This past week, Uncommon Sports Group traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, for a short-term mission trip with nine USG members and two staff. During the ten days in Kenya, USG was able to serve alongside two ministry partners in different capacities and grow together in Christ as a group of Christians working in college and pro sports. In this blog, we’ll share a detailed recap of the mission trip to Kenya! On Friday, June 7, the team of eleven took off from the United States to head to Kenya. After nearly 24 hours of travel, the team arrived in Nairobi. The trip began on Sunday, June 9th, with a church service at a local partner's church, called Huduma Church, located in the Kawangware slum. It was such a blessing to be able to worship the Lord alongside other believers from a different country and culture! The mission trip team began the week with the first service opportunity of the trip alongside our partners at Huduma Church. In the Kawangware slum, poverty is at an extreme, and education for children is limited. Huduma Church began a primary and junior secondary school called Huduma School to provide affordable education for children living amidst extreme poverty in Kawangware. Our ministry with Huduma School was to provide sports equipment and school supplies for them to use. The USG team brought over soccer balls, basketballs, American footballs, volleyballs, jump ropes, writing pads, and pens. Along with the donations, the USG team spent three days with the students for a series of sports camps. The team led the 300+ students through drills and activities pertaining to soccer, basketball, American football, and volleyball. Through these camps, our group was able to engage with each student, provide them with coaching on the sport, teach Christ-centered principles, and build relationships with the students. After the three days of sports camps with the students at Huduma School, the team was allowed an opportunity to do door-to-door evangelism in the slum of Kawangware alongside members of Huduma Church. The team was split into groups of three and was led by members of the church who could engage with people in the slum and help translate from English to Swahili. Each group had opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with multiple people, hear their stories, pray for their needs, and answer any questions that they had. The Lord worked powerfully and thirty-one people accepted Christ as Savior during our time in the streets, and many of these people attended church for the first time the following Sunday! On Friday, June 14, the mission trip team headed to the southern border of Kenya near the famous Mount Kilimanjaro to visit Amboseli National Park for a Safari. The weather was beautiful and the team was able to see elephants, zebras, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and countless other rare forms of wildlife! It was a great opportunity to see the wonders of Africa, and grow closer as a team. The following day, the USG team hosted a sports ministry clinic for 65 sports coaches across Kenya and neighboring countries. The clinic provided these coaches with an opportunity to connect with one another on their commonalities of sports and faith in Christ. Along with the connections developed, the coaches in attendance were able to learn from our USG team. The lessons that were taught covered the traits of a successful Christian coach, evangelism and discipleship strategies in coaching, and dealing with competition as a Christian coach. This was a great opportunity for our group to see first hand how the Lord is using sports to advance the gospel in Kenya, as well as to pour into these coaches to help them continue in their ministry. Our final day in Kenya was on Sunday, June 16th. The group was able to attend a partner’s church, KAG Kariobangi, located in the slum of Kariobangi. The church has a radio station titled “KOCH 99.9 FM” which is broadcasted to thousands of individuals living in the slum. One of the USG staff members leading the trip, Noah Weiss, was able to be a guest speaker on the radio station. Noah shared on the impact of sports ministry, a short word of encouragement to sports ministers listening, and closed with the gospel and an invitation to listeners to accept Christ as their Savior. There were a total of 4,000 people listening who were encouraged to continue in their ministries, and others who heard the gospel message for the first time! Praise God! During the church service at KAG Kariobangi, a few of our attendees had the opportunity to share their testimonies with the congregation. This was a great opportunity for those attendees to step out of their comfort zone and testify to the work that the Lord has done in their lives! Finally, Noah was able to preach a sermon on the traits of a Godly Father, since it was Father’s Day! After church on Sunday, the team headed to a local pool for baptisms! Three USG attendees were baptized, outwardly expressing their inward faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9, Matthew 28:16-20). Along with our three USG attendees, a number of members of the KAG church in Kariobangi were baptized as well! We praise God for His saving work in each of these individuals' lives! The team is back safely in the United States and continues to be amazed at the many ways that God worked through them and in the lives of the people in Kenya we interacted with. A special thank you is in order to our partners in Kenya, who played a pivotal role in helping plan the trip and provide the ministry opportunities that our group engaged in. We also want to thank donors and supporters of Uncommon Sports Group, especially those who donate to our Clean Out For A Cause program. It is only through faithful support, both financially and prayerfully, that opportunities such as these are possible! USG looks forward to future opportunities to serve in Kenya and watch young Christian professionals in the sport industry grow in their love for Christ! If you would like to learn more about Uncommon Sports Group, or get involved with our ministries, tap the link here!

