Savannah Bananas players testify that Jesus is transforming lives: ‘God’s on the move’

The zany baseball team capturing the sports world’s attention with its wild antics and over-the-top showmanship also includes players who love Jesus and gather regularly for Bible study.

The Savannah Bananas have turned baseball into part sport, part circus, mixing choreographed dances, constant fan participation – where a fan-caught foul ball counts as an out – and quirky rules that prioritize fun over tradition, such as a two-hour game limit.

What started as a playful experiment in a Georgia city has since grown into a national sensation, filling stadiums across the country and attracting millions of followers online. It’s been likened to the Harlem Globetrotters of the diamond, although the Bananas’ games are not exhibitions – and defeat is always a possibility.

It’s a family-friendly atmosphere, shaped by players who say they feel called to serve the public – many of them driven by their Christian faith.

“The Holy Spirit is definitely moving in this organization,” outfielder DR Meadows told Sports Spectrum.

Meadows joined outfielder Robert Anthony Cruz, catcher Bill Leroy and pitcher Andy Archer in telling sports outlet how Jesus is transforming the hearts and minds of Bananas teammates.

The players gather regularly for Bible studies, walking through Scripture and praying for one another. When back in Savannah, they also host worship nights at their stadium – events open to the public.

Unable to attend their home church due to travel, the Bananas players gather once a week on the road for a Bible study. It is player-led – and has grown from five or six guys, to at times more than 40.

“That community has been so special,” Leroy said, adding that people were “designed to worship the Lord.”

Leroy said his faith deepened during his final year of college. Although he initially felt isolated when joining the Bananas, he soon discovered a family of brothers in Christ who share his faith and encourage his walk with God.

“It’s changed my life,” he said, referencing not only his faith but the fellowship with other players. “And that’s not an exaggeration. I feel like my cup is constantly filled up now, and I feel like I’m able to pour more into other people, because people are pouring into me as well. And I’m being prayed for by name, and other guys being prayed for by name. … The power of prayer is unbelievable.

“God’s just on the move,” Leroy said.

Cruz, a ministry major from Biola University, has taken a leading role in the Bananas’ Bible study. The group has already worked through Romans and is now diving into Acts, beginning each session by asking what the “original author was trying to say to the original audience” before turning to how the message applies to their own lives.

“I feel like I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good time and time again in my own life, in such a way that I’m like – I want everyone to experience the joy and fulfillment and peace that comes through having a relationship with the One who created you,” Cruz told Sports Spectrum.

Archer said the players are diligent not to miss a gathering.

“We have so many men in our locker room who are committed to being obedient and staying faithful to the Lord, despite all this crazy travel [and] different stuff we’ve got going,” Archer said.

Multiple teammates, Archer added, have become Christians along the way.

“The ministry is expanding from the Bible study outwards…” Archer said. “…I’m getting changed, and my teammates are getting changed as well.”

This God-focused culture is even evident in their walkup songs. For example, every time Cruz bats, fans in the stadium hear the song “Praise” by Elevation Worship and Brandon Lake.

“I’ll have families and kids come up after the game [and they’re] like, ‘I really love your walk-up song,’” Cruz said. “I’ve never gotten that with the other [walkup songs] so I just sparked a conversation about Jesus right there.”

Photo: Courtesy Savannah Bananas