Sports Outreach Ministry - Simple & Organic: Pray-Play-Say

 Let me start this blog by saying I love my colleagues who God has used to build and run large church sports ministries.  I’m convinced that many people will worship Jesus for eternity because of their efforts.  And, much of what I have learned since God led me into sports ministry as my vocation in 1992, I learned from them.  I say thank you men and women.

However, if sports is the greatest bridge to those who are lost (and I am convinced it is in America), then how can it be employed simply and organically and still be ministry-effective?  If a church has no sports facilities (or no facilities at all), no staff dedicated to sports ministry, no budget to allocate, can that church still employ the greatest bridge to share The Greatest Story Ever Told?  I shout a loud “Yes they can!”
Over the next four months I will blog ways that I believe a church can very simply and organically employ sports (or any leisure activity) to build relationships with people who don’t attend a Christ-magnifying church which prayerfully will lead to significant conversations about the wonder of Jesus.
Why incorporate sports?

1. Sports is a tremendous bridge to facilitate the developing of relationships.
   “Sports is the greatest bridge to lost people.”-California Senior Pastor who incorporated pick-up soccer in the rebirthing of his church in Southern California.
2. Sports can bridge the divisions that make it difficult to have meaningful conversations with people we desire to reach; whether those divisions are racial, political, cultural, or economic.This is especially important because of the rising antagonism to Christians and Christianity.The relationships made through sports allow spiritual conversations to take place without that antagonism.
3. Sports will allow you to build deeper relationships more quickly than most other points of contact.Erik Thoennes, Talbot Seminary Professor and former NCAA football player, believes that sports accelerates the building of relationships.The winning and losing, being on a team, seeing the wonder of nature together, pushing yourself to your physical limits together and getting injured and recovering – all these experiences done with others accelerates the deepening of relationships.

An indication of the power of sports in America can be seen by observing whom advertisers involve to endorse and sell their products.


Sports and recreation activities can be employed simply and organically to build relationships with the people God is calling you to reach.
As you pray and work to reach out in your community, consider how simply playing a game or engaging in a recreational activity might help you meet people in your community whom you might not connect with any other way.  Sports and rec activities can be employed with limited people, time, and financial resources – and no sports facilities!  It is easier and more organic than you might think.  You do not need to create a big sports ministry machine in order to meet and reach people in your community.  Again, I’m not saying large sports ministries are not valuable, they are extremely valuable and effective – but it is not a prerequisite to employing sports for effective ministry.

The three principles below (over the next three blogs) will help you build relationships with people who can then, in a very natural way, see and hear the Gospel.  As a result of the relationships built through sports, this can happen in a natural and friendly environment.
 
Thanks for reading.  I’ll blog again next month.
Steve Quatro – Director SOLA / Former CSRM Director of Operations / Azusa Pacific University Faculty
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This blog is written by Steve Quatro.  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
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and Steve Quatro are archived at: www.csrm.org