SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — One of the most distinctive voices in the NFL kicked off Super Bowl Sunday in Sioux Falls.

It was a full house Sunday morning at Embrace Church, and unusually purple.

“Touchdown Embrace Church in Sioux Falls. Can I get a witness and a raucous round of applause,” Voice of the Vikings Paul Allen said.

The guest of honor was Paul Allen, who was the voice of the Vikings.

“Pastor Adam at Embrace Church asked me if he could interview me Super Bowl Sunday, and chat about some football and chat about some common thread we have in that we believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven,” Allen said.

“I think Instead of trying to go away from what everybody’s thinking about on Super Bowl Sunday, we try to lean into that,” Embrace Church Lead Pastor Adam Weber said.

Adam Weber is the lead pastor at Embrace Church. He’s a Cincinnati Bengals fan, but connected with the Vikings through fullback, and former Augustana standout, C.J. Ham, and now Paul Allen.

“He connects with people. It’s what he does for a living, and so to be able to talk about the faith side of things even more I know is something that he’s excited about as well,” Weber said.

“God gets the glory for everything I’ve done professionally, the reason I’m here, and I just can’t wait to talk about it,” Allen said.

Snowy Monday impacting Sioux Falls area

Announcing horse racing brought Allen to Minnesota in 1998, before he became the Vikings’ radio announcer in 2002.

“I shouldn’t be in this spot in the first place. I didn’t go to college, I auditioned to become the voice of the Minnesota Vikings, through the grace of God he gave it to me,” Allen said.

And it’s a role he doesn’t take for granted.

“I’ve always looked at it like I serve the listener. It’s not like you’re lucky to hear me yell ‘and he’s loose, touchdown Vikings, he’s J.J.’, it’s, I’m fortunate to put a diversion in your life and be part of that to draw your attention away from a distraction you enjoy or something that may be troubling you,” Allen said.

Allen says he’s never been to a Super Bowl, and going with the Vikings is his only desire to attend the game. He usually watches from home and does what every Vikings fan does.

“You’re going to look at players on other teams and you’re going to say, ‘ok, we need this and we need that and we need this’, then you’re going to realize we won 14 games and we have a good team and it’s going to be better next year,” Allen said.

It’s been nearly 50 years, but if and when the Vikings return to the Super Bowl, Allen will be ready.

“I love being in Sioux Falls, and if it’s an opportunity to be at Embrace Church to share the gospel of the Jesus Christ, I’m in on that ten of ten times over the Super Bowl, but if the alternative is calling a Vikings game in the Super Bowl, I think God will be ok,” Allen said.

Allen spoke at three services Sunday morning at Embrace Church, before returning to the Twin Cities to watch the Super Bowl.