“With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.…” Acts 2:46 “Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Ephesians 5:19-21 Acts 4:13 says, “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” The early church gave us the best example of how to live in fellowship, by the power of the Holy Spirit, post-resurrection, and pre-Jesus’ second coming. I LOVE Acts 4 because it confirms this…No level of schooling, talent, or skillset qualifies us to be in a relationship with or used by God. Only the blood! This means we all can enter into fellowship with Jesus with confidence in His work on the cross. When we minister unto the Lord, especially in prayer, the Lord is not impressed with fancy words, long-winded sentences, impressive tone, or high-level speech. He loves what we offer Him and He IS the Word. He is the Author of all things. It ministers to Him to see us take what He’s given (the breath in our lungs, the words on our lips, our voice) and give it back to Him. This is worship.

“Listen, Yahweh, to my passionate prayer! Can’t you hear my groaning? Don’t you hear how I’m crying out to you? My King and my God, consider my every word, for I am calling out to you. At each and every sunrise you will hear my voice as I prepare my sacrifice of prayer to you. Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on the altar and wait for your fire to fall upon my heart.” Psalm 5 Let’s be honest. Prayer can be messy. One minute I’m crying, pouring out my heart to my patient and gracious Father…and the next minute I’m thinking, “Should I have ice cream or dark chocolate for dessert today?” When we enter into prayer, especially as sports professionals, we need to relinquish our desire to perform. We’re talking to God, maker of the Heavens and the earth. He made us from dust and knows our form. He doesn’t need our performance. What He wants is all of us. Jesus bled, died, and rose again to give us full access and reconciliation to the Father. Read that again, and again. Sin separated us from God, but Jesus. Now, we still when walking with the Lord should grieve over sin. I ask the Holy Spirit to convict me so quickly of sin because I don’t want to be numb to the thing that put Jesus on the cross. That is why Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Repentance is WONDERFUL. Through repentance, we are cleansed and washed daily; being made more into the image of the Son. One day I asked God, “What do you think of when you look at me?” His answer was, “I see Jesus.” He sees the perfection of His sons and daughters, covered by the blood, when He looks at us. And trust me, He is looking (2 Chronicles 16:9). I encourage you today, in a quiet moment ask God, “What do you think of me?” The answer may shock you.

