"What shall it profit a man to have the whole world but to lose his soul?" That was the journey that I was on, that led to a path of total destruction. All of my family and everyone around me was just collateral damage in those early 2000s. I hid it well; I still went to the gym and looked pretty good. But my life had become a complete train wreck."
The life of former WCW World Heavyweight Champion and United States Champion 'The Total Package' Lex Luger is a tale of two halves. After going through some incredibly dark times in the early 2000s, the former grappler became a born again Christian in 2006 before suffering a severe spinal cord injury the following year and being diagnosed as a quadriplegic. In 2013, Luger, in collaboration with veternan journalist John D. Hollis, would publish his memoirs Wrestling with the Devil: The True Story of a World Champion and Professional Wrestler's Reign, Ruin and Redemption, in which the star would speak openly about his renewed perspective on life since accepting Jesus into his life.
Lex Luger's story is the true definition of wrestling life, and in 2024, a new chapter is underway for the former 'Narcissist' of the squared circle, as he has joined WWE Hall of Famer turned international motivator Diamond Dallas Page on a personal wellbeing journey to boost mobility. Lex joined Wrestling Life Online's Ben Veal on episode 020 of the #WrestlingLifePod to share his personal journey, the impact that God has had in his life, and to also relive some golden memories from his time spent in the main event of both WCW and WWE.
Lex Luger on being introduced to Christianity
"I was chasing after the wind"
Two men named Steve have been instrumental in Luger's faith journey: Baptist pastor Steve Baskin, and fellow WCW star Steve 'Sting' Borden. The combination of both led Luger on a path towards exploring a relationship with Christianity.
"I'm so grateful and thankful that God put Pastor Steve in my life at just the right time," reflects Lex on the show. "He was relentless in his pursuit of me, but he became my friend before he ever shared his testimony. He practiced relational testamony; he became relateable to me ... Steve was the first person that I met when I was a resident in jail ... he was hovering by the window in my cell, so I walked up to him and said: "What do you want?" This was the old Lex. He said to me "I want to give this to you." He had this book in his hands; I didn't know it was a Bible. But apparently word had gotten out that I was coming into the jail, and he was waiting on me! There was this slot where they passed the food through [to prisoners] and he was trying to get the book through to me. I was in such a bad place then that I almost slammed the metal slot down on his hands. I didn't, but I took the book, saw it was a Bible and through it across my jail cell."
"That was our initial introduction, but Steve would keep on coming by almost everyday and knock on the door of my cell ... I would always wave him off. Finally I relented, but he didn't try and share the Gospel with me.
We just talked about life, and he snuck me in some peanut butter packets because I was so hungry - I was still the big Lex back then. I was starving in there on a couple of thousand calories a day .... fast forward a few years and he invited me to his church. I went on a Sunday night, April 16th, 2006, and I got so convicted by the Sermon on the Mount. My empty chase, all those years for money, fame, fortune, glamor, bigger houses and partying ... I was chasing after the wind. I realised I was completely missing a loving relationship with God."
Steve 'Sting' Borden found God in 1998 while still a major star with WCW and had tried on several occasions to encourage his friend Luger to pursue a relationship wiith Jesus.
Borden, a lifelong friend, wasn't going to give up. Yet it would only be after Lex had reached his lowest ebb that he would become receptive to hearing the message. "The enemy, Satan, loves to isolate us," shares Luger.
"I'd isolated myself, I'd put all my fancy stuff in storage and I was living out of a hotel room. I didn't want to talk to anybody. I didn't want to take anybody's phone calls. Stinger used to leave voicemails for me. He knew I wouldn't answer, but he called me by my legal name which is Lawrence, and he'd called me Larry. He'd leave me messages saying "I know you're not going to answer, but don't ever give up. I want to tell you I love you." I would never answer but I used to play that message over and over again after he left the message. I get emotional thinking about it. To look back now, it's just so incredible how God's brought me to such an incredible place. I'm just so thankful."
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