A cup of cold water offered in Jesus’ name — with a little sugar and flavoring added — plus it is frozen. For years at Jacksonville State University (JSU), Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM) had provided freezer pops to the JSU Marching Southerners during their August band camp. My stepson had played college football (at Ohio State) and commented one day that I should do the same for the football team, saying, “They would love it.” Taking that word to heart, with the blessing of then head coach Bill Clark, I started showing up to the end of practice with a couple of coolers loaded with freezer pops.

The popsicles are still my entrée with the team. Even during summer workouts, when I see players, they will ask, “Where are the popsicles?” Last season with new head coach John Grass, I continued to show up for practices almost daily, usually 45 minutes to an hour before practice was over. One player commented that he knew when he saw me that it was getting toward the end of the practice. I wandered the sidelines, greeting players, developing relationships and opening the coolers at the end of practice to give out freezer pops. At the huddle at the end of practice I was regularly, almost daily, asked to lead the prayer that closed practice. Coach Grass later asked me to lead Friday night devotions before home games. I have had lunch with individual players where we have talked about their relationship with Jesus and I have shared the gospel.

Responding to a request from a player, I began meeting with three football players (in January) plus one other student in a discipleship group. We will continue to meet (this) semester. My vision is to multiply disciples over the next several years as we grow followers of Jesus to become multiplying disciples. (Continued…)

Read the rest of the full story as originally posted at: http://www.thealabamabaptist.org/print-edition-article-detail.php?id_art=34593