At an event for the New York Latter-day Saint Professional Association over the weekend, Elder Quentin L. Cook praised the lives and leadership of two influential Christians who are helping build unity in the world—Reverend A. R. Bernard, Sr. and NFL Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs Andy Reid.
Reverend Bernard is the founder, CEO, and pastor of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, and was awarded the association’s annual Visionary Leadership Award. Coach Reid was also recognized and served as the primary speaker at the event.
Of both Coach Reid and Rev. Bernard, Elder Cook said, “I think we have two examples here of people who have chosen good roads, righteous roads, and pursued them in different ways but have accomplished great good for enormous numbers of people.”
You can see Elder Cook’s full post on Facebook below.
At the event, Elder Cook expressed his deep appreciation for Andy and Tammy Reid's “marvelous example and their participation.”
“One of the things we’re very much aware of is that wherever he’s been, whether it’s Philadelphia, whether it’s Kansas City, he has always, he and his precious wife, Tammy, have always been so hospitable to mission presidents and missionaries and others who are striving to teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Elder Cook said, as reported by Church News. “He’s always welcomed that and tried to bless that effort. We’re grateful for that and we are so pleased.”
During the event, Coach Reid said he uses many of the same core values the Church teaches, like serving others and unity through prayer as a team, with his players.
“We have a bunch of different denominations that are involved with our team and team members, all different thought processes and theology that go with that, however, they come together as one,” Reid said. “We say a prayer before the game and a prayer after the game, and everybody joins in. That’s one of the neater things that we (get to do).”
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He also noted that his faith in Jesus Christ has helped him build a foundation for the challenges he’s faced in life and his football career.
“This is a crazy business,” he said. “I think it’s helped me with my marriage and understanding the importance of my relationship with Tammy. Balance is important. I think that’s the most important thing and helps you keep things in perspective. I think faith helps you do that, it keeps you grounded. You’ve got to have certain things that you believe in and you trust. That’s what faith is, you trust the things that you’ve been taught and the positions in which Heavenly Father has put you.”
On the All In podcast earlier this year, Coach Reid shared that the gospel has helped him build strong relationships in all aspects of his personal and professional life.
“When you read the Book of Mormon or the scriptures period, the people have had ups and downs, and people in leadership positions have had ups and downs. That’s part of life. … And so we bank on our faith to get us through that,” he says. “We try the best we can to lead by example, [and] leading by example means that you’re following Christ’s teachings. What a great example He was for us in all the trials and tribulations that He went through.”
To learn more about how Coach Andy Reid lives his faith, check out the full episode of the All In podcast, available in the player below or on your favorite streaming platform.
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