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FCA Magazine > Life-Changing Moments

Life-Changing Moments

Published on April 30, 2013

Ron Brown

Every moment can change your life, but for one to be truly labeled “life-changing” it somehow has to dominate the core of who you are. What’s external must become internal before there’s real, authentic, godly life-change.

Plenty of folks would assume winning national championships would be my life-changing moments. While those were unforgettable—I was fortunate to be a coach on three national championship teams—we live in a “What have you done for me lately?” society, which explains why just a few years after the last one, I was fired along with the other coaches on staff.

Others have said that coming from a low-income family to earn two Ivy League degrees were life-changing moments, but no amount of degrees, accomplishments or money can ever satisfy a needy heart.

Instead, below are several personal life-changing moments which affected me externally and impacted me internally and eternally.

• In the weeks following the tragic events of 9/11, church services were packed across the country as people yearned for the Lord. But was there authentic life-change? I questioned that within myself, but as I heard the details about United Flight 93, a paradigm shift began in me. Todd Beamer led a group of men who recognized the plane had been hijacked and made themselves responsible for lives that could be in danger. These brave men raided the cockpit and crashed the plane in a Pennsylvania field, surrendering their lives to save others. Realizing Beamer’s heroic faith in Christ reminded me of God’s call on my life to inspire Christian men and boys and to steward the culture biblically and fearlessly against opposition to the name of Jesus.

• In the winter of 2002, my faith in Christ and records of publicly proclaiming His name eliminated me from consideration for the head coaching position at a major university. This school was founded on biblical principles, yet had slowly begun to stray from that foundation. In the name of “tolerance,” they would not tolerate my expression of Christ. It was life-changing for me because I realized I couldn’t be both a secular coach and a Christian coach.

I recognized that my life-changing salvation conversion to Christ in 1979 got Jesus’ blood all over me, and I could never be two Ron Browns. I’m a Christian all the way through because of what Jesus did for me, and realizing that helped me accept the university’s decision with great rejoicing instead of bitterness.

• In 2003, after being saved and experiencing my newness in Christ for 24 years, I finally recognized a horrible sin in me that had been growing over time: Legalism. It wasn’t my only sin (by a long shot), but legalism was hiding deep within the realms of my heart. John 1:14 describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth.” I had become judgmental and was adding my own agenda to God’s Word. I was reading Scripture without being filled by the Holy Spirit, a futile act that made me more impressed with my knowledge of the Bible than truly listening to Him. The growing discovery of God’s grace began the refreshing, life-changing paradigm of godly, biblical freedom—not license—that our Lord Jesus is full of. I never want to be a Pharisee again. Ever. Now that is life changing!

• In November 2011, the sexual abuse scandal at Penn State rocked the sports world. A few days after the initial reports surfaced, Penn State had Nebraska on the schedule. Under God’s sovereignty, I was asked to lead a three-minute pregame prayer at midfield involving both teams. This rare occurrence took place in front of 107,000 silent fans and a nationally televised audience. Players, coaches, officials and media members from around the globe were in tears together as we beseeched a Holy God to make sense of this tragedy. Undeservingly, I was applauded nationally for praying and helping to bring some sanity to that situation. I didn’t deserve any credit; I was simply talking to my Heavenly Father on behalf of the victims, criminals and bystanders based on John 1:14, in the name of Jesus.

That stood in stark contrast to another three-minute moment several months later, when I spoke at an Omaha (Neb.) City Council hearing to voice my opinion on a proposed political measure. My opinion was based on Romans 1:26-27, in the name of Jesus. For weeks after, again undeservingly, I was bombarded nationally for bringing my biblical perspective to the situation.

The combination of praise and criticism in those two instances reminded me of what FCA promotes regarding Whom we are to live and compete for: An Audience of ONE.

That theme is a great beginning, middle and conclusion to the subject of life-changing moments. When we understand that the applause of women and men—both Christian and non-Christian—is really just shifting sand, then our hope is found in an Audience of ONE: Jesus, the one and only Life Changer!

