When Hans Malebranche heard the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was in the midst of a sales meeting. Years later, Hans faithfully follows Jesus as he serves in college athletics as an administrator. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Hans shares his powerful and unlikely testimony that forever changed the trajectory of his life. 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 follow 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!

Jesus is the worst salesman in history. Salesmen are naturally a little sneaky, and tell a lie or two to get you hooked on what they’re trying to sell. Jesus, on the other hand, didn’t refrain from being brutally honest- sharing the full truth, and nothing but the truth. The truth of the matter is that Jesus wasn’t trying to sell anything. He was letting us know what it would cost to follow Him, and it would be up to us if we wanted to get on the bandwagon. This is what I love about Jesus. He’s honest. He admits that it won’t be easy. He admits that we will face trouble in this world. He admits that we need Him. In this blog, I want to share why Jesus’ price of admission isn’t cheap, but it costs us everything. Jesus’ Cost The gift of salvation is exactly that, a gift. It is one hundred percent free. We are saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8). However, the price of following Jesus is much more costly. Don’t believe me? Jesus said it himself. In Luke 18, Jesus is approached by a certain ruler who asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him the basic commandments of the law, and the ruler replies by saying “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” Jesus replies again by saying, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” The ruler heard this and became sad, because he was wealthy. We read this story and are baffled as to why this ruler wasn’t willing to lay it all down to follow the King of Kings. But, we are forgetting that humans desire comfort more than we would like to admit. We strive and seek comfort and ease in our lives. This ruler had it all. He was comfortable and wealthy and giving up his wealth meant forfeiting that comfort. Following Jesus isn’t comfortable, and we can’t expect comfortable lives when we choose to follow Christ. Jesus elaborates further on the cost of choosing to follow Him earlier in Luke’s gospel: “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters- yes, even their own life- such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”- Luke 14:25-27 The first thing to note about this passage is that Jesus is not, and I repeat is not, commanding us to hate our families. Jesus often used hyperbole to get his point across. Remember when he advised that we should gouge our eyes out if they cause us to stumble (Matthew 5:29)? We can’t always take what Jesus is saying literally. Instead, Jesus uses the word “hate” in this context to emphasize the fact that if we are to commit our lives to Him, we must be ready and able to leave behind family and comfortable living. Many Muslim families take their religion very seriously, and if a Muslim decided that he/she was going to follow Jesus and deny the pillars of Islam, that person would possibly be cut off from their family. That is quite the price to pay in order to follow Jesus, but what is so amazing about Jesus is that He tells us the cost upfront, no gimmicks. The second part of this passage is when Jesus gets real. He commands us to carry our own cross and follow Him. Notice that He doesn’t say “carry your duffle bag full of one hundred dollar bills”. A cross is a torture device, the same one that Jesus hung on. What Jesus is saying by commanding us to carry our cross is that we need to be ready to face hardship, and even death, for choosing to walk faithfully with Him. The question we need to ask ourselves is are we ready to face such suffering? Jesus’ Followers One of the more interesting passages of Scripture is Acts 9:16, in which Jesus says this to Ananias: “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” Jesus is talking about Paul, formerly Saul, whom He had just appeared to on the Damascus road. Jesus wasn’t going to shower Paul with blessings, but rather was going to show Him the suffering he would endure for following Him. In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul says this: “...I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”- 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 It is true that Paul suffered greatly in the name of Jesus. During his second imprisonment, Roman emperor Nero ordered that Paul be beheaded. Paul lived a life of suffering, but for a purpose far greater than the temporal pleasures of comfort and riches. The Lord Jesus used Paul’s miraculous conversion from persecutor to believer and His ministry efforts to influence thousands, if not millions of Christians, to pursue a relationship with Christ. That is worth dying for. Paul was not the only first century follower of Christ to face intense suffering and persecution for his faith in Christ. In AD 66, the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down on a cross, at his own request because he did not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. Andrew, Peter’s brother, preached the gospel in present day Russia, Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, and Greece, where he was crucified. The disciple Thomas was killed when he was pierced by the spears of four soldiers in Syria. Philip preached the gospel in North Africa and Asia Minor, where he converted a Roman proconsul's wife to faith. He was killed by the proconsul. Jesus wasn’t kidding when He stated that His followers must carry their cross, and we are not exempt from that reality. Why Pay the Price? There are a lot of “fans” of Jesus, but a whole lot less are actually His followers. Fans enjoy Jesus and respect Him, but they aren’t quite ready to give up the comfort and ease of life to follow Him. Fans are a lot like the rich ruler from Luke 18. He was a fan of Jesus and was curious of how he could have eternal life, but when the rubber met the road, he wasn’t willing to lay it all on the line. Jesus’ earliest followers, on the other hand, were more than ready to lay it on the line. They left comfort, ease, riches, family, and friends