'Jesus Wins': 20 High School Football Players Baptized by Coach, Then District Fires Him
A Georgia high school football coach has been fired after he organized a baptism service for 20 of his players, last month.
Coach Isaac Ferrell was removed as the head football coach at Tattnall County High School for organizing a baptismal ceremony for his players after practice on October 23rd.
Video posted to Facebook shows Pastor Gary Few directing players to sit in a black tub before saying to them, "I baptize you now, my brother, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."
The surrounding players cheer as their teammates are baptized.
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However, others were outraged once the footage became public with one person informing The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist activist group.
Chris Line, the staff attorney for the group, sent a letter to Tattnall County School District Superintendent Kristen Waters on Nov. 1 demanding the incident be investigated.
"The district must refrain from infusing its football program with religion, and coach Ferrell cannot be allowed to preach to student athletes or allow a local pastor to preach to and baptize students," he wrote.
Waters told Fox28 that she made the decision to remove Ferrell for an undisclosed incident and not the baptism.
"The safety and security of our students is paramount to the Tattnall County Board of Education. Based on the outcome of an investigation into an incident that occurred Friday night, November 3, while traveling after the football game, the district decided that it would seek a head football coach that aligned with the best interests of the students of Tattnall County for the 2024-2025 school year," she wrote.
Ferrell still works at the high school as a teacher and an investigation into the baptism is ongoing.
"As to any other allegations, the District does not comment during ongoing investigations," she continued.
Many people who have watched the baptisms on social media are applauding Ferrell.
"That coach is changing lives... not just winning games," wrote one person in the comments.
"Now that's what I am talking about!!! Congratulations young men! You just made the best decision of your lives! Hallelujah!!!! Glory to God!!!!!" another shared.
Latifa Johnson, a parent of one of the students who got baptized, told WSAV she found out on social media.
"It was so sweet because you see the boys and they looked like they wanted it," Johnson said. "You know, like everyone looked excited, from the ones I was able to see. So I was cheering thank you, God. Yes, yes, yes. I was all for it."
Johnson expressed that her son was heartbroken over Ferrell's dismissal.
"What about the ones who do believe? Why should they miss out on a spiritual leader because someone doesn't agree? It takes a village to raise children," Johnson said.
Meanwhile others have expressed Ferrell's termination was the right call.
"Good," one person wrote. "He should be fired. Keep your religion to yourself!"
But Riley Gaines, director of the Riley Gaines Center and the former college swimmer who was forced to compete against a biological male, applauded Ferrell on X writing, "The team lost their coach, but 20 young men found the Lord...Jesus wins."
But if 20 football players started using she/her pronouns, coach would be more likely to get promoted than disciplined
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) November 17, 2023
The team lost their coach, but 20 young men found the Lord...Jesus wins pic.twitter.com/rw8BJFUnPZ
CBN News has reached out to Tattnall County High School's administration for comment. At the time of publication, they did not respond.