In just over a week, Uncommon Sports Group will travel to Nairobi, Kenya, with nine members for a ten-day short-term mission trip. Each summer, Uncommon Sports Group offers a fully-funded international trip for its members to experience life, faith, and community outside their normal context. USG members apply for international trips and are selected based on a set of criteria outlined by the USG staff. USG has had the opportunity to serve in Kenya twice before, and we look forward to returning for a third time. This year’s team includes Christian sport industry professionals from various universities and organizations including Overtime Elite, Liberty University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Taylor University, Pro Level Sports Agency, Hofstra University, and George Fox University. In this blog, you will get an inside look into what the group will be doing while in Kenya, as well as learn more about each participant, why they are attending the trip and their prayer requests. What Are We Doing? USG has two main partners in Kenya. The first partner is a Christian church and primary school located in an impoverished community within the city of Nairobi. The school provides a quality and affordable Christian education for students from preschool age until the eighth grade. USG will be serving alongside the school during the first three days of the trip. The USG team will provide various equipment for the school including sports balls (soccer balls, basketballs, footballs, volleyballs), jump ropes, ball pumps, soccer goals, pens, and writing pads. Furthermore, the team will be serving the students through sports camps. The camps allow the students to compete with one another, develop teamwork skills, learn new sports, and practice Christ-centered principles. Following the three days of sports camps, USG will serve alongside the school and the church through a service project and evangelism. The service project will provide a fresh coat of paint on the school and the evangelism will take place in the village surrounding the school and church. The second partner that USG will be serving with is a local pastor and sports minister. Alongside this partner, USG will be hosting a coaches clinic for approximately sixty sports coaches across Kenya and neighboring countries. The clinic will focus on providing practical instruction for the coaches in attendance to help them become Christ-centered leaders for their athletes. During the clinic, the coaches in attendance will hear instructional messages from three USG attendees, including one staff member. The topics that these messages will cover include “The Making of a Successful Christian Coach”, “Effective Evangelism & Discipleship in Sport Ministry”, and “Dealing with Competition in Serving Through Sport.” The final session of the coaches clinic will be focused on team building through an interactive Scripture-based activity. Beyond the important work that the group will be doing alongside USG's partners in Kenya, they will be doing a six-session Bible study together as a team through the book of Galatians. The group must remain grounded in the Word of God while being busy serving during the day! Lastly, the group will have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Kenya by going on a safari at Amboseli National Park! Who Is Attending? USG is grateful to have nine members attending the mission trip to Kenya. Below is a short biography written by each attendee to allow you to get to know each of them better. Each of their biographies will have a prayer request that they have leading up to the trip, and we encourage you to lift those requests to the Lord in prayer! William Bale- Graduate Assistant Equipment Manager at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Hello! My name is William Bale and I am an incoming graduate assistant for equipment room athletics at VCU. I decided to join USG on this trip as an opportunity to serve internationally and grow missionally with fellow believers in sports. Please pray for our Kenya team that we walk unified in being the hands and feet of Jesus! Thank you. Nathan Doremus- Assistant Director of Ticket Operations at Liberty University Hi, my name is Nathan Doremus and I am currently one of the Assistant Directors of Ticket Operations at Liberty University. I am attending this trip to get out of my comfort zone in terms of my faith. I have always walked the walk but many times I haven’t had the words to talk the talk. I think this mission trip will help me get out of my comfort zone in that aspect. I ask for prayers for safety while we are there and during the long travel days. I also ask for prayers to give me the words and courage to touch the hearts of the children of Kenya. Shaaliyah Lyons- Director of Basketball Operations at Hofstra University Hello! My name is Shaaliyah Lyons and I am in my third season as the Director of Basketball Operations at Hofstra University. Throughout my career in sports, I’ve always been passionate about collegiate athletics and player development. In 2018, I had the opportunity to serve in Malawi, and upon my return to the States, I made the change to pursue a more fulfilling purpose. In my role as DOBO, I sought to provide career and professional development opportunities through workshops for student-athletes. I plan to use this opportunity to connect deeper with God and allow Him to work through me while being able to serve and plant seeds in