Tag Archives: Making a Difference

When you are a commodity…

Posted in Athletes in Action, Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports Ministry by

A significant part of Athletes in Action’s ministry is providing sports chaplains in several professional sports and for Olympians. Many people think that elite athletes have it made because of the fame and money they enjoy, but chaplains to these athletes share a different perspective. “An athlete is viewed as a commodity, not as a person,” says Reza Zadeh, AIA chaplain for the Denver Broncos. “They don’t know who to trust because everyone’s out to get something from them.” Former Boston Celtics chaplain Bill Alexson says, “People love them for what they do, not who they are. Their careers are temporary, and when it’s all done, they’re kind of left high and dry. At chapel, they come in and give their burdens to the Lord. A lot of these guys find peace for the first time.”

“The one thing we do more than anything,” says Mike Tatlock, chaplain to the Portland NBA team, “is to help them with their emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. We bring to the table the peace of Christ that passes all understanding. That is the remedy for the things that these guys struggle with.” Chaplains offer Bible studies, retreats, chapel services and individual discipleship with players, coaches and others in the organization. Many chaplains’ wives also conduct Bible studies for the players’ and coaches’ wives and girlfriends.

When Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin collapsed during the game with the Cincinnati Bengals in January, the medical team jumped into action, and so did Vincent Rey, AIA chaplain to the Bengals (and one of Karen’s coachees). He prayed with the Bills’ chaplain and then went to the locker room to support the team. “I gave out a couple dozen hugs just to let them know I’m here.” He also saw the opening for the gospel: “I had a chance to give a message to some people within the organization and management and even some of the coaches. Even though it was a hard thing to get through, I think the Lord used it to get glory throughout our nation.”

Please pray for AIA chaplains as ministers of the gospel and for major sporting events like the upcoming John Wooden Keys to Life breakfast in conjunction with the NCAA Final Four basketball championship.

Thank you for your prayers and gifts that enable us to serve the Lord and help others to serve Him. 

We are grateful for you!

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  March 2023 Newsletter hard copy. 

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Cancelled means Opportunity

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports T.E.A.M. by

As of January 30th, the Sports TEAM division of AIA planned 40+ mission trips, leadership academies, and camps for 2020. Meanwhile, our leadership had been tracking the Covid-19 outbreak and planning since early January.Cancelled Image

Then on March 13th, we received an email from Cru stating:

“Effective March 15, all ministry sponsored projects, missions and conferences are postponed through June … limit group meetings to a maximum of 20 people until then… comply with all local, city, state and university guidelines during this time.”

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Like every other organization, AIA is adapting to ramp up all forms of digitally operations for at least the next 30-90 days and maybe longer, while closing our traditional ministry facilities.

Stay tuned, we will share more about how AIA is adapting to full-time digital ministry. The good news for Karen and me is that both of us can and do much of our work through virtual and digital means.

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Karen is coaching and encouraging new staff. We just heard 58 people are currently applying for staff. God is clearly calling more to serve with AIA. In addition, she continues to write and edit for a variety of our platforms.

Rick Working

Rick’s role of providing analytics and insights for Sports TEAM leadership has become even more important around transitioning to an entirely digital ministry. He will be helping our division redefine and manage assisting our staff as we expand and explore new opportunities for ministry to athletes, coaches and sports fans. Your partnership with us is touching many lives through our staff.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following: March 2020 Newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.

Praise God for how He is leading us in redefining our ministry today and in the coming year! Your partnership makes a difference. 

Discovering her Identity

Posted in Sports T.E.A.M. by

Annie was excited! She had just finished college and God made it clear the next step on her great adventure was a one-year internship with AIA’s Sports Performance staff in Xenia, OH. She says, “I thought everything would fall perfectly into place. I thought I would instantly thrive with a brand-new chapter of my life.”

Annie 2, Nov 2019

As with most adventures, “not everything was smooth sailing. I was not unhappy with my job and role within AIA, but as many of you can attest, transitioning from student life to adult life can be difficult.” Add some transition bumps and unanticipated challenges into the mix, and Annie began to feel some discontentment creeping into her life as it was time to consider a second year with AIA.

As she considered what to do next, she believed her time with AIA was not over. But each time she prayed about it, a strong force pushed against her with negative thoughts. Annie realized that these thoughts were not consistent with her identity in Christ. “Right away, I asked God to protect me and block these negative thoughts from entering my mind.” Ever since that prayer, she has experienced “extreme peace” about her decision to serve with AIA for a 2nd year.