behind to preach the gospel of their Lord Jesus Christ and ended up paying a high price for that choice. But, what benefit is there to laying everything down to follow Jesus? This is the question that we must understand and we must hold fast to the answer. The reality of life is this: Christian or not, you will face hardship, challenges, and eventually, death. Why not have Jesus on your side? Yes, you may have to give up the temporary comforts of this world or your fleshly desires, but a relationship with Christ is far more valuable. Jesus answers the fundamental questions of life, the ones that matter. Who am I? I am a Child of God (John 1:12). Why am I here? Because we have a commission to share the good news of God’s grace to all through Christ Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20). What is life all about? Bringing glory and honor to God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Do I have value? Through Christ Jesus, we have immense value (Romans 5:8). These questions provide hope that life is not merely limited to pleasure and experience, but that it finds its ultimate purpose and fulfillment in our Creator God. This is why we have joy, the same joy that Jesus said would be given unto His disciples (John 15:11). Let’s talk about your value. The truth of the matter is, if God doesn't exist, then you are just as valuable as a rock. You are nothing more than an accident of nature. But, what value do we have in Jesus? You know how valuable something is by what you are willing to pay for it. Jesus paid an immeasurable price at the cross, to bring you and I back to the Father. We can know that we have an immeasurable value because of the price that God was willing to pay to bring us back to Him. Jesus said it Himself in Matthew 10:31, “So don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.” Conclusion I will never forget Saturday afternoons in the fall at Notre Dame stadium as a kid. Nothing, and I mean nothing, beat sitting on the cold bench with my Dad to watch the Irish. Despite the steep cost of admission, my Dad would always take my brother and I to a game. Similar to overpriced football tickets, Jesus asks His followers to pay a costly price. The disciples lost their families, their friends, and often their lives. The Christian life isn’t about “blessings”. God’s greatest blessing is inviting us to follow Him, to serve Him, to love Him, to glorify Him. It will cost us, but through Jesus’ death on the cross, we find our purpose for being alive and our value, which is immeasurable. Is Jesus worth the price of admission? Without question.

Welcome, once again, to our Managers on a Mission Throwback Blog series! Uncommon Sports Group was once known as Managers on a Mission and provided student managers the opportunity to participate in domestic service projects and international mission trips. Adam Short attended our 2017 Mission Trip to Rafiki Villiage outside Jos, Nigeria. He shared what he learned about the Lord's forgiveness. Read more to learn more about how the Lord worked in Adam's life and the lives of the rest of the team. As I nervously prepared for my first day of teaching Principle #3, “Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender”, at the Rafiki Village outside of Jos, Nigeria, I came to a stark realization. The reason I was nervous had nothing to do with bringing glory to God or positively impacting the children and teenagers at Rafiki. It had everything to do with my own ego and insecurities. Here I was preparing to discuss the differences between walking in the spirit and walking in the flesh, and I was totally consumed with my own flesh. I was nervous because I wanted the kids, who at this point we had already grown quite close with, to think I was intelligent and cool and even, at some level, to think I was the best teacher out of our group. It was at this point that I kneeled on the floor, literally put my face on the concrete floor of my bedroom in our guest house, and, with tears in my eyes, prayed to the Father, asking for forgiveness for the sin in my heart and the insecurity that was dwelling inside me. The message of “Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender was an incredible lesson, but it would fall totally flat if coming from me. It would mean absolutely nothing if it came from the sinful heart of this man. It could only hold value if it came from the Holy Spirit, who is living inside any follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit was with me as I led our principal that day and the lessons of Holy Sweat/Wholly Surrender seemed to have a lasting effect on the students as God used this sinful man to teach about disciplining ourselves in the relentless pursuit to walk with Christ. That lesson, this realization that Christ put in my life that morning, changed my entire experience in Nigeria and has stuck with me as I’ve come back to my life in Ohio. I wish I could write about every experience I had at Rafiki over the two weeks I was blessed to be there, but, like all my brothers and sisters from MOAM, that would take an endless amount of words. I will forget many of these things as time takes me away from those two weeks. The mindset, though, will never leave me. That mindset was that every conversation, every prayer, every lesson, every second that Ashton, Marea, Drew, and myself had with those incredible kids was to bring glory to our Father and be a reflection of Christ’s love. “I love you” in Hausa is “Ina son ka” (ka/ki/ku depending on the context). After about nine days at the village, it was something we started hearing all the time and that we started to say back. It was in every letter that the kids gave me when I left. And it wasn’t just words to be cute or friendly. I absolutely love those Rafiki kids in Nigeria and will always have a very special place in my heart for them. God Bless Rafiki, God Bless MOAM, and God Bless my brothers and sisters in Nigeria. Adam Short To God be the Glory! Thanks, Adam! We're grateful for your thoughts and experiences. If you'd like to know more about USG or would like to get in touch, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. If you'd like to be involved in USG's programs, join today! We'd love to talk with you about your goals, faith, and aspirations. Thank you for your time, and God bless!

Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season, an often misunderstood and abused seasonal gift, in our walks as followers of Christ, that in many cases has become a legalistic norm. Having not grown up in a Christian home, and having a misconstrued comprehension of the Lenten season as a whole, I sought to find out more from authors and pastors about the vitality of the Lenten season, its purpose for us as Christians and how it can be transformational in our personal walks with Christ. The Lenten season has been observed by God’s people for thousands of years, to reorient Christians with a vantage point of understanding Jesus’ suffering, and sacrificial death on the cross. Lent consists of forty days plus an additional six Sundays, that later culminates in Easter with a focus on Jesus’ resurrection and the ensuing celebration of Jesus being risen and the gift of salvation that we as Christians have through Jesus’ finished work on the cross! There is often a component to giving up something for the Lenten season, that in many cases is something that distracts or distorts us from our awareness of the Lord’s presence. When we desire to embrace what we have given up during this season, the hope would be that we would press into Jesus’ suffering for our sins, and be drawn into the transformational power of the good news, and not embrace what we have given up. It is not about giving up something in particular, for our own selfish ambition or self glory, but in this season of giving something up, we are to abide in Christ, grow in Him, and let Him transform our hearts. Ask yourself a question like this in the coming weeks: How will you reorient your heart during this Lenten season, to remember the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins? My hope is that as we move towards Easter, that God would transform our hearts where you and I would rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection, in our personal relationship with Him and in the gift of salvation! Lent is a gift for all Christians that prepares our hearts for Jesus' resurrection and if you have not embraced the Lenten season previously, I want to encourage you to give it a try. I am excited to see how the Lord works in you, and what He does through you as we make our way towards Easter or “Holy Sunday”, April 17th, 2022.

It's that time again! Cullen Ecoffey has written the fifth article in our Throwback Blog Series! He will provide us with his stories, experiences, and testimony during the 2019 Managers on a Mission Trip to Uganda. Although we've rebranded to Uncommon Sports Group, the lessons the Lord has taught us and those that attended our events are still important and impactful. Read below to learn about what the Lord did during the trip: My Managers on a Mission (MOAM) Summer Impact trip experience began through Twitter. I found out about MOAM because they followed me, and my reaction after looking at their profile and website was, “This is way too good to be true.” I applied and got accepted to attend the Summer Impact Trip to Uganda, and every part of my experience since the moment I showed up at our Summer Impact Team training was just that: way too good to be true. What God has done in providing a community of Christ-centered servant leaders within sport, to grow together in our walk with Him has been surreal. Meeting and connecting with so many other members of sports teams, all attempting to grow spiritually left me with more energy than I ever have had before for my walk with God. I attempted to approach our team’s summer impact experience without any expectations and accept what God had planned for us. I never thought that his plan would include us all coming together to pull our bus out of the mud, running with hundreds of African children away from the rain, praying for over seven more people as they chose to accept Jesus Christ as their savior, and getting baptized in the Nile. The lessons that he has placed in my life through my teammates and all the people we encountered on our journey are things I will take with me for the rest of my life. Even before our trip, I knew I was in for something special just by chatting with my teammates at training. Each person on the team brought something unique to the table and had noticeable energy toward trying to grow in their relationship with God. I thought that there was no way that I could match their passion for Christ and was unqualified to be able to go with them on this trip. However, once we all began our journey together, I realized that we all were at different points in our spiritual journeys, and no one expected me to be anything but myself. Being able to share in the experiences God was putting in our lives and how they were impacting each of us provided me with a tight community to share my faith that I never thought I’d find. Being vulnerable and sharing my true testimony for the first time with a large group of people terrified me. However, the acceptance and outpouring of love they showed me afterward showed me I don’t have to be afraid to be myself. I can be who I am in