others. My experience in Malawi is embedded into my heart and I would like to give back in the same way in Kenya. My prayer requests are travel, protection, and maturity in the faith. Elijah McKim- IHSAA Basketball Official Hello! My name is Elijah McKim. I am currently working as a basketball official for the IHSAA. I believe this is a chance to push myself and my faith in a new environment that I have never experienced before. Also, I believe that God is calling me to use my talents to serve His Kingdom on this trip! Something that I could use prayer for is energy on this trip as I won’t have much time to rest before leaving. Luke McKnight- Facilities Coordinator at Liberty University Hey! I’m Luke McKnight! I currently work at Liberty University in their Campus Recreation department. My reason for attending this trip is to be able to be a witness for the Lord and have those Gospel conversations with any and all the individuals we run across. It can be hard going to a foreign country with a different language. I’d love to be able to take any learning experiences from this trip and be able to translate it to a lost and broken world that we all live in, whether it’s stateside, or across the world. A prayer request I have for this trip is for every individual on this trip to be intentional with their time, words, and actions because we are going to represent Christ. Jacob Neu- Resident Hall Director at Taylor University I just finished up at LeTourneau University as a Graduate Assistant in Athletic Communications and will transition into a Resident Hall director role at Taylor University this summer. I am so excited for the opportunity to serve in a setting that involves sports. I believe that sports are a great way to break down barriers and share the gospel which is the love of Christ. A prayer request for me is that I will see the opportunities to share the gospel. Natalie Osborne- Doctoral Student at George Fox University & Events Coordinator at MindReady My name is Natalie Osborne and I recently graduated from Grand Canyon University with my B.S. in Performance and Sport Psychology. I am now starting my Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) at George Fox University. I own an athletic consulting company called Authentic Performance and also work as the Events Coordinator for MindReady, a sports psychology coaching company. I had the opportunity to participate in a Disciple Making Team (DMT) with USG last year and it shifted my heart, giving me a new perspective and desire to pray for the lost and serve the nations. When I found out about USG's trip to Kenya, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity to act on the changes the Lord has been making in my heart. I am fully surrendering this trip to the Lord, and know that He will move in the hearts of those we serve and our whole team. One prayer request I have is that we would all be filled and rejuvenated by the Holy Spirit, especially after long days of service, to keep giving our very best to the people of Kenya. I pray that the Lord will guide our conversations by His Spirit and encourage each of us to be bold in sharing our faith. Ezrick Sanders- Pro Football Scout at Pro Level Sports Agency LLC Hello! My name is Ezrick Sanders. I am currently working as a football scout at Pro Level Sports Agency LLC. I have a strong desire to attend this trip to contribute to the fulfillment of the Great Commission and serve alongside a group of like-minded believers! Please pray for my grandparents with their health declining, my mother for strength to care for them, my siblings' mental fortitude, and for God to continue directing my life. Erin Weiss- Uncommon Sports Group Staff Member My name is Erin Weiss. I’m excited to have this unique opportunity to serve the Lord and His people in a different country. I’m looking forward to seeing how God is working and moving in that part of the world. My prayer request is that I would see and love the people of Kenya like Jesus does and to be fully present during our time there. Noah Weiss- Uncommon Sports Group Staff Member My name is Noah Weiss. I’m excited to attend this summer’s trip to Kenya because it will be my second time serving with our partners and leading a group! It is always such a blessing to see how the Lord moves through each participant and uses them to advance the kingdom mission in Kenya. A prayer request from me would be safe travels and physical health throughout our time there! Justin Wrenn- Data Scientist at Overtime Elite Basketball My name is Justin Wrenn, I am a Data Scientist with Overtime Elite in Atlanta, Georgia. I wanted to attend this trip to stretch myself spiritually and have an opportunity to serve in a new place through our common love of sports! Please pray that our team would have a servant's heart toward each other and those we interact with and for the Holy Spirit to move boldly through us. Conclusion USG is grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Lord in Kenya alongside a group of Christ-centered sport industry professionals. A special thank you to every supporter of Uncommon Sports Group, specifically those who have donated to the Clean Out For A Cause funding operation. Without your prayerful and financial support, trips such as there would not be possible! If you are interested in keeping up with USG’s activities in Kenya, be sure to follow our social media pages or subscribe to our newsletter so you can see what we are up to!

