BraveMen S3E65: "JB" James Brown - Legendary Broadcaster, Passionate Faith

It was a great blessing to meet JB as a guy when I say JB you probably know who I'm talking about sports illustrated in 2010 called him the sportscaster of the decade James Brown JB and what a remarkable man he's got this huge volume of work that he's done over the years but one of the most humble men I've ever met and we talked a lot about what it is to be a man what it is to be a real man we talked about he's read Maximized Manhood and which is that one of the cornerstone books we have with the christian man's network and he's heard some of the things we do seen it it was a great time being with him I'm joined today on brave men with Chris shields and Chris having JB you know on was what a special thing man yeah he I mean he's amazing godly man you know he wrote a book he called it called the role of a lifetime yes reflections on faith family and significant living yeah and so James Brown Tony Dungee and some others in there yeah and we talked about that in the conversation he was he was so authentic you know he was just like really real yeah sometimes you think about guys that are on television they're famous the well-known all kind of stuff yeah it was great and we got into his background you know he was a baller man like yeah that's more player yeah yeah play with the Atlanta Hawks for a little bit yeah yeah play for the Hawks and but actually I was one of his biggest disappointments and we talk about that but he was he was like all Ivy League this guy is a Harvard graduate and he played back in the day he didn't play as a freshman you know on varsity be played three years of three years starter yes you know a lot of guys don't know that about him he was he's he's that he talks about his marriage he talks about family and and talks about his faith yeah and he you know his pride and joys as a daughter he speaks so highly of yeah he has quite the career too yeah so to hang out with JB even though it was like by zoom you know yeah like I guess I could say yeah hanging out with JB the other day yes it's pretty cool but yes yeah a remarkable man of I you know I met him a couple years ago he's a close friend of Pastor Deolo Shields who's one of our close friends with Christian men's network yeah and has been one of our speakers the global summit yeah many many times and and we've been there and I met him there at Dale's church there in Washington area which is where they attend on a regular basis winter in town but but having some time with a man who who speaks about who speaks about the background of things you know growing up in the era he grew up in yes black man going through some of these things really honest conversation I want to get right into today on brave man I want to thank you for being with us and being a part of this and make sure you tell somebody isn't there like a subscribe thing that could you click subscribe you should share it yes you click subscribe on the podcast on the podcast okay wherever you are yes and whatever whatever podcasts only where the good podcast wherever the finest podcasts are is where we are right so you want to click subscribe and you also want to click share okay you know and you can share that through your messages to that person that you know yeah needs to hear it you can share it on your Facebook you can also share it on your Instagram you can share all over social media or even send it in a message to someone yeah okay fantastic yeah so so that's my that's my comment I think we need to do that yeah and so you are friend who's with us right now why don't you think about doing that because this conversation once you hear it you're gonna say yeah I know three guys you need to hear exactly though and then those three guys when they listen to it they're gonna tell three guys exactly and then what happens pretty soon we're starting to affect the world the entire world exactly listen to JB odd brave men today odd brave man thanks for being with us James Brown it's brave man with Paul Lewis Cole wisdom and courage for the journey I'm talking with James Brown who we see all the time on different sports networks and most often referred to as JB James good good to spend some time with you today best Paul first of all can I just say thank you so very much for having me on board I'm excited about this and certainly people are known by the company they keep and you keep some pretty good company but I know so thank you some people let us hang out with them hey now were you always noticed JB did you grow up without her did Terry give you that boy you know what you great first question no my father got blessed him he actually my name is James middle name is Talmich and last name is Brown I looked all through the family tree for a Talmich and it was not there and my father I'll have to wait until I get to heaven to find out why in the world how in the world did he name the Talmich the only Talmich I know of that the doing some study and probably around middle school or so was Senator Herman Talmich right and it gets in my neighborhood could not pronounce Talmich so I was either Talmich or sandwich so my father he called me JT those were my initials then I guess when I got to high school it just morphed into being called JB because that's what the students just called me so that's really yeah well that's fantastic now what what most people probably don't know because we see we've seen you for years on Fox and CBS NFL today and essentially it feels like most of your career is centered around football but your first sport was basketball is that right that is absolutely correct and you know what my actually it's interesting let me give you a quick story the my first love was actually baseball really yep I was playing in the neighborhood and a lot of the kids there went to this Catholic church oh about ten blocks away so I wanted to playing CYO baseball sure and it wasn't particularly good at it but then I hit a hot street that happened and take place during the playoffs and I was knocking home run after home run