This was an interview between Scott Sullivan from Georgia Baptist Discipleship and David Pollock, a former NFL player and author of the book Every Day Counts. The conversation covered David’s journey from professional football player to his current faith-focused life, including how a broken neck at age 22 led to a deeper relationship with God and how his wife’s brain cancer diagnosis has shaped their family’s approach to discipleship.

David shared key principles from his book, emphasizing the importance of daily habits, surrounding yourself with positive influences, and prioritizing faith over sports achievements, particularly in managing his children’s athletic activities while maintaining family values. The discussion highlighted how David and his wife have developed strong family rhythms, including regular church attendance, careful phone and social media management, and serving others during difficult times, while also addressing the challenges of balancing competitive sports with spiritual priorities.

Link to David’s new book: Every Day Counts https://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/product/every-day-counts-2/

Scott and David discussed David’s new book, Every Day Counts, which focuses on providing a framework for living intentionally as a man of God rather than just sharing football stories. David emphasized that the book is designed to challenge readers and help them develop better rhythms and habits to become their best selves. The conversation began to touch on the topic of leadership development and the influence of mentors. Scott shared that many leaders “drink from wells they did not dig,” highlighting the idea that many who came before us as leaders paved the way for our success.

David shared how important influential relationships were in his spiritual journey, particularly highlighting his physics teacher, Mark Watson, who treated him with respect and introduced him to Christianity. David described how Watson helped him understand the Bible by comparing it to other historical texts, which led David to choose the Bible for his required reading assignment. Scott responded by sharing his own story about Calvin Phelps, a pastor who prevented him from resigning when his life was falling apart, which ultimately led to Scott’s continued ministry work.

David shared how a career-ending injury at 22 led to a transformation in his faith from transactional to relational, providing a foundation for his family’s spiritual growth. He discussed how his wife’s brain cancer diagnosis presented additional challenges, though it also deepened their faith and enabled them to support other families facing similar circumstances. David emphasized the importance of community support during difficult times, noting that practical help, such as meal preparation and household tasks, meant more than asking what could be done.

David shared his approach to family discipleship, emphasizing that it evolves as children grow older. He outlined several nonnegotiables in his household, including attending church together, playing praise and worship music, and having strict cellphone rules. David also stressed the importance of family service and using the Pollock Family Foundation to facilitate service opportunities.

David and Scott discussed balancing family priorities with sports involvement, with David emphasizing the importance of keeping family time sacred and not letting sports consume a child’s entire summer.

David shared his approach of allowing his daughter to choose between basketball and church attendance and advised against overcommitting to travel sports that can strain family relationships. Scott shared that he has taught his children that they are disciples of Jesus who happen to play ball, rather than a travel-sports family who happens to be disciples of Jesus. The conversation concluded with David promoting his book, Every Day Counts, which focuses on how daily habits and morning routines determine long-term success and character development.