every moment of every day because I know that God has placed the experiences he has in my life to be able to connect with and grow with the other souls he places around me. I’m unsure what I expected from the Ugandan people that God has come to place in my life, but I can assure you it isn’t what I found. The happiness of the people here doesn’t come from any materials you have brought them or resources you have blessed them with. They are happy because you exist and are with them at that given moment in time. They have shown me an appreciation for life and the people we get to do life with that I have never experienced. They are far more respectful than any other people that I have encountered in my life. When we would go out and do street evangelism, even if the people we encountered didn’t accept the knowledge we were giving them, they would give us their time and listen. They appreciated us taking time out of our days to spend with them. My journey has been a little bit different than the rest of my teams due to the fact that mine is still ongoing. I am in Uganda till August 8th, and God is still using the people here to continue to provide me with lessons each day. The main lesson that I have begun to realize is that although my background and where I come from is so different from the people I have encountered here, we still have so much in common. In Uganda, they have grown up knowing relational blessings. In the United States, we have grown up knowing material blessings. At the end of the day, though, we are all people experiencing the blessings and trials that God is placing in our lives so that we may know him better, help others know him, and prepare us for eternity. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, Cullen! If you'd like to know more about USG or would like to get in touch, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Thank you for your time, and God bless!

Almost every young professional is aware of the responsibilities that come with being the Director of Operations, a coach, or a scout. But, not as many are familiar with the job of a Player Engagement Director. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, the Co-Director of Player Engagement with the Detroit Lions, Jessica Gray, discusses her career journey and her current role with the Lions. 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 follow 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!

So much of the "Christian struggle" seems to be a battle of seeing God as He truly is: GOD. And not just Who He is as God, but the type of God He truly is. So much of God's interaction with the Israelites throughout the Old Testament was focused on reminding them that He is GOD. Such a simple concept that can be so easy for even Christians to forget on a daily basis. But the significance of accepting or neglecting this seemingly basic point cannot be overstated. If God truly is the God He says He is throughout Scripture, then that means: everything is under His control (Colossians 1:16-17) His plans and purposes can not be disrupted (Job 42:2) His plans and purposes are ultimately for my eternal best. No matter what my feelings or emotions or eyes lead me to currently believe or to doubt, God will never give me something that is not for my best, nor will He withhold something from me that is for my best. (Romans 8:28) Once I accept Jesus, there is literally nothing that can separate me from Him. Nothing past, present, nor things to come can separate me from His love for me. (Romans 8:31-39) He will provide EVERYTHING I ever need. He is my provider. (Matthew 6:25-34) He is greater than ANY trial or difficulty I will encounter. (John 16:33) But what about when we doubt these things and see God as something different than He truly is? This is when we go astray. It can be so easy to falsely believe God is: Not in charge, and only slightly above earthly kings, rulers, and myself Not really in control nor aware of what I am going through Resentful or bitter towards me Not actually aware of what is ultimately best for me Prone to change or leave me at any point Very far from me (not lowly & accessible) Indifferent towards me I have come to recognize that when I believe any of these lies, I am extremely vulnerable to then: Try and keep some distance between God and myself out of fear that He will lead me to do something that's not for my best Become overwhelmed by fear and anxiety because there are so many things that seem out of control and unable to be controlled by earthly rulers or systems Walk on eggshells out of fear that God is just waiting for me to screw up so He can strike me down or rebuke me. Falling prey to my emotions and feelings as my source of truth even though I have experienced them lead me into things like porn, social anxiety. and feeling like my value hinges upon my ability to get people to value or approve of me. So who is GOD? His greatness is truly unsearchable (Psalm 145:3), but some of the items God has personally most reminded me about who He is throughout Scripture over the past year include: His GOODNESS - which