Player Ministry Spotlight - Jon Lemmon

This week we took some time out with Jon Lemmon a Player Minister from the USA who is currently serving through Football in Croatia. We threw some questions his way, so we hope this may encourage you get a glimpse of how God is working in other areas of the world.  Take this opportunity also to pray for Jon in his continued service through Player Ministry. Take a look...........

Name: Jon Lemmon
http://www.vimeo.com/3293193

Age: 24

Hometown: Kansas City - USA

Brief football playing history:
Started playing the game at the age of 5. Grew up playing youth soccer in Kansas City with KC Attack. Played high school soccer at Maranatha Academy. Set the Kansas State career scoring record with 96 goals and 39 assists in 54 games. Was selected to the All-State, All-County and All-Metro teams. Following my senior season of high school I fractured my spine in 3 places and was told by doctors I would never play football again. After 18 months of recovery and rehab by the grace of God I returned to the pitch to play at MidAmerica Nazarene University. I received some awards while playing at MidAmerica, NCCAA All American, NAIA All American, All Conference and offensive player of the year as a senior. I also played two summers with the Cleveland City Stars Reserves in Cleveland, Ohio. Currently I’m playing for HNK Primorac in the Croatian Treća HNL.

Position: Winger

Current Club and where: HNK Primorać - Biograd na moru, Croatia

Previous Club: MidAmerica Nazarene University/Cleveland City Stars

Testimony:
Inspite of being raised in an awesome christian family, attending a private christian high school and university, as well as attending church my entire life I never knew God or the glorious gospel in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. I thought I knew the gospel, yet I lived my life for myself and played football to make a name for myself. Football became my identity and all that mattered to me. Football was my God. My passion in life was my own glory, it was all about me. My heart was cold and I was hopelessly, desperately lost. From the outside I probably looked like I had things together, but the truth was I was a mess. I was drowning in my own sin and lacked purpose in life. The Holy Spirit began to deeply convict me of many sins in my life. Guilt plagued me and my heart weighed heavy as I longed for a life with meaning. At the age of 21 God gave me that, as I became a Christian. I had valued so many things above Christ in my life and I longed for reconciliation with Him. I repented of the sins I once held to so tightly. The gospel became real to me as the LORD opened my eyes to all that I had been blind to. He took my heart of stone and gave me a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Although I was blind, the LORD knows all things and He saw my heart completely. And yet seeing no merit in me, owing me nothing He still chose to save me! While we were yet still sinners Christ died for you and I (Romans 5:8). He who never sinned became sin that we might have redemption in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He hung on a tree that my past and future sins be paid for. By His sacrifice I am redeemed. And what a glorious gospel that is. In the words of Martin Luther, “It is the sweetest mercy of God that it is not imaginery sinners He saves, but real sinners. We escape His condemnation because of His mercy, not because of our righteousness. Grace is given to heal the sick, not to decorate spiritual heroes.”

How do you use football as a tool to share Jesus christ?
“Whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts” (pg. 47 Don’t Waste Your Life - John Piper). I play the game with one aim...to glorify my creator and prove He is more precious than life itself as the Psalmist writes in 63:3 (Phil 1:21 & Phil 3). Football is not my God, Yahweh is. May God alone get the glory.
Soli Deo Gloria

What is player ministry to you?
To me player ministry is sharing the gospel in the place God has put me. I don’t see player ministry as any different than ministry in other times and places in my life. To put it simply, sharing Christ and the cross with others in all circumstances and opportunities that they may know redemption in Christ. Inspite of all my weaknesses I share the gospel in the best way I can and trust in my sovereign God to change hearts and bring the dead to life (Ephesians 2). His power is made perfect in my countless weaknesses (I Corinthians 12:9) and it’s only by His power that men can be saved (Matthew 19:26). God created me to live with a single passion to joyfully display His supreme worth and excellence in all spheres of life. And that is what I aim to do through football.

3 Key aspects of Player Ministry?
Football players are no different than any other lost person searching for happiness. Happiness is our greatest quest in life. We will find happiness and a life with meaning and purpose in Christ alone. In light of that...share the gospel on and off the pitch and let your life glorify Him.
3 Points
1) Preach conviction of sin from a heart of love and life of service.
-Whether or not you see the cross as glorious redemption in Jesus Christ is largely dependant on how hopelessly lost you think you are without Him. You can’t appreciate the payment of your debt if you never thought you owed anything. Romans 1:18-20, 3:9-18, 6:23 Jeremiah 17:9 Job 15:14-16
2) Preach redemption in the cross and regeneration.
-There is hope that rests, not in me, but on the infinite merit and worth of another, Jesus Christ. By His death I may live with invincible joy! Romans 5:8-9 John 3:36 Ephesians 2:4-7 I Peter 1:8-9
3) Point to Christ as our example.
-I do not believe I have eternal life because I deserve it. I was born a sinner (Psalm 51:5) and deserve God’s just wrath. Yet He still chooses to bestow His endless grace on me. I stake my only hope in Christ alone. My hope rests on the virtue and merit of another, Jesus Christ. I cannot be an example or model for others, for I will surely fail and disappoint. For that reason my life should point to Christ’s sinless perfect life (Hebrews 4:15), not mine.

What/Where next?
With James 4:14 in mind, if the Lord wills I want to continue playing football in Europe, until He leads me elsewhere. But when I start to make plans of my own I am quickly reminded I do not rule and my plans are frivolous (Proverbs 19:21).
Short term...The Lord has given me some potential opportunities to play and minister around the world. I know He will lead me to where He wants me. If it be His will I’m looking at making a move from Primorać in the December transfer window.
Long term...maybe seminary one day, maybe pastoral ministry, maybe coaching, maybe use my business degree, hopefully a family of my own one day...but for now I’m enjoying football.
In Christ the best is always yet to come...no exceptions!

What’s God been saying to you recently?
Preach the word! Oh how our ears itch today…
“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be soberminded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV

Prayer points?
That His name be made great among the nations (Malachi 1:1). For the people of Croatia that the Lord will open their eyes to the beauty of the redemption they have at the cross. For my home, that the church in the US may come to know and preach the biblical gospel of the one true God. That the Lord would teach us in America that Christianity is ALL about Him and NOT about us. How our ears itch in this day (2 Timothy 4:1-5). And for myself...I would be thankful for your prayers. Pray that my life would glorify His name and that I would treasure Him above all else in my life. That the Lord will lead me to meet some Christians here in Croatia. I am searching for a church and I do not know one Croatian Christian! I need fellowship with brothers in Christ. May the Lord be gracious…

I would love to connect with more of the 90+ community. I know there are players all over the world that play with a greater purpose than their own glory. May the Lord knit us together in faith that we might sharpen eachother as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). I pray God will use 90+ to do just that.