This past weekend, Uncommon Sports Group hosted an Impact Weekend in Phoenix, AZ, for twenty-one USG Academy participants. Each of the attendees spent eight weeks walking through USG’s unique Academy program that provides faith-based and professional development opportunities for the participants as they pursue careers in the sport industry. The Impact Weekend experience is a required in-person opportunity that each Academy participant attends to provide them with a more hands-on development experience, as well as a chance to build Christ-centered relationships within the college and pro sport industry. The weekend officially began on Friday afternoon with a strengths activity in the hotel conference room. During the virtual portion of the USG Academy, participants completed Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment, which gave them insights into their gifts and abilities. The activity allowed the group to get to know each other better by discussing their strengths. After the strengths activity, the group headed to Grand Canyon University for a panel discussion with six different athletic administrators from GCU’s Division 1 athletic department. The panel featured Jamie Boggs, the Vice President of Athletics; Nick Ojea, the Assistant Vice President and Deputy Athletic Director; Anthony Martinez, the Senior Associate Athletic Director of Student Services; Micah Meyer, the Associate Athletic Director of Finance; Al Porteous, the Associate Athletic Director of Media Production; and Jerome Garrison, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development. The panel touched on various topics, including work/life balance, leadership, living out their faith in the industry, their specific career journeys, and advice for our participants. Once the panel session wrapped up, our group received a tour of GCU’s athletic facilities from Micah Meyer! The night wrapped up at PopStroke for a time to socialize with one another over a meal and a friendly round of mini-golf! Saturday morning began with a group Bible study over Acts 2:42-47. The participants studied the Word using the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) method, which provides a simple, effective, and replicable way to read God’s Word. The verses that the participants studied in Acts provide a blueprint for how believers should interact with each other and live out their newfound life in Christ! After our time studying the Word together, the group welcomed Joseph Pun, the Director of Spring Training Business Operations with the Oakland Athletics, to the hotel as the first guest speaker of the day! Joe talked about his unique journey from selling life insurance to working in the MLB, as well as how he incorporates his faith in Christ into his work with the Athletics. It was encouraging for our group to see firsthand what it looks like to live out your faith as a professional in the sport industry. The next stop for our group was the Footprint Center, the home of the Phoenix Suns, for a tour of the building! Our tour guides, Luke Unverferth, and Kyle Gaspari, work full-time with the Suns and are present USG members. Luke is presently the Account Executive of Business Development, and Kyle is the Account Executive of Membership Experience. The tour included an up close and personal look at the arena's suites and gameday fan activities, as well as a chance to take a group photo on the court! After the tour, Luke and Kyle were gracious enough to share their career and faith stories with our group, as well as fielding questions. It is extra special to hear from Luke and Kyle because they are directly involved with USG and are present Christ-centered leaders within the sport industry. Following our time at the Footprint Center and lunch in the city, the group headed to the Tempe area for an outreach activity. The activity began with a short training exercise led by Suraj Thomas, who does ministry locally in Phoenix. After Suraj’s training, our group was sent out to two local malls in the Tempe area to share the gospel and pray for people in need. One of our core values at Uncommon Sports Group is living “called” to the Great Commission, which includes sharing the gospel and discipling unbelievers. The outreach activity provided our attendees with hands-on experience in living out the Great Commission and gave them the tools to replicate it back in their home communities. The night wrapped up with dinner at the hotel and a short commissioning exercise that covered the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-23. The commissioning message encouraged the group not to allow the Word to be trampled by the things of the world but rather that they would produce a crop (Matthew 13:23). Sunday was the final day of the Impact Weekend, and our group was able to attend church locally at Fixate PHX. Another core value we have at Uncommon Sports Group is living “connected,” and the best way to do that is to be connected to a local church body! Attending a local church during the weekend emphasizes the importance of the community and discipleship that the church can provide. Each participant is officially a member of Uncommon Sports Group because of their completion of the Impact Weekend, and we’re encouraged by the ways that God grew each individual over the course of the weekend. We’re incredibly appreciative of our Clean Out For A Cause donors for their generosity and for making events like these possible. As we send these new USG members out, we’re confident they are prepared and equipped to be Christ-centered leaders within the college and pro sport industry. Learn more about the USG Academy, Impact Weekends, or membership! If you have any questions, contact a USG staff member here!