the iconic basketball coach at Dematha Catholic High School Morgan Wilton in the basketball Hall of Fame was the first to have gotten into the Hall of Fame principally for what he did at the high school level 46 years as coach just phenomenal and I when he said that we're interested in you coming to Dematha to play baseball I went to his basketball camp that summer and that sport just caught a fire with me and I put the baseball bat down and the rest is history so it was basketball however there was a blonde hair blue eyed he's seeking fastball throw about the name of Steve Garrett who really probably got me out of baseball because he had a curveball that was absolutely wicked and I would stand there I knew it was a curveball I was waiting for it to break in the sound same like it took five minutes and a curveball kept coming at me and when I finally said you know what this curve ball isn't going to break I dropped down into the dirt and it broke over the home plate at the last second I knew I didn't have the hooks but a stand there so basketball it is basketball it is and you ended up at Harvard again here's another thing that most people probably don't realize I'm sure they think of you as well in some ways in some of your podcasts or some of the guys you're the smart one but you're a Harvard graduate and you were all Ivy League in basketball very very humbled to have been such look there are many lessons that I learned past of all from my high school basketball coach a strong man of faith who made the point that in order to play for him he wanted his student athletes he always referred to us as student athletes to have four priorities number one was God number two was family number three was school number four was then your sport basketball and I never ever forgot that and Morgan Wooden was phenomenal I never he reminded me of Mr. Wilson back in the dentist of minis days or father knows best many of the younger folks who are listening to this would have no clue that if they go back in the research channels to find this out but that was coach Wooten never once pastor never once heard him utter a curse word no profanity and I ask him why he says no no no no it shows that you have a limited vocabulary in fact you're speaking we know from a biblical standpoint the bible says out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and I wanted to make certain that I was representing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ well but he never cursed but yet he was one of the finest motivators I've ever met and certainly a lot of what he had to say athletically has biblical roots that are still internalized in a part of my foundation to this day yes well John Wooden was the same way wasn't he and my coach and John Wooden were the best of friends to matter of fact his coach Wooden was aging my high school coach actually took over one of the significant responsibilities of coach Wooden which was to select the McDonald's High School All-America's for that McDonald High School All-American game I remember going to participate in one out in a South Bend Indiana on the campus of Notre Dame University and coach Wooden and Wooten were there and just wonderful men and coach Wooden who you're talking about was awesome as well because the lessons that he taught and I know how well read you are is pyramid of success at the very top of course was a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ yeah now so now faith it's obvious right now faith is a center of your conversation you know Jesus said Matthew 12 out of the abundance of the heart of mouth speaks right so this just comes out of you doesn't it Jamie yeah you know what it passed a poll and I praise God for that it is who I am as I got to know our Lord and Savior I began back in a day probably is a 24-year-old I remember hanging out at happy hours quote unquote happy hours and it was an empty lifestyle I've been cut by the Atlanta Hawks in basketball that's where I actually developed my work ethic if you will as a result of that disappointment that was totally on me and I remember coming home late one night from a club and I'm riding up the road lonely night quiet and I said I know there's more to life and I said God if you're real reveal yourself to me and I'll serve you I had a God-sized hold in me that I knew could only be filled by this Jesus Christ certainly I heard about but I didn't know him and pass a poll do you know the very next week I go hanging out with some friends they invite me to a party it was a natural things okay I go to the party after I said you know Lord reveal yourself to me I go to this party I'm 24 years of age and I'm going to a pajama party we don't even want to delve into that pajama party at age 24 and as I'm there I felt like I had committed high treason as I'm heading home I apologized profusely to the Lord and said I will begin an earnest search for you that began a 12 year search for a good word teaching church but that's what's in me yeah so now were there people in your family there were followers of Christ then um yes my mother god bless her um she was kind of the ring leader if you will and I actually like little baby chicks you know you follow the mom around my mother um became actually my father had a deathbed conversion he died in the tender age of 46 from stomach cancer my sister had to make me aware that he did have a deathbed conversion at the hospital for which I am eternally thankful for my mother was the one who ruled the roots my father he was like Joseph in the Bible the quiet one who did all the hard work he worked two sometimes three jobs during the holidays to provide extra for us during Christmas my mom wanted to be an excellent homemaker and she was she was only five five we called her the sergeant because what she said that she meant it we did not doubt her and when I don't know whether it was Jesus Christ grabbing a hold of her or vice versa but once she did that was it and we followed her wherever she went and that began our journey to find a good church that we could root ourselves in again it was