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Sports Camp in Ukraine

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 22:22:20 GMT

Sports Camps bring the peace of Christ in the midst of war

Although war still ravages the country, our SQ Partner, Pasha, steadfastly serves the Ukrainian people. Ever since the war started in February 2022, Pasha never left. He courageously stayed behind to support SportQuest’s humanitarian aid efforts and evacuate Ukrainians from battle zones into safety.

Over the last months, quite a few families returned to their homes. With many cities still under severe threat of attack, Pasha realized children need sports now more than ever. Playing and laughing with peers gives them the joy of being children again and a healthy distraction from the immense gravity of war.

In June, Pasha finished up a sports camp in partnership with his church. In May, he led a sports camp near Kyiv for 30 children. Praise God for keeping them safe from rocket explosions and attacks! Take a look at this brief video recap of the festivities.

In total, Pasha and his team were able to lead 35 sports camps in various Ukrainian towns throughout the summer. More than 2,700 kids participated in these camps -- some of which were geared specifically towards children who were injured in the war.

To reach even more children and families, Pasha began training other leaders and teams on how to run a multi-sports camp. This short video gives you a glimpse of the work they’re stepping into.

But sports camps are only a launching pad. Pasha and his team use these programs to build intentional relationships with youth and their families. This is what our ministry is all about!

Pasha and his team invite anyone who’s interested to join them in a process of discovering the Bible. They chronologically teach God’s Word from Creation to the Cross and create an environment for open discussion and interaction. Those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior are baptized and integrated into a local church to continue growing in faith.

Praise God for the beautiful redemption He’s bringing out of death, ruin, and destruction! Please keep praying for God to touch many children and families through Pasha’s faithful outreach and discipleship.

Ashley's Story: Rooting Young People in a Solid Foundation

rance.bland@sportquest.org — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 13:24:23 GMT

How Ashley's SQ Experience Still Impacts Her Life Today

As SportQuest continues to spread the Gospel of Christ through sports, Ashley (Fisk) Feister couldn’t be more delighted. Reflecting on her last experience with SportQuest about fourteen years ago, Ashley shares her insight into how SportQuest continues to positively impact her life years later.

Ashley’s passion has always been to spread the Gospel. When she moved from America to Belgium as a missionary kid, her biggest challenge was sharing the Gospel with her unsaved friends. Ashley grew up playing basketball with friends who had never met a Christian before, and through the sport, she tried her best to share the Word of God, but it was hard to do it alone.

“I was burdened for my unsaved Belgian friends to witness the power of the Gospel and felt lonely in my efforts to tell them about Christ.”

That was until a team of SportQuest missionary athletes came to her hometown, Ghent, to teach basketball and share the Word of God. Ashley was thrilled. “These clinics provided amazing opportunities for us to use a common interest, sports, to reach people with the Gospel. I was thrilled for my friends to finally meet other believers and witness their joy in Christ. By God’s grace, I too was challenged to pursue holiness through God’s Word and the testimonies of other believers.”

Ashley didn’t hesitate, joining her first SportQuest project in 2004, and she continued to serve alongside other staff members, Rance Bland, Stacy Bland, Kent Susud, and Kevin Verstraeten, as often as she could until 2008.

What has SportQuest got to do with plants?

Today Ashley is married to David Feister, and they have five children. Fourteen years later, she still cannot forget how SportQuest built a solid Christian foundation in her life. She learned how the church could use sports and adventure as tools to connect with people and have spiritual conversations that lead to life transformation. SportQuest inspired her to pursue her passion which had been rooted deep in her heart since she was just a young girl.

“SportQuest modeled how the church can effectively use sports and adventure for evangelism and discipleship. This gave me the confidence and clarity to pursue the ministry God had put on my heart so many years ago.”

Through their shared interest and background in farming, outdoor activities, and discipleship, Ashley and David are launching a one-year program called “Planted Gap Year” at His Thousand Hills Camp in the beautiful mountains of Pennsylvania.

Planted Gap Year’s mission is to cultivate a love and knowledge of God in young adults (ages 18-24) through biblical training, hands-on development, outdoor adventure, and life-skill development in the soil of an intentional community for service to Jesus Christ.

Their first year-long internship (gap year) program started on August 1st, 2022. If you know a young adult who might be interested in a Gap Year program, tell them about Ashley’s ministry.

To apply for Planted Gap Year, click www.plantedgapyear.org/apply .

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20)

Soccer, Faith and Fitness Bring Families Together in Venezuela

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 18:04:56 GMT

For Yackencys Domínguez Trías, enrolling her 10-year-old daughter Georgette Medina in a SportQuest soccer program resulted in several unexpected benefits. While watching her daughter practice, Yackencys saw a group of women exercising and learning about Christ. She wanted to join this community of women and decided to get involved. Today, Yackencys is part of the Vida Fitness Team and works out while Georgeth learns soccer skills. Both mother and daughter have embraced Christ and are becoming devout followers.

More than 90 children participate in the SportQuest soccer academy and fitness program located in Maturin, Monagas in eastern Venezuela. SportQuest Partner Cesar Daniel Bermudez runs the program and has a dream that it will grow to serve 500 youth. Residents in this community face many challenges including poverty, dysfunctional homes, alcoholism, and drug addiction.

“We have seen how the different sports and fitness programs have allowed children and their parents to play sports and go to church together,” Cesar says. “Children and youth play sports and are discipled. Mothers attend daily fitness training and learn the Word of God. Fathers are invited to participate in games to connect with their children and also to learn about the Lord. As a result, several participants have made their confession of faith, have been baptized, and attend church regularly.”

Santiago Salazar met Jesus through soccer. At 14 years old, in the middle of a biblical teaching, Santiago accepted Christ into his life. In December 2021, he was baptized and today he attends church on a consistent basis. As prepares to be a professional soccer player, he is also learning how to share his story and his love of Christ with others.

Great things are happening in Venezuela through sports and fitness while learning about Christ. Praise God!

Panama City Partners Bring Together Kids of All Ages to Play and Pray

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 21:22:17 GMT

The Pacora Gardens community is a quiet, impoverished neighborhood on the east side of Panama City, Panama. The area is known as a “dormitory city” as residents work in the city during the day and return to the community late at night to sleep. There are many children and teenagers who live in this area with their parents and are often left alone at home during the day.