“But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” John 16:13 Prayer is actively joining into the already active communion of the Trinity. In prayer, we partake of the connection between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When we “enter” into prayer, we fix our eyes on Jesus. The Holy Spirit is at work in us, upon us, and around us REVEALS JESUS CHRIST TO US! (John 16) How wonderful. We simply come before the throne of grace and ask the precious and powerful Holy Spirit to (by the blood of the Lamb) take us into fellowship WITH GOD. It’s almost as if we were created for this… Often, we can enter into prayer with a laundry list of requests…and that’s not bad at all…But, it surely can be burdensome and a little heavy. Scripture says in Matthew 6:8, “for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” What a relief! When we come before the Lord petitioning for our Mom, Dad, Grandma, cousin, cousin’s friend, and cousin’s friend’s friend, the Lord already KNOWS what we’re in desperate need of (emphasis added). We can turn our eyes to Jesus with rest, praise, and worship, and in all humility, ask the Holy Spirit to help us pray. I love to come before the Lord in a quiet place, behind closed doors (Matthew 6:5), with my Bible and my phone on silent, and wait for His presence to fall. I’ll often play worship music and sing (very off-pitch) to the Lord. There is renewed life found in singing or reading the scriptures out loud. There is power in the tongue. But please don’t just take my word for it. When you don’t know what to say, be still. When you still don’t know what to say, pray the scriptures back to God…and listen and learn to love His language back to you.

The sport industry is naturally competitive. On the field or court, athletes and teams compete fiercely to win the game or match. In the offices and meeting rooms of athletic departments or professional sports teams, the competition level is no different. Professionals working in sports have a desire to “win” in their jobs by receiving promotions, being recognized for their efforts, landing a new job at a premier institution, and so on. For Christians working in the sport industry, this competitive spirit within the workplace can be difficult to navigate. On one hand, it can be a very positive thing to be a competitive person who strives to do their best. On the other hand, a highly competitive spirit can lead to sinful actions such as jealousy and dissension. In this blog, we’ll dive into Scripture to see how Christian sport professionals can overcome comparison and jealousy and instead cultivate unity and love within their workplaces, despite the competitive spirit that is so prevalent in the industry. Working for the Lord Typically, comparison and jealousy arise from an internal desire to please and perform for others. If we desire to gain the approval of bosses or peers, it quickly becomes a self-centered mission to be better than those around us to impress leadership. In Ephesians 6:5-8 and Colossians 3:22-24, Paul commands slaves to obey their masters and to work as if they were serving God, not people. Slavery was common in the ancient world, and Paul encouraged Christian slaves to work hard not to impress their masters but to ultimately do their work for the Lord. Paul’s advice is pivotal in striking a healthy balance between hard work, and the commands for believers to be agents of unity and love. If we are fixated on working for the the Lord, as opposed to working for human masters, then our aim will be to please Him in all that we do, instead of seeking to please man. In this pursuit to work hard for the Lord, our desire will be to align ourselves with His will, which naturally will create a spirit of unity and love within us. The first step in seeking to overcome comparison and jealousy is to work hard for the Lord, not for human masters, which creates room for you to be unified with the people in your workplace and to truly love them as Christ calls us to. A Greater Calling It is natural to have a desire to be competitive, especially in the industry of sport. However, it is important to understand that as Christians we have a calling that supersedes our desire to be competitive. That calling is to be unified with one another as believers, and not allow anything to destroy that unity. In 1 Corinthians 1:10, Paul commands the church in Corinth to be unified with one another. “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” In the context of this verse, Paul was informed that some divisions arose in the church of Corinth about who each member of the church follows. Some said that they followed Paul, others said they followed Cephas, and others said they followed Apollos. Paul addresses these divisions right away in his letter to the church because it is of the utmost importance that the church be unified. This passage directly applies to the topic of competitiveness in the sport industry. While it isn’t necessarily wrong to have a competitive spirit, it is not as valuable to be competitive as it is to be unified. Paul didn’t want the church in Corinth to be in disunity for any reason, but rather commanded them to be perfectly unified in mind and thought. You might be wondering, why is it so important to live in unity? In John 17, Jesus prays his famous prayer for both His disciples and all future believers. In John 17:22-23, Jesus unveils why living in unity is so important. “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me- so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” Jesus’ prayer in these verses reveals to us as believers that the world will know that He was sent by God the Father and that God the Father loves His disciples, even as He has loved His Son, Jesus Christ, by our unity. So, what