Foreword by Carson Wentz, Nick Foles,Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Jordan Hicks, and Chris Maragos.
The Biggest Win gives athletes and sports fans of all ages a unique, insider's look into the lives and faith of six Christian NFL players from the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl team Carson Wentz, Nick Foles, Zach Ertz, Trey Burton, Jordan Hicks, and Chris Maragos.Through the ups and downs of their experiences, author Joshua Cooley shows how these high-profile athletes remain committed to God's Word, genuine Christian discipleship, and sharing their faith. Using their voices and stories, The Biggest Win gives sports-minded readers hope and direction for living out their faith while competing.
The Biggest Win is ideal for pastors, youth, and college leaders to use as a small group resource with students interested in sports. Questions at the end of every chapter will spark helpful conversations about living by faith as an athlete and fan. It is a MUST for coaches to use with every Christian youth sports and school teams. See your youth athletes' faith grow as they hear and learn from the amazing stories of these Super Bowl Champions. Also a perfect book for men's church groups.
The Biggest Win combines biblical truths with practical direction on issues that every Christian faces including dealing with adversity, competition, change, success, failure, and how to thrive by faith in a pressurized world. Encouraging male and female athletes in any sport, The Biggest Win guides them in finding their ultimate identity in Christ, not their athletic achievements, and assures them that their greatest prize is eternal life.
"With icebergs, we celebrate and are amazed at what we see above the water but there is so much more below the surface. As the entire world watched Super Bowl LII, we witnessed and celebrated the amazing elements of sport that we can see. The Biggest Win takes you below the surface to see how much more God is at work in these players as well as in our own lives and how to win the biggest game of all."
Shane Williamson, President/CEO, Fellowship of Christian Athletes
"Josh Cooley, a talented sports writer with unusual spiritual insight, has written a unique and engaging book. Neither fanboy nor critic, Josh shows these pro football players as what they are: authentic and imperfect brothers striving to honor Jesus. The timeless biblical principles at work in their stories carry over seamlessly to readers. Well written, true-to-reality, and spiritually uplifting, The Biggest Win is one of the finest sports books I've ever read!"
Randy Alcorn, Author of Heaven, Seeing the Unseen, and Courageous
"As the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator during their Super Bowl LII championship season, I enjoyed a close, personal look at how real the stories are in this book. These men are true brothers in Christ whose lives have impacted me significantly. In The Biggest Win, Joshua Cooley not only does an incredible job helping us learn from their examples, but he also uses the platform of sports to equip and inspire us in our Christian faith.
Frank Reich, Head Coach of the Indianapolis Colts
"I couldn't read this book fast enough. Throughout my baseball career, I always long for teammates who are hungry for God's Word and bold about their love for Jesus Christ, just like the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles were during their Super Bowl season. The Biggest Win inspired me and it will do the same for you because it shows what genuine Christian faith looks like for any athlete as we compete."
Adrian Gonzalez, Major League Baseball Player and Five-Time All-Star
"If you are an athlete struggling with how to balance sports and your walk with the Lord, I definitely recommend The Biggest Win. Joshua does a wonderful job showing how your faith can be strengthened not compromised while you pursue your athletic endeavors. After reading this, you'll realize that true victory can be yours long before you even start the game."
Jordan Matthews, NFL Wide Receiver
"The Biggest Win is far more than pro athlete testimonials. This book lays a much-needed foundation, starting with the Bible, for how athletes should view and engage in sports. Joshua has given us a great resource."
Mark Householder, President of Athletes in Action
"In The Biggest Win, Josh, has done a wonderful job combining God's word, real life athletic experiences, and thoughtful self-reflective questions regarding faith and how it intersects with life and sport. It's like having a devotional and a road map to success for the Christian athlete and is a must read for any aspiring athlete or fan!"