ramocrystance and a church in Washington DC where the pastor was pastor Clarence Gibbons and he was all about the word yep yeah know that well well known so then age 24 now you've gone into business at this point James you've gone from uh you played you were at Harvard you you come out of there you're Ivy League you're playing basketball you go to the Atlanta Hawks your dreams are dashed on the rocks now there's a pivot you come to Christ and what happens in your business world and how did you end up going from that to broadcasting well so the short story here is being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks was a dream come true but the headline on that is and this had a biblical lesson for me to have learned the painful way as well when I got to college big man on campus resting on my laurels got complacent the Bible warns about pride and ego even even though the principal was applicable to something else in that context it still is applicable across inspection um be careful how you stand lest you fall yeah and certainly I got cocky and confident on campus but I didn't work as hard to stay on top as I did to get to the top so when I was drafted by the Hawks I knew I could play and a name from 200 years ago back in the history books Pete Maravitch and I were great friends by the way I was most happy after being cut by the Hawks many years down the road when he had passed to learn that he had become saved as well so that's all that mattered to me so I carried his work I think with me where I said I would never allow an opportunity to pass me by for which I was ill prepared that's when I worked hard when I got to corporate America it was the closest thing to the high of experiencing playing sports because it was dependent upon dependent upon you and your work ethic and whether or not you have the right ingredients if you if you will in you and that's what I did to enjoy success there but I got an opportunity to be the broadcaster an analyst for the Washington then named Bullets and I started doing that and I said wow this is fun I wasn't sure where the Lord was going to carry me but I just wanted to use that platform and I'm a baby Christian at this point you know not even firmly in the church when I got the job in 1979 with the then Washington Bullets but I was a baby Christian and I just wanted to use whatever platform he had me on to his glory and but everything I had been involved in were sports and most notably team sports and coming from a large family of five team was that it was that that was the focus and my family as well too so everything I'm about is team pretty much consistent with Ephesians 416 using the example of a human body being comprised of many parts but all playing a significant role for the fervent effectual working of the whole body which is pretty consistent with what you're doing globally as a leader and a team since as well yeah with the christmas Newark now was that what's unsolved team was that around the same time and west unsolved and I were the best of friends when really went home to be with the Lord just several months ago his wife Connie had given me a call was so wonderful to me taking me up under his wings when I was a broadcaster I was so impressed with the example that he said he didn't do a lot of talking he modeled it in his behavior because I remember there was one basketball player on that team tremendously gifted and but yet he was wayward he was a young fellow making money you know big-time star all of the he to all of the hedonistic pursuits that people would engage in you know at that young age and I said west why don't you go and talk to that guy and he says I can tell he won't hear me right now so I will model it but he won't listen some things he's going to have to learn the hard way but west was just wonderful yes you know the it's one of the things with christian men's network that we teach as part of our core values is that while men look for better methods god looks for better men that he embounds said that and then that that you can work on your talent but what god's looking for is character that true manhood is Christ likeness and you you probably closer than almost anybody I would know have seen men who fully committed the talent but didn't commit to their character and ended up the life that diminished when they had such great expectations if you will great potential two things come to mind when you see that past a poll one involves a Tony Dungee the other general Norman Schwartz call let me start with general Schwartz call first god bless him I am co-hosted as opposed to a leadership speakers series great people a Tony Robbins the personal development guru yeah christian George Bush in the 41 Don Shulup and general Norman Schwartz call wow and I remember this speech that he was given to these corporations he said as he did his study preparing to talk to these corporate leaders he said what was eye popping to him are there were so many young men at the time predominantly men talented who were captains of industry but he wanted to see how well and how long they did the job was their sustained excellence eight out of ten who fell was because they did not have a great foundation he says personality which is the equivalent of what marv Levy the former great football coach said personality is what you are and who you showed to the public when that light is on the camera character and integrity they are who you are when nobody's watching come on they want to be one and the same at all come on Tony Dungee when he talked to his teams both with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who he turned around a team that was historically horrible to become competitive and perennial playoff of performers and then he got fired from there but his faith in the Lord was strong he thought that was a job and he says well then God you obviously have something else for me but the speech he gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the beginning of the training camp fellows if we're super if we're champions on the field only and not in a game