What the poker-playing priest can teach us about Christ

I have to brag: the "poker-playing priest" is a friend of mine. Seriously.  He actually taught me how to play Texas Hold'em. 

What? You haven't heard? A few weeks ago I got a call from Father Andrew Trapp, who was ordained two years ago and spent his first year in ministry at St. Gregory the Great in Bluffton. When Team Catholic's priests and youth ministers weren't out leading young people on mission trips, retreats and lock-ins, we'd sometimes gather and play poker (we didn't have money, but we'd wager things like "winner gets a free pass at nap time on the next mission trip"). 

But Father Andrew is a meticulous poker player. When I would occasionally play poker with friends I'd fake it by looking for matching colors and shapes in my hand. But Father Andrew would have none of that -- he insisted on making sure we understood the lingo. And now I know a full house beats a straight.

But I digress. Father Andrew has since been moved to a parish in Myrtle Beach that is attempting to raise funds for a new building. And he recently called to explain that he had figured out a way to aid in the fundraising, and proceeded to explain the elaborate process of qualifying for the Pokerstars.net Million Dollar Challenge reality show. 

Here's how it goes: First, you have to finish in the top 10 in an online tournament that featured more than 10,000 players. Once that's done, you post a YouTube audition video, submitting yourself to play in several rounds against various celebrities and pros on the show. If you win that, you could score a spot at the table to play for a million dollars. And I admit, I was only half-listening when I heard him say, "Last night I finished fifth in the online tournament." 

Now, I was not expecting him to have already finished baby step No. 1 to $1 million. But to make a long story short, with the permission of the Bishop, he made a YouTube video that had just the right combination of paintball and poker to pique the interest of the directors. And after winning on the first show, the building fund is now $100,000 richer. (To see highlights from this epic journey, search for "poker playing priest" on YouTube). Father Andrew returns to the show in December for a chance to win $1 million. 

What I find so cool about this story, aside from that I now know someone on TV, is how Father Andrew has shown that Christians -- even spiritual leaders -- are not confined to reading the Bible and praying all day.  In fact, a great dealcan be accomplished when Christians seek to engage the world where the world least expects it. 

Fr. Andrew clearly explained on his Web site (www.saintfactory.com) that he didn't have to spend any money to win, nor did he use his church's time (priests get a certain amount of time off each year). He also shared the many interesting conversations with the cast and crew of the show. His goal was first to represent the priesthood well and then, hopefully, win some cash.

I see this as such a great example of "What Would Jesus Do?" If you look at the life of Christ, he didn't hang out only in religious spots; he was often found with tax collectors and prostitutes. And he didn't just chat with them on the street, he partied with them at their homes. 

While we have to share the Gospel in ways that we're comfortable, we should be constantly evaluating our skills and talents to see what new places Christ is calling us to go.  We can be quick to think that certain people or places are beyond the need for Christ -- we think he came for our Sunday School class, but not those we play bunko or golf with. The reality is that we need to take the Gospel outside of Sundays and look for ways to bring Christ to the people of the world, where they least expect it.

Alison Griswold tweets about Youth Ministry, Team Catholic and life at twitter.com@alisongriz and can be contacted at hiltonheadcatholicyouth@

gmail.com.