As the Sports Outreach Movement enters its eighth decade, it has yet to produce a definitive Theology of Competition, Sport and Sports Ministry. This book: The Saving of Sports Ministry: The Soteriology of Sports Outreach, is written to fill one specific aspect of that void and vacuum. As the fourth book in The Institutes of Sports Outreach Book Series, published by Overwhelming Victory Press, it seeks to answer such questions as: - What do sports ministries mean when they say they "got someone saved? - What does success mean for sports ministries? - Is having someone pray "The Sinner's Prayer" the same as "Making Disciples"? - Is Baptism necessary? - How does Church membership fit into the disciple-making process? - How do athletes integrate their sport and faith? - Is sports ministry truly effective in reaching those far from Jesus and His Church?

The first college textbook for sports ministry courses, Sports Ministry offers a how-to process for developing viable sports ministry programs locally and internationally that proclaim the Gospel and positively influence the world we live in through shared sport experiences.

A guide to developing church sport and recreation ministries. Especially relevant to churches who want to run sport programmes ahead of the 2012 Olympics. Bryan Mason contends that sport is as vital a part of the church programme as say youth work or women's ministry. Indeed, by its all encompassing nature, it reaches out to every age group. Sport is an ideal atmosphere for making friends and sharing the difference Jesus Christ makes in your life. This book provides vital information and ideas for churches wishing to make mission a central goal as 2012 approaches.

The hope of the Gospel is a universal message, and sports are arguably the universal language. Sharing the former through the latter is a powerful combination for changing lives. And for students with a heart for both, the field of sports ministry presents compelling career opportunities. Until now, there has never been a college textbook devoted to the subject. With the arrival of Sports Ministry, college and university instructors have a dedicated text for educating students on the how-to process of developing viable sports ministry programs that share the Word and positively influence the world in which we live. The book begins with a description of what sports ministry is and a historical overview of the sports ministry movement, including stories of prominent individuals and organizations past. Students will learn about the many sports ministries serving today at the local, national, and international levels, such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Athletes in Action, and Missionary Athletes International. Through each chapter’s Sports Ministry in Action and Interview With a Professional sidebars, students will get a glimpse into the lives and ministries of individuals and organizations working in sports ministry and learn about the career opportunities available in the field. The underpinnings of sports ministry are evangelism and discipleship, and to that end students will learn various methods for Gospel communication within the sports context. The book also deliberates the intersection of sports and faith, weighing the positive and negative aspects of competition and whether competitive sport is compatible with faith. Included are six principles for making decisions regarding sport participation and a three-step process for using biblical precepts to determine ethical behavior in sport. Chapters dedicated to finances, facilities, and legal considerations inform students on the corporate aspects of running a sports ministry program. These include the five main approaches for securing financial resources, a framework for planning and selecting the right facility, and strategies for mitigating risk. The final section of the book looks at the implementation of sports ministry programs locally and internationally. Four common types of local church-based events are discussed—onsite, community, jaunt event, and short-term missions—with examples of each included. Students will gain an understanding of key administrative responsibilities for organizing international missions. The cross-cultural nature of sports ministry—both locally and abroad—requires students to cultivate an awareness of and respect for other cultures to foster friendship evangelism, essential to any successful sports ministry. Sports Ministry is the definitive resource for building an effective sports ministry program. When done right, sport is a powerful platform that God will use to transform lives for His eternal purposes. With Sports Ministry, students will gain the knowledge and tools to share their faith and offer hope to others through the universal language of sport.

How open is our culture to recreation and sports? The popular culture today is saturated with recreation and sports. The Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series, X-Games, Iron Man events, the Final Four in college basketball, and the playoff series in professional basketball capture the imaginations of millions of people in America each time they are held. The questions are, according to general editor John Garner, where is the church and how is the church using these tools to reach people, and will the church see the opportunity to use recreation and sports as ministry tools?The fact is, most churches are not reaching the postmodern culture and are being ignored by an increasingly non-Christian American culture because people see no relevance to their lives. What they do see relevance in is re-creative leisure; they pursue it at break-neck speed and often at great costs. Somehow the church must learn to ¿capture the imagination¿ of a world that is passing it by. If the church can capture the imaginations of people, it can get their attention, can gain access to their minds, and can reach the heart with the message of the love of God.

The Christian Athlete is a gospel-centered guide that assists athletes who identify as Christians and are seeking to understand how to practically apply their faith to their sport. Athletes desire—and deserve—a more substantive expression of the Christian faith in the context of sport, but they don’t know what it looks like or where to turn to learn more. Author Brian Smith shares his story as an athlete and coach, and his experience working with high-level athletes in the last decade to help readers better understand how to integrate faith and sport by: Assisting those who want a wide-angled understanding of how to live the Christian faith in the context of sports Walking through the many questions Christian athletes ask about winning, losing, injuries, practice, and everything in between Moving Christian athletes from simply having clichéd spiritual sayings decorating their bodies or t-shirts to actually living out their faith through all the opportunities their sport offers them The Christian Athlete will show readers how to live out a biblical perspective on athletics and urge them to engage in the gifts they are given to glorify God whether they are the team MVP or riding the bench.