Annie 3, Nov 2019

Despite the variety of experiences and the opportunity to make a difference in the Sports Performance ministry, Annie discovered the key for her was that AIA was a “safe place” to transition into adult life. Annie’s faith in discovering her identity in Christ has blessed our ministry because we will be able to continue developing her leadership, and she is contributing significantly in her second year with us.

One of Annie’s second year roles will be to improve our internship program and help promote our intern recruiting efforts. Personally, I (Rick) have had the privilege of coaching Annie as she has begun planning and developing our new internship program so that our interns have an even better growth experience.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following: November 2019 Newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.

Praise God for Annie and many other interns who are pouring out their lives to reach another generation for Christ!
We appreciate your partnership. We love you!

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Teach Me to Do That!

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports T.E.A.M. by

When Hailey was in high school, her friend Brinna shared the gospel with her, and she gave her life to Jesus. They became roommates when Hailey started at Wright State University, where she ran cross country and Brinna played soccer.

Brinna, Oct 2019

Brinna introduced Hailey to Amy, an AIA staff member, who began personally helping Hailey to grow in her relationship with God through one-to-one and group discipleship meetings. During that process, Amy says, “I saw Christ change Hailey from the inside out. I was pleased to see the internal fruit of personal growth as much as the external fruit of leading other girls to Christ.” By her sophomore year, Hailey told Amy she wanted to learn how to do what Amy had done with her so she could also disciple other girls.

In Hailey’s junior year, a group of freshman students came in who were eager to grow spiritually, and she was excited to put into practice what Amy had taught her by leading her own discipleship group. The next summer, Hailey accepted the opportunity to share her faith cross-culturally by participating in Xtreme Challenge Puerto Rico, a two-week, coed sports training camp hosted by AIA. There, students learn and apply AIA’s five principles, and learn how to play their sports for the glory of God as an act of gratitude and worship.

Brinna and Girls, Oct 2019

When she returned from that life-changing experience, Hailey was so energized by the opportunity to speak words of life to college athletes that she began considering full-time ministry. Her senior year, Hailey poured her energy into discipling Victoria, to whom she passed the baton, and who is now leading the cross country women’s discipleship group that Hailey had led. Hailey plans to continue ministering to athletes by joining the staff of AIA in January.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following: October 2019 Newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.

Praise God for new laborers like Hailey who are pouring out their lives to reach this generation for Christ! We appreciate your partnership. We love you!

This Camp is the Ultimate

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports T.E.A.M. by

Over the summer, God was not only using your generosity and prayers to do a mighty work through us, but in hundreds of athletes who attended five Ultimate Training Camps (UTC) in the U.S. and others overseas. Let me tell you about two of these athletes!

UTC Girls Aug 2019

Maranda is a sophomore softball player at DePaul U. who joined a Bible study with Lauren (an AIA intern I coached) early her freshman year. Lauren says: “Since then it has been amazing to watch her grow and start spiritual conversations on her team. Before school ended, I encouraged her to go to UTC to further her growth and leadership potential. She said, ‘Yes,’ and then a few weeks later asked if her boyfriend Michael could also sign up. Michael is a junior on the football team at the U. of Chicago, which is one of the schools where we are trusting God to help us launch a movement — HOW COOL.”

Here’s what they wanted you to know about their time at UTC:

“UTC has changed my entire perspective of sports because now my sport is no longer just a competition for success, but rather a vessel to worship Jesus who has already made me successful through the victory of the cross. I have surrendered my sport and life to Christ which has allowed me to rely on His strength, peace, and freedom.” – Maranda G.
“I can sum up UTC in two words: life changing. UTC reaffirmed God’s love and power. It gave me more tools to make a real godly impact on my fellow athletes at the U. of Chicago. I am excited to bring back the passion I got from UTC and the lessons I learned that will help me worship God in my sport.” – Michael M.

 

Cru19 Staff Conference

 

Cru 19 Moby Walkway

Last month we attended Cru19, our biennial national staff conference. We worshiped God with 5,000 of our closest friends, and we heard speakers who encouraged us to remain close to Jesus and to learn to customize our message for a changing audience. Our focus was evangelism, and we discussed the fact that our culture has shifted so that the average person in the U.S. knows little about God or His Word. There is much more diversity which requires a more tailored way to reach each group, and the key is building relationships.

