Reaching Endurance Athletes for Christ - Principle #3

Basic Principle #3: “Men not Methods”

Every coach knows the same training plan does not work for everyone. Events on a training plan are unique to the athlete, the race, the sport, the situation. Likewise, events on God’s plan differ based on the individuals, the resources, the situation, etc.

Look at how He healed blind men: He touched their eyes, He made mud with His spit, He simply sent them on their way seeing. Or how He called His followers: He told the woman at the well to go call her husband, He told Zacchaeus to come down from the tree, He told the rich young ruler to sell all he had, He simply told Matthew “follow me.”

God uses different approaches and procedures for different times, places and people. That is, He uses Men (or women)…not Methods. Fortunately and unfortunately that means that what is working really well for the Huddle in the next state may not work so well for you – for it may work phenomenally!

So how do we find out what He wants for you and your Huddle? Ask Him. And take the time to listen. “If you seek Me, you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart” (Jer 29:13).

Reaching Endurance Athletes for Christ - Principle #2

Basic principle #2: “relationship, relationship, relationship”

Endurance sports are not called “lifestyle sports” for nothing! If you think about it, we all pattern our lives around our sport(s). We have a job, a family, our sports – and because we’re good Christians, we have church stuff. We’re BUSY…and so are the endurance athletes we’re trying to reach for Christ.

One way we mitigate interruptions is by choosing carefully the people with whom we will interact. Family, friends and co-workers are welcome - that’s it. The Jehovah’s witness whom we meet at the gas station or the sales rep at the race peddling something we have no interest in simply blend into a mêlée of voices shouting for our attention. We don’t listen to “just anyone”. Looking from the perspective of a non-believer, we Christian athletes also simply blend into the cacophony of voices THEY tune out – unless…

Unless we do something different. The really neat thing is that while we’re outside their regular circle of family, friends and co-workers, we already have an in with them – a shared love of our unique sport!

Therefore the work before us simply involves using our God-given passion for sport to get beyond a passing conversation at a race. And that takes…(uh-oh!)…time…and intentionality! But what an opportunity we have to establish a relationship through shared rides, runs, skates, etc. And through RELATIONSHIP earn an audience with this individual who is so precious to the Shepherd that He leaves the rest of the flock just to seek him/her.

Will you take the time to intentionally build that relationship through which Jesus Christ will be shared? Will you encourage your Huddle members to do the same?

Reaching Endurance Athletes for Christ - Principle #1

Basic Principle #1: “The ministry starts with the Body.”

The “ministry” is not only to those OUTSIDE the body of Christ, but also to those INSIDE it. “Come and see,” Jesus invited. In order for us to be inviting to those “outside” there needs to be something DIFFERENT on the inside!

As we all know, lives don’t (usually) change instantaneously when Jesus takes up residence in us: change requires intentional Bible study, prayer, quality time with other believers and sometimes very long, deep struggles with life itself. It often takes someone pouring into us. Hence a foundational part of “ministry” is pouring into other believers, “iron sharpening iron” and “encouraging one another.”

Jesus is a great example of this: He didn’t evangelize the world – He poured into 12 men for three years. Those men, then fully equipped with the knowledge and experiences Jesus had led them into and with the Holy Spirit, then went out and changed the world!

Following Jesus’ example, a very important part of our ministry as leaders in this body of believers is pouring life, love and knowledge into our “disciples,” in this case, our Huddles. And of course, encouraging them to do the same with someone else – inside or outside of the Body.

To quote A.W. Tozer, “Our Lord said ‘Go ye,’ but He also said, ‘Tarry ye,’ and the tarrying had to come before the going” (Of God and Men, p.37).

Tips on Reaching the Endurance Athlete for Christ

Not long ago, God in His sovereignty saw fit to divert two athletes from their happy rut of racing and enjoying successful careers to seminary in a southern state neither will ever call “home.” However, as a result, they had the opportunity to spend months studying and experimenting on “how to reach endurance athletes for Christ.” Some of their findings were quite surprising.

Stay tuned to this blog (http://fcaeequipping.blogspot.com/) and/or the Huddle Leaders’ Yahoo Group to see what God has made available to FCA Endurance teammates!

You can also read the 50-page summary of their findings and observations here (http://donnadouglass.com/FCAE/Ethnography.pdf). I’d recommend starting with the conclusion (p.26) and the interview results (p.40).

In His grip –

Donna (for FCA-E’s Comm Team)

SC Endurance Ministry Institute Summary

FCA Endurance’s first Ministry Training Conference was a huge blessing! From February 27-March 1, thirty-eight Christian endurance athletes gathered at a retreat center in South Carolina to sharpen their skills in sharing Jesus through endurance sports.

This conference was directed and taught by Teammates Slick and Donna Douglass, who are each seminary students with plenty of in-the-field endurance ministry experience. They did an amazing job of blending general endurance ministry information with practical sharing instruction and coaching. Of course, being an FCA Endurance event, there was also some great fellowship and physical training (photo bottom right: getting ready for a run) as well! The conference concluded with a worship service on Sunday, where attendees were able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together.

SC Teammate Deb Hunter had this to share after the event, “Just have to tell you that the time I spent this last weekend at the Retreat was the best investment!!! I hope to remember and USE the strategic evangelism tools that I learned every time I get the opportunity. You (Donna) and Slick really simplified that for us and this morning I reviewed again the notes I took. My heart's desire is to live my life "on purpose"! You two are a total inspiration to me and I'm so glad to get to know you better!”

This conference/training was designed to be the first in our pilot program of equipping experiences, which will ultimately be part of a comprehensive program being developed as a part of our strategic plan. More details will be coming regarding this in the coming month(s).

As we celebrate the blessing of this conference, we give God the glory for a great event and pray that our efforts result in an abundant harvest. We also thank Slick and Donna for their HUGE investment in building this curriculum and putting together this conference. Lastly, we thank everyone who attended and served at this event. Your participation was a blessing, and your commitment to presenting Jesus through endurance sports is inspiring!