of life you cannot call yourself a champion he did the same thing with the Indianapolis coach the same speech and they go on to win the championship and while all the his leadership principles that he learned were from the book of Nehemiah when it seemed to us that he was taking forever for him to get a coaching job and he was very disappointed he and the team chaplain studied leadership principles in the book of Nehemiah which undergirded everything that he did and his second phase in life even having been inducted into the pro football hall of fame what he's doing in the game of life yeah far has far surpassed that you know when you mention Tampa Bay it always reminds me of John McCays great line they said what do you think about the execution of your offensive line you said I'm all for it I forgot that Tony Dungee see now that to me when we speak about character what we're really talking about is fame can come in a moment but greatness comes with longevity here's a man who's done it over and over so now let me let me shift that and move that right to the next thing talk about faith first Corinthians 415 Paul said you have 10,000 instructors but not many fathers and when you talk about coaches and you talk about these kinds of people who impacted your life I talk about capacitors to leaders to men and business in every area of life there has to be the spirit of a father now you've spoken out on fatherhood very strongly over the last and particularly over the last 10 years since some of the abuses that we've seen happen in sports it came to light what was the young man who who actually committed suicide killed his girlfriend 2000 oh yes with the Kansas City chiefs and right and then 2014 I think was Ray Rice who now is a friend of yours and so it's you've spent very very vocal on these things James and you know what and it hasn't I was a little surprised especially using in reverse order the Ray Rice situation and and a good man many of the folks are good but you know there's that moment so which is why you talk about here in the Christian ease coming out of me because one needs to be saturated and governed by that commodity basis just as we did in the world of sports and practicing the fundamentals every day so that they're internalized it's even more important in terms of the game of life so that we have sustained success over the long haul with the long view the eternal perspective and all that we're doing so yes I have been working with the Verizon foundation on raising the level of awareness about domestic violence and that 87% of the perpetrators are men and men with men is the key to reducing that or eliminating that so I wanted to focus on what what you do so exceedingly well what real manhood is what it looks like defining healthy manhood and rather than recreate the wheel real manhood is how Jesus Christ defines us in his word yes when we talk about getting married in Ephesians 525 you know husbands love your wives I love my bishop who drove deep present husbands listen to your wives the secular expression is behind every good man there's a good woman last time I check the Lord Cole Eve out of the side of Adam so the point is we walk you know in lockstep yes the man is the head say that again joint heirs absolutely exactly so and we're to execute that role but it's the man you know the wife is going to reflect what that man looks like what that household is like and I just want to make certain that the reflection of both of us is Jesus Christ there's no better definition there is no greater true than that what God that which God says throughout the word hey this is Chris I want to take a moment right in the middle of this great conversation to let you know the brave men podcast as a production of the Christian men's network worldwide and the global fatherhood initiative Christian men's network has helped pastors and leaders disciple men for over 40 years you can find all the resources for mentoring and fatherhood at cmn dot men that's the Christian men's network at cmn dot men Christian men's network has a YouTube channel with inspirational videos click subscribe there you can find the innovative new study Monday night men Monday night men is a fresh resource for men and pastors as a pastor you can follow up the 30-minute study with a digital meetup with your men for prayer discussion and teaching some churches are using the videos as part of a group meeting as an individual enlarge energized and build a strong mindset this 13-week study will be on YouTube and Facebook get your books and materials at cmn dot men that's the Christian men's network at cmn dot men now let's get back to this powerful interview between Paul and JB James you've been you were on CBS sports Fox you've been on the biggest broadcast stages you've done the Olympics you've done all these things you work with a lot of different people how do you walk your faith let's say I'm a guy I'm working you know in a warehouse I'm managing a warehouse how do I live my faith on a regular everyday basis how does how does that work out you work with all these different kinds of people how do you maintain that you know I recognize who I represent first and foremost that I know that I am an ambassador for Christ I belong to him so when people see me it's been credited to Saint Francis of the CC it could have been you know Augustine it could have been any I love the expression that many people will prefer to see a good sermon then hear a good sermon I like to tweak that and say if they see a good sermon first then they'll be more inclined to want to hear a good sermon and that's when we can then start to exercise and carry out the great commission that all of us who are Christians are charged with so that's what I try to do I remember before going to California to work with the Fox many people might think it was the opportunity to work with Terry Bradshaw by the way who has a lot of word in him we just need to keep him lifted in prayer and I feel comfortable saying that because we're very close friends I pray to the Lord that wow here I am going to