is often demonstrated by: How He is slow to anger; He often provides His people with chance after chance to turn back to Him before He "gives them over" to what they choose in living apart from Him. He even builds reconciliation directly into His covenant terms (Lev 26:40-42) and provides details on what the people should do if/when they fail to obey the law so that they can be brought back together with Him. All of the heroes of the faith appear to have screwed up at some point in their life or repeatedly, yet God is patient with them. How grace always comes before obedience (He gives the law to the Israelites AFTER He delivers them from slavery). God CHOSE Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, etc.. None of them had done anything to merit or deserve God's blessing upon their life. It was solely God's GRACE. Making it clear that there is nothing we must do in order to earn His love for us. He even vowed to protect Cain after Cain had murdered his own brother Abel out of jealousy (Gen 4). His GENTLENESS: When Moses rattles off excuse after excuse of why he is not the right man for God’s assignment for him, God is very patient and responsive to Moses reminding him of who He is as God, and even giving Moses signs to bolster his faith. God even grants Moses' request for someone else to accompany him by giving him Aaron. He does the same in 2 Kings 20 responding to King Hezekiah by granting his request for 15 more years of life. How RELATIONAL He is: He responds to the cries of His people and even "changes His plans" in response to the pleas of Abraham on behalf of Sodom, and to the Israelites on behalf of Moses in Numbers 14:20, and again to Moses' cry that the leadership burden is too great so He provides 70 elders in Numbers 11. Mark 18:20 highlights how when the disciples went out, God worked WITH them. In Matthew, 11:28-30, Jesus invites us to come to him, and to enter into His yoke. He makes provision and cares for the poor and the least of these, even as far back as Leviticus. How He is not just saving us FROM something, but calling us TO something: God gives us purpose and meaning in the privilege of being His image bearers. Repeatedly, Paul opens his epistles by declaring he was "called" and "sent" by God. Consider the prestige there can be in WHO you are sent by. There was prestige when I was an intern of an NFL team. No prestige in my title or position as an ‘Intern’, but prestige in who I worked for. How much more is the prestige in us being "sent" by the God of creation. Ephesians 2:10 states that we are God's masterpiece, created anew in Jesus SO THAT we can do the good thing He planned for us long ago. Taking this even a step further, God equips us with His very presence - the Holy Spirit that provides us with all wisdom, guidance, and boldness to accomplish great things for His glory. The HOPE He provides us: We are not bound to the hopelessness and futility of this fragile life, but there is a coming day in which ALL will be set right, and there will be no more weeping, only perfection - something so great we cannot even comprehend. I close with the same question that Jesus spoke to the Apostle Peter in Matthew 16:15 - “Who do you say that God is?” How we answer that question changes everything.

How can you know something exists? You know by its effects. Here’s what I mean. Think about the wind. How do you know that the wind exists? You can’t see it directly, but you can see its effects. When you see a tree shaking, you know that it is the wind that is causing it to shake. When you look at a building, how do you know that builders existed? Well, you can see the effects of the builders, which is the building. So, how can we know that God exists? We can know by His effects on the world around us. God’s Greatest Effect There are so many effects on the world that God has left behind. We live on a liquid rock that is swirling around a ball of flaming plasma. That seems like a pretty big effect. But what’s more is the effects that God has left behind on human beings, the only creation made in His image (Genesis 1:26-27). The moral argument is an argument for God that digs directly into the nature of human beings. The argument points out that all human beings recognize a moral code. A moral code shows us that there is a moral law giver that is above and outside of the human race. We can see examples of God’s moral code throughout our world. An example would be the war waged against Ukraine. The entire European Union and dozens of other countries have condemned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and have been providing direct humanitarian and military assistance. What’s more, many major corporations have halted all business operations with Russia. This includes Disney, Apple, General Motors, Adidas, and more. The United Nations recently voted on a resolution to condemn Russia’s assault on Ukraine. The results were overwhelming with 141 countries voting to condemn the Russian attacks, and only five counties (including Russia) voting against the condemnation. What do these actions across the world