Seeing an opportunity to share the gospel through sport ministry in Pacora Gardens, SportQuest Partners, Enrique and Zuleyka Catalan, are helping to build a faith community where children, teenagers, and parents can all grow in the knowledge of God and His purpose for their lives. “A large number of children and young people identify with sport; it is universal to play soccer or basketball,” said Enrique. “Play is a magnificent tool that has allowed us to establish relationships within the community and share the message of hope through Christ. Ultimately, our goal is to establish a church in this neighborhood of about 500 homes.”

The Catalans and 20 members of their own church coach and minister to the children each week. The children range in age from 4 to 15 years old. About 30 to 50 boys and girls meet once a week to play games, learn the fundamentals of faith, and what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Five-year-old Angel Navarro was reluctant at first to learn about the Lord. But, as the days and weeks went by, he continued to learn more about what it means to be a follower of Christ and to be free from sin. He enjoyed playing with the other kids and after a few weeks, he asked Christ to come into his heart.

“We hope that Angel can continue to know and grow in God through this mission,” said Enrique. “We’re excited to think about what God has in store for his life.”

Venezuela Program Changes Lives One Surfer at a Time

Thu, 04 Nov 2021 15:10:00 GMT

SportQuest Partner Oscar Abraham Combines a Love of Surfing and Sharing the Gospel

For 23 years, Oscar Abraham Arredondo of Venezuela has been passionate about the sport of surfing, having competed in national tournaments. Today, he combines his love of surfing with sharing the message of the Gospel and the light of Jesus Christ as a partner with SportQuest Ministries.

In 2016, Oscar Abraham started the Tio Pedro Surf School to meet the spiritual needs of the surf community in the city of Carupano on the Venezuelan Caribbean coastline. The vision for this was birthed two years earlier during his time at the Latin American School of Sports Leadership, where one of the facilitators was Oscar Pena from SportQuest.

While at the leadership school, Oscar Abraham received the training that shaped his vision and ideas for what he would do in the future. He started the surf school in January 2016, but it lasted only three months due to the shortage and deficiency of the surfboards and available equipment. Compounded by the ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, surfboards were hard to come by, much less the funds to purchase enough equipment for the school.

Oscar Abraham officially joined the SportQuest family in 2020 and, through the support of SportQuest, The Ball Project, and Christian Surfers, he was able to buy new surfboards and other equipment. Today, 18 boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18 years old attend the surf school. The Tio Pedro Surf School is also closely associated with the Tio Pedro Surf Club where many adult members also come to surf. The school typically meets three times a week for surf training, Bible study, and special activities such as beach cleaning, participation in surf competitions, and going to other beaches to meet kids from other surf schools and clubs.

There is a strong emphasis on Christian values in Oscar Abraham’s surf program, which has positively influenced the kids by allowing them to get to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior through Bible studies and spiritual mentoring from Oscar Abraham and the other coaches. He has seen the kids change dramatically since beginning to meet regularly in October 2020. At that time, most of the kids had bad attitudes, were constantly angry with each other, and were very undisciplined. Not only that, none of them had ever surfed before!

The impact of this program has led to these boys and girls trusting and knowing Jesus as their Savior. As they’ve grown spiritually, they have also changed the way they speak to each other. They no longer use vulgar language, and they work hard to “love their neighbor.” The surf training has taught them discipline that extends into their daily lives. Most of the boys and girls come from dysfunctional families and lack one or both parents at home. The surf school has become a refuge for them -- both spiritually and recreationally. The SportQuest program is redeeming this generation that was once considered by the community a generation without a future.

Oscar Abraham reflects on one 14-year-old boy who began attending the surf school earlier this year. When the boy was six years old, his father and an uncle taught him to smoke tobacco. One day at the surf school, Oscar Abraham was talking to them about caring for their bodies and souls and warning them of the dangers of drugs. Afterward, this boy came up to him and told him he had been addicted to tobacco since he was six years old. Oscar Abraham offered to help him overcome this addiction through therapy and the power of Christ. Today, this young man is a follower of Jesus, who no longer uses tobacco and is learning to surf!

Many of the kids Oscar Abraham works with in the surf school have experienced child abuse and are malnourished. Other surfers have learned about the work of Oscar Abraham through the surf school and are aware of the needs and challenges these young people face. Many of these surfers have offered to support the program by volunteering their time, offering financial help, and psychological therapy to the young people of the surf school. Others in the community have inquired about the ministry and vision of SportQuest. Oscar has had many opportunities to share the vision and the message of the Gospel.

Now, the Tio Pedro Surf School is working together with the Tio Pedro Surf Club and Christian Surfers to link the school to the Venezuelan Surf Federation. This association with the national federation would provide more opportunities to share the Gospel and make disciples in the Venezuelan surf community.

You too can make a difference in the life of a child in Venezuela by supporting Oscar Abraham and his surfing ministry. To donate, click here .

SportQuest Aids Haitians Impacted by Devastating Earthquake

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 21:30:52 GMT

On the morning of August 14, 2021, Haiti experienced a devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Thousands were killed and injured as buildings were reduced to rubble. The natural disaster compounds the political turmoil occurring in the country after its president was assassinated earlier this year. To offer hope and compassion to those impacted by the crisis, SportQuest Partner Thonny Fabien mobilized a team of coaches and athletes to help victims.

The team implemented a comprehensive response plan to provide help for people impacted with shelter, food, personal care items, and transportation. Team members also offer hope and healing through God’s grace. “The population is traumatized, and my team is taught to support those who are affected with mental pain, suffering, and illness. We use a training curriculum called ‘Sports in Disasters and Trauma,’ says Thonny. “We are prepared to go, and we don’t want to miss this opportunity to help needy families and children.”

Thonny also sent word to his personal support team that he and his family were safe and unharmed and requested financial assistance. As a result, SportQuest and other supporters provided funds that made it possible for more than 110 athletes and their families to receive assistance.

“The families are so grateful for this blessing,” Thonny said. “In Matthew 9:37-38, it is Jesus who has the ultimate heart of compassion for people who are helpless. He calls us to ask our Father to send people into this hurting world. He wants people to be filled with compassion and to be changed by Him. I am so blessed by those who have offered to help.”

Thonny and his team continue to offer encouragement to those who have lost family members and homes. If you would like to help Thonny and his team to bring practical help and Christ-centered hope to those impacted, please visit www.SportQuest.org/donate to give online, with a bank transfer, or by mailing a check. If you give online, please include a memo: “Haiti earthquake/Thonny.”

