Mike Vick, Mission, and the Gospel Kingdom

Life presents unique opportunities or mission, in all settings and all places…the hope is that your eyes are wide open to see what is right in front of you.

Nearly ten years ago Dr. Frank Igwe, a long time friend and brother now, had a late night conversation, dreaming about what it would look like to leverage my then budding athletic career to get access to students in the public school system, to give them a strong message of hope, life beyond their circumstances, and the gospel veiled in language that would not get us kicked out of the school permanently.

That late night conversation in a run down campus apartment has blossomed into the not for profit City A.C.E.S. Though we birthed this together I have since taken a secondary role, primarily acting as consultant and lead speaker at events, while Dr. Igwe acts as C.E.O. We had our first pilot event in Harrisburg, PA two years ago, and have since then gone back to Harrisburg, where we served 1800 inner city schools, and today Philadelphia, where we served nearly 1000 more.

This was an amazing opportunity, that brought with it a clear message…that these students could be more than the soil that produced them. That they were designed, and created with purpose, and that the seed of greatness has been placed deep in their hearts by the great designer who gave them life. I had the opportunity to share the gospel in a manner of speaking, and it penetrated, even the principal and several teachers who informed me they were on the verge of, or fully gave in to tears. This is not an opportunity to pat my self on the back, but to give praise to the Holy Spirit who was so evidently and clearly at work…it was amazing! Th gospel…bringing teachers and student to tears…in a public school…only a great God could do something so spectacular.

This particular event I also had the opportunity to share the stage with Michael Vick, once great Falcon football player, and now NFL hopeful, who is trying to reset his life. Backstage we had a moment of semi-rich conversation where we discussed our brief stint as “team mates”, and I was able to genuinely ask him how he was doing. I saw what seemed to be genuine brokenness in his eyes, and had the opportunity to briefly share the gospel. It was a great day indeed, filled with promise for Christ Kingdom going forward in many lives.

Mission is most often not wrapped up in professional’s (Pastor’s) directing non-professionals(The congregation) in what to say and do on a Sunday morning in the building where the church gathers, but rather, it is where we do life…where we turn what seems to be work or even play into an opportunity to see one more heart introduced to the seed of the gospel. It’s your turn, where is the Holy Spirit directing you?