Thought this was worth posting here

SUPER BOWL: Aaron Rodgers, other Packers, looking to 'follow Jesus' example'

By: Art Stricklin

Original article can be found here, http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?Id=34574. ARLINGTON, Texas (BP)--NFL experts and newspaper headline writers have been quick to label Green Bay starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers the "Leader of the Pack."

Something about 4,712 yards passing and 34 touchdowns, and leading the Packers to the verge of their first Super Bowl title in more than a decade will do that for you.

But Rodgers made it clear in Tuesday's jam-packed Super Bowl XLV Media Day he only wants to be a leader of God's pack when it comes to influencing others to see his faith in Jesus Christ.

"We all have a platform, we all have a message in our lives," Rodgers told Baptist Press and a worldwide media turnout, which ringed his individual interview area. "I just try to follow Jesus' example, leading by example."

During his six years with the Packers, his career has seen enough twists and turns, dead ends and detours to test anyone's faith. An expected top 10 draft choice, he lasted until the end of the first round for reasons he never understood. He stood on the sidelines for three seasons while Packers quarterback Brett Favre went through his yearly will-he-or-won't-he retirement routine as Packers QB.

Finally given a chance to start three years ago, he has matured into one of the top quarterbacks in the league, but not forgetting his past, present and future in Christ.

"God always has a plan for us, a path. Sometimes we wish we knew it sooner," Rodgers said with a bit of a laugh, "but He always shows up His way."

He credits his parents, Ed and Darla Rodgers, who still live in Northern California where he was raised, for showing him a loving and Christ-centered household. He also remains close to his two longtime accountability partners, Pastors Andrew Burchett of the Neighborhood Church in Chico, Calif., and Young Life Christian youth group leader Matt Hock.

Even in the midst of the craziness of Super Bowl week and Tuesday's Media Day at Cowboys Stadium, Rodgers had already checked in with his accountability team.

"They won't be here Sunday, but they've been calling and texting me," he said. "Matt sent me a photo of his entire Young Life group decked out in Packers gear."

Rodgers' quiet and humble testimony has been enough to inspire Christian NFL fans everywhere and his own teammates as well.

Rookie defensive end C.J. Wilson, whose father is a Pentecostal minister in Mt. Olive, N.C., said he really didn't know what to expect when he showed up for his first NFL season this year. But when he saw the experience of his star quarterback and his witness, Wilson felt encouraged with his own professional football faith.

"I think it does help when your superstar quarterback is walking with God. I've been blessed to be around him and see how God makes all things possible in our lives," Wilson said.

Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings is one of Rodgers' receivers and teammates on the field, but more importantly, a spiritual brother on and off the field. He said he's determined to let Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers be his platform for God.

"I just want to let people know what it's all about. One of the Scriptures I refer to a lot is, 'to whom much is given, much is required,' and I'm required to have a voice [for God] because I have a stage and a platform," Jennings said.

"Number one, all glory goes to God. That's where it starts and that's where it finishes."

His father, Greg, Sr., is the pastor of Progressive Deliverance Ministries in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Packers defensive tackle Ryan Pickett has been inspired to join an anti-pornography campaign in the NFL this year to help rid the destructive influence among his friends and teammates. He said he had to turn down the invitations of his teammates this week and other times who wanted him to go places he knew was not right.

"I value my family and my wife. I try to stay away from that," Pickett said.

Green Bay kicker Mason Crosby doesn't have to be reminded about the number of Super Bowl games which have come down to a final touchdown or field goal, including the last Super Bowl held in Texas when the New England Patriots won on a last-second kick in Houston.

But he said his faith in Christ won't allow him to be defined by a single kick.

"I think He helps me knowing that kicking is what I do, not who I am. It's not everything that I am. I can escape knowing that my relationship with Christ is what carries me."

Crosby has also noticed his quarterback's faith and his example to his teammates and the sports world.

"Aaron has a great relationship with the Lord," Crosby said. "He's the face of the franchise and it helps to see he's living the message all of the time.

"I'm always reading in the Proverbs and Psalms to relax my mind before we play," Crosby added. "I know that God cares for me all the time regardless of any outcome here."

Of snow, sermons, and Super Bowls...

It has been quite awhile since I posted here. I've been tied up with other things, laziness being one of them.

We have been getting quite a bit of snow lately, 18 inches in the last week. Some folks will have you believe that this is an extraordinary amount, or that the weather has been unusually severe. True, only if you have been under a rock for the lat 40 years. The weather we are having now is typical for what we had when I was a kid. We had so much snow once in the middle 70's that we were stranded in the house for three days. That hasn't happened recently. It's February. It's Wisconsin. It's gonna snow. Get over it. Oh, and learn how to drive in it too, will ya? And just to clarify, I am starting to get sick and tired of clearing snow. I decided after the last snow fall that if I did someone's driveway, and they failed to reciprocate with any kindness at all, I wasn't going to do their driveway any more. I don't charge to clear someones driveway. I look to see if yours has been cleared, if not I'll do it, and then just drive away. I had a lady offer to give me $40 for 10 minutes worth of work to clear her drive. I took twenty, and told her the next was on me. I have done another neighbors driveway 4 or 5 times this year, and have not received a "thank you" or even a wave acknowledging my presence. They won't get theirs done again. Yesterday, a fellow drove up to our house, I recognized him as a guy whose driveway I did a week ago. He came out and thanked me then, then drove up yesterday to deliver some Rice Krispie treats. I'll do his again too.

As I have stated before, I attend a great church, and am an elder there as well. From time to time elders are called on to preach when one of a number of paid ministers is unavailable. This past Sunday was one of those days, and it was my turn to fill in. I chose to teach on Matthew 4:1-11; The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness. It went pretty well, as I have been blessed to have biblical teaching from some men who truly love Jesus Christ, and are passionate for His Word. I predominantly used information from the text, as well as information from a book entitled "The Words and Works of Jesus Christ" by J. Dwight Pentecost. Let me tell you, if you are a confessing Christian, I highly recommend this book whether for just reading or for a group study. We are using it as a group study, and the Pastor teaching it studied under Pentecost at Dallas Theological Seminary (so we have all kinds of insider notes and stuff!).

My beloved Green Bay Packers will play in the Super Bowl on Sunday. My kids are really excited, and they should be, as this is the first time the Packers have been in a Super Bowl they will be able to remember. I think it's a great thing for the only publicly held professional sports franchise to be in a championship game like this. I think most folks are picking the Steelers to win, But something just tells me that this is to be the Packers' year. They have overcome so much to get where they are, they deserve to be the first sixth seeded NFC team to win. Not only that, they will have won an astonishing SIX consecutive do-or-die games in the course of this improbable run.