“Wherever I go, whatever I do,” said Elias, “I want to be a
reflection of Christ’s love and glory in every capacity.”
Proclaiming the message of the gospel was not always a
passion of Elias’. However, when
his 1994 NFL rookie season, where he played for his hometown heroes, the NY
Giants, left him unsatisfied, he questioned whether there was more to life than
fame and fortune.
“I had always looked to the things of the world to fulfill
me, to give me my identity,” said Elias. “I had everything I thought a young
man was supposed to have: cars, money, girls, notoriety… but something was
missing. There was a tug on my heart, pulling me into something… someone more.”
Crying out to a God he wasn’t sure existed, he sought the
idea of a relationship with him, instead of the false sense of “religion” that
he had grown up around. It was the
gospel of John that led Elias to a knowledge and acceptance of Christianity.
“My circumstances did not change, I had an inward change,”
said Elias. “How I viewed the world and what I was doing changed. Things came into a proper perspective.
I came to realize that there’s so much more to life than just football.”
Elias gives great attention to the mentors and older
Christians in his life that have walked alongside him in his faith
journey. NY Giants Chaplain George
McGovern was a key influence in the life of Elias and many other NFL players.
McGovern spoke very highly of Elias’ character both on the
NFL squad and today as he is off the playing field.
“Keith is a real pleasure to know, a trusted friend,” said
McGovern. “His integrity is
impeccable.”
The two men are still in frequent contact, encouraging each other
to live lives that are “out of this world.”
“It’s not a matter of having time for Christ,” said
McGovern, “it’s more about giving up their (athletes) ‘rich young ruler’
lifestyle.”
Elias decided during his 1994 season that his football
career, or any career he may have, would be for the purpose of sharing the
message of Christ. But changing a
lifetime of patterns and expectations was harder than he expected. Throughout his NFL career, the focus of
the media and the temptations that a life of stardom brings brought Elias to
face hardships and downfalls.
For Elias, setbacks and challenges are only sources of
motivation for him to seek God more.
“These are times when I realized that there was a line that
had to be drawn,” said Elias. “We realize who were are and who we serve. What it (the Christian life) is and
what it’s not. Repent and move on. Move on means transformation.”
Elias now spends his life as a motivational speaker at
school assemblies, NFL programs, Fellowship of Christian Athlete events and
Athletes in Action gatherings. He
is active in community engagement and church ministry with his wife,
Christa. As he proclaims on his
web page, Speak Life, his mission statement is to “Be the voice, not the echo.”
“Be the voice, not the echo.”
Still possessing a strong passion for football and a heart for the men in the NFL, Elias is now involved with a new NFL program that is being developed. This program is a resource for formal NFL players to mentor recently retired NFL players as the transition to “the normal world.” While this transition has led many formal athletes to depression and feeling a loss of identity, this program seeks to provide alternative ways to deal with change.
Elias, finding his identity as a follower of Christ, sees
this as an outlet to reflect that sense of hope for others to see.
“The way that I deliver the message is not the message
itself,” said Elias. “There is a time and a place to display the truth of
Christ and that’s often brought about through relationships.”
Whether on the field, or off the field, on the stage or off
the stage, Elias has established himself as a man of faith. His passion for sport is an outlet for
sharing his faith and not something that he holds as his claim to fame. Instead he claims Christ.
“I can never divorce myself from my faith or belief. It colors who I am.”
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