Orgiginally Published: May 2013

FCA Magazine > Life-Changing Moments

Life-Changing Moments

Published on April 30, 2013

Ron Brown

Every moment can change your life, but for one to be truly labeled “life-changing” it somehow has to dominate the core of who you are. What’s external must become internal before there’s real, authentic, godly life-change.

Plenty of folks would assume winning national championships would be my life-changing moments. While those were unforgettable—I was fortunate to be a coach on three national championship teams—we live in a “What have you done for me lately?” society, which explains why just a few years after the last one, I was fired along with the other coaches on staff.

Others have said that coming from a low-income family to earn two Ivy League degrees were life-changing moments, but no amount of degrees, accomplishments or money can ever satisfy a needy heart.

Instead, below are several personal life-changing moments which affected me externally and impacted me internally and eternally.

• In the weeks following the tragic events of 9/11, church services were packed across the country as people yearned for the Lord. But was there authentic life-change? I questioned that within myself, but as I heard the details about United Flight 93, a paradigm shift began in me. Todd Beamer led a group of men who recognized the plane had been hijacked and made themselves responsible for lives that could be in danger. These brave men raided the cockpit and crashed the plane in a Pennsylvania field, surrendering their lives to save others. Realizing Beamer’s heroic faith in Christ reminded me of God’s call on my life to inspire Christian men and boys and to steward the culture biblically and fearlessly against opposition to the name of Jesus.

• In the winter of 2002, my faith in Christ and records of publicly proclaiming His name eliminated me from consideration for the head coaching position at a major university. This school was founded on biblical principles, yet had slowly begun to stray from that foundation. In the name of “tolerance,” they would not tolerate my expression of Christ. It was life-changing for me because I realized I couldn’t be both a secular coach and a Christian coach.

I recognized that my life-changing salvation conversion to Christ in 1979 got Jesus’ blood all over me, and I could never be two Ron Browns. I’m a Christian all the way through because of what Jesus did for me, and realizing that helped me accept the university’s decision with great rejoicing instead of bitterness.

• In 2003, after being saved and experiencing my newness in Christ for 24 years, I finally recognized a horrible sin in me that had been growing over time: Legalism. It wasn’t my only sin (by a long shot), but legalism was hiding deep within the realms of my heart. John 1:14 describes Jesus as “full of grace and truth.” I had become judgmental and was adding my own agenda to God’s Word. I was reading Scripture without being filled by the Holy Spirit, a futile act that made me more impressed with my knowledge of the Bible than truly listening to Him. The growing discovery of God’s grace began the refreshing, life-changing paradigm of godly, biblical freedom—not license—that our Lord Jesus is full of. I never want to be a Pharisee again. Ever. Now that is life changing!

• In November 2011, the sexual abuse scandal at Penn State rocked the sports world. A few days after the initial reports surfaced, Penn State had Nebraska on the schedule. Under God’s sovereignty, I was asked to lead a three-minute pregame prayer at midfield involving both teams. This rare occurrence took place in front of 107,000 silent fans and a nationally televised audience. Players, coaches, officials and media members from around the globe were in tears together as we beseeched a Holy God to make sense of this tragedy. Undeservingly, I was applauded nationally for praying and helping to bring some sanity to that situation. I didn’t deserve any credit; I was simply talking to my Heavenly Father on behalf of the victims, criminals and bystanders based on John 1:14, in the name of Jesus.

That stood in stark contrast to another three-minute moment several months later, when I spoke at an Omaha (Neb.) City Council hearing to voice my opinion on a proposed political measure. My opinion was based on Romans 1:26-27, in the name of Jesus. For weeks after, again undeservingly, I was bombarded nationally for bringing my biblical perspective to the situation.

The combination of praise and criticism in those two instances reminded me of what FCA promotes regarding Whom we are to live and compete for: An Audience of ONE.

That theme is a great beginning, middle and conclusion to the subject of life-changing moments. When we understand that the applause of women and men—both Christian and non-Christian—is really just shifting sand, then our hope is found in an Audience of ONE: Jesus, the one and only Life Changer!

Orgiginally Published: May 2013

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