Bryan Clay, Olympic Decathlon and World Champion; founder & CEO, The Bryan Clay Foundation
"Joshua Cooley, one of the premier Christian sportswriters in the country, shares fascinating stories about six NFL players who are playing for more than gridiron glory, but what I enjoyed most was how Josh shared spiritual insights and lessons that we can all take to heart."
Mike Yorkey, Coauthor of the Every Man's Battle series and Picking Up My Shattered Pieces with Gina Pastore
"As a pastor, I usually read non-fiction, theology books. But I was refreshed to read how the good news of Christ is powerfully revealed in the athletic world. I think you'll find Joshua Cooley's retelling the story of an unusual group of godly men who played on the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles to draw you in to the best story ever, the gospel. If you are a young athlete, an old athlete, or a non-athletic pastor, you will get both a great sports story and a glorious Jesus story in one place."
Jay Thomas, Lead Pastor at Chapel Hill Bible Church, Chapel Hill, NC; author of Sex, Dating, and Relationships
"I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Biggest Win. Joshua Cooley seamlessly weaves solid biblical truth with the God-honoring testimonies of the six featured Eagles football players. Their stories bring the theological concepts Josh presents to life. The Biggest Win isn't just a book for athletes; this is a book for everyone."
Marty Machowski, Pastor; author of The Ology, Long Story Short: Ten- Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God, and The Gospel Story Bible
"With the question in the foreword, 'Are you ready to glorify God?,' the author had me hooked. In The Biggest Win Cooley's spiritual commitment to the gospel is laced together with his journalistic field experience and his ability to craft a compelling narrative to produce an entertaining and encouraging read. Each chapter contains personal snapshots of well known athletes' spiritual victories and struggles woven together with God's Word to provide all of us a fresh challenge to glorify the Lord in all things."
Ken Coley, Senior Professor of Christian Education, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, NC; author of Entrusted to the Faithful
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This book is great! It's only 4 stars because it doesn't involve AS many stories about the players as I was expecting. And it is written almost like a devotional for sports players. But aside from that, nothing wrong- its a great book with stories and quotes from NFL players about their relationship w God and how we should live our own lives in pursuit of Him. Highly recommend, especially if you play sports.
This book is great! It's only 4 stars because it doesn't involve AS many stories about the players as I was expecting. And it is written almost like a devotional for sports players. But aside from that, nothing wrong- its a great book with stories and quotes from NFL players about their relationship w God and how we should live our own lives in pursuit of Him. Highly recommend, especially if you play sports.
I am a huge Cleveland Browns fan. That being said I am used to my share of heartache. I know that so many football players crash and burn. Fame gets to them. They get caught up about having all the money. This was a very refreshing read. It was nice to read about top players that have put God first and have been able to be huge influencer because of their career. I love that the players shared their favorite scriptures and Godly examples. This is a must read for any sports fan
The Biggest Win: Pro Football Players Tackle Faith is a great little read that is very inspiring. Each chapter concludes with a set of reflection questions. Although an enjoyable and uplifting read for any one, this book would be a particularly great resource for a small group Bible Study for high school aged athletes.
I am a huge Cleveland Browns fan. That being said I am used to my share of heartache. I know that so many football players crash and burn. Fame gets to them. They get caught up about having all the money. This was a very refreshing read. It was nice to read about top players that have put God first and have been able to be huge influencer because of their career. I love that the players shared their favorite scriptures and Godly examples. This is a must read for any sports fan
I am a huge Cleveland Browns fan. That being said I am used to my share of heartache. I know that so many football players crash and burn. Fame gets to them. They get caught up about having all the money. This was a very refreshing read. It was nice to read about top players that have put God first and have been able to be huge influencer because of their career. I love that the players shared their favorite scriptures and Godly examples. This is a must read for any sports fan
Confession: I am not an athlete. I don’t run; I hated PE class; and don’t think of making me try to do rope climbing in the school gym. __ I could just never do it. I’m also a tad competitive … I play to win, LOL. So you might wonder why I picked up Joshua Cooley’s The Biggest Win. Well, there’s something to be said for a free book! __ In all seriousness, though, I picked it up because I am well aware of the many athletic references in the Bible, and was curious about their present-day application. Cooley does a great job at making said biblical references relevant to today. Sure, it helps if you or a loved one like football (especially the Philadelphia Eagles, though my Seahawks do get a mention!). But this book is absolutely relevant to a wide range of readers: male, female, young, young at heart, athlete, non-athlete. (One could even draw parallels to Galatians 3:28 here: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (#seewhatIdidthere) I especially enjoyed the reflection questions at the end of each chapter. It’s all too easy to keep reading ahead, but I do encourage readers (myself included) to spend time mulling over these and engaging both with The Biggest Win and the Bible. An encouraging read and one I will certainly enjoy revisiting in 2019.
