Experiencing Revival

Dan Orlovsky was a young quarterback playing for the Detroit Lions in 2006 when he met two other quarterbacks John Kidner and Josh McCown both of those men wound up having a profound impact on Dan's life that I had never been around anyone like that they wanted him like crush you when you compete against them and they never held back, and they've pushed you to the absolute limits but then they were like raising human beings to you and incredible husband and remarkable fathers great teammates like I did. I never been around someone that can want to knock you down and help you up at the same time in every aspect of your life and I think that was like my initial draw to just sitting back and going, something that they have is like I've never seen before. This is family life to the czar Dave and Ann Wilson about looking find this on my the family life to the.com it's not often that a pro football locker room becomes holy ground that happened with the Detroit Lions back in 2006 we hear that story today stay with us and welcome to family life to.

Thanks for joining us. We weren't sure if this was gonna happen, but it looks like yes it looks like a mad man is happy.

Life is good. You spent a lot of weeks leading up to this wondering am I gonna be able to survive the fall or not. I don't think I'm alone Bob, I think there are millions with me. There were hoping how many wives are depressed about. I will ask about this ghost coming note for a lot of people to look at football and go wire people so obsessed with football. Football's a dangerous sport. There's all kinds of issues related to football, you've seen it as both a ministry opportunity. You've seen it as God used football in your own life to have you develop into the man. He's made you to be. Yeah, I actually think there's a misconception even at our church about me and football they think you know I did a ministry in the NFL as a chaplain for 33 seasons because I love football and it isn't a mad I do love the game and I think is a great game I played it. It develops character, our sons played. It was beautiful to watch character be developed through hardship and football, but the only reason we did a ministry and football was the platform. It's crazy to think that these guys and their wives have influence because of their job sounds in our culture. It is ridiculous. You know they play football and yet people want to know what your perspective on this net. All I know is that's the world we live in. And so why not use that platform to promote and extend the gospel so that was our motivation. I wanted to win a Super Bowl. We never did 33 only won one playoff game but that was never my hope, my hope was that these men and their wives and their kids would come to Christ and then they would see how God is. Give me a voice.

People listen to what I say I'm going to extend the gospel and we saw that happen in a beautiful way. Well, where to bring our listeners into the locker room today because back more than a decade ago, you as the Detroit Lions chaplain. There was a season that was really a remarkable season anyone. Just me Bob Lee, the year of Jubilee is so following me. I just want to say hands ministry was important is mine with those wives really was there. There were people in the locker room coming to faith and we had a chance recently to connect with three teammates from back in that season and some of these will be names that are football fan listeners will know John Kidner who was a quarterback for the Lions, Josh McCown, who's been in the league for forever decades, Dan Orlovsky, who is now in the ESPN analyst and was in the league for years.

All three of these guys were part of the locker room in 2006 2007, and God did something amazing and so we connected with them on a zoom call recently and just said, let's revisit that season and hear about God's work in the midst of what was going on with the Detroit Lions that year, so let's listen. Pretty amazing how God brought the three of you together in Detroit. I'll start with John as you signed it was the first time it was the only time in 33 years as a chaplain team that we were asked by the general manager and the head coach to be a part of a lunch when John you and Jenny were coming in to be recruited basically to come to Detroit. How did we end up at that luncheon. What happened while they for us in our second time going through the free agency thing is so when we were come up to Detroit. We asked them know that there was a chaplain program who was, would we be able to meet them when we are there so then now is the lunch time. That's how that happened in the obviously they made sure your wife came with because that was like the sealer to the deal right there for my wife and for us. John let me ask you why was meeting the chaplain of the team. Such a priority for you coming to Detroit.

We never viewed ourselves as like NFL players. We just felt like we are Christians mission and I was using the NFL to move us and so there's a lot of programs and things and people that are out there that are maybe not necessarily trying to help the other ministry of Christ in NFL locker rooms and so if there was a chaplain program. We want to know about it and you know what it was about and kind of the fruit of the ministry that had been there before we got there so I was yellow outside of the obviously your office coordinator and all the stuff we can often shoot around but it was it was important for us because we just always have felt like we were on a mission for the Lord in our in our career. Where did that mission mindset come for you.

Yeah me it happened. You know, start happening when I got saved and the guy who discipled me first.

