Built to Last: Championship Character Starts with Christ

Tonight is the semi-final game against Grace Classical Academy. A team that embodies Christian character in the way that they play. For years, they have entered the playoffs as underdogs in most rounds of the playoff and have walked away with two state titles. Make no mistake, this is not an accident.

They, like us, chase something bigger than a scoreboard. Together, we chase excellence. We chase brotherhood. We chase the kind of team that people talk about years later. And here’s the truth nobody puts on the hype video: real, lasting excellence doesn’t come from talent alone. It comes from character. And the purest, most perfect picture of that character walked this earth 2,000 years ago—Jesus Christ.

Everything good—every ounce of discipline, courage, honesty, respect, patience, humility, and servant-mindedness—flows from God. And God put on skin in the person of Jesus so we could see exactly what those traits look like in action.Think about it:

• Discipline – Jesus woke up early, prayed, and stayed locked in on His mission even when everyone around Him was losing focus.

• Courage – He faced the cross, the ultimate fourth-and-goal, knowing the cost and still stepping up.

• Servant-mindedness – The King of the universe washed His disciples’ dirty feet the night before He died.

• Honesty – He spoke truth even when it made powerful people furious.

• Respect – He honored the outcast, the kid nobody picked, the woman at the well everyone ignored.

• Patience – He taught the same disciples over and over, even when they kept missing the point.

• Humility – “I didn’t come to be served, but to serve.”

That’s not just “nice guy” stuff. That’s championship DNA.

Look at any locker room that falls apart—ego, trash-talking behind backs, quitting when it gets hard, blaming refs or teammates. That’s the opposite of Christ’s character, and it destroys teams faster than any opponent ever could.

Now flip it. The teams that become legends? They’re full of guys who play for something bigger than themselves. They block for the running back even when the camera’s not on them. They own their mistakes. They stay late helping a younger player. They treat the water boy and the head coach with the same respect. That’s Christ-shaped character, and it’s undefeated.

The same traits that build state-championship teams build strong families, successful businesses, and lives that actually matter. When you say yes to following Jesus, you’re not just signing up for heaven later—you’re signing up for the playbook that leads to victory right now, on and off the field.

Look around the world. See what happens when people ditch discipline, humility, honesty, and love. Chaos. Broken homes. Empty trophies. Now imagine the opposite—a team, a school, a community living out the character of Christ. That’s not just a good team. That’s a movement.

So the season will end for one of us tonight, but let's remain commited to more than wins. Let’s commit to becoming the kind of men who reflect the One who gave everything for us. Because when we look like Jesus, we don’t just win games.

We change the game.

Let’s go be great—on the field, in the classroom, and for eternity.In Christ,