“I Agree” posters, shirts have MSU campus atwitter

The Michigan State University campus was already electric, fresh on the heels of a last-second win over Wisconsin on Oct. 22. So when the bright lime-green posters started popping up on campus the next day saying simply “I Agree With Kirk,” the buzz just continued with a different bent.

Professors and students talked about it in classes. Lunchroom conversations puzzled over the mysterious phrase and what it could mean. The following Monday, a full-page ad in the State News daily included a large rendering of “trading cards” featuring Cousins’ photo and brief testimony of faith. Over the next few days, smaller ads declared “I Agree With Kirk” and included names of other athletes, coaches, faculty and staff.

Posters during the event week asked “Do you agree with Kirk?” and participants began donning the bright lime-green shirts asking the same. Both featured “Find out why” along with the date, time and location of the mystery’s unveiling.

Facebook and other sites were chock full with commentary from students on both sides of the issue. Some felt it was wrong to use Cousins’ notoriety for religious purposes, while others said it was not only OK, it was important for athletes to use their following for good things.

Even MSU coach Mark Dantonio was in favor of the quarterback taking a stand for his faith.

"I agree with Kirk. I do," Dantonio said in a Nov. 2 article in the Detroit Free Press. "I think it's a great thing that he's doing. When you play football here, I guess you have a platform, and if you can use your platform for good, that's a positive thing."

The outreach event was organized by the Campus Crusade and Athletes in Action groups at Michigan State, something they have wanted to do for a few years. According to event planner Paul Hardeloupas, a Cru staff member for three years, the timing of the evening was a perfect storm of sorts. Cousins provided the perfect “campus celebrity” for the outreach, and with his graduation pending in December, he welcomed the chance to make a major impact his senior year.

Hardeloupas said the partnership with AIA, with which Cousins is heavily involved on campus, was crucial. The groups invited several churches and other evangelical Christian organizations at MSU to participate as well. All total, 1,200 shirts were printed and 10,000 posters teasing the event were hung all over the campus. Chalk notes could be found on sidewalks and even at businesses close to the campus the week leading up to Cousins’ talk.

Participating believers got a goody bag with 10 trading cards to hand out to curious questioners, a tract with which they could share the gospel if they got the chance, and a devotional designed to help them prepare prayerfully for Thursday’s event. All of it was critical.

“That’s my heart, that the devotional we created about the Lordship of Christ will take students to the scriptures and they’ll make a decision this week,” Hardeloupas said. “We are also hoping that this really unites the body of Christ on our campus.”

Phil Gillespie, the AIA campus director at MSU, said Thursday morning it was evident God had his hand on the event from the way all the logistics came together so perfectly. The buzz all over campus was the icing on the cake for Gillespie, who has been with AIA for 12 years.

“People will probably know it’s Kirk Cousins when they see the name Kirk,” he said. “He’s one of our main student leaders (with AIA) and has been really instrumental in terms of speaking to folks. That’s where his gifts and talents lie.”

Some were not sure what to expect, even in the moments leading up to Cousins’ speech. But most seemed supportive.

Adam Whitmore, whose wife Melodie is an MSU student, said, “To be honest, I’m not exactly sure

what he’s going to talk about. But I’ve heard he is a nice guy and a believer, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to hear him speak.”

Jessica Detering of Ann Arbor stood out in the International Student Center dining room in her lime-green shirt, noting with a smile that it had sparked quite a few conversations in the past few weeks. A Cru participant, she was excited that Cousins’ message was generating discussion.

“It’s really good that he’s using his platform for something good. And he’s not saying you have to agree with him but just inviting everyone to come,” she said.

Freshman linebacker Patrick Rhomberg of Columbus, Ohio, took his seat at the front row along with several teammates just moments before Cousins took the stage, interested in hearing his team leader speak. Though he participates in Athletes in Action meetings, Rhomberg said he has not really heard Cousins speak but said, “You can tell he’s a good guy.”

Christian students saw the importance of events like Thursday’s low-pressure presentation.

“Even though Kirk is famous, this shows that he believes that God is way more important, and that is something important for other college students to see and hear,” said Emily, a senior communications major. “Kirk is someone that they can connect with.”

Campus Crusade plans a follow-up event for Sunday, Nov. 6, with an open discussion time about faith and beliefs.

By Tommy & Teresa Young, AIA Communications

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