Eric Bowles, who was just teaching me just straight Bible but then when I got to Seattle and my first five years since Seattle with Carl Payne who was the chaplain there and just his teaching on apologetics and why why it's important to be able to defend our faith and and and to be able to give people answers for questions that are sincere and so that's really kind of work came from just understanding that our life is not our own, and the other Galatians 220 mindset. I remember John on first about when Dave came home and he said Hayden lines have asked us to have lunch with this possible quarterback and his wife coming in. I was in shock, because I'm thinking why would they care about us and then when we sat down with you and Jenny and I happen to be sitting right beside Jenny Lance yeah actually nobody talked at all except you and Jenny I love her. I got hope they come because she has had this mindset is like, what would it look like to bring people to Christ but also to grow spiritually together in Detroit and that was really pretty new for us that someone had a mindset of like what could this look like as a ministry together to reach people for Christ in the locker room and for the wives as well and their families. And right after that Josh you you end up signing.

I don't know if I got the timetable right. If you are before after John, but you guys both came in and Josh, you had a similar mindset in terms of a not just there to play football. Yeah, a member God and go to lunch with you guys that they asked that I was like the chaplains write the checks to me like no no no locking it with you in the hallway there and just kind of all never forget that man and just know and like from an outside perception like okay like these guys are here to compete for a job like it was not even it was just about met men were here to work and for the team before the Lord and and and so I think that was the biggest thing for me was just going there and I knew John knew his reputation. I had not gotten a meeting yet and just really kind of you for four years Arizona had kind of understood a little bit how to do ministry but not like in a locker room were you able to lock arms with the brother in and be intentional about it. So that was the best part about your for me was just that moment he felt like God, you know middle hearts that moment to go be able to do that and it was cool because it was a deep peace that surpasses the thing that would transpire on the football field, which is more what, what we thought was to come. So it's always look back at that time very thankful and appreciative of that moment and more than anything, just just seeing God's faithfulness about when you go to decisions and and how he pulled people together and connect people and for his purposes and for his glory so that was cool.

So I got to write the same time not shortly after that that we have met Dannon got to work on their forget that either.

I remember in the hallway and/or in the locker room and seeing Josh.

I didn't know that Josh up inside and it was this immediately like I knew about his faith from Arizona in and watching him and immediately I may not. If I remember right now we just your bro hug but to me immediately in my mind outside God's up to something here because to put us in the same locker room you. My eyes were just wide open yet so there is a sense of destiny. I remember standing outside the locker room. I don't know how much you know I think was much later than you guys came the off-season so this is been rated to begin a training camp with you Jon, I think I remember in this writer might've been Josh minimizing both of you, but I remember one of you put your arms around my shoulder as we looked at the locker room actually were stagnant writer by the mailbox is looking at the entire locker room and you said tell me about our ministry here. Those are your words and I'm looking at you like when you are ministry here and I thought this was the first times I've ever had a player walking here and realize I'm not just here to win football games which you were and you are committed to that, but you are like as you said earlier, Johnson here on mission. This is a ministry at MMI like a say what you mean you go you know these guys better and I do, you been here for years. Tell me the landscape who's open, who's not, let's let's go because God's going to do something and I never just thinking oh my goodness, I think where I'm going to be on a journey this year because we have some leaders who get it, you know you dream and ministry of people understanding temporal and eternity. You don't win football games obviously is temporal even though it's important, is still temporal and eternity's lives and souls and you guys had that from day one and so was like okay what God going to do and then Dan R.

Lasky was there. He was a rookie of the year before and now is in his second year and he's going to be in a quarterback room with you guys. So Dan talk about your thoughts as you meet your two new quarterbacks because you know they replace the guys before you and now you got two new guys who I don't know what was Everly Shipley.

I do of both guys didn't know them personally, but knew of both guys I know.

Kit signed and I was still young so I John Kidner, the veteran comes in cool like I'm still ascending in my own personal career and on like a psycho maniacal obsessive competitor right and I would find out that everyone basically on this interview is as well.

So when Kit signed is Eric cool. Like that's the veteran guy to learn from him on to be to start her at some point and then I remember when Josh came into the building and again I did not know either these guys and I was in the indoor facility and you could tell who's like maturing and wise and who's really immature knucklehead it through the story. I'm in the indoor facility in one of the back corner and zones and I'm doing the foot ladder working out and whatnot and Josh walks in and I'm like, what's up and thing myself wise Josh McCown here. I'm thinking I'm the backup quarterback Mike was going on and on like kind of like in between embracing in between like I have no time for you right now and then we just chit chat for little bit. Josh doesn't share me that he's actually signed with the Lions and so I get done with my workout but my mind is racing and worries overcoming me on. Likewise, Josh McCown in our building. I sit down for lunch and I get word from somebody out of who was I was sitting with that Josh McCown sign. I immediately thought to myself. I hate Josh McCown I want to crush this dude like I wise. Even here, and the wildest thing was the Josh treated me like a best friend the whole time now.

