Filed under: Bible, Christianity, Christians, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Scripture, christian living, church, church leadership, church sports, core values, evangelism, ministry, outreach, pastor, pastors, sports evangelism, sports ministry, sports ministry 101, sports outreach
Did you know that 95% of people have never shared the Gospel with anyone in their lifetime?* That definitely leaves a lot of work for the 5% that do every now and then. Honestly, most people do not know where to start. The thought of evangelism is very intimidating to most people. Let me offer a low pressure starting point: sports outreach. You can invite families in your community to a church sponsored event like a weekend 3 on 3 adult basketball tournament. Sports provide a relational platform from which to share the Gospel. The church offers an outreach event for the community, with the intention that it provides opportunities (present or future) to share the Gospel. This is how to run an evangelistic outreach ministry. How appropriate that the most important relationship a person can have would be shared with them relationally.
People today are looking for community, a place to belong. If they rub shoulders with Christians who they are accepted by and not judged by, that will go a long way towards whether or not they want to visit a church in the near future. One of my favorite pastors and authors, Erwin McManus, has said that the greatest hindrance to the movement of Christ on this earth today is Christians. Do you believe that in your heart or do you accept my challenge to turn that statement upside down? Erwin is most likely referring to judgmental, outspoken hypocrites whose Christian talk does not match their crooked walk. My prayer is that Christians would live up to their name. I am referring to sold out Christians who love the Lord so much that out of the overflow of their heart their mouth will speak (Luke 6:45). That should not only be a core value for a sports ministry, but for every person whose heart beats for those who are lost and need a Savior.
*stat from Evantell Ministries – evantell.org
Filed under: Bible, Scripture, christian living, church, church leadership, church sports, core values, evangelism, ministry, outreach, pastor, pastors, sports evangelism, sports ministry, sports ministry 101, sports outreach, sportspastor
The biggest threat to sports outreach ministry in your church is that it will eventually turn from outreach to inreach. The ministry leaders must constantly be evaluating the programs based upon their effectiveness in the area of outreach. If you are only ministering to families in your church, then you are missing one of the greatest opportunities according to Scripture. Paul tells the church in Colossians 4:5-6 to “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.” He continues, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” I join Paul and urge you to go into your community and seek to build relationships with the unsaved and unchurched. Maybe that would be through sports. Regardless, make stragegic plans as a church to find ways to relate to people where they are in a culturally relevant and attractive manner that meets their needs, physically and emotionally, as well as spiritually. If you do these things then outreach will not only be a core value, it will become an essential part of your church’s DNA.
