Jesus is bigger than Jersey

Jesus is bigger than Jersey

Last week, I had the privilege to hear three NFL Coaches share what Jesus means to them at the beautiful First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD. My buddy, Stevie Prather is one of my best friends and we have ministered across the Country together at camps, crusades, churches, revivals and retreats. His brother in law is Dr John Jenkins, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, MD and they hosted this men’s conference in their new 4,500 seat sanctuary and are running close to 15,000 in worship each weekend.

Super Bowl Champion and retired Coach Tony Dungy was one of the speakers and we had a time. I went with my Pastor Marvin Harris and other men from church and Stevie and I sat together soaking up the sermons from these renown coaches whom were unashamed of their allegiance to Jesus. In most typical sporting events you will find jerseys from various sports and teams and this recent men’s ministry conference was no exception. We had the Redskins, Ravens (two hometown teams), Eagles, Giants, Broncos, Steelers and then you always have the Dallas Cowboys present wherever you go. Satan is always lurking in the dark (read blog post below) – LOL.

Some sports fans wear their favorite jersey at opposing teams stadium not out of loyalty but sometimes with a death wish. You have suicide bombers and then suicidal brothers who look for trouble at another’s stadium. Loyal or not, most normal thinking adults would not dare wear a Redskins jersey at Cowboys stadium; that is like taping a sign to the back of your shirt saying “KICK ME” or worse, KILL ME! The Washington Bullets changed their name in the NBA to Wizards in the early 1990’s because when Washington was the murder capital of the world, bullets truly did fly. As a former Capitol Hill staffer, some left by the ballot and others by the bullet.

In most secular, sports stadiums I noticed that zealous fans would often stare each other up and down when someone elected to wear a jersey contrary to their particular team. Sometimes just wearing the colors of another team or gang were enough grounds to start a fight. However, at this men’s conference last week what really blessed me was that despite wearing different jersey’s as born again believers we are on the same team. In the past, I noticed tension but last weekend I saw teamwork. Before, I witnessed “ugly” but now I saw unity. Previously, I detected conceit but at this conference I saw Christian compassion at its finest. Unlike the City of Philadelphia, it was truly – “Brotherly Love.” Ironically, the city of brotherly love produced so many fighters! Yo, Rocky!!

I watched NFL Coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens share his faith in Christ and former Redskins Coach Jim Zorn talk about being “Faithful under Fire” and Coach Dungy talk about standing up for Christ and not selling out. Men weeping and worshipping under the same roof and God spoke to me during this conference. The Lord whispered in my heart: “Frank, notice the jerseys and they resemble the denominations. Sadly, too many folks have been more faithful to their team (denomination) than Me.”

Did you know the word “denomination” in the greek means DIVISION. Human beings have two buttons on our calculator: ADD & SUBTRACT. Satan has one tool and that is to DIVIDE but only Jesus can MULTIPLY. The first five letters of denomination when shuffled could spell DEMON. Without question, we should be loyal to our faith, family, friends and favorite team but nothing should take center stage or precedence of Jesus!

A jersey is something you wear but Jesus wants to wear you! His death, burial and resurrection wants to take our sinful life and take residence in our hearts and homes. He bore our sin on Calvary’s cruel cross and now He desires to inhabit our “jars of clay.” As blood-bought, kids of the King we must remember that Jesus is BIGGER than our jerseys. Regardless of your (jersey) church of choice, we must remember that the Lord is bigger than Baptist. More Wonderful than Wesleyan. More Mighty than Methodist, Powerful than Pentecostal and more Sovereign than Seventh Day Adventist. He is Larger than the Lutherans and certainly more Colossal than Catholicism or Charismatic! This is not glamorous but Gospel Truth. This is not “PC” but totally JC (Jesus) because He is “The Way, Truth & Life and no one can get to the Father but by Him (John 14:6).”

Salvation is found in Christ (not church or clergy). It is faith not football teams and you can be a Baptist dipped 208 times in a baptistry but if you never nailed down your salvation “by faith” with the Savior, than you had church but not Christ. You had a team but not the Trinity and you had a jersey but not Jesus! Folks ask me all the time about my faith or church affiliation and I tell them I am a sinner saved by grace, a child of God and a disciple of Jesus, The Christ. He is bigger than any convention, church, clergy or conference. He is the Head and His Bride is the Body. Jesus is returning for blood bought believers NOT beautiful, brick buildings!

In a game, jersey’s tend to get dirty, muddy and even bloody. Sadly, we have wounded our own for too long and we have been infighting long enough that it is high time to settle our differences, wash our jerseys and be in position as a unified team without spot, blemish or wrinkle. As evangelical, sanctified saints we are serving as One Body, One Team under One Triune God (Father, Son & Holy Ghost) and may we pray, push and pull for one another like never before.

Two years ago, I was a guest on world-wide television and I was asked: “Frank, what is the greatest cancer in Christianity?” That was not a question I was prepped for and it wasn’t even on the “short list” for potential questions and honestly, I had never been asked that before or since. God gave me great peace and a Word from the Lord. I replied: “I believe we are so busy competing with the minister or ministry next door that we are fighting amongst the saved and taken our eyes off the lost and we are all losing for it!” Ironically, I got a standing ovation from the studio audience.

Denominations are colorful but secondary to our allegiance to Christ. In the days ahead if you have to choose between Jesus or jersey my prayer is that we will all pick the first because He first picked us. Just because you wear a jersey doesn’t mean you are on the Team.