We were as competitive as three human beings could be and I think that was like the initial draw for me when it came to John and Josh was. I had never been around anyone like them. Someone who could be very similar to me with their mindset like they wanted him like crush you when you competed against them and they never held back in name pushed you to the absolute limits but then they were like amazing human beings to you and incredible husbands and remarkable fathers and great teammates like I did.

I never been around someone that can want to knock you down and help you up at the same time in every aspect of your life and I think that was like my initial draw to just sitting back and going, something that they have is like I've never seen before. Yet so they come in and they're obviously followers of Christ. They talked about that they are there on mission Dan where were you in your life that that I grew up in a traditional church home, but I was very much so the second year NFL quarterback who thought he had it all and he was the man, at least externally. I was there.

You know like I was a womanizer and flaunting my knee whatever money I had totally insecure making sure that people knew I was a quarterback in the NFL certainly heading down the path of becoming what I did not want to become an just kind of yeah whatever stereotype you had in your mind when he came to a young, immature, reckless, adult with money. I was kind of that in my life and I will agree. Like he probably is. You got to know them you saw them as dads and his husbands. What stuck out to you in that round. That was for me.

II had never experienced anything like that. I had never experienced someone who could be as driven as these guys were on the athletic field and is hard-working in the football weight room and as incredible trash talkers as they were, but then like actually like kiss their wife in front of their boys hug their wife in NYC boys like their teammates, their buddies, not their kids, like hug their wife speak positively about their wife. You know like talk about looking forward to going home and being home and spending time with those people and then talk proudly about being a father and how important it was to them and that you note the way they allocated their effort and their energy in their time. It was like family time and family time and family time and all the positivity that came from their mouths about being a dad and husband. I was like what you guys like doing that stuff like you like me to dad.

You love being a husband you like giving your wife a foot rub. You don't yell at your wife erred you know, not breathing the right way and you like I had just never been around someone like that and so that's why I was just like I didn't know that guys were supposed enjoy being married and supposed to actually love being around their wife and their children and it's all these guys talked about like it was all they talked about and interactions followed. It and I would say like you know like what just as far as like when he and I met in the hall and that feeling that we got. It was the exact opposite.

When I met Dan. That's what I got was up to something. As I was like there's something deeply disturbed in my spirit for this guy and he was all those things that he said no, you could just tell like it was all him with kid like you were in a place where it was still first old man was was going to you know something was to happen yeah and so he and I were sitting there talking about it decades ago. Sort of a revival started take place in that locker room, including will hear Dan story, but from John a Josh what you remember what what started to happen. Why did it happen one when he when you think back, I know you been on other teams and you play many and God's work in all kinds of different places, but in that one year is something pretty special happened when he remember watching first of always getting to meet you and having a Bible study right away in the off-season, but I believe it was on Thursdays when you would come down and we meet right after lunch in the off-season and doing a Bible study and didn't just you asking guys to go and obviously bands in the quarterback room so were going to deftly ask him. I think what Dan, you know was saying this okay is this how you last in the league this long run shows like do I do okay. I'll go and do this, as this might prolong my career more than anything and I think you know, and Josh and I we were necessarily having conversations like okay they made you what you got those five you got there just like luscious BS and that the talking trash and you show up at lifetime fitness and Josh is dunking on people and they come back in the locker room and you're playing spades you're playing dominoes but you're doing it without cussing you're doing it without having to go outside of the word of God to compete and I think, and that was from the guys in the locker room. Some of the stories of some of testimonies of listening to guys in the locker room that was the thing that stood out from there was like they'd never seen that. And I remember having conversations with with some guys that were your believers on a team and you were talking the same kind of thing that I was asking you Dave like tell me about guys in his locker room and there was guys in the locker room there like look, man. Stay away from that do that that flight is the closest thing to the devil as you'll ever find God reach those guys.

It was amazing I guess to just put in a capsule like that. The Monday night couple studies that we had at the house and seeing 40 people in one house on a Monday night. This should NFL is not how it's done. So it wasn't really anything that was like I was doing her Josh is doing her you were doing it was like guy was like here you go.

