of East Los Angeles College was invited on the hit Netflix show "Last Chance U", he was hesitant. Although it would be a cool opportunity, it would be an all-access docuseries, filming every move he and his players made. Although he didn't want to, he knew it would be a way of showing people Christ through his life and coaching. This show is dramatic, it’s in...

This new segment features Ken and Fabish Mark (guest from Episode 16 and friend of the show!) discussing current and general sports events, topics, and issues. As we come from different countries, backgrounds, and perspectives, our faith and love for sports brings us together to have this unscripted, fun, and hilarious conversation. In this wild conversation, we discuss: What is the hardest sport?...

Mark Otieno Odhiambo is a Kenyan world class track athlete. As a national champion and ranked as one of the fastest people not only in Kenya but in the world, he has a relationship with God that is inspiring and firm. Throughout our conversation today, we talk about a lot of things that will make you think about God’s love, His faith, and how he continues to be with Mark even through difficult cir...

On today’s episode, we are talking to Hall of Fame Basketball Coach and Nations of Coaches Director Mike Lightfoot about finding purpose in sports. From 1987 to 2017, he was the head basketball coach at Bethel University, leading the Pilots to 794 wins, 3x NAIA Division II National Championships, 4x NCCAA National Championships, 11x NCCAA Regional Championships, 18x Mid Central Conference/Crossroa...

If I asked you if you’ve given God full control over your life, would you be able to say yes? On this episode of the Competing for Christ Podcast, we are talking with Mark Ridgley, former NFL and collegiate football coach. Mark has coached at a couple of different places, but most recently coached with the Los Angeles Chargers for a number of years. As we talk with Mark about his coaching career a...

Stepping out of our comfort zones is one of the most difficult things to do, not just in sports but in life. However, pushing ourselves to be uncomfortable and be in hard situations proves time and time again that something good usually comes out of them. This doesn’t mean you have to go halfway around the world to get uncomfortable, you can do this right now wherever you find yourself. Keenan Hor...