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"Evangelistic-Disciplemaking" Sports Outreach
Strategically Relevant, Effective and Efficient
"Evangelistic-Disciplemaking" Sports Outreach
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REVIEW: Many church leaders are becoming increasingly concerned about the perception the Sports Outreach Movement has not delivered its promised results of accomplishing the Great Commission. This series of blogs addresses the underlying reasons for this through the lens of the Sports Outreach Ministry Continuums of Tension. Previous blogs articulated insights based on continuums 1-3. The current series considers the 4th Sports Outreach Ministry Continuum of Tension: Mega-event / Process Evangelism. This week’s focus is on the positives of “Process Evangelism” …
Why Process-based Evangelistic Endeavors are Effective There are at least three main reasons the Philosophical Principle of Process-based Evangelism empowers The Church to most effectively achieve the Great Commission: a) it maximizes the power of long-term personal relationships; b) it provides long-term sustainable outreach; c) it provides a vehicle to communicate authenticity … PERSONAL – As stated in the previous blog: “Research and personal experience tell us most people who profess faith in Christ, and become life-long Disciples of Christ do so through personal relationships, not by reading a tract, article or book.” What people seek is relationships in an impersonal culture and authenticity in a “virtual reality world.” This is especially true of the new generation. While they are attracted by the glitz and glamour of the beautiful but shallow culture, they yearn for personal authenticity. An evangelistic-disciplemaking philosophy built upon authentic, personal relationships provides what is being sought. SUSTAINABLE MINISTRY – Again, as stated last week: “Almost every Christian…tells a similar story… (their) conversion occurred over a period of time…it takes a totally secularized, non-churched, not-yet-believing adult 6-7 years to profess faith in Christ and in addition, during that time, they experience positive relationships with 5-6 followers of Christ.” Churches have found their most effective evangelistic-disciplemaking efforts are those that connect with people over long periods of time. This is where sports and recreation activities are so strategically effective. Such outreaches provide the key element for keeping the secularized, non-churched, not-yet-believer involved over a long period of time…often years! The key is, such sports outreaches meet the perceived need of people. Non-religious people want fitness, competition, recreation and fellowship and will even come to a church if what is offered is authentic, of high quality and lovingly respectful. Sustainability in outreach is crucial for the success of any evangelistic-disciplemaking efforts. AUTHENTICITY – A culture that promotes image over substance and bright lights over significance leaves a void in the hearts and lives of most people. While the lack of culture to provide substance and significance is disheartening, it does leave open a wide door for The Church to walk through. Unfortunately The Church has chosen Methodological Models that mirror, rather than meaningfully contrast with what culture offers. During the last 25 years most Americans and many throughout the world have witnessed the moral failings of many “celebrity” Christians, including many so-called Christian Athletes. Many, if not most, non-religious people have become increasingly cynical and weary of the “Platform Proclamation” of “talking heads.” Local church evangelistic-disciplemaking endeavors are most effective when they mobilize, empower, equip and enable parishioners for long-term, friendship based outreach and then provide them with opportunities (such as sports leagues) to foster authentic relationships with their non-churched friends, family and associates. YET, SYNTHESIS OF THE TWO PHILOSOPHIC PRINCIPLES IS NEEDED – Next week’s blog will propose a new model for evangelistic-disciplemaking. It entails combining the best of both sides of the 4th Sports Outreach Continuum and minimizing the downsides of the two models. This synthesis is based upon the “5-B’s of Evangelistic-disciplemaking.” Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports written by Dr. Greg Linville are archived at: www.csrm.org and http://www.csrm.org/blog201112-2.html This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's yet to be released book. All rights reserved. For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact: Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org Is Sports Outreach Effective?
Again…much of what will be discussed in this blog will not be popular. It may in fact, threaten the beliefs of many in the Sports Outreach World. It is not intended to be intentionally offensive or hurtful. It is however, intended to begin a conversation based upon the hard questions asked within. All truth seekers are invited to continue. This is the eighth in a series of blogs addressing the question: Is Sports Outreach Effective? The conversation continues with this blog on the third Continuum: Para-Sport Outreach Ministry – Local Church Sports Outreach Ministry… Review Sports Outreach Continuum of Tension #3: Local Church Sports Outreach – Para-Sports Ministry The past few blogs have stated: a) that in its current form, Para-Sports Outreach Ministry is a flawed model; and b) why redefining Para-church to Para-ministry is important. This blog sets the foundation for these and other considerations for envisioning more effective and efficient models for the Sports Outreach Movement based on a three level paradigm: Level #1 – Theological Truths; Level #2 – Philosophical Principles; Level #3 – Methodological Models. Theological, Philosophical and Methodological foundations of Sports Outreach Ministry Convergence – Level #1: Theological Sports based Para-Ministries and local church Sports Outreach Ministries share a Level #1 Theological Truth commitment based upon the Theology of the Great Commission and the Great Commandments: Evangelism. Divergence – Levels #2 & #3: Philosophy and Methodology Where local church Sports Outreach Ministries and sports based Para-Ministries diverge are at Levels #2 and #3. The Philosophy and Methodology of such Para-Ministries are plainly evident. First, Philosophically, most sports based Para-Ministries believe Evangelism is best done through the creation of separate ministries rather than through a local church. Second, these ministries believe Evangelism is best accomplished methodologically through Sports personalities, chaplancies and mega-events (see future blogs). Conversely, local church Sports Outreach Ministries operate on the Philosophy the local church is the vehicle God ordained for Evangelism and Discipleship and its Level #3 Methodological Model is primarily to equip church members to reach friends, family and associates through on-going relationships. It’s not that local church Sports Outreach Ministries are opposed to Para-Ministries or that Para-Ministries aren’t at times supportive of the local church. It’s also not that local church Sports Outreach Ministries never utilize a mega-event, nor Para-Ministries are opposed to relational outreach; it has more to do with where they are on the Continuums. It has much more to do with how they understand the Continuums and the implications of the Continuums. An Insidious Theological Problem While I stated earlier there was a convergence when it came to Level #1 Theological Truth as it related to Evangelism, in reality, there may in fact be a basic and most insidious disconnect in this most foundational Theological Truth. There is a huge difference between viewing The Church’s primary task to be the dual efforts of Evangelism and Discipleship rather than a single focused effort I have termed: Evangelistic-Disciplemaking…the topic of the next blog. Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports written by Dr. Greg Linville are archived at: www.csrm.org and http://www.csrm.org/blog201112-2.html This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's yet to be released book. All rights reserved. For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact: Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org |
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