Working in the sport industry provides a plethora of opportunities to make an impact on people. It is an industry that offers a chance to serve and interact with people daily. At this past summer's Christian Working in Sports (CWS) Conference, attendees were blessed with an opportunity to hear from well-renowned author and keynote speaker, Jon Gordon. During his message at the conference, Jon spoke about living a life that loves others, serves others, and cares for others. In this podcast, you will be able to hear Jon's message and learn how to use your platform in sports as an opportunity to love, serve, and care. 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! The Christians Working in Sports (CWS) Conference is an annual conference hosted in Minneapolis, MN, that aims to connect, encourage, and equip Christians working in the college and pro sport industry. Register for the 2024 CWS Conference or learn more here. Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Every Christian reading this would agree that the teachings of Jesus are difficult to understand. His wisdom, being the God of Creation, is far beyond our own understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9). In this blog series, we will unpack some of the most difficult teachings from Jesus, which come from Matthew 5-7 in the illustrious Sermon on the Mount. Each blog will touch on a different teaching from Jesus within His most famous sermon, in an effort to help you apply His teachings to your life as a Christian working in the sport industry. In our fifth blog of the Sermon on the Mount series, we’ll help you better understand and apply Jesus’ teachings on how we should act towards our enemies in Matthew 5:38-48. The Law of Retribution In Exodus 21:24, the law of Moses commands retribution in the case of a serious injury, stating that, “You are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” In Matthew 5:38-39 Jesus brings about a greater truth behind this Old Testament law, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” The question that obviously arises is, “Did Jesus teach against the law?” Of course not. Similarly to Jesus’ teachings on the laws of murder, adultery, and oaths, He is taking a law that has been abused by the people and teachers of Israel and putting it to its proper use. He is not removing the law of retribution but bringing to light God’s desire for the law. Jesus teaches a radically different approach to being treated wrongly by an evil person. Instead of seeking revenge or equal retribution, He commands that we should not resist the evil done against us but instead patiently bear the insult or harm. It is important to note that Jesus is not commanding that we should never resist evil actions. But, it does command us to bear with the offenses and insults that may come our way without seeking retribution. Furthermore, Jesus commands us not only to avoid seeking retribution but to give to those who seek to harm us radically. In Matthew 5:40-42 He says, “And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” This is a very challenging teaching for our Lord, and even more so for those listening to Him teach this principle. In the Mosaic law, someone's outer cloak could not be taken from them, and if it was, it had to be returned by sunset (Exodus 22:26 & Deuteronomy 24:13). So, why would it seem that once again, Jesus is teaching against the law of Moses? Jesus is not opposing His own law, but instead, He is teaching that evil should not be overcome with evil but rather with the choice to love. Paul commands something similar in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” If someone seeks to steal, provide them with more than they need. If someone asks you to serve them, go the extra mile. If someone asks anything of you, do not turn them away but give what they ask for. Jesus gives us a blueprint for living in a way that reflects His own character and the character of God the Father. In His earthly ministry, Jesus was unjustly called many offensive names, such as a glutton and a drunkard (Matthew 11:18-19), and did not retaliate. When He was unjustly taken to the cross, He did not seek retribution for the false accusations but instead remained quiet (Matthew 26:62-63). In this same way, we should seek to serve our enemies and give to those who seek harm against us. Love Your Enemies In our modern culture, it is seen as acceptable and strong to hate your enemies. We see people calling out their “haters” and “cutting people off.” It is an unfortunate cultural norm to hate those who seemingly oppose you. In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus teaches how we should approach our enemies. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Jesus continues with His theme of teaching the proper meaning of the Old Testament laws. In Leviticus 19:18, the law teaches Israel to love their neighbor. However, the teachers in Jesus’ day added another layer to the command which was to hate your enemy. But Jesus teaches something so radical and counter to that line of thinking. Not only should we love our neighbor, but we should pray for those who seek to persecute us. For the Jews in attendance for this teaching, they had to be in shock. The Roman Empire occupied Israel and was considered a great enemy to the Jewish people. The commonly held belief by the Jewish people was that their Messiah would upend the Roman occupation and reestablish Israel’s political power in the ancient world. He was to be a war hero who dominated the enemies surrounding Israel. So, when Jesus taught that they were to love their enemies and pray for them, they had to be at a loss. Is this really the Messiah? Furthermore, Jesus teaches that choosing to love your enemies is a way to exemplify God the Father. In loving our enemies, we act in accordance with our