Hollywood father let me be steeped in your word so that I can be a good representative for you that was what was most important for me because my boss one day the CEO I don't even know what it was past a Paul he came up to me and he said and I thought you were supposed to be a good Christian I have no clue what he was referencing but the bigger point was he was watching and listening everything I do so therefore Colossians 323 became one of my staple scriptures you know do all that you do the Bible says heartily I use the word excellently do all that you do excellently to the Lord and not into man my understanding that is if I'm pleasing the Lord my bosses cannot help but be pleased because I'm going to exceed that working with these superstars my scripture is what is it think it's Philippians 2 3 which is in lowliness of mind esteem others more highly than myself it's not about me it's them I look to make certain that I can elicit the best from them if I get the best out of them and they are shining then the secular expression is a rising tide lifts all ships but we know from a biblical standpoint heavens then we're going to look good as the whole that Paul uses as the example in Ephesians 416 so that's what I do and I also one of the the challenging situations I experienced I don't even know what it was my mother and I when she was alive it's now of course my wife and I and my daughter I would pray with my mother before I went on the air that he would help to put a watch over my tongue to ensure that I was seasoning my words which saw and whatever I was saying was edifying and encouraging to others past the fall I don't even know what it was clearly it wasn't horrendous but I went on the air one day and I realized I said something out of my mouth that the Holy Spirit revealed to me was not from him well I said I cannot go and do this again every time I want to air I want to represent him so I don't do anything without seeking him first you know the principle is you're only qualified to lead to the degree you're willing to serve so in serving others we find our greatness Jesus the humility of Christ was that his strength was on the inside not on the outside you know I had a great friend who I know you also knew uh read you white and I remember one time he came down he was still with Philadelphia at the time and what was the tight ends uh name uh Coach Sal always called him all all world anyway they came over to our house yeah the Oklahoma got come on gee yeah your best tough cobwebs would go ahead so they came over to our house on a Friday night they they'd come into town here in Dallas and uh he said my boys were two little guys at the time and he sat down in the in the little family room we had and he wrestled with them and I watched that guy two days later now they jumped on him like he was playground quick mm-hmm two days later I watched him take Larry Allen who Larry was the strongest man in the NFL bench press over 700 pounds I watched him do that under the arm move yeah they called it the hunt move yep go ahead I saw him move their man out of the way and just like excuse me go in and just wipe out Troy Ackman and that man the strength of his life was that his strength he knew his strength was truly on the inside and because of his strength on the inside he didn't have to prove it on the outside he only did that because he was he was at work you know yeah absolutely absolutely Reggie Reggie was unbelievably strong as you just indicated number two nobody would dare mess with Reggie and some of the cute expressions that you would hear about Reggie is not only would he as you understand the expression but maybe the lay person in the audience he would pancake offensive lineman meaning he would put them flat on the back as he go and when he would fall on the quarterback you would you would hear that quarterback you know with that air rushing out of his wins because he's got out of his windpipe because Reggie's fallen on him and Reggie would pick him up and say Jesus loves you now now truth be told I asked him I said do you always say God bless you or Jesus loves you he goes sometimes says sometimes Paul says football yeah yeah no no I understand because the guy I work with Phil Sims was saying Reggie White just treated him like a ragamuffin and he didn't have any kind words on the football field for Reggie and off the field yeah oh absolutely tell me this talking to James Brown with CBS sports Fox sports NFL hey let me ask you a couple questions on sports what's the games you've actually been at or witnessed or what was what would be one of the most amazing games you were ever at well it involved our guy Reggie White when he went to the Green Bay Packers in search of a Super Bowl and got his first Super Bowl win and to see Reggie running around the field with that Super Bowl trophy held high really touched my heart because as you said he was a great friend as well as a matter of fact his wife Sarah she blessed me by letting me I have a my hobby that I don't get a chance to exercise very much now I love old school cars muscle cars Reggie White being a big guy had two 1950 one was a 1950 the other was a 1951 mercury which we call the lead sled it was a big big old car I finally after all these years I'm about to get it out of the shop I was restoring it so it will probably have the license plate minister of defense which of course is what he was known as but so you know that that Super Bowl game was one the one right after 9-11 when all the feds came in because you know the federal security force took over everything and I mean we felt we were in the safest place on earth in New Orleans at the Super Dome because all of the feds were there but that was the game between the Rams the greatest show on turf in the New England Patriots and and New England won that game so yeah those are some of the games that come to mind with me probably none more so than a non-descript game when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were hosting the Atlanta Falcons it was my first football game and this will let you