Here's a ministry for you and there was nobody invest in and yeah and I think to like in the facility.

Dave I give you a lot of credit, you create a space of a Bible study that was a conversation more than it was just a study and I think it was relatable so it just was a continuance of what was happening in the locker room for guys within come in and get some good theology and even with Dan on Monday night with the couple. So something you guys were huge part of I don't think 11 happens, we all the other because there needed to be another place to go to that God's voice is represented and you guys did a great job that so I think that was critical in the Bible studies when going we would get a guy to come that he wouldn't get uncomfortable because of your leadership. You guys have mentioned the Bible studies right so we did the Thursday afternoons and then the couples and why hopefully will get into the couples.

Once it just made me think of the number one reason at least outside of the work of God right that the number one reason why those became such a big deal and impactful and I'm probably speaking for others here, but I'm taking a stab at this is at least I know for myself for sure. I had never encountered another man in my life who loved me like, truly, I felt loved by like I had with Wilson and McCown and kit that didn't mean I didn't view a soft you know I'm saying my first time never had a man in my life that I felt loved by. But then on top of it that I didn't look at ago and he's just soft right meter, compared work append these athletes so we have a little bit. That was the first time that it ever been like wow that that man literally loves me, but is not soft and there was something so appealing about that to so many of us in the locker room.

That's one of the reasons why those Bible studies became the draws that they did in the Monday nighters that became the whole football team. Essentially yeah Monday night couple study in the past you know for decades and then you know 10 eight maybe 12 people and that thing grew to like you said, almost 40 everyone I sit in the knee in you guys members in John's basement that I remember sitting there and some wife was sit there in my K you know we don't start for like 10 minutes. She said she's like oh I drove you know we drive two cars of Mike White like I get to see so my husband comes later and and then I would never forget this happened several times or be sit there and I look over and there be a player there that be the last guy in the locker room. I expected Bible study when you know and I be looking or like what is he doing here. Not so I asked him, and I don't know you guys, this is what I'd say to whoever it's a dude we doing here and almost every time they pointed John or Josh is gone here because of them. They were what you guy just said they were watching your lives, and I don't think they had ever really seen with Dan just explain what's funny what you just said there watching our lives right yet like literally guys would tell us that there were we were working out in the Aussies doing off-season workout and it was one of those like Jason would have the hardest workouts I've ever been through.

And like I never felt like I couldn't do it, but there's times and I had a guy one of the young younger believers on the team afterwards in the locker rooms like kit mass want to come in and tell you you know truth like I need to challenge you because I heard you cuss today and I'm like yeah think you are because today, man, no know we are working out. We're doing that and I heard you because I just really feel like many probably should talk to the guys about that. There was another guy in the locker room that said night and because because I been waiting for two months for him because so I followed him around waiting for him to cuss and he cussed it's funny because you run into these guys you run into Gerald Alexander Ernie Simpson and Dom. You blocked it in Paris limit like God somehow his kept that happening for me and to listen to their testimonies 10 and 12 years later in hearing what God did in that you know that short amount time was a full year's 89 months. What he did and is still doing in the lives of these these people was but they were watching.

They were anywhere underwent them walking into the. The guy study in the locker room and Calvin Johnson came running in in that day in practice, you guys remember that I will and there's Nero's kit. You went off on somebody.

The defense gets you it was a goal line deal and you know and we all been there. You know where the their gravid guys and doing stuff and you run up there in your scream. Evan and Calvin comes in and his comment is I never seen a guy get so mad and that cost never cost a lot.you honor Christ even in that moment that I just walked out of the room and I wondered what just happened. But again, it struck him with Dan said strength, but under Christ. That's not something like that. I think we intend TO BE A CERTAIN WAY, LIKE THAT'S WALKING WITH CHRIST WERE CALLED TO BE A PECULIAR PEOPLE, LIKE THAT'S WHAT SHOULD BE PECULIAR IS THAT WE CAN COMPETE LIKE CRAZY LIKE DAN IS SAYING WE CAN BE ANGRY WITHOUT SINNING AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT GOING OKAY. WHAT'S DIFFERENT.

THAT'S FIRST PETER 315. AND THAT'S WHAT CARL PAYNE TRAINED US ON ALL THOSE YEARS IN SEATTLE WAS INTERESTING TO BECAUSE BEHIND THE SCENES MY WIFE BIBLE STUDY. I HAD GREW THAT YEAR TO AT LEAST PRETTY INTERESTING BECAUSE I TALKED TO ISAAC.