God. He causes the sun and rain to fall on those who are His enemies, the unrighteous of the world. By loving our enemies, we show others the character and nature of God. Jesus also reminds us that it is easy and expected that we would love those who love us or greet people we are cordial with. There is no reward for doing such things because it is easy for any person to do them. Lastly, Jesus closes with an impossible task: be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. If we could truly obey these commands from Jesus, we could be perfect, as God is holy and perfect. However, the reality throughout Scripture is that man cannot be perfect, but rather is fallen in nature and unable to live in perfect obedience to God’s commands (Romans 3:23). So, why would Jesus command us to do something that is not possible? In teaching this, Jesus reveals two realities. The first is that we cannot be perfect, and the standard that is set is too impossible to achieve. The second is that if we are to be made perfect in His sight, we need to trust in His finished work on the cross for the forgiveness of our sin, which establishes a right relationship between us and God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Conclusion Jesus’ teachings are challenging because they go against our broken human nature. This is why Jesus teaches Nicodemus in John 3:5-7 that to enter the kingdom of God, a person must be born again. In our natural fleshly tendencies, we are not able to have a right relationship with God because of our sins, and we are unable to please God because of our sins. However, if we are born again by the Holy Spirit of God, then we are not only forgiven of our sins but are given the power to live according to the Spirit, as opposed to our flesh. Let that be your encouragement today that by the strength God has given you through Christ and the Holy Spirit, we can live in obedience to His will for our 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!

One of the most challenging questions I’ve reflected upon lately has been, “Do you enjoy God?” It says in Acts 2:43 that the early church was “filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.” And then later in Acts 3:10, in response to the lame beggar being healed by God, it says the onlookers were “filled with wonder and amazement.” There is no doubt that they enjoyed God. When was the last time you were in awe of someone or something? I think about the first time I saw the Grand Canyon or when I was working my first internship with the Arizona Cardinals. I was up close witnessing these NFL players' incredible strength, size, and athleticism. Now, when was the last time you were in awe of God or filled with wonder and amazement at what He has done? Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. An exercise I have found to be helpful when reflecting upon this question is to consider my faith through these 3 categories. Know God Enjoy God Glorify God Know(ing) God means knowing the truth. Not our feelings, but to know what God has revealed in His Word. Enjoy God means to delight in God. To be in awe of Him. And then Glorify(ing) God being the more ‘action-oriented’ step for the sake of this exercise. Please know that this is not intended to be some perfect framework for saving or growing as a Christian. Its primary intent is to highlight how challenging it can sometimes be to simply enjoy God. And the most challenging thing about this exercise is that it places “glorifying God” at the end. If you’re like me, it is oftentimes much easier to understand what it means to glorify God. We can often connect glorifying God with activity for God. And we love to rush to the ‘doing.’ At USG, we come alongside hundreds of future leaders of the college and pro sports industry to help them grow spiritually and professionally. One of the ways we help individuals grow professionally is by walking them through Gallup Strengths Finder. Every time we do this, we see consistently time and time again that ‘Achiever’ is a top strength for the majority of our participants. Achiever is one of my top strengths, and I’m guessing that even if achiever is not high on yours as well, you understand the drive to achieve. Achiever can, of course, be a great strength. It's a really good thing, but when it comes to our faith, it can sometimes make it easy for us to rush past knowing God and enjoying God. I’d submit to you that it’s actually impossible to GLORIFY God without first KNOWING God and ENJOYING God. Our drive to “achieve” great things for God is in vain if it’s not rooted in knowledge of the truth and genuine delight in God. I have heard it said that “transformation into God’s image is not born out of obligation, but is born out of fascination.” While the primary question I have posed at the beginning is “Do you enjoy God?”, it is essential to remember that we should not rush past the first category I mentioned - “Know God." Knowledge does not guarantee holiness, but growing in our faith and relationship with God does require knowledge. In Acts 2:42, it’s made clear that the apostles were, first and foremost, devoted to the apostles' teaching. Their enjoyment of God was rooted in truth. Paul has this to say about the Jews in Romans 10:2: “ ... they have a zeal for God, but it does not accord with knowledge." Our zeal and enjoyment of God must always be rooted in truth. John Piper has a well-known phrase explaining, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” So, how do we enjoy God? Again, in Acts 2:43, it says that “everyone was filled with awe.” One Pastor described this as a joyful, trembling sense of awe that you don't mess with the God of the apostles. All too often, though, this doesn’t seem to be how we view God. It’s much more common to see God as some tradition Who is no longer relevant or as just a slightly better version of ourselves. It can be uncommon to see God as the fearsome, all-powerful REALITY that He is. John Piper explains, “The absence of this fear has a direct effect on the way we accumulate possessions for ourselves, the way we ignore the needy, the way we trivialize fellowship, and the way we play more than we pray.” Here are just a few ways God has helped me grow in my awe and enjoyment of Him. Many Christians are already familiar with all of these things, but I pray that our familiarity doesn’t make us rush past being in awe. 1. Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies. Prophecies are messages from God, oftentimes concerning what will happen in the future. The passages below are some of many other passages in scripture explaining how Jesus fulfilled these prophecies. Acts 3:18 (NIV) "18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer." Luke 24: 27, 44 (NIV) "27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. … 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies during His 33 short years on earth. Including how He would: defeat Satan - Genesis 3:15 be rejected - Psalm 118:22-23 Be hated without a cause - Psalm 69:4 resurrect - Psalm 49:15 be born of a virgin - Isaiah 7:14 be born in Bethlehem - Micah 5:2 buried in a wealthy man’s tomb - Isaiah 53:9 resurrect from the dead - Psalm 16:8-11 Mathematics & Astronomy Professor Peter W. Stoner has made the statement that the chances of just 8 prophecies like these coming true by sheer chance is 1 in 1017 (100,000,000,000,000,000). That would be equivalent to covering the whole state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and expecting a blindfolded man to walk across the state and, on the first try, find the ONE coin you marked. A 2nd item that I think can help us grow in AWE of God and ENJOY God is: 2. His Grandness A few specific attributes of God that can be helpful in understanding just how GRAND and BIG God is are his omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence. Omnipotent God has complete and total control over everything. This includes the seemingly small things like the falling of a sparrow or the number of hairs that grow on your head (Matt 6:26-30, 10:29-30). And even the events that we think are random are really God at work (Prov 16:33). It also includes the big things as He spoke our world into existence (Genesis 1) and has universal control over everything (Rom 8:28, Eph 1:11) And, of course, most significantly, He is able to save sinners (Eph 2:8-10). He is the all-powerful One Who rescued us when we were dead in our trespasses and granted us eternal life. Omniscient God’s power is always used by Him perfectly because He is OMNISCIENT. This means God is ALL-KNOWING. Nothing ever catches God by surprise or happens without His awareness. He is the One who knows all things and is the ultimate standard of what is true. This knowledge includes the personal details of each one of us. Psalm 139 explains how God knew us when he formed us in our mother’s womb and knows every day of our lives before we are even born. Omnipresent John Frame of the Gospel Coalition explains that: God’s “omnipresence is a presence both in place and in time. Psalm 139 indicates that God is present in every place. He is the creator of the heavens and the earth, and so he is in every location. He is also the creator of time,2 the one without beginning or end. So he has been present in the world since its creation, and there will never be a time from which he is absent.” The final item I’d like to challenge us to reflect upon to help us grow in our awe and enjoyment of God is: 3) His Goodness. AW Tozer says, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What are the very first words that come into your mind when you think about God? One of our biggest and most important battles as Christians is to correct our negative and inaccurate thoughts about God. Our feelings and our experiences can so easily lead us astray in thinking unsoundly about God. When we think about people with a lot of power, it’s easy to start seeing God as just another high-in-the-sky ruler who is waiting for us to screw up so He can strike us down. In Exodus 34:6, God describes Himself for the very first time. What He says is incredible. The words He uses when he first talks about who He is are: merciful slow to anger gracious and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Later in the New Testament, Matthew 11:28-30, the all-powerful Creator God describes Himself as “gentle and lowly.” Is this how you think about God? If not, you actually have an inaccurate thought and understanding of who God truly is and His goodness. Again, not based upon your experiences, feelings, or what others may have communicated to you, but in regards to what He has communicated throughout Scripture. And what He has revealed about Who He is through His word and His time here on earth 2,000 years ago. And, of course, the biggest item that reveals God’s goodness is His desire and design for a relationship with us. Many Christians know this to be true, but many can mistakenly believe that God desires this relationship so that He can get something from us. God, however, doesn’t desire for us to live in debt to Him but to be indwelled by Him. So many of us can get caught up in thinking that we were created just do good things for God. We think that we must do this in order to please God and to help Him. As if Jesus is just some business person who gave up His life to try and get something in return from us. Or as if the all-powerful God of Creation is in need of anything from us. David Platt has summarized this well by sharing, “Jesus is not a businessman looking to do a business deal with you. Jesus died for a meaningful relationship with you, not a monotonous religious motion from you. This is not