know I had to be taught about the game of football I knew nothing my boss said JB we had to put you on football if you're really looking for a lengthy career in this business you got to know football he says now just go call a clean game don't try to get fancy look at the TV monitor everything you want will be on the TV monitor as opposed to the stadium clock we will be on top of it I go through the first half of the football game and I'm thinking man football's not that difficult there's complacency that said him third quarter I said Steve Deberg is up under center he takes a snap the lead hand off the James Wilder to running back he's at the 40 he's at the 45 he's got daylight he's at the 50 55 tackled at the 60 yard line my producer it's been a year JB there's no such thing as a 60 yard line go to commercial I'm all shook up I forgot the TV monitor I left up with the scoreboard and the clock on the stadium clock and of course it was wrong I didn't realize it I said we're gonna step aside for a quick time with eight minutes and 99 seconds left in the third period of play man I compounded the mistake with that we came back from commercial my buddy who played football at Harvard the same time the early years that I was there he said for those of you who heard JB say eight minutes and 99 seconds left in the third period of play he just wanted to see if you could do the mathematical conversion to realize that meant nine minutes and 39 seconds left in the third period of play so those are some memorable football games from me pastor that's a great story man oh true story I love that and I thank God you know that that somebody that God put you in that position in a platform I think every man's put in a platform to to influence a life he's in and the place that he's at to speak life to those people around you to where do you meet your wife while blind date believe it or not yes I was working in local television and I remembered that there was a woman I had seen around the halls there on local TV and I went to inquire about her they said she was going to get married and but she had a girlfriend she wanted to introduce me to and I'm thinking yeah right a girlfriend you know how that goes yeah so I met my wife through her on a blind date when she came down to the local television station I was filling in for the the regular anchor and man we talked about a beautiful woman but more importantly she surpassed me in her hunger and first for everything about the word of God she is an evangelist she teaches she taught in our bible college at the church and has been teaching for 15 years plus the tabernacle of Moses my wife Dorothy is flat out awesome so trust me I get the word hey when when we got married the first thing that she did she went upstairs to my CD player in a room she took out all of my R&B CDs broken up and put in Christian music she went to the kitchen and took the champagne and I wasn't really a drinker but a lot of the flight attendants back in the day used to give their favorite passengers champagne right right she poured all the champagne out and while she was purring it out she said as for me at my house we will serve the Lord man oh my god she took James Brown out of James Brown's apartment yes he did absolutely oh by the way and I was really fretting because when you mention the tight end who played with him keep Jackson who played you read you white up at the throw up the Eagles I was gonna slap myself if I couldn't remember keep Jackson but go ahead yeah no that's good and and we have to get back to those things sometimes I'll text a friend the next day just with a name and he'll know what it's about absolutely man I couldn't remember yesterday I got it absolutely you know but I I must tell you that that what you bring into sports and athletics is obvious more than just what you what we see on the screen there is a I believe that when as a follower of Christ wherever we're at we permeate his presence and I think that that comes out and in fact I think it came out or comes out every time you're on the set with other people and you do prefer them and you do you know you you you are an ultimate professional and but the way that you treat other men in particular because that's mostly who you're with the way you've spoken up for women in this field because you've done that on a number of occasions in fact you chastise the entire NFL about the way they talked about women yeah the language is so very important I you know I did that on that first Thursday night broadcast that we did in Baltimore on the heels of Ray Rice situation with his girlfriend Janae but now they are married and he really is a wonderful man who has walked the road of redemption he is and he has been involved in in strengthening the fabric of communities around the country you know we have such a tendency in the country to react and castigate and vilify people and not forgive them forever and a day that certainly is not consistent with the word of God Ray Rice and he and his wife Janae they are fine people and he continues just as Michael Vick did when he paid the price and walked the road of redemption when he went to prison and he came out for the dog fighting harsh penalty to say the least but when he worked with the Humane Society they engaged in a two-year relationship where he would go into urban areas and try to dissuade kids from engaging in dog fighting that was a two-year commitment he's been doing it ever since because he firmly believes it but that which I heard in his voice when I was blessed to get the story when I went to visit him in prison and to say Michael I heard you crying out for the Lord did I hear you correctly he said yes he thought he was Teflon man because he was the biggest thing in NFL yes he was gotten where his roots were and the root with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ being like a tree planted by the rivers of water etc. I said Michael if that's the case then I'd like to sit down and have the interview with you but I understand I don't have they did this is not a puff piece there were