USA (MNN) — Sports fanatics. They're intense. They love their sports. They love their players and they love the camaraderie. Today, a ministry will be kicking off its outreach to college football fans in the United States.
The ministry is called Sports Fan Outreach. The ministry's founder is Bill Adams. "We are going to communicate, to preach the Gospel, to share the Gospel with sports fans as they tailgate, and mill around stadiums before they go in."
Adams says they use player testimony cards to begin the evangelism process. "What we do is to distribute it like a player card. On one side, it's their picture. The back side is their Christian testimony. At the bottom is a Web site. So our mission is to distribute as much as possible." That is the fan's introduction to Christ."
Adams says they're also doing something new this year: "Tailgate with the fans and have sort of a deeper relationship in that area where we're tailgating."
Adams has been working with Sports Fan Outreach for seven years. Many seeds have been planted. He says now their ramping up the ministry by recruiting volunteers. "Our intention is to start by giving out the cards, then get into conversations. And the more volunteers you have, the more conversations you can have. That's really the big push this fall."
Adams is encouraging people all over the United States to join Sports Fan Outreach and start ministry with their favorite sport.
He warns, however, to be patient, because it takes time. "Relational dynamics can take work. If you're out there all the time, relationships can develop and the deeper conversations can occur, but you've got to be out there consistently."
Adams says his college football outreach begins today at Georgia Tech. "We've rented a space in their sponsor area. So, we have an official presence called Rec. Fest at Georgia Tech. We're going to have a television showing players testimonies, using some Athletes In Action DVD's. We're going to do a little giveaway to get people to sign up to receive emails and put up a prayer request stand, and that's how we're going to start off."
If you'd like information on how you can start a ministry with your favorite team, click here.
