Sports Crusaders kids and leaders tell about their summer experiences
We are finishing our 17th year in ministry stronger than ever! God is doing an amazing work in the area of sports evangelism, and He gives us the privilege of getting to see it in our ministry. This past summer we had 32 college age summer staff ministering to 2,051 children through sports camps across the state. Three-hundred-and-thirty-five of those children professed that they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior at our camps. Read the following quotes to hear summer staff say some profound things about their experiences on the “front-lines” of the ministry:
“We have many funny stories and many decisions. But when all said is done, all the glory and all the praise goes to God because this is such a good ministry; and it is so rewarding when the children realize that they need Jesus.”—Tyler Bolton
“When you show the children how much you love Jesus and what He has done for you, they will wonder how they can have that joy. That is the best gift you can ever give, and I had to pleasure of giving that all summer long.”—Tyler Bolton
“My typical summer would consist of practicing basketball for the upcoming season, attending church youth groups, and working on my tan. With Sports Crusaders, I experienced the joy of being able to use the gift and talents God has given me to share with kids who wanted to learn more about God and basketball. There was one little boy I had the privilege to talk to who had never even heard of the name Jesus or who he was. I realized I was living the verse of Isaiah 52:7 “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation.” Sports Crusaders really grew in me the urgency and passion we as Christians should have, or ask God for, to share salvation with others. If I could explain Jesus and what He did for us to a six year old, why have I been holding out on my twenty-year-old friends?”—Tori Hagni
Here is a testimony of one of our Host Churches…
“Wow! God blessed us in a fabulous way this summer with our Sports Crusaders Basketball Camp. We had 70 kids in attendance and 10 boys and girls were saved! We praise the Lord for this ministry because it brought our entire community together to reach these kids for the glory of Christ. Our local School System let us use the gym of one of elementary schools, the YMCA brought their Day Campers over to be a part of the Camp, and everyone was blessed. The team of young men that we had from Sports Crusaders played and ministered to the kids well, and we look forward to doing this again in our Church next year. This is a wonderful ministry and I would highly recommend it to everyone!”—Chris Atkinson, Pastor, Centennial Baptist Church, Mexico, Missouri
We are gearing up for the 2011 camp season; bathing each host church and summer staff person with prayer…that God will continue to use our gifts and talents as a “common ground” to reach the children across the states to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
“Sports Evangelism” will receive $10,000 of the 2011 Missouri Missions Offering Allocations Budget. When you give through the offering in 2010, your gift will combine with others to support ministries like Sports Crusaders in 2011. Thank you for supporting Missouri missions by giving through the Missouri Missions Offering!
Submitted by Tricia Alberts, Sports Crusaders, Executive Director
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