Christianity. But so many are settling for it like it is. It is not.” Jesus’ final words on the cross recorded in John 19:30 are, “It is finished.” The single Greek word Jesus used here was also used on tax receipts to indicate “paid in full.” There’s nothing additional for us to pay. Jesus saved us not to do great things for Him but to do great things with Him. The final words in the Gospel of Mark are, “And they went out and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.” (Mark 16:20, emphasis added). Returning to our passage in Acts, it is made clear who is doing the work. “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” - Acts 2:47 We have the privilege of living on mission WITH the ONE who spoke this world into existence. He is with us. This alone should cause us to be in awe and to truly ENJOY God. My prayer for all of us is that we truly enjoy God and never stop being in awe of the reality that He fulfilled over 300 prophecies, of how grand He is, and how good He is. I am confident that if we can go forth “enjoying” God based on “knowing” Him in truth, we too can be part of the “glorifying” that is described in Acts 2:47.

If you missed this past summer's Christians Working in Sports (CWS) Conference, this is your chance to hear the messages from our lineup of speakers! In this podcast episode, you can hear the opening message from the conference given by Baltimore Ravens chaplain Johnny Shelton. In his message, Johnny discusses the purpose of the conference and bringing together Christians working in sports. 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! The Christians Working in Sports (CWS) Conference is an annual conference hosted in Minneapolis, MN, that aims to connect, encourage, and equip Christians working in the college and pro sport industry. Register for the 2024 CWS Conference or learn more here. Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

It is difficult to see the positive effects that a season of adversity can have while you are in the storm. However, oftentimes adversity can be a major catalyst for genuine change in our lives. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, USG member and Covenant College Women's Basketball Head Coach, Kyle Yost, discusses his Mormon upbringing and a particularly challenging season of life that he recently endured. 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! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Have you ever wondered if all of the world's religions can be true at the same time? This is an important question to answer, especially for Christians because we are bound to the words of Jesus in John 14:6. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Christian apologist, author, and philosophy professor, Dr. Douglas Groothuis, helps listeners answer that question by breaking down the core differences between the major world religions and why he has confidence that Christianity is the ultimate truth. 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! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

It is easy to say that we trust God, but much more challenging to actually live a life that exemplifies a genuine trust in the Lord. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, the VP of Athletics at California Baptist University, Dr. Micah Parker, shares practical advice on how to truly trust God in both your personal life and your career in the sport industry. 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! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Every Christian reading this would agree that the teachings of Jesus are difficult to understand. His wisdom, being the God of Creation, is far beyond our own understanding (Isaiah 55:8-9). In this blog series, we will unpack some of the most difficult teachings from Jesus, which come from Matthew 5-7 in the illustrious Sermon on the Mount. Each blog will touch on a different teaching from Jesus within His most famous sermon in an effort to help you apply His teachings to your life as a Christian working in the sport industry. In our fourth blog of the Sermon on the Mount series, we’ll help you better understand and apply Jesus’ teachings on Old Testament law, specifically murder, adultery, divorce, and oaths (Matthew 5:21-37). You Shall Not Murder In Exodus 20:13, this command is given by God to His people, Israel, “You shall not murder.” Seems simple, right? Just don’t kill anyone. However, the true intention of God’s command to not murder had been lost. The typical approach to this law in Jesus’ day, and if we’re honest, even in our day, was to avoid the physical act of murder. If we don’t actually kill someone, then we’re good to go! However, Jesus Himself clarifies that the law goes beyond just the physical act in Matthew 5:21-26. “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First, go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary might hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” It is important to understand why Jesus elaborates on a seemingly simple law. The common emphasis, as mentioned above, on practicing this law was to avoid the physical act of murder. But, the more important matter to Jesus is the condition of our hearts, and it is possible to commit murder in our hearts without doing it physically. There are three main things that Jesus emphasizes on the command to not commit murder. The first is that murder itself can occur in the heart when we choose to harbor anger against another person. This can show itself in the form of internal emotion, attacking someone’s intelligence (Raca is an Aramaic term that is roughly translated as nitwit or blockhead), or attacking someone’s character (calling someone a fool shows contempt for their character). The second point of emphasis that Jesus makes in these verses is that it is more important