High School Football Team Shines ‘the Light of Jesus’ by Giving Every Opponent a Bible After Games
A high school football team from Park Christian School in Moorhead, Minnesota, uses their games as a platform to share their Christian faith. During each home game, players leave Bibles in opponents’ lockers along with personalized notes, messages about their walk with Jesus Christ, and contact information to encourage outreach. The team also provides opposing players with meals after games. Head coach Matt baasch states that their initiative is rooted in their program’s core values and inspired by 1 Peter 4:10, emphasizing service and stewardship of gifts. With assistance from assistant coach and pastor Ben Killerlain, they started a Bible outreach ministry in 2025 that aims to influence players’ lives positively through faith. Many players are keen, viewing their actions as a way to serve and witness for Jesus. Over the past season, 200 Bibles have been distributed, with plans for more. this approach exemplifies how young athletes can channel their passions into endeavors that promote faith. Despite a general decline in Christianity according to recent surveys, such initiatives highlight the potential for young peopel to inspire renewed faith engagement and demonstrate the power of faith-driven outreach in sports.
One high school football team is using the game as a way to spread their Christian faith.
Park Christian School is located in Moorehead, Minnesota.
The school has gotten the attention of the public for a unique act during every home game: Players will leave Bibles in the lockers of the opposing team, along with a letter from the coaching staff and a personal note from a Park player.
The Park Falcons will include messages about their walk with Jesus Christ, according to Sports Spectrum.
The Christian sports outlet added that many players include their phone numbers, encouraging the other team to reach out.
Opposing teams also get a meal for the trip home.
Park Christian head coach Matt Baasch said a few years ago he and his staff “set out to really put in motion the basis of our program and who we are trying to be.”
Baasch found inspiration in 1 Peter 4:10. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
With the help of assistant coach and pastor Ben Killerlain, Baasch created a Bible outreach ministry which began with the 2025 season. “All the things that [our players] do matter,” Baasch said.
“I think this is one of those examples to them of, ‘I can do something. God calls me to do these things, and I can do them, and it’s not scary, and it impacts people, and it impacts me, and it impacts my parents.’ … People can look through us to see the light of Jesus.”
Park Christian (Moorhead, Minn.) seeks to be Christ-focused in all it does, but what does that look like for the football team? Leaving Bibles with personalized notes in the locker of each opposing player 👏
“They are a witness for Jesus Christ.” https://t.co/jnhRwIQr43
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) September 16, 2026
Killerlain told Sports Spectrum’s Kevin Mercer, “Coaching football is a discipleship activity,” saying, “we want to make sure that these kids are being discipled towards a right view of Jesus and of ministry, so they get that everywhere they walk, they are a witness for Jesus Christ. … It’s bigger than football. It’s following Jesus.”
Players like Park Christian senior center and defensive lineman Elijah Bjur expressed enthusiasm for the ministry. “We get to take the gifts we’ve been given and create our own ministry of giving Bibles to other people.”
With five home games in the previous season, 200 Bibles were distributed, with more going out this season.
It’s a promising development to see young men using their passion for sports as an outlet for their faith.
Pew Research noted in its 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study a decline in Christianity, but noted a more recent trend in Americans identifying with the faith stabilizing.
If we hope to not only stop the decline, but see a rise in Christianity, we need more upstanding young people and adults to follow the example of the Park Christian players.
Sharing your faith can be hard, especially in a world where it feels hostile at times to do so.
This team found its own way with their talents and circumstances.
We can, too.
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