Reaching People in Venezuela through Fitness

Mon, 17 May 2021 18:17:49 GMT

"Hispano Post" highlights SportQuest efforts to impact lives of youth and adults through fitness.

Venezuela media outlet, Hispano Post, recently featured a story about how SportQuest Partners, Oscar Peña and Alejandro Galeno, bring together local athletes in Los Teques to help them reach optimal health in mind, body, and spirit.

View this 3-minute video below to hear the testimonies of local athletes and how the lives of at-risk youth in Venezuela have been impacted (English subtitles are included).

Changing Lives in Haiti: A Coach and Athlete Story

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Thonny Fabien, SportQuest Partner, is changing lives through sports

Thonny Fabien has a passion and dedication for changing lives in Haiti. As part of his commitment, he has created a training program for coaches to share biblical principles and lead athletes through a discipleship process. Thonny has mentored numerous coaches and athletes as a partner with SportQuest Ministries and through the local Haitian Christian Mission.

Coach Robinson Beauger has embraced Thonny’s training. “I joined the sport movement in 2018 and since this time, my life started to change,” said Robinson. “I began going to church and started loving myself and God. I learned how to manage my emotions and my anger. In 2018, I accepted Christ. Today, I continue to persevere in prayer and to create positive relationships with my friends, coaches, athletes, and unbelievers. Through this transformation, my dream is to become a life coach to share the gospel of Christ everywhere and in every community.”

Sport ministry has greatly impacted Aaron Cicerone, a 19-year-old basketball player. “After the earthquake hit Haiti in 2010, I joined Coach Thonny’s basketball program In Fonds-Parisien. The program helped me grow tremendously. I have also seen the impact on other athletes,” said Aaron. “Some of the participants have gone on to graduate from high school, attend college locally and overseas, and become a staff member of the sport ministry. Other athletes have gone into professions, like nursing, to serve the local community. Coach Thonny has inspired me to want to become a pastor to proclaim the word of God and to make disciples for Christ. I am passionate to learn more so I can give back to people in my community.”

Conflict: The Doorway to Deeper Relationship

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 23:33:35 GMT

How can we manage conflict in a way that enhances and deepens a relationship?

As a junior in college, I had the opportunity to lead my first short-term mission team to Belgium through SportQuest Ministries. I had served on mission teams in Belgium before and these experiences had always gone smoothly, but this was my first time in a leadership role, and we were working with a new church in a new city. This experience would prove to be very different. Upon arrival, I was met by Peter, a very stern, serious Belgian man, who would be my point of contact for our partner church. He immediately sat me down and pulled out a very detailed spreadsheet in which every second of the following week had been planned to the “T.” Next, I was handed a list of rules for our team to follow while staying in the church building. At this point, I realized we were skipping past any fun icebreakers and teambuilding games -- there were rules to follow and a schedule to keep. That’s all I needed to know. The conflict came when some of our young, exuberant team members failed to keep some of the rules. They were too noisy during meal time. They didn’t show up for dish duty. When driving the team to the basketball gymnasium, I exceeded the speed limit by a few kilometers per hour and forgot to use my turn signal once. I was immediately admonished for my errors. I was young and inexperienced and didn’t realize how what seemed like minor infractions were causing friction and tension to build in the relationship. Add to that the cultural differences, and by mid-week emotions had begun to boil over. Peter expressed his laundry list of frustrations with me and our team, and I felt completely misunderstood. This seemed like a gross overreaction. I took these issues to God in prayer and then called SQ Director, Kent Susud, for counsel. I was reminded that we were there to serve, not be served. God impressed on my heart that we should commit to taking the posture of a servant throughout the rest of the trip and put our perceived rights and wrongs aside. We looked for every opportunity to serve and changed our attitudes toward our hosts. Then one night, we asked Peter and his team to meet with our leadership team in the church building. We proceeded to pray over each of our Belgian friends and washed their feet with warm water in a plastic bowl. When I began to wash Peter’s feet, he started sobbing. The brick wall that had been erected in his heart toward us came crashing down. He stood up, and we embraced one another. That moment changed everything. For the next two decades, that church continues to be one of our strongest and most willing partners in Belgium, and Peter and I remain friends. That friendship and the last two decades of ministry with that church could’ve been lost had we demanded our rights and fought for our expectations. I learned so much on this trip, including how conflict can be the doorway to deeper relationships. When we enter into conflict humbly with a heart to serve and not be served, it changes everything.

CHALLENGE:
What relationship have you been avoiding due to conflict? How could intentionally serving that person potentially change your relationship?

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28 NIV)

Hope Is Alive in War-Torn Ukraine

Tue, 25 Jun 2019 21:09:43 GMT

Crossing the line of safety and security to serve others

Since April 2014, 13,000 people have been killed in the war between the Ukrainian government and the pro-Russian separatists. In eastern Ukraine, where the conflict has been ongoing for the last five years, most people live without hope or any sense of stability. Often times, they are unable to leave the conflict zone to enter the rest of Ukraine and many workers such as medical specialists and technicians refuse to enter eastern Ukraine out of fear for their safety. This creates a feeling of isolation and hopelessness for those living in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. People regularly hear shootings and explosions and live like every day could be the last day of their lives. However, even in the midst of war, sport is a powerful tool that can open doors.

In May, SportQuest team member, Pavlo (Pasha) Rozhkov, and 4 other Ukrainian facilitators entered the conflict zone to lead a 3-day sport ministry training for pastors, leaders, coaches, and others who desperately want to do something to bring hope to their communities. 44 people attended the training to learn DMM (disciple-making movement) strategies and were given practical tools to use rugby, floorball, frisbee, and KidsGames to serve their communities. They learned how to share the Gospel through sport and incorporate the Bible into their practice plan. The training also focused on how to work with families who have suffered the trauma of war and lost loved ones. The participants were so encouraged by the training and thankful for the willingness of the training team to step out in faith and go where it's not safe. After the training, Pasha commented on how inspired he was by these committed believers who have suffered so much but have not given up hope in God to heal their hurting nation. He and the facilitation team plan to be back in around 6 months to follow up with these leaders and provide more training. In the meantime, they will support them from a distance and connect them with other local disciple-making teams.

Missionary Spotlight: Becky Bowden

Wed, 06 Feb 2019 23:45:45 GMT

After Becky's first experience with SportQuest in 2009, she realized her love for sports and her passion for ministry didn't have to be in conflict with each other. Since then, her life has never been the same.