to reconcile a broken relationship and forgive than to perform a religious duty. We cannot think that our service to God erases or justifies our unwillingness to forgive a brother or sister. Finally, Jesus commands that we should strive to settle matters with our adversaries as quickly as possible. The apostle Paul states something very similar in Ephesians 4:26-27, “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” If we let our anger or unforgiveness simmer for too long, we may imprison ourselves with those feelings, as the Scripture states. It is important also to note that Jesus does not skip the fine print in this passage. In verses 22 and 26, He mentions the result of committing the sin of murder in our hearts: eternal suffering and separation from God, which is the just punishment for our sin. This is a harsh reminder that sin cannot be taken lightly in any form. You Shall Not Commit Adultery Similar to His previous teaching on murder, Jesus brings to light the true meaning of the command from God found in Exodus 20:14, “You shall not commit adultery.” The physical act of adultery is an obviously immoral practice, and this law obviously commands that it should not be practiced. However, in Matthew 5:27-30, Jesus reveals that adultery is more than just a physical act. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Jesus raises the bar on what defines the sin of adultery. In verse 28, He states that even looking with your eyes at a man or woman lustfully is considered committing adultery with him or her in your heart. It isn’t just the act of adultery that is sinful; it is sinful to even consider in your thoughts committing adultery or lusting after someone. In a world that is filled with many temptations to lust, this command from Jesus pushes us to seek Him for mercy and forgiveness, as well as a desire to obey. In verses 29-30, Jesus gives quite an alarming command: if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out, and if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. If Jesus is being literal, then each and every one of us would be blind and maimed. However, rather than being a literal command, these words from Jesus give the reader powerful imagery of how seriously we should take the sin in our lives. If we find ourselves sinning, we need to be willing to make sacrifices to lessen the temptation or eliminate the possibility of committing the sin entirely. Finally, it is crucial to highlight Jesus’ emphasis on hell once again in verses 29-30. Why is He making it a point to say that the punishment for these sins is hell? Anyone who genuinely loves you is prepared to warn you of the consequences. Jesus, in His love, makes the consequences of sin very clear throughout His ministry, and especially in these verses. Divorce Once more, Jesus provides the true meaning behind the law of divorce. In Deuteronomy 24:1, the Mosaic law allows for divorce to happen on the grounds of a man finding something displeasing or indecent about his wife. This law was abused to the point that some rabbis taught that a man could divorce his wife if she burnt his breakfast. Jesus, knowing the hearts of man, teaches how God intended for divorce to be handled in Matthew 5:31-32. “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her a victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” According to an article in Forbes, Evangelical Protestants have the highest divorce rate of any religious group, at nearly 14% of the 55% of the married population within the group. This is an alarming statistic, especially among a group that claims to know and follow Jesus. In this teaching, Jesus reminds us that the only viable grounds for divorce are when a partner commits sexual immorality. Otherwise, divorce results in the sin of adultery for the woman who remarries and for the man who marries the divorced woman, or vice versa. Oaths In Exodus 20:7, God commands His people to not misuse His name. This command would include not using God’s name as something to swear an oath by. However, similar to the previous commands, the teachers of the day often taught that as long as an oath was not made in the name of God, it was acceptable. Jesus once again clarifies the meaning of this command in Matthew 5:33-37. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” First, it is important to understand that Jesus is not condemning all oaths. This would be a misguided interpretation because oaths are permissible under certain circumstances as long as they are not used as a cover-up for deception or false testimony. This is corroborated by Scripture, as even God makes oaths in various parts of the Bible (Hebrews 6:13 and Luke 1:73). In verse 34, Jesus makes the statement that not only should people not make an oath in God’s name, but they should not make an oath in the name of anything. The reason for this is simple: no matter what we swear by, we are held accountable to honor our oaths. Therefore, Jesus commands us in verse 36 to simply say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ because our words should carry such a weight of honesty and truthfulness that oaths are not required. Conclusion Jesus has two primary purposes in His teachings on murder, adultery, divorce, and oaths. The first is to reveal the unethical and inaccurate interpretations of God’s law and shed light on how God intended His commands to be followed. Secondly, these teachings from Jesus reveal the depth of the sinfulness of man and the impossibility of keeping the commandments to the standard God has set (Romans 3:23). In that, we should find encouragement that God’s grace is sufficient in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) and provides us with the strength to live out His commands as disciples of His Son, Jesus Christ. 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!

