The Game Plan

• To develop and provide training and coordination to churches that either have limited or no recreation activities because of lack of funds and/or recreational leadership.
   
  • Use a church-wide survey to help determine the needs and desires of the church and community.
     
  • Identify potential recreation leadership within the church and conduct a leadership training seminar.
     
  • Identify the potential recreation facilities available in a community that may be utilized for ministry.
     
  • Help the church conduct an outreach follow-up program to get unchurched people in the community plugged into a local church home.

o        To provide an opportunity for youth to participate in a Christ centered team sports program.

o        Develop a plan through the local church to offer sports as outreach to the community.

o        Establish a procedure for people to register to participate on different sports teams.

o        Conduct an evaluation procedure to determine skill levels of all participants so teams may be equally formed.

o        Conduct a coach's certification program in which active Christian adults are recruited and trained in sports evangelism and coaching.

o        To provide an opportunity for youth to participate in evangelistic sports camps and clinics.

o        After determining the area needs and interest, organize sports camps and clinics to meet those needs.

o        Use these camps and clinics to evangelize in that area and as a springboard to other church programs and leagues.

o        To develop groups of churches that work cooperatively to create sports and recreation outreach opportunities within their community.

o        Identify churches interested in creating community sports and recreation outreach opportunities.

o        Identify facilities within a community available to use for special outreach events and programs.

o        Establish a committee made up of local church lay people to coordinate the sports leagues and events.

o        Use an established outreach follow-up program to plug the un-churched participants into a local church home.

Misconceptions That Keep Some Churches From Having A Recreation/Sports Ministry.

·         Church does not have experienced staff to develop sports ministry.

·         There are not enough finances within the church budget to support a sports ministry.

·         A lack of knowledge to train leadership.

·         No church recreation facilities.

·         Church leadership does not know where to go for assistance.

·         Not enough church members to field teams.

Even though these are thought of as obstacles that might prevent a church from having a recreation/sports ministry, they are truly opportunities for the church to achieve great and mighty things through God’s blessings.  Churches working together to reach their communities for Christ can overcome all these reasons listed above.  Remember that recreation/sports ministry, when used as an outreach ministry, will impact lives and reach people that might not otherwise walk through church doors.  People will look for a church home that can meet their families’ needs, and this includes their desires in recreation/sports fellowship. 

Tools For Developing A Recreation/Sports Ministry 
 

• Survey - Used to identify recreational interest in your church and community. It will also help identify potential leadership in different areas of recreational ministry.
• Outreach follow-up procedure   - In order to have an effective outreach ministry there must be a procedure in place to follow up with the lost and unchurched participants.  Outreach does not happen by accident.  You have to plan and work at it.  It is hard work, but the end results and impact on the ministry can change the heartbeat of your church and community.
• Leadership training   - As with any other ministry, a recreation/sports ministry is only going to be as effective as the leadership.  Training strong leadership is a must.  
• Sports teams and leagues   - A very effective outreach ministry is having youth and adult sports teams.  The biggest problem is finding other teams to play against that have the same outreach ministry objective.  Partnering with other churches to form a league is a great way to achieve your ministry objectives.  Putting a Christian team in a secular league can be disastrous.  It is true that ministry can surely take place, but more likely the non-Christian teams will negatively affect the Christian teams.  It is better to bring unsaved and un-churched people into a Christian environment where the rules and policies of the league share the love of Christ.  If there is not a Christian league available for your teams to join, start a league by asking other churches to join together to form one.  Many times other churches are searching for the same outreach opportunities but don’t know where to go to start.  
• Camps and clinics   - Offering summer sports camp and clinics for children and youth is a great way to reach your community for Christ.  The camps will also become an effective springboard into getting those participants to join your children and youth sports teams later on. 
• Special events   - Hosting special sports and recreational events are an effective way to reach your community.  Some of the events might be a sports festival, mini Olympics, 3 on 3-basketball tournament, or a church member/non member golf tournament.  There are many more sports ministry opportunities and your church could and should be very creative with these events.  The survey can be a great tool to identify what type of events would be well received by people in your church and community.      

Playbook for Life Ministry would like to work with your church to help you establish an outreach recreation/sports ministry that will make an impact in your community and reach the unsaved and un-churched for Christ. 

Please contact us via e-mail by clicking here or call Keith White at 704-491-8514.  I look forward to hearing from you.