Bob talks about his first encounter with Campus Crusade for Christ during his time in the CFL:
My first touch with Campus Crusade for Christ was in my second year with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, when I was 22. They started a chapel program under the leadership of Doc Eshleman, and it was mandatory for everyone. Some of the players were kicking and scratching because they didn’t want to be there, but I was impressed with the program. Attendance was voluntary after the first one, but I continued to go.
One time a Minneapolis businessman came to do a chapel and I was impressed that he would take the time to do so at three o’clock in the afternoon. He left his home, business, and family to be with a bunch of jocks. I was even more impressed by his presentation, which was basically an expanded version of the four spiritual laws. Through his presentation, I prayed that simple prayer to ask Christ into my life. Being Catholic, I prayed this many, many times over again to keep renewing it.
Halfway through the season, Doc also started a chapel with Hamilton, and then at the end of the season, they had this pro conference down in Florida. Doc raised some money and sponsored a number of players and wives if they wanted to go. We were put into “Action Groups” as part of our time, and my action group leader was Paul Eshleman. Paul took an interest in me and he helped me gain assurance of my salvation. He helped me realize I didn’t need to keep on praying to receive Christ, but just thank Him for being in my life. Through that process, I got very involved with leadership with the chapel program.
At the end of 1974, I recruited about 12 members of my team to go to Chicago for a conference, where we decided that we needed to form some kind of organization in Canada. We met with Dave Hannah and John Klein from Athletes in Action USA, and we also met Marvin Kehler and Gord Volkman from Campus Crusade for Christ. Through this, we decided to become Athletes in Action Canada. Marvin came and asked me if I would consider being the national director. I already had a career and my wife, Bev, was against it so I spent some concentrated time with the Lord. I felt all I needed to do was wait until God changed my wife’s mind, and that would be my confirmation. At our next conference, she leaned over to me and said, “I don’t claim to understand this, but I sense God calling you, so let’s do it.” Bev and I joined the staff of Campus Crusade and moved to BC in March 1976 to assume the leadership of Athletes in Action for the next 23 years.