hard questions to be asked he said I want to answer those hard questions and so you know I'm very very happy and look at what the Lord has done through him six well you can't go back and and recreate your past but you can redeem your past and that's why we believe in a Savior of hope and the message of hope the gospel of hope because hope is firmly anchored in your future hey James Brown it has been tremendous just being able to take this kind of time and spend time with you and on our brave men podcast one of the things we talk about often is not that this podcast in our ministry would would show you who brave men are but help you become that man our prayer today is that out of this time together we would have permeated the atmosphere with the presence of Christ to the point that someone listening right now tips over and says you know what I'm changing this thing I'm fixing this deal I've been a man just strictly after talent whatever the business was or I've just been after my own prestige or my own success and I'm going to have to pivot that and begin to follow Christ because at the end of the day how do you want people to remember you James wow prayerfully that I am and was a sold out believer in Jesus Christ once I understood what the truth is which more accurately is who the truth is that's what I've been about in the world of sports we talk about internalizing the fundamentals so that we can play the game against any opponent knowing that we don't have to think about it because it's rooted and grounded in us God has his word written on the tablet of our heart it's the same methodology the same principles here you're a good friend past a day I love what he says I remember his stronger series STROMGER talking about getting stronger yes there's an athletic inference there what we're talking about for the long haul he says if you truly get to know God then you will trust God and if you trust God you will be obedient to God and if you're obedient to God you will be blessed by God limited limited knowledge of God limited obedience limited obedience limited trust limited trust limited promises and blessings in life if you will do the study for yourself blew me away for those who like to engage in intellectual gymnastic to say well prove it to me no no no God has already proved himself he's evident every day in his handy work that's all around us but I love this as I studied the word to understand that in the Old Testament alone they're over 2000 specific predictive prophecies of the word of God the overwhelming number that have been proven true there's not another faith in all the world you've traveled the globe more than me so you tell me of I don't in all the books and writings of Confucius or anybody else there's not one specific predictive prophecy and when those religions did engage in such they had to go back to revise them because they didn't come out true that's not the case with the word of God over 2000 specific predictive prophecies about God it's the Bible has been written as you well know by over 40 authors on three different continents over 1500 years and there's one consistent theme and it is about redemption by the Redeemer because he came to pay a price that we owed because we owed a price we couldn't pay it blows my mind and I pray that people will grab a hold of that to know that there is such a thing as an absolute truth and Jesus Christ is that truth hey James Brown one of America's and the world's leading sportscasters but most of all a leading statesman for the cause of Jesus Christ it's been great talking to you brother pastor Paul I tell you I get excited I know I can get long winded but you know what that that just shows you my passion for him and all things Christ because I want that's my job and when I stand before him I know God is not going to say let me see your resume let me see how much money you made how many people did you know what did you do with my word and I want to make sure I did it well praise God well bless you brother thank you that was great recording man I could we can talk about some of these things forever it's man talk about your wife putting the word oh hey look hey pastor Paul we don't have arguments we have intense debates and she wins most of them so yeah I know that one so the fact is man I love how long have you guys been married so you know what I counted as 33 we dated often on she was in New York I was in DC it was a rocky dating period of eight years she fired me twice we had been officially married for 25 years I said no I'm counting those eight it's 33 thank you that's great well Lord bless you brother thanks for taking time James and I pray for you and all your endeavors that every place that you put your feet is holy ground everything your hands touch will prosper and thanks for being you man pastor Paul can I just say thank you for this time this fires me up for the day you you serve that thank you for being the vessel that you are globally and anytime please reach back out I would love to engage in more conversation about our Lord and Savior let's do it God bless you man I bless you sir take care have a great day you too man it's so exciting when you see someone that is well known and on CBS NFL today every Sunday all that stuff but he still stands for truth and is going to be authentic and real about his faith and what he stands for yeah he does and you know and he does that even on broadcast you can tell and he and then we talked about and you can google it you can go up anybody if you're listening right now to this in part you can go on Google and you can look up some of the things he said about man and manhood yeah and he spoke up and we talked about it in the conversation but he spoke up when there were some issues with Ray Rice and other guys who abused ladies and he was not silent about it man and I thank God for men like this for willing to stand up and do it with such honor respect and integrity that no matter who you are you have to say okay you know what there's some truth there yeah and another thing I admire and even you walking this is