Orioles players share love for Christ during first-ever 'Faith Night': 'The most important thing'
Six Baltimore Orioles players shared testimonies of their faith in Jesus Christ at the team's first-ever Faith Night promotion following Tuesday's lopsided loss, with some saying this group of guys is the "most faithful team" they have ever been a part of.
Starting pitcher Trevor Rogers, who was traded to the reigning American League East champions on July 30 just before the trade deadline from the Miami Marlins, wasn't afraid to share about his journey despite a tough outing on the mound in his first home start with a new team.
"The timing — the first Faith Night, my first start in Baltimore, that's God [working] right there," Rogers said, according to The Baltimore Sun.
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"To be around such a good group of guys, such good Christian guys … this is really fun, and I'm so happy to be here in Baltimore."
Thousands stayed after the game for the faith-based event, which included a time of worship and praise with a live performance by Reach Worship from the nondenominational Reach Church in Newark, Delaware.
The worship team sang a set, including well-known Christian songs such as "Mighty to Save" and "Till I Met You," according to The Sun.
Orioles broadcaster Rob Long, a popular Baltimore sports radio personality, said he was glad to participate in the event.
"Let's give the Orioles organization a hand for having the courage to put this on tonight," Long said, according to The Sun.
A description of the event posted by MLB.com states that "faith plays a big role in the Orioles clubhouse" and players "always make time for chapel" despite playing six or seven games per week in a 162-game schedule.
"Usually held on Saturdays or Sundays, it presents a time where they can come together, away from baseball, to connect with one another, pray, and hear God's word," the event page states. "It presents an opportunity for Orioles players, and baseball players across the league, to have open and vulnerable conversations about their faith and what matters most to them. Orioles players want to share the experience with others."
Catcher James McCann told The Sun that as many as 15 players attend the Sunday chapel services.
Infielder Jordan Westburg, a first-year player who was selected as an All-Star this season but was hit by a pitch in the hand a few weeks ago, said he's "never been in a clubhouse with so many players who love Jesus Christ and follow him every single day."
Westburg said that he plays "for the glory of God," which gives him a sense of security in a sport where batters fail more often than they succeed.
First baseman and designated hitter Ryan O'Hearn, a 31-year-old veteran on a primarily young Orioles squad, spoke of the common experience faced by many athletes who have anxiety about what will be next for themselves as they grow older in age and fears about aging out of the game as professional sports players.
O'Hearn shared a Scripture that he often holds close to his heart when anxiety about the unknown future has started to weigh down heavily on him.
The verse 1 Peter 5:7 reads: "Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."
"The stress and pressure I felt gave me a new sense of peace," O'Hearn was quoted by The Sun as saying.
All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson, a 23-year-old raised in Alabama, said that he reads the Bible daily, telling The Sun in interviews before the game that he has been challenging himself over the last couple of months to read a chapter of the New Testament daily.
According to MLB.com, Henderson and other team members experienced the Minnesota Twins' "Faith Night" last year and wanted to bring the idea to Baltimore.
"I think it's our opportunity to impact others," Westburg told MLB.com. "Other than your usual charitable things that everybody can do, any opportunity that I can give back and at least try to spread some love and some hope, by all means I'm going to try and do."
"We're people just trying to do the right thing in this world in our own eyes," he added. "I understand some people have different philosophies and beliefs, but that's the cool part about the freedom that we have as human beings."
Also joining the festivities was 34-year-old relief pitcher Danny Coulombe, who is hopeful to return from injury in September. Although he was raised in a Christian home, Coulombe said he didn't experience a transformation in his life until a pastor challenged him in college to deepen his relationship with Christ.
"This — baseball — is important, but souls are the most important thing," Coulombe was quoted as saying. "This is the most faithful team I've ever been around."
Nicole VanDyke is a reporter for The Christian Post.
