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After playing catcher for eleven years for the Indians, Astros, and Reds, my wife and I work for a ministry called Pro Athletes Outreach which reaches NFL, MLB, and minor league baseball players. We hold conferences in the off-season of each sport, inviting some of the best Bible teachers in the nation to teach about God’s Word, relationships, and stewardship. Everything that is taught is focused on the unique lifestyle of the athletes, coaches, and their wives.
My wife Rene and I are ambassadors to professional baseball. Our work begins when spring training starts. We help run conferences and act as master of ceremonies during the conferences. I visit every major league clubhouse and build new relationships to impact these athletes for the Kingdom. Since I live in Orlando, I also am the chaplain for the Braves’ minor league team and help with the major league chapel when needed. Chapel and Bible study are held weekly.
Earning my online degree from DTS was exactly what I needed to be equipped in my ministry to the ball players. One of my mentors, Charles Cooper (ThM 1986) discipled me for many years and connected me with DTS online to start this journey. As an athlete, I love to learn from the best and be pushed to get better at my sport, so it made sense to pursue my degree online and be taught and challenged from some of the best professors around. I’m very thankful for the online degree that DTS provides. I have a great admiration for the students that have immersed themselves in training for those 4 years and the sacrifices they have made. I feel honored to have taken the same level of classes they have taken online and even though I have never met them or any of the faculty, I feel fully equipped to go forward and continue to minister to the athletes and disciple them with what I have learned from DTS.