Coach Sam, Campus Minister Mike Wissink, and football players stand in the Muskegon River after getting baptized

Sam didn't want anything to do with Christianity—now he's drawing players on his football team to Christ.

When Sam showed up to his first football practice at Ferris State University in Michigan, your Resonate partner campus minister Mike Wissink was one of the first people he met.

“I don’t think I listened to a word he said,” said Sam. “At the time, I had low self-esteem and low-confidence. I thought everybody was phony and fake.”

Fifteen years later, Sam asked Mike to baptize him.

A Journey to Faith

Sam didn’t grow up very religious. His family went to church once a year on Christmas, but he had some bad experiences with Christians. By the time he got to college, he said that he “wanted to get away from that as much as possible.” And while Mike quickly grew on Sam—they became good friends—he graduated and moved to the East Coast as uninterested in Christianity as he was on his first day of football practice.

But just a few years later, Sam was back at Ferris—this time as the Offensive Line Coach on the football team.

Sam was glad to be working with Mike. As your partner campus minister at Ferris, you support Mike’s unique ministry with athletes. He has built relationships with coaches and students alike as coaches ask him to pray with their teams and give encouraging talks about faith.

This time, Sam was more interested in Christianity. He was dating his now-wife at the time, who invited Sam to church with her. And even though he was still wary of most Christians, the church broke down Sam’s guard.

“I’m a big movie guy,” he said. “I think it could only be described as divine intervention that, on the day I went to church, they played the theme to Star Wars because the new movie was coming out. And I was like, Okay. I didn’t know you could do that. That kind of opened a door.”

Sam started to attend worship at church more often, and he had more positive experiences with church and Christians. He started reading his Bible more often too. When Mike brought up faith, Sam didn’t change the subject. He wanted to talk about God, the Bible, and what it means to be a Christian. 

“Slowly but surely I became a follower. I surrendered myself to Jesus,” said Sam.

Sharing Faith

Sam said that following Jesus has transformed how he lives and how he coaches. While many coaches often swear and yell to get their point across, Sam is careful with how he talks to his players. He is invested in their growth not just as players but as people, and openly shares about his faith.

Earlier this year, during the team’s preseason football camp, Sam shared his testimony with the team and said that he was getting baptized. He asked if anyone else wanted to be baptized too—and nine players came up to talk with Sam and Mike afterward. After going through a baptism course with Mike, Mike baptized Sam and the players in the Muskegon River during their pre-season football camp.

“It was exciting and powerful and to see how God was using Sam in that process,” shared Mike. “His players respond very well to him. I think they truly do love and appreciate him.”

Thank you for supporting campus ministers like Mike through Resonate! God is making a difference in and through Sam and his team. 

“I am the most appreciative of Pastor Mike,” said Sam. “He married me and my wife. He baptized me. He was, and continues to be, very instrumental in my walk with Christ.”