IT'S EXCITING THAT YOU'RE HERE WHEN HE DOING HERE AND THERE.

I LIKE WE JUST WANT MARRIAGE IS LIKE THE KITTEN IS IN THE CAN ACCOUNTS. THE BAD THING LIES THAT EVERYONE HATED THEIR OWN HUSBAND BECAUSE JENNY WOULD BE LIKE OH YEAH JOHN CAME ANY REARRANGE THE FURNITURE AND THEN HE BOUGHT ME ALL THESE NEW CLUB LIKE ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT. I THINK WHAT THEY SAW WAS THE, THE WAY A MAN A CHRIST FOLLOWER LOVES HIS WIFE AND MAKES HIS WIFE AND HIS KIDS A PRIORITY AND THEY WERE BLOWN AWAY BY AND I THINK THAT'S WHY OTHERWISE MIGHT COME TO THESE BIBLE STAYS IN THERE GETTING YOUR HUSBAND LIKE YOU NEED TO BE MORE LIKE CASHIN JOHN, MIKE AND KAISER FEELING PRESSURE AS THEY WATCHED IN THEIR LIVES WERE KIND OF WATCHING AS WELL. YOU KNOW THE INTERESTING THING IS WHEN I TALK ABOUT THAT YEAR. I SAY THE LOCKER ROOM TILTED TOWARD THE QUARTERBACK LOCKERS. I KNOW IF YOU GUYS COULD SEE THAT WALKING THERE IS LIKE THE WHOLE LOCKER ROOM WAS WHERE YOU GUYS WHERE THEY WERE DRAWN OVER THERE.

THEY HAD KIT WITH HIS BIG BIBLE CLAM RIGHT THERE ON HIS LOCKER, IN-YOUR-FACE, AND THEY HAD JOSH AS HIS LOVER AND JOKESTER IMAC COULD EVEN START A BIBLE STUDY WITHOUT MCCOWN RIP IN MY SHORTS JUST MAKING FUN OF ME I COULDN'T GET MY OPENING LINE OUT EVI GET YOUR SHIRTS TO TRY TO TORTURE BY SAVVY IS LIKE WHAT JUST HAPPENED HERE BUT THE WHOLE LOCKER ROOM WAS JUST LIKE PULLED OVER THERE AND THEN YOU KNOW BY THE END OF THAT SEASON. I THINK WE BAPTIZE 20 OR 25 PLAYERS WIVES AND KIDS, WHICH WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING WHEN WE BEEN LISTING TO A CONVERSATION WITH THREE NFL QUARTERBACKS RIGHT LASKY JOHN KITTLER JOSH MCCOWN ALL PART OF THE DETROIT LIONS TEAM IN 2006 2007, WHICH I THINK HAS TO STAND OUT AS MAY BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR 33 YEARS OF BEING A CHAPLAIN FOR THE LINE THOUGH. YEAH, I WISH HE COULD HEAR ALL THEIR WIVES THESE GUYS A REMARKABLE MAN AND THEIR WIVES ARE ASTOUNDING.

WINNING STRONG, BEAUTIFUL, SMART, GODLY, AND THEY REALLY HAVE HAD AN IMPACT NOT ONLY ON THEIR HUSBANDS, THAT ON THEIR KIDS AS WELL, THAT WAS REALLY COOL. THEY STILL ARE, YOU KNOW, THE MEN UNDERSTAND WHO THEY ARE. THE UNDERSTAND WHY GOD MADE THEM AND GAVE THEM THE SUCCESS THEY'VE HAD IN THE NFL IN THE THEIR USING IT FOR THE GOSPEL BUT I MEAN BOB, AS YOU SAY THAT INCOME BACK IN THE SEASON. THINK ABOUT THIS IN DETROIT. THE FANS IN DETROIT DON'T REMEMBER THAT SEASON WE WON THREE GAMES. THEY THINK IT'S A BAD SEASON, AND YET THEY DON'T KNOW IT WAS A YEAR OF SALVATION AND BAPTISMS THAT LEGACIES WILL FOREVER BE CHANGED HONEY IN THE SUPER BALL HAVE INSUPERABLE AND WHINE HOW WE WANT THEIR VICTORIES THAT NO ONE IN DETROIT OR AROUND THE WORLD KNOW ABOUT. THOSE ARE THE TRUE LASTING REAL VICTORIES.

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