tell us about God? These actions unequivocally show that there is a moral standard guiding the world resulting in the nearly universal condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We must then conclude that this moral standard comes from God. The Nuremberg Trials After World War II came to an end, the Allies held the Nuremberg trials for the purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice. The trials developed what became known as “International Law”. This international code established that all humanity would be guided by these rules and regulations and no leader or government would be exempt from these laws. Where did these international laws come from? It is obvious that what Hitler’s regime did was depraved and deserving of severe punishment. But what laws did the Nazis violate? International law was developed to address these atrocities. The Nazi leaders committed atrocities that all human beings recognize as wrong. This is what philosophers would call “objective morality”. Objective morality is defined as morality being universal and not subject to interpretation. We see objective morality at work in the Nuremberg trials. Laws were created to hold every human being in the world to a certain standard, and ultimately to hold the Nazi leaders accountable for their actions. But who gives this objective moral code? We see throughout the Bible that it comes from God. In Romans 2:14-15, Paul writes “Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.” Paul is describing exactly what happened at Nuremberg. The Bible wasn’t the law governing the trials, but God’s moral code revealed in Scripture is what the allied leaders adhered to in developing the laws that applied to the actions of the Nazis. The genocide and murder of six million innocent Jews was objectively depraved and wrong, and the objective code established in international law is given to all of us by God, as Scripture points out. No God, No Wrong There are many atheists who would condemn the Holocaust as a travesty that should have never occurred. However, without God in the picture, morality becomes relative. Moral relativism is the view that moral judgements are true or false only relative to a particular standpoint. In short, morality has no standard, it is up for interpretation. If God isn’t real, then this philosophy would stand to be true. We must consider the weight of this view. If there is no God, there is no wrong. If you are a person that truly believes that there is no God, I want you to consider the mass genocide that the Nazi party committed. Are those actions objectively wrong, or are the actions of the Nazi party up for interpretation? I think we can all agree that the Holocaust is objectively wrong. The question many would ask is, “well then why did Hitler and his regime commit the atrocities in the Holocaust if morality is objective?” This a great question. If we look back at Romans 2:14-15, we see that in verse 15 Paul notes that the thoughts of gentiles will either accuse them of their wrong or defend their wrong. In many cases, we see people defending their wrongdoing, as opposed to admitting their wrongs. This is the case with Adolf Hitler and his regime. I want you to ask yourself this question: was the Holocaust objectively or relatively wrong? Then ask yourself this question: Does my answer point to God’s existence? Conclusion We can know God by his effects on the world and our minds. Paul states in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” The moral code that we all abide by is a direct effect of the living God. If you are dealing with doubts in your faith, I would encourage you to process the moral argument for God. Does objective morality exist? If it does, then we can be confident that God exists. In God’s Word and in the world He has created, it is clear that an objective moral code exists, and therefore we can have confidence that the living God exists.

The Bible Project is a platform that much of our staff uses to read through the Bible in 1 year! On the website you will find videos, articles, and a 365 day Bible reading plan that provides a manageable schedule to dive into Scripture each day. A good way to follow along and track your progress is through their Read Scripture app. This app will play a video related to the reading, provide the assigned readings, and have you pray through a Psalm at the end. Watch the video below to learn more: Download the app here: https://www.readscripture.org/

As followers of Christ, we believe and acknowledge that the Bible is the Holy Word of God. This means that the Scriptures are inerrant and inspired by the Holy Spirit. However, in a world that is increasingly critical of the Christian faith, this belief has been met with much criticism and doubt. In this episode of the Uncommon Podcast, Pastor Jon Christenson of Grace Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, provides listeners with key evidence on the Bible being the divine word of God. 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 follow 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!