Becky Bowden always loved sports and in high school felt called toward ministry. However, she kept sports and ministry in separate boxes until her first SportQuest trip to Belgium in 2009. There she realized that sports and ministry could go hand-in-hand and that God had given her these passions for that purpose. Becky loved the way SportQuest intentionally invested and challenged team members to be disciples and disciple-makers using the tool of sport. Over time, SportQuest became her family, and Becky joined the team in a full-time capacity in 2016.

Currently, Becky serves with SportQuest in Tampa, Florida, where she partners with a local disciple-making movement called 1Body to serve an urban community through sports, games, and mentoring. From Tuesday to Friday each week, Becky serves on “The Field” – a small piece of land in the neighborhood that was purchased by 1Body and is now used to serve and love their neighbors by organizing sports, PE games, and free play. In the past year, The Field has been transformed from a sandy patch of ground full of discarded litter to a fenced-in park complete with a basketball court, volleyball net, and soccer field. On most days, kids go to Becky’s apartment after school, which is located in the complex across from The Field, to play games, eat dinner, and talk.

There are many stories of grace from Becky’s ministry. She has had the privilege of recently seeing four teenage boys, who were baptized shortly after she arrived last Fall, grow in their discipleship journey and leadership abilities. Every week, her team takes the boys to work out and do a Discovery Bible study. These young men are starting to understand that following Jesus is about listening to God, obeying what He says, and sharing with others, and they even challenge each other to see who can retell the weekly Bible story to their friends the most throughout the week. Each of them put a sticker on the back of their phones to represent the key truths of the Gospel, which has become a talking point for many friends at school and an opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus with others. Because of these boys, other kids in the neighborhood want to get involved in the ministry. These four guys are also part of a neighborhood student council that Becky helps lead. This 6-person student council is made up of older high school students with leadership potential who meet weekly to discuss ideas of how to make the community a safe space. The council members are developed as leaders, given responsibilities, and mentored with the hope that they will eventually take over the ministry. During games at The Field, some of these youth leaders coach drills, allowing Becky can focus more on relationships and lead from the background. The youth have greater ownership as Becky delegates responsibilities.

“Every day is a challenge to choose to live with a Kingdom culture mindset instead of getting wrapped up in worldly ways of life, but God is gradually changing their hearts and lives and I am blessed to be a part of their journey,” Becky says. Becky has discipled many people in person and online – from youth in her community to SportQuest athletes spread across the country. The fruit of her ministry is evident, but Becky is a humble servant-leader who seeks to be like Jesus, such as when he washed his disciples’ feet. Becky’s vision is for her work in the community to be a model for other cities. “It’s not about our name being a model,” she explains, “but about the Kingdom expanding.” As a result, the material she uses to train people does not have the team’s logo but is open source and given away for free so it can be used by all to glorify the Lord.

Two challenges Becky has encountered are adapting to the culture and a lack of volunteers. Because the culture is so different from anything Becky has been a part of, she has “had to lay down my agenda, learn the culture, then move forward with God’s plan and at His pace of grace.” There is also a lack of volunteers, with only 2-3 adults and anywhere from 25-75 kids on The Field each afternoon . Despite these challenges, God has been faithful and they have recently had several people step up to serve in various capacities. Becky can confidently say that “God is good!” and is excited about what He will continue to do on The Field in the future.

Prayer Points for SportQuest Tampa:

1) Clear vision for moving forward in the plans God has for the team in Tampa.

2) For disciples to be multiplied in this neighborhood.

3) Wisdom, strength, protection, and unity for our team.

The PWP Internship Experience

Tue, 11 Dec 2018 00:03:39 GMT

Macey and Dani share about the impact of their PWP Internship experience.

It was 6 AM, and fifteen PWP Project athletes were sitting in a circle, running on less than five hours of sleep. Rather than taking the hour before breakfast to get more sleep during the busy training camp, these high school and college students were up for one reason: to sing and worship God together. Still half asleep herself, Dani walked into the room, surprised and awakened by their great hunger and deep desire for God. During their 2018 summer internship experiences with SportQuest, Dani Goodyke and Macey McCune got to be a part of many moments such as these as they served in leadership roles on summer PWP projects, encountered God’s grace, and used their athletic talent for God’s Kingdom.

Macey McCune was an intern for the San Diego project – her third time serving with SportQuest in San Diego. Originally from Boyd, Texas, Macey attends Texas Women’s University, where she plays intramural volleyball and basketball. Around the world in Europe, Dani Goodyke served as an intern in Belgium. Dani, who’s from Michigan, attends Muskegon Community College, where she has played soccer for two seasons. Her first SportQuest experience was three years ago when she participated in the Belgium project.

Both Macey and Dani applied for the internship for similar reasons. Macey wanted to get out of her comfort zone and felt God “putting it on my heart to take a step of faith and see if maybe I have future in sports ministry.” Dani wanted to grow in her faith and also felt the Holy Spirit “tugging on my heart to take more of a leadership role in this ministry.”

Along the way, both girls ran into challenges. Dani saw her perfectionism as she hit many roadblocks while planning the Belgium PWP project, and then she encountered reverse culture shock when she returned home to Michigan. Macey struggled with the transition from simply being a team member to now being in a leadership position and having to hold her teammates accountable to project guidelines and expectations. However, these challenges were overcome by reminders of the truth. Dani was reminded that there is no such thing as “qualified enough” but that she is qualified by having “a heart for the Lord and sharing His truth and love with others.” She went on to add, “God showed me time and time again that He is with me and will not forsake me in my trials and tribulations.” Macey overcame these challenges by reminding herself to lead by example.

Macey and Dani’s experience leading the PWP Project teams and coaching kids during camp was extremely rewarding. Macey got to lead the volleyball camp and watched athletes and coaches “flourish into amazing leaders and disciple makers!” Reflecting back, Dani pointed out that the week of training for interns really prepared her for the internship, not only logistically but also on a heart level. She was so grateful for SQ staff members, Becky Bowden and Danielle Thomas, who “prayed with us, talked with us about the inner struggles of our hearts, and met us where we were individually in our faith journey. This gave us confidence to be able to disciple others in the same way they invested in us.”

