“You don’t want me, I sold my soul to the devil,” Joe responded when he was invited to Bible study. He was six-foot-two, had shoulder length dreadlocks, and was inked with tattoos. Joe played football for Compton Community College, where he was known as Rocky and was counting on signing an NFL contract after college.
“God is stronger than the devil, and you can get your soul back. So I do want you to come to Bible study today,” said Nate, InterVarsity staff at Compton Community College in Compton, California.
“See” Joe replied, as he revealed the tattoos covering his chest and arms, “This means that I’ve made a deal with the devil. It’s how I stay strong on the football field. It’s too late for me.”
“It doesn’t matter what you’ve done. Come to Bible study today,” Nate answered.
“If I come, I’m going to have a lot of questions for you all,” Joe said, “I really think about things.”
“That’s fine,” Nate replied, “You can ask all the questions you want. The whole point of Bible study is to see for ourselves what the Bible says.”
Joe did attend Bible study that day and joined InterVarsity’s Large Group meeting later that week. Joe continued to learn about Jesus’ love for him as he attended both the Bible study and Large Group meetings throughout the semester.
As he got to know students in the group, Joe opened up his life to them. At the age of twenty-three, he was already a convicted felon, an orphan, and a father. He had been kicked out of at least one other community college for fighting, and had once been beaten so severely that he’d been in a wheelchair. “I hate the holidays because everyone comes back ‘all happy’ from seeing their families. Last Christmas, I was doing push-ups and reviewing game film in the football office,” Joe told the group.
A few days later, Nate showed up unexpectedly at Joe’s apartment. He lived among recovering addicts in the back unit of a small sober-living building. Joe did yard work and maintenance to pay for rent. “Why do you care about me?” he asked Nate, as they stood in the small kitchen. “I think God is showing his great love for you through us,” Nate replied.
“You’re a great man,” Joe said.
“I’m not great by myself, its only because God has worked in my life,” Nate said.
Nate offered to drive Joe to school. In the car, Joe said, “There’s a part of me that wants to be good, and follow God. But, Rocky is the rage that keeps me motivated on the field. If I follow God in Jesus Christ, I won’t play football, because I will have to give up my anger. And if I don’t play football, I’ll never get respect.”
“God respects you right now, no matter what you do on the football field. And so do I,” Nate told him.
At the end of the semester, Nate invited Joe to attend InterVarsity’s year-end conference on Catalina Island. “How much is it?” Joe asked.
“Eighty-five dollars, meals and transportation included,” Nate said.
“Well, I have no money,” Joe replied.
“Okay, we will figure something out. If you want to come, we will find you the money,” Nate said. One of the Compton football coaches said he was willing to make a contribution to Joe’s registration fee.
The day before the conference, during InterVarsity’s Large Group meeting, Joe told one of the leaders, “I don’t think I can go. I got some stuff to do this weekend.” Joe was clearly agitated. “I’m tired of being poor.”
Nate caught up with Joe. “Joe, let me take you to the store and we will get you some supplies. You’ve got to go to this conference.”
“Forget about it,” Joe said, “My friend’s got a job for me to do this weekend, and if I move some drugs, I’ll make a lot of money.”
“God wants to take you on a weekend vacation, all expenses paid. All you have to do is decide to come,” said Nate. Joe retorted, “What’s that gonna do? After the weekend, its still going to be the same old thing.”
“You don’t know that. You gotta take the first step, and see what God has next for you,” Nate replied.
“I’m not going to Catalina.” Joe said.
“You do this deal, and I’m visiting you in jail. Or, you can get in my truck right now, we will buy you some stuff and do your laundry, and you can go to Catalina tomorrow,” Nate replied.
Joe hung his head. Finally, he said, “Okay. Let’s go. I’ll get in your truck.”
After going to the store, Nate drove Joe to football practice. Then a few hours later, Nate dropped Joe off at his apartment and said, “I’ll be back at 10:30 tomorrow morning to pick you up for the retreat.”
The following morning Joe stepped out of urban Long Beach and set foot on the shore of Catalina Island at InterVarsity’s Campus by the Sea. On the second night of camp, Nate asked “Who would like to receive prayer for something that hurts from their past?” Joe was the second person to come forward.
As they were praying, Joe said, “I don’t want to do this,” and went back to his seat. Later, the students broke into small groups to pray for each other. Nate and Joe were in the same group and before they started, Joe shared, “My friend told me that I have a demon, and I think he’s right. It’s the demon Rocky, that keeps me strong.”
“When you are ready to renounce this demon, we’ll do it,” Nate said. Joe listened as students began praying for and with each other. He wanted to be a part of that tight-knit community he was seeing, and share his life and concerns with close friends.
As Nate was praying with Ivory, another student in the group, Joe said, “Ivory, you are a special person. I’ve seen your heart this weekend, you are a beautiful person.” Nate then asked Joe, “Are you ready to pray now?”
“Yes,” Joe replied. Bowing his head, he prayed, “Jesus, please kill my anger, please kill my hate. If I have to give up football, I will. Jesus, please forgive my sins and enter my heart.”
Later that night Joe said to Nate, “I’ve done a lot of drugs, but I’ve never felt like that. It’s just that I feel like I was dead, but now I’m alive again.”
Through InterVarsity, Joe has discovered that he can be respected both on the football field and by fellow Christians. Joe found that he can be respected not because of what he achieves on the football field, but more importantly because of who he is: God’s beloved child.
