Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw spoke during the TCU Ignite worship service Monday night.
The event was paired with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization and was held in the Brown Lupton University Union Ballroom.
Kershaw spoke to the crowd about one’s life “purpose.”
“Baseball is not my purpose,” said Kershaw. “My purpose, I didn’t really find out. It just kind of hit me all at once.”
Kershaw said his wife, Ellen, had a passion for going to Africa and working with underprivileged children. While in Africa, Ellen met a girl named Hope who was an HIV positive orphan that desperately needed help. It was this encounter that led to the couple’s founding of their organization “Kershaw’s Challenge.”
“That’s our purpose,” said Kershaw. “We didn’t have any plans for that. God gave that to us so unexpectedly and to see it grow is nothing but a gift from God.”
Kershaw preached to the audience from the fourth chapter in the book Ephesians.
“There is one God who is over all and through all, and there’s one spirit, and there’s one body, and that’s us,” said Kershaw. “You just have to believe in Jesus, and it is worth living a life for.”
Kershaw talked about how God put Clayton where he wanted him, which was in baseball.
“I thought he gave me baseball so I could succeed and have a job and provide for my family,” said Kershaw. “He did do all that, but it’s not the reason why I get to play.”
Kershaw said that baseball could be taken from him at any moment, and joked about the possibility of needing TCU students to help hire him in the future.
“I know it’s going to end some day and if you guys are working then, hopefully [in] about 20 to 30 years, I might need a job so look me up,” said Kershaw.
Kershaw talked about his 10-month-old daughter, Cali, and cried tears of joy about her in the process.
“She’s just amazing,” said Kershaw. “It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever gotten to do.”
Kershaw said he has believers on his team, as well as a chaplain that preaches to them regularly.
“I’ve got a great group of guys on our team,” said Kershaw. “We have a pretty solid foundation of believers which is really important.”
Kershaw closed out his sermon by talking about his favorite verse, Colossians 3:23.
“Your faith in God is never stagnant,” said Kershaw. “You are either growing closer to God or you are getting further away from God. You are never staying the same.”
The five-time All-Star, three-time National League Cy Young Award winner, 2012 Roberto Clemente Award winner, and the 2014 National League Most Valuable Player currently resides in Dallas, Texas, where he was born and raised. Kershaw graduated with Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford from Highland Park High School in 2006.
Kershaw will begin his ninth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016. The 27-year-old lefty will enter the third year of his seven-year, $215 million contract with the ball club.