“1-2 One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer. 3 But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get”
Jonah 1:1-3
In my 20+ years of being involved in ministry I’ve watched God use unsuspecting people to do things they never imagined. In the passage above we read the historical account of Jonah, a prophet and servant of God Almighty being called to go to a place called Nineveh (a city in modern day Iraq, near Baghdad). However, Jonah had no interest in going to Nineveh, he had heard the stories, he knew their reputation and quite frankly... Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh. He didn’t want to “waste” his time there.
As many of us are aware, Jonah fled God’s call and went the other direction towards a city called Tarshish and was swallowed up by a great fish (whale).
Well... I have no intention of getting swallowed up by a fish and I’ve been walking with the Lord long enough to recognize when he starts moving, our job is to respond. I too have a Nineveh. My Nineveh is approximately 64 miles away and it is called BOULDER. I have disliked the city and the university since I put on the Green and Gold at CSU. I got hit harder on the football field at Folsom Field than anywhere else and my Rams have had their hearts broken many times over the years by the Buffaloes.
However, this year the Lord’s voice was clear, and he was sending me to my Nineveh (Boulder). The Lord has unexpectedly opened up a huge door for me to do ministry with the CU Football Coaches and team this season. Their new Defensive Coordinator, Tyson Summers is a follower of Jesus and was discipled by my friend and co-worker at Georgia Southern University (Matt Wise) where he was the Head Coach. He saw the value of discipleship and as soon as he got the position at CU he and I have been meeting weekly. In the spring he invited me to start a Coach’s Bible Study and offered to open up doors to meet with players. Unfortunately, my time and capacity will not allow me to work with the players, but I am able to invest in the lives of the CU coaches for one hour a week on Thursdays.
And here is an interesting reality. My good friend, boss, colleague and the one who discipled me, Jeff Prior told me that years ago when he was on staff at the University of Wisconsin with AIA, he was meeting with a young defensive back named Mel Tucker. Mel Tucker is now the head coach at CU. Trying to find a way to connect with Coach Tucker, I asked him if he had remembered a AIA staff person by the name of Jeff Prior. Coach stopped walking, looked me in the eyes and said, “I haven’t heard the name Jeff Prior in a long time. That’s my guy. Jeff Prior lead me to the Lord. How do you know Jeff?” Smiling I told him that Jeff was my regional director and the one who discipled and trained me in ministry. You never know the impact you have on other people.
So this season, if you see the CU Buffs playing on TV, remember to pray for them. We are starting a movement at CU through a former NC State Women’s Basketball player who attended camp in Colorado a few years ago. She is in seminary at Denver Seminary and is considering joining us full time to disciple CU athletes. If you are an alumni or fan of CSU and this news is discouraging to you... trust me I UNDERSTAND. My son Owen is BESIDE himself with the reality that his dad, a CSU Grad, a former Ram Football player and Ft Collins resident would have the audacity to work with CU football... but I think he’d be more bewildered if his dad was swallowed up by a fish (Especially living in Colorado)