(SPRINGVILLE, AL) -- A popular middle school math teacher and football and basketball coach, Josh Whitt was just a year away from retirement when God called him out of his comfort zone.
Rather listen to Josh's story?
"I'd been there for 19 years and I really wanted God to let me wait one more year to be able to get something out of retirement." Josh shared. "I really fought God's call on my life. I was in a good place but I wasn't in my God place."
Josh, or Coach Whitt, had made a big impact on the kids, even as a public school teacher.
"My kids knew who Coach Whitt was as a teacher, who Coach Whitt was as a coach, who Coach Whitt was as a leader of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). I wanted to make sure that all those pieces matched up so I had the best chance to really be an influence and be a light for the kids that I felt like God put within my season year to year."
"I did pre-game devos and had all my guys at a Bible Study at IHOP (the pancake restaurant)."
Through fellowship, God made his plans known for Coach Whitt.
One of Josh's math students, Hunter Dawson, introduced him to his dad Scott. Fellowship and a Bible study followed and Josh was invited to become the evangelistic director of Scott Dawson Evangelistic Association.
The mission?
"Our heart is to partner with local churches to put together an opportunity for believers and non-believers to come together and worship, united, under the name of Jesus," Josh explains.
They do this through big events with speakers, worship and a chance to start a relationship with Jesus. The goal is for every Christian attendee to bring a non-believer to the event.
"We don't want to pack the room with just believers."
The first event happened just as the COVID ban lifted in Las Vegas in 2020.
"We ended up having over 14,000 people come out. I think there were 1100 salvation decisions that were made and so that became the first of what became UNITE."
Since then, the SDEA has brought UNITE events to San Antonio, Pensacola and Knoxville.
Josh's next big goal? To bring the message of salvation to the entire state of Alabama.