Their advice for those who are interested in becoming a SportQuest intern is to “go for it!” because, according to Macey, “You will see major growth in your leadership abilities, and your own walk with God will be strengthened.” Dani was really stretched in her faith, pushed out of her comfort zone, and felt equipped to share her faith. Since returning home, she has led worship at her church, started a weekly Bible study in college with her roommates and teammates, and started accountability groups with hometown friends. Both girls fundraised by sending out support letters. According to Macey, it was incredibly helpful, and she found that people were very motivated to give when she told them about the work she would be doing with SportQuest and how it would impact God’s Kingdom. Dani also spoke in front of her church and handed out letters, but she had other fundraising ideas too, such as a worship night where those who attend could donate.

While the two were challenged emotionally, physically, and mentally, they saw how fulfilling and life-changing their experience was as interns. Both Dani and Macey gained so much from the SportQuest internship, and it has had incredible, far-reaching impact, not only in their lives but also in God’s Kingdom.

Dani wishes that she had known “how much I was going to miss it and given more energy and enthusiasm into each day, pausing in the beautiful moments to take it all in.” Macey said, “I honestly had no idea what to expect coming into the internship, but I knew we would be doing work for the Kingdom and that is all that matters. I can now say that the experience went above and beyond my expectations.” As a result of this experience, God’s calling on Macey and Dani’s life has been clarified and intensified, and it’s going to be so exciting to watch how God works in and through each of their lives!

Download 2019 PWP Internship Program Details

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kaitlyn Hyun, from Fairfax, Virginia, is a second year student at the University of Virginia. Although she is undecided about her major, Kaitlyn intends to pursue full-time missions or ministry. She plays tennis and has been on the SportQuest San Diego PWP Project team for three years.

Celebrating 20 Years of Impact

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:27:00 GMT

Twenty years ago, Kent Susud resigned as a corporate director at a global sports marketing firm to launch a dream… Read more Celebrating 20 Years of Impact

Twenty years ago, Kent Susud resigned as a corporate director at a global sports marketing firm to launch a dream that had been in his heart for over a decade. In 1998, SportQuest Ministries was born (starting under the name “Athletes of Good News”). In the beginning, SportQuest focused primarily on sending high school and college student-athletes on short-term sport mission trips to locations such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Haiti, and Kenya as well as several U.S. cities. A scholarship program was also created to encourage and honor Christian student-athletes who embodied the values of “Playing With Purpose.” This program touched more than 75,000 Christian student-athletes, and thousands of dollars in scholarships were awarded and prestigious recognition was provided on national and local levels through TV, newspaper, and magazine coverage. Hundreds of these student-athletes also traveled on a short-term sport mission trip with SportQuest – including four of our current staff members!

As a result of these mission trips, known as Playing With Purpose Projects , the Gospel has been proclaimed and embodied in more than 20 different countries and numerous cities, local mission teams and sport ministry leaders have been developed and multiplied, and thousands of Christian student-athletes have been impacted by these life-changing experiences. These young leaders are now living with a greater purpose as they lead their families, businesses, churches, non-profits, and ministries. We are so thankful for the faithfulness of God over the last two decades to lead and empower this ministry. It is evident that the hand of God has been upon us, and we give Him all the glory!

Over the past twenty years, there have also been a lot of changes within the ministry. The focus of SportQuest has evolved from primarily sending short-term, cross-cultural teams to catalyzing and sustaining long-term disciple-making movements and developing indigenous leaders, who impact their own culture through sport and play. We have benefited greatly from partnering with the global sport movement and now put a greater emphasis on providing training for sport ministry leaders. Our goal in the next 5-10 years is to launch 1,000 disciple-making teams around the world , who will use the tools of sport and play to engage their local community and demonstrate the Good News in a way that gives people – those who may never step into a church building – access to the peace and purpose of following Jesus.

Another exciting development in SportQuest’s history came in 2013 when The 4 ^th Musketeer USA was established as a ministry division under the covering of SportQuest. 4M Global was founded in 2008 in the Netherlands by Henk Stoorvogel, a long-time friend of Kent Susud. Through their friendship, 4M USA was launched to bring the movement that had spread across Europe to North America. Since then, thousands of men have experienced an Xtreme Character Challenge (XCC) , which is a 72-hour outdoor adventure designed to bring men to the end of themselves so they must depend on God and their brothers in Christ. 4M USA has led XCC’s all over the U.S. and developed new teams in Canada, Guatemala, Egypt, South Africa, and Ukraine. The impact on the lives of the men – and consequently their families and communities – has been tremendous.

Now more than ever before, 4M and SportQuest are working together to inspire movements that lead people from passivity to purpose, from fear to faith, and from serving self to serving others. This year, a new ministry entity has been created to distinguish the “sport” side of our ministry from the “adventure” side. We now refer to everything that SportQuest is doing in the world of sport as “Playing With Purpose” (PWP) , while everything SportQuest does in the world of adventure is identified as “The 4th Musketeer” (4M) . So we hope that from now on when you hear “SportQuest,” you’ll think about all that God is doing in our ministry from both the SPORT and ADVENTURE perspectives. From connecting youth to a greater purpose through ongoing sport strategies to inspiring men through body, mind, and soul adventures to fight for their families and communities, all of this is SportQuest!

So as we celebrate our 20 ^th anniversary, we thank God for how He has led us on this journey and brought us to this point, and we are filled with excitement and anticipation at what God will continue to do in the next 20 years. The journey is just beginning. We know that God has much more planned! Thank you for being a part of this journey with us! Please join us in praying for God to continue to use SportQuest Ministries to be salt and light in this world that is in desperate need of Him. Thank you!

To see more, watch our 20th Anniversary video!

Countdown to your PWP Project: Meet your Project Coordinators

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:10:00 GMT

Hola y bienvenido a Cuba! We are very excited for you to join us during your J-Term as we partner… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Meet your Project Coordinators

Hola y bienvenido a Cuba! We are very excited for you to join us during your J-Term as we partner with local churches to serve youth through the tool of sports. Thank you for stepping out in faith to come to Cuba! We are excited to see how God will use this upcoming project to build His Kingdom here. — a message from your Project Leaders

Here are your Project Leaders in Cuba:

Kent and Michelle Susud

Kent and Michelle began the ministry of SportQuest in 1998 — twenty years ago! Since that time, God has used the small seeds of their faith to produce an enormous harvest of changed lives, transformed communities, and strong leaders. In 2013, Kent also launched the ministry of the 4th Musketeer USA to give inspiration to every man’s heart and send out worldwide waves of justice. Today they continue to give leadership to these ministries, SQ and 4M, and also the global sport ministry movement while raising their family. Their two oldest boys, Jacob and Luke, attend Covenant Christian High School and will travel to Cuba as well. Their daughter, Holland, is a 6th grader and will join the family for her first overseas SportQuest project. The Susud’s look forward to serving the CCHS team and the youth and churches in Cuba.

