Sports Spectrum Podcast

BONUS   Dave Aranda was named head coach of Baylor Football on January 16, 2020. Last season, he was the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach at LSU, where helped the Tigers to an undefeated 15-0 season and a national championship.    On the podcast today, we talk to Coach Aranda about his new role at Baylor, what he's been learning during Covid-19, his long and winding road to faith in Christ and how that faith guides him as a coach.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 502 Darryl Stinson is a pastor at Life Church in Duluth, Georgia and the founder of SecondChanceAthletes.com, a place to encourage and inspire athletes who are struggling with the transition away from the athletic life.   Stinson played college football at Central Michigan from 2008-2011.    As a dynamic TEDx speaker, hip-hop artist, and certified John Maxwell coach, he shares  with audiences his life experience of overcoming addiction, mental illness, and multiple suicide attempts to produce success in his life with current and former athletes across the globe.   On today's episode of the podcast, we talk to Darryl as he shares his powerful story of addiction, mental illness, suicide and how God helped restore his life while he was in the psych ward.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com    You can learn more about Darryl's ministry by going to http://SecondChanceAthletes.com 

Episode 501 Bryan Loritts is a pastor, speaker and award-winning author of seven books. Bryan co-founded Fellowship Memphis in 2003 and later founded The Kainos Movement. In addition to his duties as a pastor, he travels extensively throughout the world preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ as conferences and events.    His latest book "The Dad Difference: The Four Most Important Gifts You Can Give To Your Kids" released June 2, 2020. Bryan is passionate about parenting and shares in his new book how we can be empowered to become dads who makes a difference in the lives of our children.   On this episode of the podcast, Bryan shares why he wanted to write about parenting, what he's most encouraged with during this pandemic, why its important to be proactive as fathers with our children, the encouragement he has for believers in sharing their faith, and the biggest spiritual battle that athletes of faith are struggling with.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com    You can learn more about Bryan by going to his website - http://BryanLoritts.com

Dr. Bryan Loritts is a pastor and author of many books including "The Dad Difference" which releases June 2, 2020. Bryan is the Editor and collaborated on the book "Letters to a Birmingham Jail: A Response to the Words and Dreams of Martin Luther King Jr."   Bryan joins us for an important discussion today on race, faith, healing and reconciliation in light of the events that took place this past week in Minneapolis and other areas of the United States with the murder of George Floyd.    This interview was recorded Saturday May 30, 2020

BONUS EPISODE   Kyle Gibson joins us today on the podcast. He pitched from 2013-2019 with the Minnesota Twins and this past offseason, signed a three-year deal with the Texas Rangers. After a couple of appearances at Spring Training, Kyle and the rest of the world were shut down due to the pandemic. On the show today we ask Kyle about how he's staying ready for the potential re-opening of the 2020 MLB season, what he's learned from the Lord during this quarantine time and how he's been able to turn a negative into a positive by giving back and providing meals for those less fortunate during Covid-19.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 500   Derwin Gray is a former defensive back, who played 5 seasons in the NFL with the Colts and Panthers. He’s also the Pastor of Transformation Church near Charlotte, North Carolina.   Selected in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL Draft (92nd overall) by the Indianapolis Colts. He played five seasons with Indy from 1993-1997 and finished his career in Carolina with the Panthers in 1998.   He has authored 5 books including his latest release, "The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches about True Happiness"releasing everywhere June 2. Gray's other books include: Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future (2013), and The High-Definition Leader (2015).   Derwin is also the host of the "Marinate On That: The Dr. Derwin Gray Podcast" where he releases a new episode on the first Monday of each month.   On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Dr. Derwin Gray about the idolatry of happiness, how's he been leading a church during Covid-19, why sports is not the place to gain ultimate love and significance, and the responsibility of Christian athletes to be open about their faith.    For more stories of sports and faith, log on to http://SportsSpectrum.com. 

BONUS EPISODE   Liam Hendriks is a pitcher with the Oakland Athletics. In 2019, Hendriks had a career season that saw him selected to his first MLB All-Star Game. He finished the season with 124 strikeouts in 85 innings, 25 saves and an ERA of 1.80 in 75 games.    He holds the distinction of being the first Australian-born player to ever start an MLB postseason game. He made his MLB debut on Sept. 6, 2011, with the Twins, and then pitched in Toronto and Kansas City before arriving in Oakland in 2016.   On this episode of the podcast, we talk with Hendriks about the pandemic, his preparation during this quarantine time, his All-Star Game experience, handling success during the 2019 season, and how God and his wife helped keep him humble.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com 

Episode 499   Joshua Gagnon is the founding and lead pastor of Next Level Church in New Hampshire. It is recognized as one of the fastest growing churches in America. Josh is also the author of his new book, "It's Not Over: Leaving Behind Disappointment and Learning to Dream Again."    On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Josh about his new book, how pain can be a leader's constant companion, why the Gospel is still relevant in 2020 and how he's helped lead a growing church in the least churched area of the United States in the Northeast.   * Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak.

Episode 498 Each day in the afternoon, Dallas, Texas listens to the voice of Bob Sturm on Sports Radio 1310 the Ticket. He's also a part of Troy Aikman's research team each week during the NFL season for FOX Sports broadcasts.    Bob is a staff writer covering the Cowboys for The Athletic Dallas. He has covered the team for the last 22 seasons and has written about the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News, D Magazine and Fox Sports Southwest. He was also the author of the book “This Year is Different - The Story of How the 2011 Dallas Mavericks Won It All."   On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Bob about being on air during a pandemic, where his faith took shape, his awesome adoption story and what he's learned about being a believer and working in the secular work space as a sports talk show host.    For more stories of sports and faith, check out http://SportsSpectrum.com 

BONUS EPISODE   Today on the podcast, we feature a conversation with Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and NFL tight end Benjamin Watson. Swinney's wife Cathleen and Watson's wife Kirsten also join the conversation as part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' Huddle Up series.    To watch this entire conversation, visit YouTube.com/FCAVideo.   For more stories of sports and faith, visit http://SportsSpectrum.com.   To learn more about the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, check out http://fca.org    To learn about the great work being done with the Nations of Coaches, check them out here.