Tag Archives: Sports Ministry

Making eternal connections

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Rico’s  story:  “God put on my heart years ago a passion for basketball and for people.  After college, I didn’t know what to do next.”  Rico was not aware of Athletes in Action (AIA) as he entered graduate school, but was an assistant basketball coach.  However, he knew something was missing.  Then Rico learned about AIA while preparing for an upcoming game and later took part in a basketball tour.  “I was able to finally realize that basketball is my way of worship back to God and my avenue to display Christ … basketball is a talent that God gave me to use for His glory.  Through that,  I was able to share the gospel through playing basketball God’s way and see whole teams give their lives to Christ.”   (Photo Credit: AIA, Rico on right)

Imagine being part of a team who connects up to a thousand volunteers like Rico to 30 – 40 missions projects each year.  Each of these projects touches countless lives with the gospel, discipleship and training.  That is exactly what the Global Sports Teams and our partners are accomplishing.   A big part of our job description is to give direction and organization to AIA’s Global Sports Teams communications.  We have the opportunity to connect people with amazing ways and places to share the gospel.  Imagine the difference we can have together?

Thank you to all those who are partnering with us.  Want to get involved?    You can make a difference by going to our Eternal Investments page.

The Hill of Transformation / May 2012 Newsletter

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None of them were ready for the day, the final leg in the UTC Special Journey.  It would be a one-mile run up a steep hill in the Colorado Mts.  All 150 of them knew it was coming. After days of intense physical and mental training with their teams, focusing on AIA’s 5 Principles, it was time for the challenge.  But they did not know how it would change everyone involved.  This final leg was on their own and would require all they had left to give and more. Halfway through, everyone was dealing with their pain by crying, praying and singing.  Then there was Alex, who injured his hip earlier.  His heavily wrapped hip was already pulsing with pain and he was moving much slower than everyone else.   However, he was determined to finish.  Halfway through, Alex dropped to on one knee, exhausted.  All hearts sank, but then someone yelled, “God’s got this, Alex.  Let Him finish it.”  His AIA trainer ran alongside saying, “Who’s with you?  Who’s running with you? Who’s running for you?”  Everyone started cheering.  When Alex finished the course, he collapsed into the arms of his teammates. The UTC experience served to magnify several times over what Christ endured for us.   The event culminated in worship with total peace, surrender, and joy.  (Story adapted from an AIA UTC 2012 blog posting)

Please review our prayer page and support needs links and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  May 2012 to print a hard copy newsletter.

Going beyond sports / Apr 2012 Newsletter

Posted in Getting to Know AIA, Hard Copy Newsletter by

Last May I had the privilege of serving at an evening filled with real life examples of dedication, love, and humility.  It was a celebration of two athletes who shared God’s transforming power in their lives and the journey of learning to live out their faith daily.  What a contrast to today’s sports headlines.

Frank Reich, one of the inductees, framed the key to his walk of faith this way; “We have all been watching the news about Osama bin Laden. The other day I saw an interview with a former Navy Seal. He said it is all about the men and the mission. I am here to tell you I feel the same way,” Reich said. “Each one of us has challenges we face all of the time. I am praying every day to find strength and courage through God.”  Frank chose to live out his faith daily, and everyone noticed, including Jim Kelly, who gave his life to Christ because of Frank’s example of faith when they played with the Buffalo Bills.   

Frank was sharing with over 400 sports fans and professionals, many of whom will likely not be in a church anytime soon.

Please lift up the 2012 Night of Champions (NOC) to be held on May 12th at AIA in Xenia, OH.  This year’s inductees will be Tamika Catchings and Clark Kellogg.

Together, we are changing lives just like Frank as we live out our faith each day.

Please review our prayer page and support needs links and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  Apr 2012   to print a hard copy newsletter.

The gospel and the boys of summer

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There are still six weeks of school, but it’s already started.  In every park or open field there are boys playing baseball.  For three months,  these boys of summer will practice, compete and learn together.  What an opportunity to build into the lives of these kids who will grow up and ultimately impact every part of our country and beyond.

