'Signs' Lead NFL Player to God

I'm a bit baffled by this story I came across about former Denver Broncos offensive tackle Matt Lepsis, who played 11 seasons in the NFL before retiring in 2007. Lepsis started 133 games and helped the Broncos win a Super Bowl in 1999. He recounts how he became caught up in the fast-pace lifestyle of professional sports and started abusing drugs, often playing games while high.

Then one day, Lepsis reportedly received these "signs" -- lyrics from a Dave Matthews Band song, Jesus written on a foggy bathroom mirror -- and he becomes devoutly religious. Forgive me for being cynical but there has to be more to it than that.

I wish the writer would have explored more deeply what caused Lepsis to embrace his new-found faith. Did he grow up in a devout family? Or was religion a new experience for him?

The story also mentions in passing that he is a student at Dallas Theological Seminary and that he might become a pastor or chaplain, but it never explains what led him to the seminary. By the way, I looked up Dallas Seminary on the Web and learned it is "nondenominational" and "seeks to serve those of like biblical faith in evangelical Protestantism."

It's one thing to become devout, read the Bible and go to church. It seems to me it's entirely something else to enroll in school to study theology. That's a much greater commitment. Instead of being inspired by Lepsis' story, I was frustrated by having too many of my questions left unanswered.

By Kathy Orton  |  January 6, 2009; 10:47 AM ET  | Category:  Praying Fields Save & Share:                 
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