The next article in our Throwback Blog Series is here! We are sharing the stories, testimonies, and experiences of members during our time as Managers on a Mission. Although we've rebranded to Uncommon Sports Group, the lessons the Lord has taught us and those that attended our events are still important and impactful. Read below to hear about how the Lord worked during our 2019 Mission Trip to Uganda through the eyes of one of our attendees, Lorenz Ross: As I reflect on my recent trip to Uganda, I stand in awe of God’s goodness and Faithfulness. Though we were only in Uganda for two weeks, it was eye-opening for me to see what can occur when one surrenders to the Lord and makes themselves available to be used by Him. My prayer every day as I walked around the soccer field next to our compound in Jinja, Uganda, was I acknowledge Psalm 118:24, which says, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (ESV). By praying to start my day, I focused on the Lord. Then, I would surrender to Him and let Him guide me through the day. These two things were vital for me because, in a distant country and new environment, it would be easy to complain about mental and physical fatigue. I chose every day to withhold nothing from the Lord, and I believe that is why I got so much out of this trip. There were four things that I encountered on this trip, which were the Lord, my purpose, my culture, and new relationships. At first, I expected to do sports camps while interacting with children, which would be our goal. However, though we did do sports activities, I found myself sharing my testimony, evangelizing, and even got to preach at church in Jinja. I witnessed the power of God, which was evident in services through our song and dance with them, and that was impactful. There were no large screens, no strobe lights, and no smoke machines. It was just a piano, a music track, and open hearts that praised Jesus. Despite the language and cultural barrier, God was glorified. Next, I encountered my purpose on this trip, where I felt the Lord reaffirm it. I have known that it is my purpose, through sports and evangelism, to inspire children and young adults with the Gospel, so the ability to do both simultaneously in a different country has moved me to pursue my goals even more. The chance to play soccer, give fist-bumps or make beats with our hands, and share devotionals with them are what I will remember. Though the days seemed long, it was their smiles and laughter which motivated me to give it all I had. Then, there was the aspect of encountering my culture. While growing up, African American, I was taught in school about our history, which is only acknowledged as far back as slavery and the early South as this country formed, and neither was this topic brought to my family. I took this as an opportunity to see what my African roots may be. I am not sure where my exact bloodline traces back to in Africa, but to step foot on the continent, understand the people, hear the rhythms, and embrace their culture added extra value to this trip. Lastly, I will walk away with new friendships made in both the United States and in Uganda. Whether with my MOAM team or with Ugandan teachers and pastors, there were connections made that could be lifelong. I was concerned about staying with the same people for two weeks straight, especially since we had not gotten too much time to know each other, but thank God, we clicked right away when we first met in Minnesota, and things did not change in Uganda. We came as individuals but left as a family. I will not forget the bible studies, bus rides, and evening yoga sessions, which bonded us closer together and sharpened one another. Of course, there were little things like Coach Jo learning today’s colloquialisms like “bet” or “say less.” Then, there was Dan tapping into his hidden talents of relentless dancing. It was an honor to be surrounded by gifted individuals who exercised their gifts and grew in their faith. This trip is what I believe the kingdom of God represents. Individuals of different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences teaming up to use their gifts to bring joy and love throughout our communities as we bring glory to God and lead people to Him. Now that this trip has ended and I have adjusted to my daily routine, I remind myself of the words of Dr. Seuss, “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.” I thank God and MOAM for the opportunity to take part in this life-changing experience. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Lorenz! If you'd like to know more about USG or would like to get in touch, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you. Thank you for your time, and God bless!

My first experience with the Gallup CliftonStrengths Assessment was while I was a member of USG (MOAM). Over the summer of 2020 when many activities were canceled, USG was able to provide many opportunities for us to stay involved in the organization and provide resources to grow, one of which was the Strengths Assessment. I had taken several “personality tests” previously but all they seemed to do was tell me how I acted in a certain way and kind of ended there. There never seemed to be much depth to them and no one ever took the time to sit and talk through with me what the results meant. When I decided I’d participate in taking the assessment and commit to the coaching sessions it was more out of obligation than out of curiosity or thinking it could be beneficial. I’m glad I was wrong! Working through some tough, introspective questions about my results with Mikey really helped me understand myself better and who God created me to be. I learned about the parts of my personality that help me interact with others, was affirmed in why certain activities bring me joy (and why others don’t), and gave me an understanding of what I do well and why. Sometimes it’s easy to be blinded by the impact that we have on those around us, from little seemingly insignificant interactions to large-scale contexts. The StrengthsFinders was my favorite part of the MOAM 2020 Summer Circuit which made me excited and even more intrigued to learn about the assessments, results, and individual strengths when I joined staff with USG. As I have had the opportunity to work with over 15 students reviewing their strengths results I continue to grow in understanding of myself and really enjoy helping others make connections between their strengths and different aspects of their lives - work, family, hobbies, faith, etc. Many times I’ve been able to affirm our members that they are in the right place or heading in the right direction with their career just from conversations we’ve had about how they use their strengths every day within work and how it energizes them. Along with seeing the impact professionally, I’ve experienced how helpful this assessment has been within my personal life as well. My husband took his strengths assessment during our season of engagement and our pre-marriage counselor was able to talk through the results with both of us. This has given me a deeper level of understanding of my husband's personality, how we complement each other, and how we can support each other daily! Understanding how unique God created me was the first step I needed as a young adult while I stepped into my professional career, continued to foster solid relationships, and really embrace the calling the Lord has for my life! If you are curious about the StrengthFinders Assessment, be sure to check out this article for more information!