The Free Lutheran Bible College (FLBC) men’s basketball team is having a rough time. In the past three seasons, the team’s record is 0-62. In the recently concluded 2024-2025 season, the average score of their games was 96-24, including six games they lost by 80 points or more, one of which was a 100-point loss. In this season’s opening game, the score was 61-0 before FLBC sank a 3-pointer (final score 85-5). Several sports outlets picked up on FLBC’s story, including one website that described FLBC as “unquestionably the worst college basketball team of all-time.”
And yet, the players don’t seem phased by the negativity. In an article for Yahoo Sports, Jeff Eisenberg describes a team that shrugs it off. One player told coach Logan Strand he thought it was “hilarious” that people were joking about his shots that clanged off the side of the backboard. Multiple players told Strand, “Yeah, we know we’re bad. Who cares? We’re having a good time.” In response to the online attention, FLBC guard Kent Anderson said, “They don’t know why we play and who we play for (God).”
In Romans 8, Paul asks “Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35, NLT). Conversely, if things go well in our lives, the ailment is cured, or our team or party “wins,” does that mean God loves us more than when things looked rough or we “lost”? Paul’s answer is a definitive no; because “in all these things we are more than conquerors and gain an overwhelming victory through Him who loved us [so much that He died for us]” (Romans 8:37, AMP).
The FLBC mascot is the Conquerors, which is so appropriate. Being a conqueror means we understand the eternal victory is already ours during whatever obstacle, battle or challenge we are facing because of what Jesus did, and his love and acceptance is not based on what is happening to us or around us, or what the score is.
Grasping this is the key to being peaceful and content regardless of the circumstances (Philippians 4:6-13), being able to consider trials pure joy (James 1:2-3), and knowing everything is working together for our good (Romans 8:28).
If we want to be conquerors, we cannot use life’s wins and losses as a gauge for where God stands in our lives.
What are you trying to conquer?
Photo credit: Yahoo Sports and FLBC
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