Oscar Peña

A native of Venezuela, Oscar has a radical testimony of how God transformed his life. Make sure you ask him to tell you the story while you’re in Cuba together! Oscar and his wife, Cirimar, just had their first child — Jesiah, a girl — this summer. Together Oscar and Cirimar give leadership to the SportQuest teams in Venezuela and provide coaching and training for sport ministry leaders around Latin America. Oscar has been to Cuba many times, and it’s because of his relationship with Cuban leaders that this trip is taking place. Oscar is full of joy and fun to be around. He loves to serve and has a big heart to see God heal brokenness in our world.

Aben Alvarez

Aben lives in Havana with his wife, Claudia, and they have a daughter, Ailín. Aben loves soccer and baseball, but, as a kid, he also practiced judo and swimming. He got involved in sport ministry in 2008 when a friend asked him to serve in a sports camp. Since then he’s been involved on many mission trips, served in orphanages in Cuba, coached a soccer team, and provided leadership for sport ministry teams in Cuba. In 2011, he began coaching a community soccer team made up of orphans and children from dysfunctional families. Aben continues to serve the sport ministry movement in cities all over Cuba and, for the last 3 months, he has been in South Africa at the International Sports Leadership School and will graduate from there on October 5th. He looks forward to returning home and spending time with his family!

Countdown to Your PWP Project: Connect on Social Media!

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 20:55:00 GMT

Welcome to SportQuest! We are so excited for you to be part of our team! Thank you for choosing to… Read more Countdown to Your PWP Project: Connect on Social Media!

Welcome to SportQuest! We are so excited for you to be part of our team! Thank you for choosing to step out of your comfort zone and join us on this unique experience as we connect youth to a greater purpose through sport and play. Over the next few months we will send you a series of emails and text messages to help you prepare culturally, mentally, athletically, financially, and spiritually for your project. These tools will help you reach your goals and make your preparation smoother. Preparation is key to making your trip a reality!

Step 1: Connect With Us on Social Media

Here are a few ways social media can benefit you as you prepare for your PWP Project:

Here are 3 important steps to connect:

1. “LIKE” or Follow our social media pages

2. Friend your leaders on Social Media

3. Visit the SportQuest website and log into the SQ Family page to access important documents, fundraising resources, and more!

We look forward to connecting with you soon!

Missionary Spotlight: Leslie Geist

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 15:12:00 GMT

Leslie began her adventure with SportQuest in 2013 as a participant in the SportQuest San Diego project. During that experience,… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Leslie Geist

Leslie began her adventure with SportQuest in 2013 as a participant in the SportQuest San Diego project. During that experience, she came to realize that everything we do in our lives can be for the glory of God, including our sports and hobbies. The next summer, she returned to San Diego, and as she spoke with other SportQuest alumni about their experiences in Belgium, God began to put that small European nation on her heart. In the summer of 2015, she decided to come to Belgium as an intern with the SportQuest Belgium team. During this experience, she realized how much she loved what SportQuest did in this small country and how their work contributes to the Kingdom of God. In November 2017, Leslie moved to Belgium and officially became part of the SportQuest Belgium team. Once an intern herself, now she is the Intern Coordinator for other young people who come to serve in Belgium, and she does the accounting for the Belgium team among many other things.

Tell a little about yourself and where you’re from.

My name is Leslie Geist, and I am 23 years old. I am from Wichita, Kansas, but in November 2017, I moved to Leuven, Belgium. I have loved this new challenge of living cross-culturally where every day is an adventure, even if that means something as simple as walking down the street to the bakery and ordering bread in another language. Outside of SportQuest, you can find me reading books at coffee shops, cheering on the Kansas State Wildcats, or exploring the Belgian countryside to find sheep.

What made you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

After my senior year of high school (2013), I attended my first SportQuest project in San Diego. This experience opened my eyes to how God can use any of our passions in life to bring Him glory, and for me, that was sports. I returned for the second summer to San Diego, and it was then that I felt the tugging on my heart to participate in the following year’s Belgium project. My first summer in Belgium was an exciting time, though I also experienced quite a bit of confusion, fear, and doubt. However, I couldn’t help but love serving in this country that seemed so spiritually void. I knew this time in Belgium would be more than a one-summer experience, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that might look like. Then at Urbana 2015 (a missions conference in St. Louis), I very clearly heard the Lord speak and guide me to full-time ministry with SportQuest in Belgium. Several months later, at the end of the following summer in Belgium, I was given the opportunity to return after my final year of university to join the SQ team full-time. It’s incredible to look back over these past five years and see how it all led to this time, and I’m excited to see where the Lord leads in the coming years!

What is one story from your ministry in Belgium that you can share with us?

One of my favorite moments was when, on the last day of our summer project, I had a chance to sit down with one of our campers and talk about the Bible. Earlier in the week, this camper had asked how to be a follower of Jesus, and throughout the week we dissected that question. On the final evening after our SportQuest night, we were able to dive into deeper conversation about how to read the Word and meditate upon it. It was amazing to see someone who had come to SportQuest for years take some huge steps forward in following the Lord and truly desiring to know Him better!

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge this past year has probably been adjusting to this new chapter of life post-university and working full-time in a different country. I am so thankful for the many supporters I have had around me, cheering me on and helping me as I navigate this next step of life. I am looking forward to this upcoming year as I now feel much more adjusted and at home in Belgium.

What are 3 prayer requests?

2018 Belgium Project Recap

Thu, 23 Aug 2018 21:10:00 GMT

For the last 19 years, SportQuest has organized a Playing With Purpose Project in Belgium in partnership with local churches.… Read more 2018 Belgium Project Recap

For the last 19 years, SportQuest has organized a Playing With Purpose Project in Belgium in partnership with local churches. This year’s project took place July 9 – August 3, and a team of 31 American and European young people came together to lead sport camps in 6 different Belgian cities with around 300 youth in attendance. Many of the same kids who have attended in past years returned and really deepened their relationship with the SportQuest team. Several of these kids are ready for their next step in their walk with the Lord, and the SportQuest Belgium team will continue to stay connected with them and provide opportunities for them to grow relationally and spiritually in the coming year. Overall, it was awesome to see how these camps built bridges between the local partner churches and the community.