Cru19, Speakers 1

Cru has been developing new methods and tools that can help the church more effectively share God’s love and good news in a culture which resembles a wild field. One way you might see this is in your relationships with millenials and Gen Z’s. We would love to hear about your experiences.  Please share them with us by replying to this email.

We’ll share more about this in upcoming newsletters.

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following: August 2019 Newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.

You’re Sending Laborers

Posted in Sports T.E.A.M. by

At Cru headquarters in Orlando stands a sign that reads: “Boldly proclaim Jesus Christ and His life-changing love and truth to every person, and urgently mobilize co-laborers for the global harvest.”

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A few weeks ago, I (Karen) had the privilege of traveling to Cru’s headquarters to meet a group of about two dozen men and women from their 20’s to their 60’s who have responded to God’s call on their lives to proclaim the gospel all over the world. This newest group of staff met in Orlando to receive training to assemble a team of prayer and financial partners so that they can report to their assignments. They will be serving with Athletes in Action and eight other Cru ministries which all share the vision of building spiritual movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.

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The AIA staff who participated are assigned to campuses in Indiana, Ohio, Kansas, Florida, Minnesota, Texas and Rhode Island. Because of their presence on these campuses, athletes will hear the gospel, be discipled and begin reaching their friends, their teams, their campuses and the world with the gospel.

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I am working with a group of these new AIA staff to encourage, disciple and help them prepare to win, build and send multiplying disciples into the harvest. I love working with them, helping them to be accountable, cheering them on and encouraging them take leaps of faith and obedience to Jesus. They are taking initiative to reach out to everyone they know in the power of the Holy Spirit to invite them to be part of changing the world for the glory of God. This week I have heard comments from my interns like, “I really needed to hear that,” “Our conversation was a game changer,” and “I thank God for your help.” Thank you for helping us mobilize laborers for the harvest!

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Interns in the midst of their training weekend.

Our new address is 6300 Sedge LN, Hilliard, OH 43026-2111. Update our contact info.

Your support impacts countless lives with the gospel every day!

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.

Click the following: October 2018 to print a hard copy newsletter.

Into the Harvest Field

Posted in Hard Copy Newsletter, Sports T.E.A.M. by

The fall is a time of beginnings. It’s a time of birthing new ministry. Over the summer, Karen was privileged to disciple/coach six of over 60 new staff who started their ministry this fall. It’s quite a journey to finish their training and financial support. It requires true faith and commitment. You can get a glimpse into their journey by reading “I’d Have Been Lost …”.

Karens 2017 Interns, 4 of 8

Left to Right: Kendal, Lexi, Karen, Emma, & Lauren at AIA’s New Staff Fall Retreat (Mindy & Caitlin not pictured)

So where are they now? Karen’s interns are now serving at San Diego State U.(Kendall), GA Southern U.(Lexi), MI State U.(Emma), MN State U. Moorhead (Mindy), the U. of MN (Caitlin) and Chicago Metro (Lauren) which includes Northwestern, DePaul, Loyola and Roosevelt Universities.

Your prayers and financial support of our ministry are multiplying laborers for the harvest all over the country!

Lauren is serving with the Chicago Metro team. Through the process of raising her support, God revealed money as an idol when she realized she had a tighter grip on money for her security than she thought. Now God is enabling her to become more generous and to fully trust His provision.

DePaul U. hasn’t allowed the use of the name Athletes in Action and has not allowed staff to be on their campus, so ministry has had to be done off campus, but Lauren is in a unique position. As a DePaul alum, she will have unprecedented access to her own former teammates and coaches, and she will be able to serve and minister on her campus. She is already discipling five girls and reaching out to five different teams. Last year there was a presence on only one team. Please pray that through her influence many spiritual generations will be raised up at DePaul.

IMG_8635.jpg WeStillDoLast month was our 30th anniversary, and this month we celebrated by attending a Family Life marriage conference. As our supporters, you can attend a Family Life conference at 75% off from now until August 2018 by using the code CruThanks at checkout. (Family Life is a Cru ministry just like AIA.)

Please review our prayer page  and support needs and lift up our ministry to the Lord.

Click the following: November 2017 Newsletter to print a hard copy newsletter.