we learn from this prayer is that our calling to unity is so important because it will reveal to the non-believers around us that Jesus Christ was sent by God and that we are loved by God. Therefore, given our calling in Matthew 28:16-20 to make disciples of all nations, our calling to be unified is directly linked to our calling to make disciples. So, as Christians working in sports, it is vital to understand that your calling to live in unity is so much more important than being competitive. Conclusion In the sport industry, competitiveness is an expectation. Sports are competitive, and whether you play the game or work around the game, it is normal to want to be competitive. However, as Christians, there is a higher calling in our lives than to allow our competitive spirit to lead us to acts of the flesh, including jealousy, disunity, hatred, slander, gossip, etc. In an effort to honor God through our competitiveness, Christians working in sports should live out these two Biblical teachings. The first is to work hard and compete in your role in sports for the Lord, and not for any human master. By doing this, the Christian will seek to please the Lord in all that they do, as opposed to seeking to please people. The second is to live in complete unity, not allowing competition to disunify us from other believers. By doing this, Christians can be witnesses to the truth of Jesus and show non-believers the reality of the gospel message that we so dearly hold to. It is not wrong to be competitive, and certainly, a competitive spirit can help you be successful as a Christian working in sports. However, it is so important to be reminded that we have a higher calling as believers, that should drive us to care less about winning and losing and more about honoring the Lord in all that we do professionally. If you’re unfamiliar with Uncommon Sports Group, its programs, or its ministry, get connected through the form on our home page or check out the Uncommon Podcast. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear from you!

What is your drive to work in the sport industry? Oftentimes for young professionals, selfish ambition is the driving force behind why they want to work in the industry. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, the Director of Digital Engagement with the CAA, Karlie Smith, talks about how Christian young professionals can purify their motives for wanting to work in sports! A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here or learn more about our community.

Earlier this month, Uncommon Sports Group hosted the first-ever NXT Up Coaches panel event alongside the NABC Convention and other Final Four ministry events to equip the next generations of Christ-centered coaches. During the panel discussion, Associate Head Coach at Coastal Carolina University, Jayson Gee, shared a quote that spoke to remaining humble amidst achieving success: “I think our challenge is a word called humility. Easy word to say, hard word to live. Because, in [coaching] you get a lot of pats on the back and you begin to believe that it’s you that is doing all of it. So, what I try to do myself, and model, and encourage those I have influence over is remind them when they say something, ‘isn’t God good?’” A challenge that every Christian working in the sport industry faces is the temptation to rely too heavily on one’s own abilities to achieve success, and to believe that achieving success is done solely by one’s hard work. Simply put, this struggle is a struggle with the sin of pride. In this blog, we will discuss the danger of overconfidence in one’s own abilities and success in a career in sports and how to remain humble and grounded during seasons of success. The Danger of Pride and Overconfidence It is evident throughout all of Scripture that God is in opposition to people who are proud. The Proverbs are riddled with verses that point out the downfalls of living in the sin of pride. Proverbs 16:5 says, “The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.” The Lord does not kindly receive prideful behavior. In Daniel chapter 4, we see an example of God opposing and humbling the proud and successful King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar was the longest reigning king of the Babylonian Empire and is regarded as the greatest king of Babylon. In Daniel’s account, King Nebuchadnezzar received a disturbing dream that he required assistance from Daniel to interpret (Daniel 4:1-27). Daniel interpreted the dream to king Nebuchadnezzar and told him that God had issued a decree against him (Daniel 4:24). King Nebuchadnezzar had become a strong, proud, and powerful king (Daniel 4:22). God’s decree against the king was that he would be driven away from his people, live amongst the animals, and no longer rule as king (Daniel 4:25). It was because of King Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance and pride that God had issued this punishment against him, and it would not be until the King acknowledged the true God and repented of his sin that his kingdom would be restored to him (Daniel 4:26-27). A clear lesson that we can learn from this story is that God opposes the proud, but lifts up the humble (Proverbs 3:34). Like King Nebuchadnezzar, it is tempting to rely on our achievements and to believe that our success is as a result of our own works. The danger of living in a state of pride and overconfidence, as King Nebuchadnezzar was, is that we go against the living God. The Scriptures make it clear that those who are prideful in their actions and success are in opposition to God. In light of this truth and example from Daniel chapter 4, we should be quick to sniff out areas in our lives that are marked by pride. God Honors Humility The sport industry is a place