Faith That Never Fumbled: Remembering Reggie White

By Shawn Brown
The 700 Club

CBN.com – Reggie White has been called the most honored athlete ever to play defensive end in NFL history. Commonly known as the “Minister of Defense,” he played a total of 15 years in the league, eight with the Philadelphia Eagles, and six with the Green Bay Packers. In his final year with the Carolina Panthers, White retired as the league's all-time sack leader with 198.

This two-time Player of the Year was a force to be reckoned with, but off the field, he was known as a “gentle giant.” Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall, the 300-pounder was outspoken about his faith and believed that football was more than just a game for him.

"I always believed, since I was a kid, that God was going to allow me to play professional football to use it as a platform to proclaim and to live out the name of Jesus, and that is the most exciting part about my life," White said.

This “platform” allowed Reggie to share his faith with other players on the field. But that wasn’t enough.

Reggie White "The inner city to me is the inner sanctuary of the Lord," White explained. "There are a lot of people in these areas that are suppressed, that are hurt, that need not only to hear the gospel but need the gospel exposed to them. If we don’t continue to meet the needs of these people, they’re going to continue to die."

Reggie concentrated on those needs by spreading God’s Word to youth. He wrote three books and produced a video, and as an ordained minister, he spearheaded programs that provided jobs and classes for those who wanted to start their own businesses. He even partnered with community leaders to help the businesses get started. He and his wife, Sara, renovated a house for homeless or battered mothers, mostly teenagers. As a husband and father of two, Reggie was devoted to changing lives through the love of Christ.

"If we continue to back down from the truth, we’ll never mean anything to the kingdom," White said. "Dr. King once said before he died, 'If you don’t have a cause to die for, you have nothing to live for.' Jesus is our cause, so we should be willing to sacrifice our lives for Him and others."