What an encouragement it has been to hear athletes using the platform provided to them through their successes to share their faith and to bring all the glory to the Lord.  Will Howard, quarterback for the Ohio State University Buckeyes and Riley Leonard, quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are both committed Christ followers.  Howard and Leonard helped their teams make it through the BCS playoffs to face off tonight for the national championship.  In  interviews following victories in the playoffs, both quarterbacks openly shared their faith and gave God the glory. 

     Will Howard, who transferred from Kansas State to Ohio State, this year threw for 3,779 yards with 33 touchdowns and he also rushed for 7 touchdowns. After the Buckeyes commanding win over Oregon in the Rose Bowl (BCS quarter final), Howard, in his post-game interview, said: “First and foremost, I gotta thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving me the opportunity to be on this stage in the Rose Bowl.” Even after a defeat by their top rival, Michigan, early in the season, Howard stated, “I know God is putting those obstacles in front of us to grow us and there’s a reason for it. I’m going to just trust the plan. We’ve got to trust in the Lord and lean on Him even in the midst of life’s ups and downs.” {NOTE: The Oregon Ducks, who went into the Rose Bowl undefeated, were led by quarterback, Dillon Gabriel who said, “God drives me every day.” He lives out his Christian faith both on the team and in the community. He played football for Millani High School in Hawaii, setting a state record, throwing for 9,948 yards. The Oregon Ducks have had several Christian quarterbacks in recent years who have gone on to the NFL, including Marcus Mariota (also from Hawaii) and Bo Nix.] 

     The Buckeyes went on to beat the Texas Longhorns in the BCS semifinal. 

     You may recall that this past August, just before the fall football season began, a revival broke out on the Ohio State campus, led by a former football team captain, wide receiver Kamyra Babb, and a group of local churches. Many gave their lives to Christ, including prominent members of the football team like Treveyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimday, and Emeka Egbuke. At least 60 students who trusted Christ gave their testimonies and were baptized in livestock water tanks in front of a crowd of 2,000 or more. 

     A similar spiritual renewal has been happening at Notre Dame where attendance at quarter back Riley Leonard’s Thursday night Bible study for players has been growing rapidly. After Notre Dame’s victory in the Sugar Bowl over the Penn State, Riley Leonard began his interview saying: First of all, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Without Him, I wouldn’t be here; we wouldn’t be here.” 

     And, by the way, quarterback Quinn Ewers of the Longhorns, after losing to the Buckeyes of Ohio State in the semifinal matchup, said: “I just want to fully give myself to Christ and fully allow His will to be done in my life.” Wide receiver, Jahdae Barron, for the Longhorns said: “I just want to say one thing. I just want everybody to know; you sometimes don’t come out on top, but our leader is Jesus Christ and ultimately, just having the ability to use the gift He gave us, to share with the world, it’s been amazing!” 

     Whatever happens tonight in the championship game between Ohio State and Notre Dame, an amazing story of faith and witness has occurred across the spectrum of college football in 2024-2025, as Jesus’ followers have boldly used their platform to testify of their relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  

     “Platform of Ministry” refers to the various avenues through which believers can share about Jesus Christ. It may come through preaching, teaching, acts of service, outreach programs, social media, community involvement, and through using God-given talents and skills (as with these college athletes) to spread the Good News and exalt Christ. 

     The platform of ministry may even be one that we didn’t choose or strive toward.  The Apostle Paul and Silas, because of their ministry in Philippi, were accused of “throwing the city into confusion” (Acts 16:20) and were beaten and thrown into prison with their feet placed in stocks(vv. 22-24). “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (v. 25). God sent an earthquake and “all the prison doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened”(v. 26).  The jailer, thinking everyone would escape on his watch, was about to kill himself when Paul said, “Do yourself no harm, for we are all here!” (v. 28).  The jailer, seeing they were all still there, asked Paul and Silas what he needed to do to be saved. “And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household’ ” (v. 31).  Paul and Silas’s platform of ministry was a jail cell in Philippi. And, that wasn’t the only time Paul had that “platform” to minister to others the Good News of the Gospel. He ended up either under house arrest or in jail in Rome a couple times. During that time he wrote several letters which we have in our Bibles: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon and II Timothy.  In his letter to the believers at Philippi, Paul wrote this: “Now I want you to know brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well know throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear” (Phil. 1:12-14). 

     On another occasion, it was due to an illness, that Paul spent time ministering in Galatia (Gal. 4:12-14). Paul used his imprisonments as well as his illness as platforms of ministry.  Often, due to our physical needs, we have opportunity to be a witness to medical personnel and all who are watching to see if our Christianity makes a difference. 

     God has unlimited ways to provide for us platforms of ministry for Him.  Whether it comes through success in sports, time in prison, or suffering with illness or injury, or a multitude of other avenues, let’s be sure we use that platform to give testimony to our faith in Jesus Christ, to share the Gospel, and to give all the glory to Jesus Christ who provided us with that “opportunity.” 

Forever His,

Pastor Dave N