Confession: I am not an athlete. I don’t run; I hated PE class; and don’t think of making me try to do rope climbing in the school gym. __ I could just never do it. I’m also a tad competitive … I play to win, LOL. So you might wonder why I picked up Joshua Cooley’s The Biggest Win. Well, there’s something to be said for a free book! __ In all seriousness, though, I picked it up because I am well aware of the many athletic references in the Bible, and was curious about their present-day application. Cooley does a great job at making said biblical references relevant to today. Sure, it helps if you or a loved one like football (especially the Philadelphia Eagles, though my Seahawks do get a mention!). But this book is absolutely relevant to a wide range of readers: male, female, young, young at heart, athlete, non-athlete. (One could even draw parallels to Galatians 3:28 here: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (#seewhatIdidthere) I especially enjoyed the reflection questions at the end of each chapter. It’s all too easy to keep reading ahead, but I do encourage readers (myself included) to spend time mulling over these and engaging both with The Biggest Win and the Bible. An encouraging read and one I will certainly enjoy revisiting in 2019.
It is not everyday that athletes are open about their struggles. We think of them as super stars with lots of money and no problems. I enjoyed reading about Nick Foles and how he started a group among the team to reach out to players. When Nick was traded, the group made a pivotal decision to keep the small group going. I know this made a tremendous impact on team mates who were hungry to hear about God. They felt they had others to stand with them and help them as they took a journey to know God. It was interesting to go behind the scenes of the Eagles and read how much God is a part of their lives. As athletes they have a very strict schedule and have to be creative to make sure they find time to study scriptures and spend time with God. One of the great things about sports, is that just about everyone loves to either play or watch sports. It's an ideal place to be able to share your faith. I remember a recent quarterback who knelt before the game to pray and other times during the game. The press made a big deal about it, some was positive and some was negative. The best thing to come out of it was this quarterback openly shared his face and reached many people. The book is filled with powerful stories of several members of the Eagles team. They have been able to share with others and led a few to Christ. I loved the title because the biggest win for anyone is to know who Christ is. The book is geared towards athletes but I found it to be a book anyone could relate to.
It is not everyday that athletes are open about their struggles. We think of them as super stars with lots of money and no problems. I enjoyed reading about Nick Foles and how he started a group among the team to reach out to players. When Nick was traded, the group made a pivotal decision to keep the small group going. I know this made a tremendous impact on team mates who were hungry to hear about God. They felt they had others to stand with them and help them as they took a journey to know God. It was interesting to go behind the scenes of the Eagles and read how much God is a part of their lives. As athletes they have a very strict schedule and have to be creative to make sure they find time to study scriptures and spend time with God. One of the great things about sports, is that just about everyone loves to either play or watch sports. It's an ideal place to be able to share your faith. I remember a recent quarterback who knelt before the game to pray and other times during the game. The press made a big deal about it, some was positive and some was negative. The best thing to come out of it was this quarterback openly shared his face and reached many people. The book is filled with powerful stories of several members of the Eagles team. They have been able to share with others and led a few to Christ. I loved the title because the biggest win for anyone is to know who Christ is. The book is geared towards athletes but I found it to be a book anyone could relate to.
