By Morgan Miles –
A Louisiana Christian high school football team aims to win its 15th state championship, but coaches and players say their real reward is God.
“The fact is we wouldn’t be doing football if I didn’t have an opportunity to share Christ with these young men,” Coach Denny Durin told Fox News. The team is being featured on a new Fox Nation reality TV Show “God. Family. Football.”
“As head football coach, my job is, teach these boys to worship – that’s what it means to win,” adds Denny, who is also a pastor.
Sprinkled in with sprints, bear crawls and oklahomas at practices come Bible study, worship and prayer at Evangel Christian Academy of Shreveport.
“Our program has always been an effort to lift the city,” Denny adds. “You lift the city one life at a time. We have this wonderful opportunity to gather 75 young men and share the love of Christ with them and show them what the gospel can do to elevate their lives.”
The series follows the football team’s pursuit of State Championship #15. But his program wasn’t always on a winning streak. In fact, Coach Denny had to come out of retirement four years ago when his mighty team was whittled down to 28 seniors after seniors graduated (seven of whom are currently in the NFL).
“It was a restart,” Denny says.
The Christ-centered team is making an impact.
“Before I came to Evangel, my faith in God wasn’t as strong as it is now,” said linebacker Damari “Dada” Drake. “Football is just a plus. Now that I’m here going through Bible study and having great men in my life, good mentors, good father figures; it makes my life easier and better.”
To learn more about a personal relationship with Jesus, click here.
About this writer: Morgan Miles studies at the Lighthouse Christian Academy near West Los Angeles.
