The most highly anticipated sporting event of the year, Super Bowl 50, was marked on the calendar of almost every American as they gathered around family, friends, and food to watch the season’s best NFL matchup. This year, over 1.2 million viewers were tuned in for another highly anticipated event on this day: Football Sunday.

On football’s biggest day, Drew Brees, Trent Dilfer, Thomas Davis, and players from both championship teams shared stories of their faith journeys, relating to all people—football fans or not. Prior to Super Bowl 50’s kickoff, the Football Sunday video was played in over 2,000 churches. Congregations gathered both regular members and welcomed many visiting football fans to hear the Gospel message proclaimed by highly-esteemed athletes.

“For us, Football Sunday was more than an event,” says one church pastor. “It was truly an experience where God did more than we could possibly ask or imagine. When I heard about Football Sunday I thought, even though we had never done anything similar to this in the past, it was worth the risk. . .and it certainly was.”

Churches across the world used this 25-minute resource to serve as their Sunday message. From the small home gathering to the multi-site mega-church, church leaders found this video to be a powerful outreach tool for a day already hyped up about football.

“At the end of Football Sunday, we had 29 people respond to either accept Christ or rededicate their lives,” says another church leader. “We are so excited to follow up with them and see the life change that comes from this!”

“More and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.” —Acts 5:14

“Thank you for bringing this to us!” exclaimed another viewer. “It was inspiring and very moving! We will view the Super Bowl with different eyes and knowing that God is being glorified through many is incredible!”

Many individuals were personally touched and motivated by the leading sports legends’ testimonies on the video. Besides being hard-working and successful athletes, these sports stars showed themselves to be men of great faith and great role models as they shared the truth of the Gospel with the world.

“Football Sunday was very well received by our church,” says a church attendee. “I don’t think there was a dry eye in the building by the time the video was over. The message was both touching and encouraging; it was powerful to see such strong and ‘manly’ men talk about the importance of faith and their personal relationship with Christ.”

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” —Mark 5:16

Many shared this video as a part of their men’s group or small group Bible study as a topic for a more in-depth discussion about the Gospel in our culture.

“This is the second consecutive year where we have used Football Sunday as part of our Friday Night Lights men’s gathering,” one leader comments. “As great as it was last year, this one was even better.”

With such a great impact being made in churches around the world, social media was soon bombarded with the video being “shared” or “liked.”  The video soon spread to countless living rooms and Super Bowl parties, even replacing the half-time show for many households.

“I don’t engage in watching sports and won’t be watching the Super Bowl,” says one social media browser, “but on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I clicked on this post on Facebook—it was amazing and I believe God meant it for me, to help me to get over a faith hurdle in my life. Thank you so much!”

With thousands of hearts turned to Christ and countless lives impacted as a result, Football Sunday 2016 is an incredibly effective way to share the Gospel of Christ through the platform of one of the world’s most beloved games. Super Bowl 50 marked a momentous day in the history of football, but Football Sunday continues to spread and impact lives for eternity.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” —Mark 16:15

Join the movement that is changing lives for eternity by watching the Football Sunday video and sharing this amazing resource through social media: http://theincrease.com/football-sunday-full/