Here are some of the highlights from this year’s project:

TRAINING CAMP

The first few days of the project are known as “Training Camp,” which included some great team-building experiences like hiking, scavenger hunting, building rafts, and sleeping in tents for one night. The team was also trained on how to lead sport camps, how to share their story and God’s Story, how to understand and engage Belgian culture, and more. Training Camp really helped the group come together as a team, challenge each other spiritually, and prepare for the rest of the project.

WEEK ONE

During the first week of sport camps, the larger group of 31 participants was split into 3 teams that led camps in Gent, Genk, and Gent-Brugge. The Gent camp was geared toward high-level youth basketball players, and one of the SportQuest coaches in this city plays professionally in Germany. So this team was not only able to really challenge these kids athletically but was also able to engage them on a really deep level spiritually. Genk had a record amount of kids attending the multi-sport camp and also benefitted from a local volunteer team who were very involved. Many kids from this camp expressed a desire to stay involved and continue exploring what it means to be a disciple of Christ. In Gent-Brugge, our team connected with neighborhood kids on the soccer field and played lots of pickup soccer games. By the end of the week, several of the kids from the field wanted to join the SportQuest team for their morning Bible studies, which is a great step forward for this community!

WEEK TWO

In the second week, our teams led camps in two cities: Herentals and Geraardsbergen. A heat wave came through Belgium that week which was challenging since both of these camps were outdoors, but since they had to take more breaks, this actually led to more intentional conversations. Many kids expressed a desire to pursue a relationship with Jesus – two of them were from an interfaith home where the mom is a Christian and the dad is a Muslim. In Geraardsbergen, or “G-town” as it is affectionately known, many of the guys who have participated for the last few years were back for the soccer games and tournament. There seemed to be an even higher level of trust with the team this year, which resulted in deeper conversations and openness to the Gospel.

See the video from the camp in Herentals!

WEEK THREE

Most of the SportQuest team returns home after Week Two, but the SportQuest Belgium team and a small number of young Belgian leaders continue on to Brakel to lead the last sport camp of the summer. This year the camp expanded from basketball to also offer soccer and dance, resulting in a record number of kids who attended. The team witnessed a significant growth relationally and spiritually in the lives of many kids who have come for several years now and were excited to see a whole new generation of kids get involved.

Missionary Spotlight: Pavlo and Alina Rozhkov

Wed, 01 Aug 2018 19:26:00 GMT

Pavlo, or “Pasha” as he is more commonly known, is the newest member of the SportQuest team. He has been… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Pavlo and Alina Rozhkov

Pavlo, or “Pasha” as he is more commonly known, is the newest member of the SportQuest team. He has been serving in sport ministry for many years but just recently joined the SportQuest Family last Fall. Pasha has the kind of personality that really attracts people and always brings a lot of joy and excitement wherever he goes. His passion is rugby, and God has opened many doors for him to use this gift to impact his country. Also, he and his wife Alina just celebrated their first year of marriage! We asked Pasha to share a little bit more about who he is and what he does. So keep reading to find out!

Tell a little about yourself and where you’re from.

Hello! My name is Pavlo (Pasha), and I am from Ukraine. I was born in Rivne in West Ukraine, but for last three years, I live in Kiev — the capital of Ukraine. Last year on July 6th, I married Alina, so we just celebrated our first anniversary. I’m so thankful for a godly wife like her!

What made you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

God has blessed me with many talents of which the biggest is sport. I love to play sports — especially rugby. I came to Christ through sports ministry, and ever since I decided to commit myself to sports ministry so I can point others to Christ. The reason I chose to serve with SportQuest is because of the focus they put on making disciples. Also, SportQuest provides a platform and resources for reaching communities through sport.

What is one highlight from your ministry in Ukraine that you can share with us?

It’s really special when you meet kids years later who used to come to our rugby camps. They don’t forget the experience and always ask when we are coming back to do another camp. Last week I was leading a rugby championship in Dnipro, where many teams from all over Ukraine come together. I was refereeing a game in which two of the players were from my home city. They came up to me and started sharing memories from rugby camp and asked if I would be coming back to our hometown to do another camp. It’s a big privilege to invest in youth and share God’s story with them through a sports camp.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

Personally, my biggest challenge is keeping up with the details and doing the necessary administrative tasks that come along with planning rugby camps, leading trainings for sport ministry leaders, serving as a chaplain in the professional rugby federation, and organizing 4M events in Ukraine.

How can we pray for you and Alina?

Training Leaders in Kenya

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 21:50:00 GMT

Back in March, SportQuest began collaborating with Biglife to provide a disciple-making movements training in Badagry, Nigeria. This is where… Read more Training Leaders in Kenya

Back in March, SportQuest began collaborating with Biglife to provide a disciple-making movements training in Badagry, Nigeria. This is where SQ team member, Lawson Sampson, lives and works, and he gathered 25 strategic people in his community who were trained. In June, Lawson had the opportunity to go to Kenya and train others just as he had been trained. From June 19 – 26, Lawson and other facilitators from Biglife hosted a disciple-making movements (DMM) and sports training in Nairobi, and then they also led a pastors and church leaders training in Mumias, a 9 hour drive west of Nairobi.

Lawson had the opportunity to share from his experience and background in sport ministry and show leaders and coaches of sports teams from all over Kenya how to integrate sport and disciple-making strategies. Lawson coached soccer training sessions each morning, and then they did application-based discovery Bible study on the field right after practice. These Bible studies include 3 essential parts: accountability, vision, and practice. The vision is for these coaches and athletes to grasp that their teams can be simple churches that multiply all over Kenya, Africa, and the world.

