The War Cry | JANUARY 2016
34
Essence
CHRISTIAN ATHLETES
Basketball MVP Keeps
Eyes on the Prize
"
T
here's more to me than just this jersey I
wear, and that's Christ living inside of
me," wrote pro basketball's Most Valu-
able Player Stephen Curry in an article for
FCA Magazine (produced by the Fellow-
ship of Christian Athletes) several years ago. That's why
the star of the Golden State Warriors sometimes raises
his finger after scoring a basket. "It's an external sign
and internal reminder that God gets all the glory."
He has had many
opportunities to display his talent
and convictions. The Warriors
won the National Basketball
Association championship last
season, and the team made
history in November by posting a
record-breaking undefeated
streak to start the season.
"God's given me talents to play
basketball for a living, but I still
have to work hard to improve
every day," Curry told FCA. "I love
that basketball gives me the
opportunities to do good things
for people and to point them
toward the Man who died for our
sins on the cross...that's
something no earthly prize or
trophy could ever top."
Curry says he remembers
when in the fourth grade he gave
his life to Christ. He credits his
parents for "pouring into my faith"
from that point on. He says he
knows God led him to Davidson
College in North Carolina for a
reason. He played under head
coach Bob McKillop, a man of
God. Davidson's Cinderella run to
the final four in March Madness
helped prepare Curry for a
"bigger stage to represent and be
a witness for Him."
Warriors coach Mark Jackson
and Curry have a unique player�
coach relationship because of
their shared passion for Christ.
"He's the type of guy you look at
and say, `That's how I want my
son to be,'" Jackson was quoted
as saying in an article for Decision
Magazine
posted on Billy Graham.
org in November. "It's a great
testament to who he is and the
God he serves. He comes from a
great background and has a great
foundation. I made sure to go to
his parents and thank them for
the way they raised him."
A
maxim in the business world is that you have to
be in with the right people to get a raise or a
promotion. But I'm in a group of special qualifi-
ers. It's not a clique, and its qualifications are
very different. It's called a "Family of God."
Our group is open to the
public, employees, non-
employees, the homeless, men,
women and those of different
races and nationalities. It's a
come�as�you�are policy. Our only
rule is to love God first and then
love others. Our business model is
to have faith and trust in God by
believing in your heart that God
sent His only Son from Heaven to
be a sacrificial lamb so our sins
could be forgiven. Our reward
will be new life in God's Spirit
now and eternity in Heaven.
So dispel the darkness in
the world and follow Jesus, the
Light of the world, for your
salvation. Enjoy the ride. God
is good!
--By George Yarbrough, re-
cruiting sergeant for the Army's
New Hope Corps in the Harbor
Light Complex, Cleveland, OH
MODELING CHURCH
photo provided by inkhouse-media.net
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