08:48 AM EST on Monday, March 15, 2004

By MARK BOONE / 6NEWS

A hard-hitting football player who helped take the Panthers to the Super Bowl is spending his off-season in a different arena.

Safety Mike Minter is preaching at Carolina churches about how his faith has influenced his success.

On Sunday all eyes were on the pulpit at Eastside Community Church as Minter began to talk about who he is and where he comes from.

The Panthers safety took over the microphone to talk about his favorite subject.

“When I was about 6, 7, 8, I knew I wanted to play football,” he told the crowd.

But Minter said he soon learned there was more to life than football.

It’s his faith that he wants to share - a message which helped double the normal Sunday crowd for the Eastside church, which is less than 4-years-old.

Sharing the gospel seems to come as easy for Minter as signing countless autographs for fans. But the man with the wide smile says admiration of supporters and success in stadiums comes second to his true passion in life.

“All the good things, all the great things, nothing is comparable to knowing Jesus Christ,” he said.