Men of Iron Podcast

Winning Off The Field With Nobles Darby IV (EP. 260)

“The Holy Spirit is our spotter, he sends and puts people in our lives that can see things we can’t see.” Nobles Darby IV

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SHOW NOTES:

• • This week we kick off our Faith in Sports Series with Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavs Chaplain Nobles Darby IV!!
  • Nobles shares his faith journey failing out of college, losing his scholarship and becoming the Chaplain of the Browns
  • Nobles is from Cleveland Ohio, born in Warren, Ohio
  • He grew up in the church, grandparents were pastors, parents were pastors
  • Devoted my life to doing ministry since the age of 16
  • “At the age of 13 I know that my God called me to ministry.”
  • At a special prayer service, grandfather was the pastor, standing in the circle and I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit for the first time
  • Overwhelming sensation and a voice saying Go and it keeps getting louder, i feel a hand in my back to leave the circle
  • I walk up to the altar where my grandparents are, they look at each other smile and look at me – “The Holy Spirit revealed to him that I am coming up for prayer.”
  • “I don’t want to be a believer because my family is, I want to be a believer for myself.”
  • Out of fear I ran from the call, I was terrified of the calling
  • At the age of 16 I said I’m ready to accept God’s call for my life
  • That decision would singlehandedly become the greatest decision I work make by far
  • “My yes to God at 16 ran ahead of my 20 years and is opening up doors now.”
  • People are terrified to walk in what they think God is calling them tomorrow is because  think their yes starts tomorrow
  • When your yes takes you the process that prepares you for what God is calling you to do
  • When we aren’t concerned with the outcome and trust God in the process it makes it that easier to navigate
  • Had a D1 scholarship, Bowling Green State University
  • Last thing he said to me – “You are going to need God to make it through college and life.”
  • Two weeks into my freshman year my grandfather passed away from a heart attack
  • It rocked me, What do I do with this pain and grief I’m feeling?
  • It turned me the opposite direction, I started drinking hanging out with the wrong people and the full scholarship was getting placed on probation
  • Downward spiral begins, messing with girls, stopped going to classes,
  • 2006 got suspended for a year from Bowling Green
  • Which ultimately left him off the team, suspended from school and back home.
  • Battling depression and suicidal thoughts he remembered the words of his grandfather before his death, “You gonna need God to make it through college and life.”
  • In that moment Nobles repented and turned to God, the God of second chances. Nobles went back to school and walked the stage of a 4-year university a couple years later.
  • Which ultimately led him back to the game he loved, but this time as a Chaplain. Now Nobles uses his story to impact professional athletes and the community as a whole
  • I didn’t play another down of football but got introduce to FCA
  • I begin to ask God how FCA can partner with the pro sports teams in our city in meaningful ways
  • God allows me to starting Met with coaches players front office people
  • It extends itself an opportunity to become chaplains for the Browns and Cavs
  • Utilize that testimony to encourage pro coaches and athletes that I work with today
  • God is always working, he ultimately wants that relationship with you
  • I’m just there to be the hands and feet of Jesus
  • A chaplain is in a position to serve, to demonstrate and display who Jesus was and is
  • Chaplaincy happens at all levels of professional sports
  • God already has a solution
  • In the NBA Hour before a game they come together in the same locker room for a 15-minute chaplain service
  • Multiple times throughout the week leading bible studies for our guys, coaches, staff
  • Take them away from the number that people see on the jersey and speak to the human being
  • “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17
  • One of the greatest tricks of the enemy is to convince you that you’ve arrived
  • The sharpening comes from being willing to press and wanting to be pressed
  • As I leader you can’t ask someone to do something that you aren’t willing to do yourself
  • The thing I’m most concerned, with how do I win at home?
  • “For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” 1 Timothy 3:5 (ESV)
  • It can only come by being sharpened, we all have blind spots and need another man to call those out
  • The Holy Spirit is our spotter, he sends and puts people in our lives that can see things we can’t see 
  • That’s what sharpening looks like, being vulnerable enough with another brother to help him lift and carry what you can’t carry on your own
  • You have to watch yourself because the enemy is watching you
  • “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
  • In discipleship, in community, accountable, allowing other men to sharpen you
  • It helps you play from a position of victory instead of fighting for victory
  • They don’t just care about Sunday, they care about the community
  • How are we leveraging our platform and influence for the Kingdom
  • “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will do in an entire lifetime.” Billy Graham
  • At the end of the day even though our gifting’s are different there is one assignment we all share, go and make disciples
  • Leverage your platform of influence to point people to Jesus Christ
  • My legacy is a guy that just lived in the moment of what God is doing
  • Learning to embrace and celebrate what God has already done while having faith enough to believe he will do so much more
  • A man who had enough faith to take God at his word to watch him do what he did with no expectation other than seeing Jesus be glorified
  • The name of Jesus will be lifted up in sports
  • Make sure Jesus is the foundation that all things are built on
  • When your foundation is Jesus, you might not like what is happening in the moment, if you are standing on Him you will make it through the storm
  • God wants us to prioritize a souls over stats mentality
  • When we as men prioritize the health of our soul God allows everything else to flow from a place of priority because our priority is Him
  • If you are struggling in your role as a husband, father or leader, we would love to be a resource for you, contact us today – menofiron.org/contact-us
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