where prideful behavior thrives, and is even encouraged. As an individual achieves more and more success they build a tendency to believe that their success is a result of their own efforts. This mindset breeds selfish behavior and pride. As followers of Christ, we are called to follow a different code when it comes to our earthly success. That uncommon code is to seek to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ through our success, not ourselves. John the Baptist exemplifies this code in John 3:26-30. In John 3:26, the disciples of John the Baptist came to him with a complaint about Jesus. They said that the people were choosing to go to Jesus to be baptized, instead of to John. In John 3:27-30, John the Baptist responds to his disciples: “To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.” Prior to Jesus’ arrival, John was a popular man. Many people were coming to hear him teach and to be baptized by him (Matthew 3:1-12). As Jesus began His earthly ministry, John’s role greatly changed. No longer was John’s ministry the focal point of the people, but rather Jesus was the person of interest. The sport industry glamorizes the limelight. Being well known, working for a recognizable brand, winning championships, it is all seen as the ultimate goal. John the Baptist was given a moment in the limelight. Many people went to him for baptism and spiritual guidance. He could have believed that those results were produced by his own efforts, and sought his own glory. Rather, John knew that his role was not to be the Messiah, but rather to be sent ahead of him to pave the way. He knew that his role was to decrease his own glory, and allow the glory of Christ to increase. In the same way, as Christians working in sports it is important to be reminded that any and all success that is achieved should be in an effort to increase Christ’s renown and glory, not our own. Conclusion The Scottish catechism states that, “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” The code that we are called to as Christians is the code of self-denial. We no longer live for ourselves, but rather we choose to live for the glory of Christ. While the common behavior in the sport industry is to pursue self-glory, the uncommon behavior of the Christian in sports should be to pursue the increase of Christ in all things. Instead of seeking to build an earthly kingdom of our own, as King Nebuchadnezzar did, believers should be seeking to build the kingdom of God with their lives. If you’re unfamiliar with Uncommon Sports Group, its programs, or its ministry, get connected through the form on our home page or check out the Uncommon Podcast. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear from you!

Jay Jacobs spent thirty-nine years working in college athletics and thirteen years in the AD chair at Auburn University. In the summer of 2023, Jay officially retired from college athletics. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Jay talks about his career in college sports, how he reached the heights of being an AD at the Power 5 level, how he integrated his faith into his career, and advice for young professionals just getting their start in the industry. A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here or learn more about our community.

Uncommon Sports Group seeks to develop Christ-centered future leaders of the college and pro sport industry. A large part of how USG develops future leaders of sport is by funding its members to attend conferences, conventions, and events that develop them spiritually and professionally. Earlier this month, USG attended the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Convention in Phoenix, AZ, with a group of ten of its members. The NABC Convention offers aspiring and present college basketball coaches the opportunity to expand their knowledge of the game, develop their skills as coaches, and network with coaches nationwide. Rusty Watson was able to receive funding to attend the convention alongside USG. Rusty is a USG member and a high school basketball coach with aspirations to coach at the college level. Below is a testimony from Rusty reflecting on his experience at the NABC Convention: "Getting to attend the final four [week] with USG is an experience I will forever be thankful for. I am so thankful to Noah and Mikey for leading us and planning everything out. The relationships built during my time there will last a lifetime and go way past basketball. I loved diving into the book of James every day with guys from different backgrounds. It really gives us an opportunity to grow and hear different perspectives. Opening Scripture and asking hard questions really gives us an opportunity to grow personally and as a group. It's refreshing to know there are guys going through some of the same struggles and some guys who have made it through some of the current struggles in the basketball world, and that Scripture brought us all together. It reveals that The Lord is faithful and has a plan for all of us. The community aspect of the trip is my favorite part. Getting coffee together, doing a service project together, eating meals together, and hiking a mountain together really allowed us to grow as brothers and experience a good Godly community. This is a trip I look forward to every year, not just for professional development but for doing life together with fellow believers that are in the basketball world." Seeing how the Lord impacted Rusty and the entire group of future Christ-centered coaches at the 2024 NABC Convention is encouraging! If you're interested in learning more about Uncommon Sports Group and how we can support you as a Christian in the sports industry, click here to contact us or click here to see how you can get involved in our community.

