Your Kid’s Ball Game: A Mission Field?

Spring has arrived, and with it, baseball and softball season is starting up for children and teens everywhere. An estimated 45 million kids play organized sports in the U.S. each year, and the spring sports season probably encompasses more of those kids than any other.  Baptist Press recently ran a great article outlining some ways parents can use their child’s involvement in sports as a missions opportunity to reach their community for Christ.

As Diana Davis writes, she began to grow weary of attending all the different games her children were involved in, when:

“One day…I suddenly realized that God had placed me there for a strategic purpose.  Here were dozens of people who didn’t know Christ, and we would be together in those bleachers for weeks.  God had called me to the “bleacher ministry.”

The entire article is worth a read, but here are a few of the high points:

•Be intentional.  Ask God to open doors and provide opportunities to make a difference.

•Personalize.  Work hard to remember names, both of the players and their parents.  A simple, “Hello, Heather,”  can mean a lot to a lonely mom.

•Move it.  Sit near different people at games, and make an effort to get to know them.  Make every effort to avoid being part of a clique.

•Live it.  People are watching to see if God makes a difference in your life.  As others observe your relationships, your positive parenting, and Christ-like attitude, they’ll be drawn to Jesus.

•Do something extra.  Be available.  If you’re asked to help, do more than expected.  Call to check on a sick teammate.  Volunteer your home for a team party.  Seize every opportunity to show God’s love.

I hope you’ll make the most of the missions opportunities God gives you, including those centered around your child’s games this spring.  As for me, Allison & I will be coaching a tee ball team sponsored by our church.  We have a couple kids from church on our team, but we made an effort to take other kids so that we could build relationships with their families throughout the season.  If you want some quality entertainment, come out to one of our 4-year-old tee ball games this May!

What about you?  How are you engaging those in the bleachers with the Gospel?