There are few things more valuable in the Christian life than having a community of believers you are connected with. However, with the busy schedules and transient nature of the sport industry, it can be challenging to find strong faith-based community. In this podcast, you will be able to listen to a panel session from this past summer's Christians Working in Sports (CWS) Conference that covers the topic of the significance of community in the sport industry. The panel was hosted by the Director of Media at Sports Spectrum, Jason Romano, and featured three sport industry professionals who shared their insights on the subject: Amilyn Pierce, V.P of Government Affairs with the Arizona Diamondbacks; Jay Jacobs, former college athletics administrator; and Tru Pettigrew, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. 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! The Christians Working in Sports (CWS) Conference is an annual conference hosted in Minneapolis, MN, that aims to connect, encourage, and equip Christians working in the college and pro sport industry. Register for the 2024 CWS Conference or learn more here. Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!

Uncommon Sports Group believes that building local relationships is essential to healthy communities. Today, USG's Director of Operations, Zac Colburn, provides his thanks and reflections for one of our most valuable local partnerships: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. "Cristo Rey Jesuit High School delivers a career-focused, college-preparatory education in the Catholic tradition for students with limited economic resources, uniquely integrating rigorous academic curricula with four years of professional work experience and support to and through college." (cristoreytc.org, 2023) USG and Cristo Rey have been partners since 2016 and have hosted many student workers in our operations team who process items donated to USG by our Clean Out for a Cause program. Mr. Colburn shares more of his thoughts below: Uncommon Sports Group has many partners to thank and who have helped us grow to support our impact on youth and leaders in the college and professional sport industry. One of our most enjoyable and helpful relationships has been with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. Our organization fosters students seeking high-quality job experience in a safe, faith-based culture. We aim to teach these student volunteers about reliability, accountability, and consistency in a real-life work environment. This partnership continues to be a tremendous blessing for USG and Cristo Rey. Uncommon Sports Group has received outstanding support from well-educated, purpose-driven students and staff. At the same time, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School has found a trusted, thoughtful, and caring place for many students to enjoy learning about working in a successful business. The relationship has been active since 2016 and has been nothing less than a continuing success story. The help of intelligent and capable students has brought significant value to our organization. They have also created bonds of friendships that continue to flourish. Many past students stay connected to Uncommon Sports Group through social media even after graduation. It's a remarkable gift that God has orchestrated for both organizations. Thinking of the growth we've seen together reminds me of a quote attributed to St. Ignatius and St. Augustine: "Pray as though everything depended on God and work as though everything depended on you." We are grateful to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and its active Christian community in Minneapolis. We share our experience with leaders and youth, which fits perfectly with Uncommon Sports Group's purpose and mission. Thank you so much, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, for your partnership and for transforming the lives of young leaders, teaching, and guiding with faith. Our partnership is undoubtedly uncommon and continues to be inspirational. Thank you, Zac, for sharing your thoughts! This is one of many examples of the impact of USG's Clean Out for a Cause program and the value of local, aligned, and faithful partners. For more information on Cristo Rey and their academic programs, visit their website at www.cristoreytc.org. If you have questions or would like to connect with Uncommon Sports Group, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Citations and References: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. (2023, September 20th). About. Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, cristoreytc.org

It is clear in the New Testament Scriptures that we as Christians are called to live with an eternal mindset. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:18, "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Despite knowing that this is true, it can be difficult to know how to live with an eternal mindset. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Noah talks through five ways that can help you live with an eternal mindset. 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! Curious about Uncommon Sports Group and what our ministry has to offer? Contact us to learn more here! Do you want to join the largest community of future Christian leaders of the college and pro sport industry? Apply to join here!