OUR HISTORY & WHAT WE BELIEVE

CSRM exists to equip local churches to change lives through Sports Outreach Ministries.

OUR HISTORY

OUR PAST

​In 1960 a few hundred American local churches were involved in sports and recreation outreach. By 1980 thousands of American local churches had built athletic facilities and there was a growing number of International churches utilizing sport, recreation and fitness for outreach, discipleship and church growth.  However, most were struggling to deal with unique challenges sports outreach had created. Individual Church Recreators, Sports Ministers and Activities Pastors were isolated, overworked, under-appreciated and woefully under-resourced. By 1988 a small group of Local Church Sports Outreach Pastors began to "associate" and communicate. Out of these relationships a vision developed to form an organization for the ongoing support of Local Church Sports Ministers and Church Recreators and the association of Church Sports & Recreation Ministers (CSRM) was launched.  A board was elected in 1994 representing many different denominations and Dr. Greg Linville (a founding board member) was hired Executive Director in 1999 and continues as the Director of Resources.  Many other staff have been added through the years (see below) including the Rev. Dr. David Mabry hired as the Executive Director in 2018.
TODAY

​This dream is a reality. Each and every day CSRM Staff, Board of Directors and individual members expedite the vision "to equip local churches to change lives through sport" through a four-fold "4C" strategy: 
​
All of these are supported by our Core, the staff and board who serve to support these strategies. 

WHAT WE BELIEVE

FOR THE THEOLOGICAL PURPOSES OF THIS ORGANIZATION WE BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING

In God the Father:
  • The eternal Creator and Sustainer of heaven and earth

In God the Son including:
  • That Jesus Christ is God's only Son, our Lord
  • That Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit
  • That Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary
  • That Jesus was crucified, He died, and was buried
  • That Jesus was resurrected on the third day
  • That Jesus ascended into heaven, where He sits at God's right hand
  • That Jesus will judge both the living and the dead

In God the Holy Spirit Who:
  • Inspired the writing of the Holy Scriptures
  • Convicts people of sin
  • Indwells, supernaturally empowers, and is the Comforter of all believers
WE ALSO BELIEVE

  • The Church Universal is the body of Christ which assembles in local congregations throughout the world
  • All Para-Ministries (including CSRM) exist to plant, enhance and/or  equip local churches for Evangelistic-Disciplemaking
  • All believers share a common fellowship - in Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit
  • In the forgiveness of sins through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ
  • In the resurrection of the body of believers and eternal life
  • Our faith is based on our belief that the Bible is God's inspired, inerrant Word
  • The Church should be focused on the Great Commission while living out the Great Commandments
  • Local Church Sport, Recreation and Fitness Ministries are the most Strategically-Relevant & Efficiently-Effective strategy for accomplishing the Great Commission

PURPOSE

To equip local churches to change lives through Sport, Recreation and Fitness Outreach Ministries.
Train, equip and resource local church staff and volunteers, mobilizing them to build bridges in their communities using sport, recreation and leisure activities for the purpose of leading people into a transforming personal relationship with Christ.
Evangelism through the local church.

CSRM's SEVEN COMMITMENTS

  • ALL TO GO AND GO TO ALL
    World Evangelism by and through local churches through sport, recreation, activity and fitness based ministry.
  • FAMILY FIRST
    Family is the first ministry of all CSRM staff, board and members from which all other ministry emerges.
  • PERSONAL INTEGRITY
    Personal lifestyle must be compatible with Biblical standards for all CSRM staff, board and members.
  • PRAYER
    We need not pray for the work as much as realize that prayer is the work."
  • ANDREW LIST
    Each CSRM staff, board and member is to maintain a personal outreach for Christ to family, friends and associates, praying for and actively seeking to introduce Jesus to them.
  • PRODUCING REPRODUCING REPRODUCERS
    Each CSRM staff, board and member is to maintain a "    laborers list" of those they are led to pray for and encourage to consider "laboring in the vineyard."
  • PEOPLE / PROGRAM
    Both are valued and vital to any ministry.