Football

Philadelphia Eagles players say Bible study and getting in God's Word daily is vital

By Jason Romano Nov 1, 2017
Philadelphia, PA - October 23, 2017 - Lincoln Financial Field: Carson Wentz (11) of the Philadelphia Eagles during a regular season Monday Night Football game (Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)

Halfway through the 2017 season, the Philadelphia Eagles have the best record in the NFL (7-1) and are undefeated at home.

In his second year, quarterback Carson Wentz has solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, with many calling him the MVP thus far in the NFL.

Tight end Zach Ertz is second in the NFL in receptions by a tight end and on pace to have one of the best seasons by a tight end in Eagles history.

These two players, along with tight end Trey Burton, backup quarterback Nick Foles, and special teams ace Chris Maragos, are on the cover of the newest edition of Bible Study Magazine.

The Eagles have had a Bible Study since the early 1990s when the late Reggie White was sacking quarterbacks for the team, but the group has really taken off over the past four years and is now a consistent source of encouragement for many of the Philadelphia players.

“This group is, without a doubt, extremely unique,” Eagles safety Chris Maragos told Joshua Cooley. “This is my third team in eight years, and the reason why it’s super-unique is because we have so many solid leaders and guys who are well-versed in the Word. These guys are willing to get out in the community and share the Gospel, serve each other around the [team] facility, and be invested in each other’s lives on a daily basis.”

In the article, Burton described why he thought coming to Philadelphia was a divine appointment from God.

“I’m in Philly with a bunch of unbelievably strong men,” Burton told Cooley. “I’m surrounded by a ton of good people, and I can be who God created me to be.”

The importance of studying God’s Word is something Wentz and Ertz say is essential to their growth as men spiritually.

“(The Bible) is really the secret to life,” Wentz said in the article. “If you’re not rooted in God’s Word, this world will eat you up … In the NFL, you don’t have to look far for a temptation or distraction. You’ll go astray so fast. I’m thankful that God has give us His Word. His Word is true. He’s got a pretty good track record in keeping his promises.”

“In order for me to consistently grow as a follower of Jesus Christ, I need to be in the living Word,” Ertz told Cooley. “No matter what season I’m going through in life, it allows me to learn about the grace we have all received and what Jesus Christ did for all of us.”

Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) celebrates with teammate Jason Peters (71) during a game against the Washington Redskins in September 2017. (Photo Courtesy: Keith Allison/CC License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode)

The Eagles sit atop the NFL right now with the best record and for many of their key players, God’s Word and being rooted in Scripture has played a large role in keeping them grounded in their faith.

“We love the Word,” Burton said in the article. “We could talk about it all day long. A lot of times, people are going to pastors and religious leaders instead of going to God’s Word. You hear stories where people revolve around pastors, and that’s not the way it should be. It should be around God’s Word. You won’t understand it until you open it up.”

To read the entire article from Bible Study Magazine, click here.

Philadelphia is on a four-game winning streak and looks to continue its winning ways on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.