From early practices to post-practice dinners, one thread is weaving its way through LSU’s locker room culture: Bible study, led by Josh Pearson. The senior wide receiver and team veteran has become a catalyst, transforming not just his own faith journey, but opening a space for teammates to explore theirs—with Christ at the center. In this long-form overview of over 1,700 words, we’ll explore how Joshua Pearson found new depth with Jesus, how his leadership is normalizing spiritual conversations among college athletes, and what it means for a high-profile SEC program to make faith part of their team’s identity.
For Josh Pearson, attending Sunday sermons as a kid introduced him to faith. But it was at LSU—amid the grind of workouts, film sessions, and pressure to perform—that he experienced the profound shift. In his own words: “Joining the team Bible study changed everything. It’s where I stopped showing up as ‘Jordan’s cousin’ or ‘the backup receiver’ and started showing up fully as me—a man who needed Christ.” Recounting his decision to lead, Pearson said, “I realized I wasn’t just going to find faith on my own. I needed a community.”
That community started with a handful of players, meeting between practice units in locker rooms and later in apartments for weekly sessions. Led by Pearson and an LSU chaplain, the studies began with passages from the Gospels—stories of Jesus speaking to crowds, confronting Pharisees, and offering grace to those who felt unseen. These weren’t abstract lessons; they were relevant, visceral conversations about identity, pressure, and faithfulness in hostile environments.
What struck teammates most was Pearson’s willingness to be vulnerable. A recent attendee recounted how Josh shared that game days once brought anxiety as he sought validation in touchdowns. “He said, ‘I had stopped living for the King and started playing for the stats.’” In that moment, others felt permission to say the same. More than stats, the Bible study became a place to unpack real questions: “What am I chasing? Who am I really for? Where do I anchor my worth?”
These weren’t preachy sessions— they were deeply personal discussions that resonated. Inspired by Christ’s call to love one another, players began sharing honestly, sometimes for the first time. In a culture defined by strength, admitting struggle became a sign of spiritual maturity—not weakness.
One misconception the Bible study dismantled was that faith and sports must compete. Through faith, Josh and fellow players started seeing football itself as an expression of fullness—an arena to reflect virtues like discipline, sacrifice, teamwork, and resilience. They redefined winning as more than touchdowns and championships; it also meant wins over selfishness, fear, and pride.
Josh reflected: “When I line up for 11-on-11, I want to honor Christ in how I prepare, how I respond when I make a mistake, how I treat my teammates. Journalists might notice my yardage, but God sees my heart.”
While LSU has long had faith-based traditions, the Bible study Josh leads is different—it’s peer-driven, unleveraged by clergy, and framed as a conversation, not a curriculum. That authenticity resonates.
The shift is noticeable. Locker room banter has introduced phrases like “Pray over the next rep,” or “Let’s huddle before the huddle and ask God to give us clarity.” Players report giving thanks together after tough drills. It’s not evangelism pushed from above; it’s players living out Gospel principles in real time.
One example: during the second team’s rep period, a walk-on injured himself chasing a loose ball. While medics approached, the group gathered, and a teammate laid hands and prayed quietly. That simple, spontaneous act spoke volumes—helping the walk-on and witnessing a unity forged beyond Xs and Os.
Three biblical principles stand out:
Virtue in the Huddle – Inspired by Corinthians, the Bible study framed locker room unity as belonging to one body, with each person made for their place (1 Cor 12). Josh holds firm: “Everybody has a role—even if it’s kicking water bottles. We win and lose together, and Christ gave Himself for all of us.”
Spiritual Discipline – Work ethic in football mirrors spiritual formation. Devotionals after practice call players to spiritual gains, echoes of Paul exhorting us to “work out our salvation” (Phil 2:12). Players have responded by adopting daily reading, prayer, and accountability—discipline on and off the field.
Serving Beyond the Scoreboard – Touched by Scripture, teammates are engaging in service. Those in Bible study coordinated volunteer visits to youth centers in Baton Rouge. They’re tutoring students, leading Sunday youth groups, and launching outreach during the summer. The Jesus they follow didn’t accumulate stats—He served.
LSU’s coaching staff has embraced the Bible study posture. They see spiritual maturity as producing leadership on the field. Head Coach and staff respect Pearson’s role. They allow voluntary faith gatherings, offer flexibility for volunteers, and write prayers into team devotions.
This leadership structure conveys a powerful message: faith isn’t baggage—it can help refine character. One assistant commented, “Today we ask Josh to analyze coverages. Tomorrow we ask him to be a man of integrity. We trust the spiritual growth we’re seeing to shape our identity.”
What Josh and his Bible study are building has ripple effects. Recruits take notice. They come to LSU not only for facilities, but for a community hungry for meaning beyond the draft. That shapes the identity of the program in a highly transitory, transfer-prone era.
Pearson describes it this way: “We’re planting seeds. Not everyone’s going to stay in the Bible study, but they’ll leave knowing this is a locker room where faith matters. As alumni leave, they can carry that culture wherever they land.”
Josh’s influence mirrors ministry models from “Athletes in Action” or “Cru Sports,” where spiritual huddles catalyze transformational communities. By introducing mentorship, relational discipleship, and covenant accountability, the Bible study becomes more than weekly hours—it’s an ecosystem where love, truth, and vulnerability produce life change.
Josh emphasizes: “It’s not about Sunday best. It’s about showing up raw, asking for help, and allowing Christ to renew us. That shapes us long after college football.”
With 2025 looming as a pivotal season, the spiritual momentum may be as significant as the Xs and Os. Players are stronger, more unified, connected by faith and shared mission—on and off the field.
Josh Pearson isn’t promising national titles—he’s inviting a deeper formation. But that formation can produce a team that not only wins games, but models gospel community. It’s a calling to compete fiercely—and to walk in grace.
As Pearson puts it:
“Football gives you moments. Christ gives you everything. When the lights go off and the crowd goes home, you still have who you are in Him. If we can lead here like He leads us, our impact is the legacy we leave.”
In sum, what began as personal renewal for Josh Pearson is now shaping LSU’s team culture. Locker room Bible study is making faith a natural language, shaping character and cohesion. The culture is shifting from transactional to transformational.
When a team can huddle in prayer, pick each other up after mistakes, and prioritize service over stats, they begin to reflect Christ’s love. What Pearson’s found in Christ is changing not just his spiritual trajectory, but the atmosphere of an entire program. That’s a legacy worth building—and living.
