Every Conversation Counts / Guest Post by Carter Duffin

For a hockey coach, summer is an exciting time. Even though we aren’t in the rink every day, our focus shifts from the daily grind to building, planning, and connecting—and often has me charging my phone two or three times a day. The recruiting drive for the next season begins during the late stages of last season, and as the Head Coach of a Christian College hockey team, these recruiting calls are a massive opportunity to connect with players from all backgrounds.
 
After a successful first season on the ice as the Head Coach at Briercrest College, I was determined to achieve success off the ice. I was excited to dive into a full summer of recruiting and start building relationships—some that might last for a single phone call, and others that will hopefully grow for years to come. With this in mind, I wanted to challenge myself to ensure I didn't miss the chance to plant a seed in every 'first call.'
 
Recruiting for a Christian college is unique. It's fun to truly have the opportunity to be open with my faith, but it also demands turning over every stone, asking hard questions, and being encouraging at every turn. In a word, it requires being BOLD. The world of Junior hockey can be a dark world, filled with earthly distractions and the temptation to take the easy way out rather than follow God's call. My mission in this process is to find young men who want to grow in their faith and follow Jesus, regardless of their background or past.
 
During the past school year, I was fortunate to spend time weekly in the Word with Wes Olmstead, one of our college's professors. Wes had a profound impact on me, challenging me to dig deeper—to find things new, familiar, or previously unknown, and to let those lessons impact my life and help me bear good fruit. We spent the first semester reading and re-reading the Gospel of Matthew. Purposefully re-reading the book always provided new insights that became apparent on each reading. One of the parables we focused on was the 'Sower and the Seeds' in Matthew 13. The key lesson from this parable is that we don't know the condition of someone's heart when we share the Gospel. Jesus didn't set a prerequisite on who could come to Him; only that they must hear, understand, and receive the Word. This is why He calls us in the Great Commission to share the Gospel with everyone:
 
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20
 
I remember my first 'official' recruiting call of the summer clearly. I had talked with previous coaches at the college, and coaches of other sports about their approach to recruiting calls. The player on the line was someone I had briefly coached in Junior A hockey a few years prior before he was traded. During that short time, I never stepped up to speak to him about Jesus, but I could tell there was 'something different' about him and his character. Years later, I was eager to reconnect and see if Briercrest would be a fit for him.

About forty minutes into a great conversation about our hockey program, logistics, and school, I had a moment of self talk - similar to in a movie when you see a character have this self-discussion while life just pauses. I faced a clear choice:

1. Wrap up the call and save the 'faith talk' for later.
 
2. Be bold, bring up Jesus right now, and gain insight to his heart. I had challenged myself not to miss these opportunities, even if I only got one call with a player.

I chose the latter, brought up my faith, and opened the door to the Gospel.

The call was made easy when he replied that he already knew Jesus and was actively seeking Him! That moment was incredibly encouraging and solidified my approach. Since then, I've had many more recruiting calls, ranging from players eager for Biblical Studies to those who have never had any real exposure to Jesus in their lives. Honestly, those are the calls I now look forward to most—the conversations with young men who say, "I think there's a God, but I don't know what to do with that," or "I've never really thought about it before."
 
I feel incredibly fortunate for the position I'm in. Not only am I the Head Coach of a college hockey team, but I have the opportunity to call players from across Canada and the USA and know that I get to bring up Jesus in every single call. I don't always know where those seeds of faith will land or how quickly they will grow. But maybe, someday down the road, a player I only spoke with once will remember "that one coach who talked about Jesus." I don't know what your situation is as you read this—whether you have the chance to share Jesus with a coworker, a teammate, or a family member. But I want to encourage you: when that opportunity arises, share boldly. Don't worry or be anxious; the Holy Spirit will give you the words. We can trust that at the right time and in the right way, the Holy Spirit will guide what we say and how we say it. The challenge I leave you with is this: pray for wisdom, wait on Jesus, and be obedient to His call. Sometimes we only get one conversation with someone—let's not let them miss the opportunity to know Jesus. It’s an exciting and powerful thing to share the Gospel boldly, knowing He has your back.
 
"And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:11-12