The Gospel, Giving, and Growing
Derrell Mims, once a defensive back at Berry College, is now on staff with Campus Outreach and shared about this exciting time of laboring with the football team. There is a weekly Bible Study with several coaches, a bi-weekly study with coaches' wives, and Derrell volunteers as part of the coaching staff. “After a few years of spiritual dryness, it’s been awesome to see God answering so many prayers and moving in big ways on this team.”
Early in the season, a freshman safety, we’ll call him George, told Derrell how much he liked to share the gospel in his Instagram feed. Derrell asked him, “What is the gospel?” After some thought, George responded, “I actually don’t know.” Derrell shared God’s plan for salvation and Ephesians 2:1–10. George said he needed time to get ready for such a big commitment. The two men continued to meet together, and three weeks later, Derrell shared from Ephesians again. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4–5). Derrell pointed out that dead men can’t get ready … dead men can’t do anything. The Holy Spirit worked in George’s heart, and he responded, “I want to be made alive!”
George is one of five students God has brought into a saving relationship with him this semester, four of whom are football players! Derrell meets with these men regularly to help them grow spiritually. He acknowledges a trend he has observed: students grow on campus throughout the fall, and then over Christmas break, their growth declines, causing them not to continue Bible study in the Spring. Hoping to avoid this possibility, Derrell reached out to his ministry partners and shared his desire for 10–15 football players to attend the New Year’s Conference this month.
The conference provides an opportunity for intense learning and fellowship, and Derrell trusts it will help these men start next semester with a continued hunger for Truth. Financial limitations would be a barrier for many of these men. To make recruitment less worrisome, Derrell asked if his partners would be willing to give funds and support a player.
What a response! 13 football players have registered, fully funded, to attend the conference. Because people responded and gave, these men have the opportunity to spend five days and four nights attending rallies and seminars to receive Biblical teaching and training around topics such as prayer, evangelism, spiritual leadership, dating and relationships, discipleship, and more. Please pray that God would lay a firm foundation in their hearts. Also pray and ask where you might give so others may have a similar opportunity.