Very Cool Opportunity: Giving the Invocation

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to give the invocation at a Wofford football game.  The story behind it & the experience was an interesting one that I thought I'd share here.

It all started back around late August.  My director was talking to the chaplain at Wofford and was asked about being a part of their orientation worship service.  While talking about that, the chaplain suggested that I could do the invocation at a football game at some point this season.  She said he should talk to me about it and he did.

When I talked with him, he told me that it was to be an "inclusive" prayer.  When I asked what "inclusive" meant, he said that I just couldn't say at the end "in Jesus name we pray, amen."  Aside from that, I could say whatever.  After giving it some thought and praying about it, I said sure I'd do it.

A few weeks later, the chaplain asked me when I would like to do it.  I gave him some dates in order of preference, with the top choice being the last game of the season vs Chattanooga (reason being home state and all).  The chaplain comes back and says "We'll go with Furman.  There will be a lot of people here and there will be a lot of Baptists."

There is a long standing rivalry between Wofford and Furman.  Furman is a private university with Baptist roots (but don't really hold much to that anymore) that's just down the road in Greenville.  These two schools actually played in the first college football game that was played in the state of South Carolina way back in 1889.  So this is a big time game.  Couple that with being "Family Weekend" on campus & "Church Youth Day" at the game, led to a lot of people (believe the attendance at the game was 9,170).

So with all that as a backdrop, I went to the game.  I got there early because I knew there would be a lot of people and wanted to give myself some time before I had to be where I needed to be.  I got a special parking pass and got to park in special parking area.  I also got a "media pass" which allowed me to go up to the press box, which is where I would be giving the invocation.

Around 12:45pm I made my way up to the press box.  When I got up there, I was met up there by the chaplain who then introduced me to the PA guy for the stadium (who is also one of the morning news anchors for one of the local networks).  He went over with me how it would go basically telling that when it was time he would push the button on the mic, announce me, then lean out of the way and I would give the prayer.  I would have no more than 40 seconds to give it (it really was down to a time frame like that).  So I hung out in the press box until it was my time and then I went over and gave the prayer.  It was short and to the point and then I was done.  Afterwards, I got some food that was in the press box (I could've ate it earlier but I didn't want to eat right before I was going to give the invocation) then went out into the stands and found a seat to watch the game.  Wofford ended up beating Furman 20-17 to keep their record undefeated.

It was a really cool experience and one I'll remember for a long time.

Random Sports Reflections on Leap Day

Today is Leap Day, otherwise known as my birthday.  Hope all of you celebrate Leap Day accordingly and responsibly.

*I'm getting excited for March Madness.  Even though the first part of the college baskeball season I really didn't keep up with things, I have in the last month or so.  Living in a city with pretty decent mid-major schools (USC Upstate, Wofford), I've got to watch some pretty good basketball.  I'm hoping both teams win their conference tourneys and make the Big Dance.  They have the ability to if things fall the right way.  Emphasis on the "fall the right way".

*Baseball season is about to get going as well.  It's weird not living in an MLB city for the first time since 2004 (Although Atlanta is only a few hours away).  I'm excited to see how the Royals will do.  They might actually do something this year hopefully.

*It's cool that in pro sports there are guys at the highest level that are living out their faith for Jesus and it's protrayed (mostly) in a positive manner in the media.  From Tim Tebow, to Jeremy Lin, to Clayton Kershaw, there are lots of examples.  I hope that trend will continue.  It's good to hear positive stories about athletes than negative ones.