Thursday, March 27, 2008
Dan Coke used to start his day by lifting weights with his football teammates. Now he starts by lifting up KU students in prayer.
Coke, a Kansas football running back and safety from 1999-2003, graduated from the University in 2003, and now spends his time as a campus minister.
Coke is one of a few former athletes in the area who have traded in his or her cleats to preach the Gospel.
Dan Coke, 2003 graduate, works as campus director for Midwest Student Ministries. He said he began preaching the gospel to whoever would listen after a friend explained Christianity to him during his sophomore year.
Coke began to get serious about Christianity during his sophomore year. Since then, Coke has been preaching to whomever will give him the chance. He started with teammates and his ministry eventually expanded to the entire campus.
“I’m up on campus three to four days a week doing some kind of ministry,” Coke said.
Today Coke is the campus director for Midwest Student Ministries, which plays host to a weekly worship service called Plugged In on Thursday nights at the Hawks Nest in the Kansas Union.
Coke and his wife, Lauri, also a campus minister, open their house to students who they’ve met through their ministries.
“We do silly stuff like record ‘American Idol’ and have students over to watch it with us just to give them a break from studying,” Coke said. “We let them hold our kids even if they’ve never held a baby before.”
But Coke hasn’t entirely quit his involvement with Kansas football. Coke speaks at pregame chapel services for the team and also has a Bible study group with a few of the players.
Jesse Brinson, Coke’s teammate from 1999-2001, also serves Lawrence as a minister now. The former walk-on fullback and defensive lineman ministers to middle and high school students in Lawrence.
Brinson, like Coke, became a Christian after coming to the University. Brinson said he jumped at the chance to minister to others when Coke’s ministry was looking for a middle and high school minister.
Brinson said that some of his messages have come from his experiences in football.
“Teamwork is big with me, not just in football, but everything,” Brinson said.
Brett Williams, a former tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, serves as campus minister at UMKC and Avila College. Williams said that his status as a former athlete has helped him get people to listen to him.
“That’s been a huge help for me because we’re in a society where pro athletes are placed on a pedestal,” Williams said. “I don’t agree with it, but if someone gives me a chance to discuss Jesus with them because I used to play, I’ll use it.”
Each said they felt that their ministry was important to the impact of the future of the world.
“The future leaders of the world are on college campuses. If they experience God’s love and character and understand his word, it’ll change not only their lives, but also it’ll change their spirit of influence.”
Coke said that even if he quits ministering on campus, he would still have a hand in campus ministries.
“Whatever I do, I will always have a hand in what God’s doing on college campuses,” Coke said. “My heart will always be there.”
—Edited by Madeline Hyden
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