“Athletes in Action is one of the greatest experiences a young man can have. The challenges of baseball are tremendous for growth, but the greatest growth comes in the spiritual side. My son was fortunate enough to play for AIA, and the greatest comment that he had to me was, ‘it was a life-changing experience.’”  Billy Goss, Former NCAA Head Coach

This is why AIA’s Global Sports Baseball invests in the lives of thousands of young men each year in leagues and projects, largely through volunteers.  Since 1980, AIA Baseball has been fielding national and international summer competing teams and has shared the Gospel on nearly every continent.

This summer’s project will be in the Dominican Republic.  Locally, our baseball ministry takes place from little league all the way through college with our Xenia Scouts program in Xenia, OH.

There is a clear and present opportunity to impact the lives of many youth through a local baseball league.  Is there an opportunity for you in your community to share Christ’s love with our future leaders?

Why Sports Ministry Matters

Posted in Getting to Know AIA by

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Arkansas football coach Bobby Petrino‘s moral failure is the latest high-profile example of why sports ministry is so critically needed in reaching people for Christ.  Can we begin to imagine the impact of Petrino’s decisions on his family, staff, athletes, fans and countless others?  It will be difficult to overestimate.  What’s worse is that moral failures are not isolated to college football; it’s occurring in most sports around the world.  Petrino and many other coaches and athletes have become heroes or role models.  Unfortunately, Coach Petrino’s choices will serve as a negative example.  What if someone had helped him to know and follow Jesus?

This is why Karen and I serve with the Global Sports Team of Athletes in Action (AIA), the sports-based ministry of Cru.  Since 1967, AIA has been sharing the good news, discipling athletes and coaches, and challenging them to use their influence to advance the kingdom of God.  Our mission is to have a Christ-follower on every team, in every sport, in every nation.  To fulfill this mission, AIA is winning athletes, coaches and sports fans to Christ, and they are changing the world.

Since athletes are heroes, those who know Jesus have unprecedented opportunities to be His ambassadors, and WE together with YOU, our ministry partners, get to help facilitate that.

If you want to learn more about AIA, our ministry or how to make a difference, go to Eternal Investments and contact us.

A message of Hope / Feb 2012 Newsletter

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In a recent post (10 Days in the Kenyan Sun) we shared about Global Sports’ most recent project in Kenya.  As a part of this project, AIA partnered with Kenya’s top professional woman golfer (Rose)  to host 50 teen girls from Soweto Academy at a local church outside of Nairobi near the Kibera slum.  It was a day filled with girl-centered fun and messages from several speakers, including a local pastor (Steve) who challenged them to grow and become all they could through a relationship with the Lord and to trust Him for their dreams.  Steve grew up in Kibera.  He encouraged the girls to say “Yes, a lot of good can come

from Kibera.”  This may have been the first time they heard about how much God loves them.  It was also the first time all but six of these girls had ventured outside the Kibera slum.

A portion of the team also visited Uganda in order to plan and meet with their basketball federation to prepare for another project in August involving a women’s basketball tour.

Thanks for your partnership with AIA Global Sports!

Please review our prayer page and support needs links and lift up our ministry to the Lord.  Click the following:  Feb 2012 to print a hard copy newsletter.

Will you remember Super Bowl 2012?

Posted in Athletes in Action, Getting to Know AIA by

In January we asked you to lift up AIA’s 2012 Super Bowl Breakfast.  (Give Life this …)  Thank you for being a part of giving life to many and providing hundreds the opportunity to accept Christ or grow in their walk with Him.  We praise God so many people will be able to look back at this weekend and celebrate how their lives were changed.  Below you will find a quick summary:
  • People attending: 2,000
  • Decisions made for Christ: 57
  • Wanted more info about a relationship with Christ: 340
  • Desired to be in a small group study: 172
  • Wanted information about AIA/Sports Spectrum magazine: 112

God continues to bless this outreach over the last 25 years.  We are thankful for how the Lord has blessed Bart and Cherry Starr, the strength of AIA’s and the NFL relationship, and how the award winners have truly stood for Christ and His character.

John Harbaugh, the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, experienced his first Breakfast and participated in the program.  He said, “It was a great experience for our family and we enjoyed it immensely.  Thanks for encouraging me to do it.  It is a good reminder also of the opportunities to do so many good things according to where the Holy Spirit leads us.  Definitely was fun!”

You can learn more at Super Bowl Breakfast Features Tribute to Several NFL Greats.