Coach Kennedy is a real hero of mine, a lamp on a post for religious freedom in a part of the country that is often very dark. He’s very brave and it has cost him a great deal. Click his name it takes you to firstliberty.org where you can learn more.
Just the other day some Christians got thrown out of a coffee shop here and while their response was very graceful, honoring the fact that people have a right to run their businesses as they choose, the media’s response was atrocious and made it quite clear that there is no respect, very little love for faith in this neck of the woods. There is a real spiritual war going on here.
Coach Kennedy is the Bremerton football coach who was fired for praying after games, his last act ending in this amazing moment where he waited to let his own team go back to their locker room and then he went out alone to pray his thanksgiving for a good game. While he was out there, the other team came onto the field, surrounded him, and joined in his silent prayer. There was no organization, no force, no coercion, it was just one of those magical, spontaneous moments.
He has an amazing story to tell, of a wounded childhood, the transformative love of Jesus Christ, and a good marriage. What makes this case so grievous is that his love for those kids, his leadership, his example, his desire to give back, has been blocked and taken away. The truth is we have a lot of lost kids here, a rampant opiate epidemic, violence, poverty, and a school district that decided the worst thing these kids will ever face in the world is seeing a grown man pray.
I realize what’s going on in the NFL with players taking a knee is a protest of a different sort, but when I see it, I like to think of it as a tribute to a man who took a knee for all the right reasons and is now fighting a battle on behalf of religious freedom for us all.
So pray for Coach Kennedy, will ya? And pray for the kids he had to leave behind, the ones with their eyes still on him, learning what it means to be men and to take a stand for what you believe in.
See, there's this thing called biology... 
What Jesus said: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+6%3A5-7%3A29&version=NIV
Pray in secret. And don’t use a lot of words, because your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
What virtue is there in behaving contrary to the words of Jesus, and in a way that forces you away from the very kids you aspire to minister to?
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Well, I think we can look at 1 Timothy 2:8, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
And also perhaps John 4:21, “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”
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1 Timothy is generally recognised as a forgery. Furthermore, the words are attributed to Paul, so they are meaningless in context. Also, the verse you quote from John suggests Jesus considers prayer unnecessary.
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What Jesus condemned was praying in the sight of others to gain their approval. When Daniel was forbidden to pray he opened his window and prayed openly just as he had done before.
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“while their response was very graceful, honoring the fact that people have a right to run their businesses as they choose, the media’s response was atrocious and made it quite clear that there is no respect, very little love for faith in this neck of the woods.”
Considering the media’s reaction to all those bakers’, I would have thought the media would have said something on the lines of “How can these people deny service to these poor Christians! Sue them! Put ’em out o’ business!”
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I know,right? But that would demonstrate consistency and fair play. I’m pretty sure the media isn’t allowed to engage in that. It’s a rule or something, “thou shall not ever make any sense.”
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No. They make quite a lot of sense. They are against Christianity, the cross of Christ, and our Lady. They are struggling to hide it right now because they are running rapidly out of time. Tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of Fatima.
Have you been paying attention to the Weinstein story? Dozens of feminists remained silent for ages on that including our “beloved, rightful President”, Hillary Clinton. Despite the fact it was known for over a decade and possibly longer. Roman Polanski is even a convicted rapist yet Hellwood holds him a “saint”.
This is all very consistent. It is consistent in a world with the cross of Christ turned upside down. Ever here of “Bizarro world” from the DC comics? Bizarro world is exactly what the leftists have been doing for ages. They “love” mass immigration because of “humanitarian causes”. “Humanitarian causes” such as “cheap labour”, “extra military bodies”, and “more tax-payers’ money to contribute to the government”. Any ordinary person who recognises that Bizarro is actually a cheap immitation of the actual Superman will be able to tell you that those “humanitarian causes” are actually slavery.
It all makes perfect sense but you continue to forget where the leftists are coming from. Re-read Matthew 25. Very carefully and ask yourself why might they be called the “left”? They want you to believe they love Christians equally like everyone else and yet they give Christians second-class citisenship, condemn them for who and what they choose to vote for, and yet parade “Christians are not persecuted!” It is true we are not being bombed like in the Middle-East but do you hear any leftists condemning or denouncing the bombing of the Christians there? No.
But they are the ones who are losing and we are the ones winning now so a reversal of fortune is upon us 🙂
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I absolutely commend this man for his efforts to instill faith as well as sportsmanship into these kids. If he were instilling Buddha or Mohammed or any other number of things in them, the media probably would hail him. I don’t believe the intention of Jesus in Matthew 6 was that we should NEVER pray in public, and as a coach, his motivation is different than someone just standing in public praying.
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Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13. Thanks much for sharing!
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You got it! I think your story about the other team surrounding him in prayer shows the power God has in our lives, if we only let Him in! Thank you for such an inspiring story!
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I thought of him this morning as I listened to one of my favorite Christian songs;
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What a great story and what great courage. Will be praying for him.
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Thanks, Mel! 🙂
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Praying for this coach
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Thanks, Slim.:)
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The Ninth Circuit Court strikes again 😠
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I watched the video of the Christians being ”thrown out”. While the owner most definitely lost his temper at the beginning,and it was certainly over the top, his anger appears to be directed at them because of the leaflet about abortion and what it depicts rather than them being Christian. And they certainly weren’t physically man-handled as the term thrown out /em> suggests.
I may be wrong of course, but this is how it came across. One of the group who was asked to leave repeated several times, ”So you are refusing us service?”.
This was obviously provocative and he seemed determined to get the owner to finally say yes I am refusing you service.
I’d hazard a guess the group knew exactly what they were doing before they went in. But who knows for sure?
As for the coach being fired.
Difficult one.
I loathe religion top to bottom, and such displays simply demonstrate the level of indoctrination people have been subject to.
More and more we see soccer players cross themselves before running on to the field and I have seen one or two Muslim players openly hold their hands palms up in prayer on the field just prior to kick off.
I don’t know if I would ever fire a bloke for praying, seems a bit extreme. He might have a family to feed and denying him the right/opportunity to earn a living based on his religious practices is simply not on.
On saying this, if he knew the policy regarding prayer at the school then he only has himself to blame and I have no sympathy for him.
However, in airports and similar public areas there are small chapels or prayer rooms for those who wish to indulge in such behaviour.
Maybe every sports ground could incorporate something of this nature within the ground?Would take much effort and the capital outlay would be minimal.
Problem sorted and everyone gets to do ”their thing”.
Compromise, and everyone remains happy.
How hard could it be?
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