like there's certain men that carry the atmosphere you know and you can so see that on NFL today it's like yeah you have all these other high profile people but it's all run through the atmosphere of JB you know like when he throws the ball to you know whoever else is speaking it's like wow they know how to segue into it you know and it's amazing well for years he sat there next to Terry Bradshaw you know yeah that they would throw stuff back and forth and and you know he just is that you know what is it it's like an like an icebreaker just he's this place of peace that just cuts everything exactly and it's what he carries in him yeah exactly right Chris yeah and we need more men that can walk in that and say you know what I'm going to be uncompromising no matter the questions no matter the people I'm around I'm someone that's going to stand for truth regardless of that yeah you know that's why we do what we do at christian men's network and where can they get the tools they can get the tools at cmn.man that's for discipleship right so if you're past or leader if you've got sons yes I started my sons at ages nine and ten going through strong men and tough times and people say well you know they need to be older well dude man by the time they're 14 or 15 they've seen so much stuff on their phones or internet or heard stuff in the streets or whatever yes you're almost trying to restart but if you can start at nine and ten when they're you know kind of still looking at dad or your stepfather or if you're the man in their life wherever you may be in their life you know the speaking of their into the lives of a young age we've found that that I remember Chris I was thinking about this year that I remember a man who taught our Sunday school class when I was in fifth grade wow and there were two guys named Stan there was a kid named Randy there was about eight of us wow and I've never forgotten that time I don't remember what the guy's name was but I remember it was about a three year thing at Bethany Church in Elhamber California and Dr. Claire Britton who was the pastor CW Britton and it was when it was marking points but I was young man I was like I guess I was fifth six and seventh grade somewhere right in fifth grade middle school you think about that you think okay well I'll wait until they get in the seventh grade no this guy's marking us fourth and fifth grade yeah I remember my fourth grade P.W. Pop Warner whatever was football coach you know instructing me on things yeah and um so start your start your men at a young age right and I was gonna even you know add on to that like you know we have the maximum you gotta fix it no no no no I can't fix it no no no I'm just gonna put cream on it okay you know we have the the back at C.M.N. we have the maximized minutes for fathers oh yeah and you know things incredible this is something that just got into our life in the shields family right one of the biggest significant things that I remember as a kid would be the first thing we did and this is a practice I still practice today that my dad established in me is the first thing we did when we got on the car when we were going somewhere he would turn on confessions and I'm not talking about Catholic confessions I'm talking about confessions of speaking your identity or affirmations yes well some people call it affirmations some confessions but yeah and every kid in the car me my older brother and my little sister would repeat with my dad the affirmations for that day out of here and that was something that we I still practice every time I get in the car really no matter where I'm going in every day when I'm coming to the office that's what I do and it is something that has set my life in a direction where you know no matter my situation or my circumstances when I turn on those even if I messed up that day you know or that night or whatever when as soon as I do those affirmations I'm reminded of who I am so that's what you do after one of these podcasts where you messed up exactly I go and I encourage myself yeah no you do a fantastic job Chris and we all know that but love to give you a bad time so but the fact is that that marked you and I you know I think his dad sometimes we don't think about how we're marking a seven or eight year old wow and that's so true because I mean I can even tell you the first time I can even tell you the first time like I'm a basketball player but he knows that about me and it's like I remember the first time I played basketball with my dad you know I remember the exact I was two years old get out of here with my dad that's like a tiger woods yeah I was shooting and I'll never forget it because my older brother blocked my shot and I'll never forget and I said I'm never going to get my blocks my shot block like that again you know and I haven't played that so but you know it's the little things you know that set the projection of where your life's going to go you know and it's like and we have to you know one of the biggest things in our life is we have to hold on to memories you know yeah man it's so true and and James Brown you know JB you know this is a guy that as a dad I can say here watch this guy exactly right here listen to this man yes you know act like this comport yourself like a man like him and be real like him yeah and be real and authentic like him man what a man I so appreciate JB being with us you know it's it was fun to call him JB you know sir sir mr. Brown but now it was great time and real authentic and thank God for men like that and leadership yeah and thank you for being with us today and brave men you can reach me at Paul at Paul well we'll see I said that twice so now I'm fired so Paul at cm.man Paul at cm.man I'm Paul Lewis Cole I'm with Chris Shields you've been listening to the brave men podcast sponsored by the christian men's network in the global fatherhood initiative hey make it a great day God bless you just experience brave man with Paul Lewis Cole Paul is president of the christian men's network connect with Paul at cm.man or write to him at Paul at cm.man