Uncommon Sports Group seeks to develop Christ-centered future leaders of the college and pro sport industry. A large part of how USG develops future leaders of sport is by funding its members to attend conferences, conventions, and events that develop them spiritually and professionally. USG attended the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Convention in Cleveland, OH earlier this month. The WBCA Convention allows current and aspiring women's basketball coaches to connect with peers, learn from the best, recognize coaches who excelled during the season, and grow as coaches. Alexis Uffmann, a USG member and NCAA D1 women's basketball assistant coach, attended the WBCA Convention alongside USG. Below is a testimony from Alexis on her experience at the WBCA Convention: "When I first heard about Uncommon Sports Group, I knew that it sounded like an amazing organization, but I had no idea how much of an impact it would have on my life in one year. The most recent blessing USG provided me with was funding my trip to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Final Four in Cleveland, OH. Without USG, it simply would not have been possible for me to attend this professional development and networking opportunity due to all the expenses. I’m thankful I was able to attend because while I was there, I was able to learn from tenured professionals while reconnecting with old friends in the business and meeting new ones. I was able to meet individuals from across the country who are involved spiritually on campuses nationwide. I had the privilege of meeting the Team Chaplain for the Atlanta Dream at a connections event, and her prayers over all student-athletes were so powerful. It is a prayer that I will continue to pray long after the convention has concluded. I also met an individual who just recently joined USG, but she lives in the city I am about to move to. Because I was staying with Uncommon Sports Group, it also opened a lot of doors to share my positive experience with the organization and about my faith as a whole with individuals whom I had known for a long time but had not had faith-based conversations with before in the workplace. The weekend was truly a gift from The Lord, and I am incredibly thankful to USG and the people who work there. My spiritual life has grown significantly this past year, and I am able to speak boldly in my faith to individuals in the profession, thanks to the confidence and connections USG has blessed me with. Seeing how God used the WBCA Convention to challenge, encourage, and grow Alexis spiritually and professionally was so encouraging! We are grateful to Alexis for her testimony and commitment to serving Christ through the sport industry. If you're interested in learning more about Uncommon Sports Group and how we can support you as a Christian in the sports industry, click here to contact us or click here to see how you can get involved in our community.

During the 2024 NABC Convention in Phoenix, AZ, Uncommon Sports Group hosted a panel titled NXT Up Coaches: Equipping the Next Generations of Christ-Centered Leaders. The panel was hosted by the Director of Media at Sports Spectrum, Jason Romano, and featured an experienced and Christ-centered group of panelists: Leonard Hamilton, Head Coach at Florida State University; Jayson Gee, Associate Head Coach at Coastal Carolina University; Chris Flegler, Director of Basketball Operations at St. Joseph’s University; and Chelsea Mangino, Chief of Staff at Liberty University. In this podcast, you'll be able to listen to the panel discuss some important topics surrounding being a Christian working as a men's college basketball coach, including living on mission for Christ as a coach, having Godly conduct in your coaching style, and more! A new episode of the Uncommon Podcast is released every two weeks. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, right here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. Check out this week's episode, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast to get alerts when new episodes are released! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!