NEWS PROVIDED BY
Coral Ridge Ministries
March 20, 2025

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 20, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ -- Joe Kennedy—a football coach who fought in the courts for seven years to secure the right to pray at a high school football game—has joined Coral Ridge Ministries (CRM) as a Content Contributor.

"I'm thrilled to have Coach Kennedy come on board as a voice to inspire and encourage people with his story of perseverance and triumph on behalf of religious liberty," said Dr. Robert J. Pacienza, CRM President and CEO.

Pacienza added that Kennedy "will be recording content for CRM on a regular basis, speaking nationally on behalf of CRM, and eventually producing a Coral Ridge Ministries documentary."

Kennedy, a retired Marine who spent decades as an atheist before professing faith in Jesus Christ, said he is excited to partner with Coral Ridge Ministries and “help bring God to more people.”

The author, with Stephanie Katz, of the book, Average Joe, which was made into a movie released last fall, Kennedy said he and his wife "have been speaking nationwide, sharing our testimony together and encouraging people to stand up for their rights." He added, "I can't wait to do the same as I speak to Coral Ridge Ministries’ national audience."

Recently, Coach Kennedy joined Dr. Pacienza to detail his saga from high school football coach to religious liberty champion on The City of God, the weekly podcast cohosted by Dr. Pacienza and John Rabe.

His seven-year legal journey—a bumpy road with seven adverse court rulings along the way—began in 2015 when Joe’s school district issued an ultimatum: stop his postgame practice of kneeling for 15-20 seconds of quiet prayer or face suspension and, ultimately, be fired.

"I had to choose between my faith and my job," Kennedy told Pacienza and Rabe on The City of God. "The First Amendment is very clear to me—super clear. You can't take away people's rights. So, as a Marine, I had to stand there and set an example for my team and everybody else around."

Represented by the First Liberty Institute, Kennedy won big in 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling, giving him his job back and throwing open the door for public acknowledgments of God previously ruled unconstitutional.

Thanks to Kennedy's fighting spirit, superb lawyers, and God's providence, faith is no longer persona non grata in America's public square. Ten Commandments displays, crosses on public lands, prayer at public gatherings, nativity scenes in public buildings, and more are now protected under the First Amendment.

"Coach Kennedy has an amazing story," Dr. Pacienza observed. "It's an honor and privilege to have this humble man join us to share the lessons God has taught—and the victories won—on our nationwide TV, radio, print, and online platform."

SOURCE Coral Ridge Ministries

CONTACT: Sarah Kittle, sarahpublicitypr@gmail.com