Through this experience, Lawson was able to connect with many other missional leaders in Africa, and it provided experience and learning in his abilities as a disciple-making trainer. The pastors and church leaders that he talked to in Mumias were so impacted by the training that they collectively repented of neglecting discipleship. Both in Africa and America, it can be easy to get caught up in meeting needs, running programs, and organizing events but losing the focus on making disciples. It is so encouraging that these leaders have committed themselves and their churches to a renewed focus on disciple-making!

www.sportquest.org

2018 Baton Rouge Project Recap

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 21:03:00 GMT

For the 7th straight year, SportQuest partnered with community organizations and churches in the Gardere neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana… Read more 2018 Baton Rouge Project Recap

For the 7th straight year, SportQuest partnered with community organizations and churches in the Gardere neighborhood of Baton Rouge, Louisiana to host a multi-sport camp for kids ages 6-18. A team of 19 athletes and leaders from 7 different states (not to mention 1 from Belgium!) came together to serve the Gardere community and invest in youth and families. Despite soaring temperatures and sweltering humidity, over 120 kids participated in the sport camp. In the afternoon, SQ coaches offered skill development for teenagers who wanted some personalized coaching in basketball, football, baseball, and soccer. In the evening, kids ages 6-18 were invited to enjoy fun games and participate in soccer, basketball, football, dance, and KidsGames.

Here are some highlights:

TRAINING CAMP

Every PWP Project starts with a few days of Training Camp to help the team prepare athletically, culturally, and spiritually. This year the team spent a day hiking in the Clark Creek Natural Area near Tunica, Mississippi, where they did team building activities and experiential learning workshops. The rest of Training Camp took place back in Baton Rouge where they learned practical tools to help them share their story and God’s story, were equipped to integrate the Gospel into a sport camp context, and developed a deeper understanding of urban ministry and social justice. The team also had the chance to experience 3 different ethnic worship services at a charismatic Hispanic church, a predominately white middle/upper class church, and an African-American church. The team was deeply impacted by these experiences and well-prepared by the time the sport camp week arrived.

TEEN CAMP

Each afternoon, teenagers were invited to the park for skill development in specific sports. Usually there was only a handful of teens that showed up in each sport. This provided an intentional opportunity to connect and invest on a much more personal level with these young people. Many of the same teens came all throughout the week, and the SQ team really developed a strong relationship with them. Several of the teens really opened up about challenges and issues in their life and gave the SQ team an opportunity to point them to Christ in real-life issues. On the last day of the week, the SQ team invited these teens to join them for a tour of the LSU campus and football stadium, which is something they had never done before and really enjoyed!

EVENING CAMP

In the evening, youth ages 6-18 were invited to participate in the various sports being offered. Most of these kids have very few opportunities to attend other sports camps or any kind of special activity in their city because they lack transportation or funds to attend. So when SportQuest offers a free sport camp right in their neighborhood, it’s a big deal! Not only do these kids have a blast playing and learning sports, but they really engaged with the Gospel. The SQ team used a tool called GameLife 123 that integrates fun, physical activity with spiritual truths. GameLife 123 includes a game each day that illustrates the biblical theme of the day and provides an interactive way for kids to learn the Gospel story as well as small groups to discuss the Bible story of the day. It was so exciting to see many of these kids take some big steps forward in their spiritual journey!

CAMPER LOCK-IN

Definitely one of the highlights of the sport camp was on Thursday night when Danielle invited a handful of the older youth at camp to have a “lock-in” with the SQ team at the church. This is a great opportunity to really go deeper in relationship with this smaller group of more mature youth. The lock-in began with a family-style dinner together, then everyone competed in a Tiger Ball tournament, followed by some worship and a Bible lesson. The team definitely gets a little less sleep during the lock-in, but it’s worth it when you see the way these young people respond to the more personalized attention and investment. Many of these youth are really growing as leaders and helping with the younger kids throughout the week.

SQ NIGHT

On the last night of camp, the campers competed in their sport, and then the SQ team gave out their Playing With Purpose awards to the kids who best exemplified the PWP values. SQ coaches continued sharing the Gospel in small groups using GameLife 123, and then the SQ team served a meal to the campers and their families. It was very apparent how appreciative the Gardere community was for the way the SportQuest team served and invested in these youth and families. The SportQuest Baton Rouge project is making a significant impact in this community — one child, one teenager, and one family at a time.

2018 San Diego Project Recap

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 21:03:00 GMT

For the 7th straight year, SportQuest partnered with Valley Center Community Church to host a multi-sport camp for kids ages… Read more 2018 San Diego Project Recap

For the 7th straight year, SportQuest partnered with Valley Center Community Church to host a multi-sport camp for kids ages 5-13. A team of 23 athletes and leaders from 7 different states came together to serve the Valley Center community and invest in youth and families. Over 275 campers participated in the camp and could choose from soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, or dance as their primary sport, and they also got to spend an hour each day trying one of the other sports too. The SportQuest team not only helped them grow physically and athletically but also invested in their spiritual growth.

Here are some highlights:

LEADERSHIP TRAINING

Two days prior to the start of the project, SportQuest staff and the family pastor from Valley Center Community Church trained the SportQuest San Diego leadership team. They learned things like how to manage conflict, how to discover their leadership voice, and keys to servant leadership. In addition, they prepared for the rest of the team to arrive and were assigned specific roles and responsibilities.

TRAINING CAMP

Every PWP Project starts with a few days of Training Camp to help the team prepare athletically, culturally, and spiritually. This year the team spent a day at Top of the World Park in Laguna Beach, CA doing some team building activities and experiential learning workshops. The rest of Training Camp took place back in Valley Center where they learned practical tools to help them share their story and God’s story as well as how to incorporate the Gospel into a sport camp context. Then they did a mini-camp one afternoon to practice the tools they were learning and get hands-on experience coaching kids in their sport.

SPORT CAMP/HYPE SQUAD

Each day of sport camp got started with lots of excitement as “the Hype Squad” raised the energy level! SQ team members in crazy costumes that hid their identity led the campers in some fun cheers, dances, and warm-ups. This was definitely a highlight for many of the campers! The SQ team also used a tool called GameLife 123 during the camp to tie in spiritual development to fun games and sport drills. GameLife 123 includes a game each day that illustrates the biblical theme of the day and provides an interactive way for kids to learn the Gospel story as well as small groups to discuss the story of the day. This tool really enabled the team to integrate spiritual truths into a fun, interactive approach and ensured that every kid clearly heard the Gospel every day!

SQ NIGHT SPECTACULAR

On Thursday night of the sport camp, campers and their families were invited to the local high school gym for the annual SQ Night Spectacular. This is an opportunity for SportQuest to connect with the parents and for parents to see what their kids learned at the camp. The SQ team had the opportunity to compete in volleyball and soccer against local teams, kids were invited to demonstrate their sport they had participated in all week (including a dance performance — shown above) , and a highlight video of the camp was shown. The SQ team also shared some of their personal stories with the crowd and presented the Gospel using hula hoops and the “3 Circles” method.

See the SQ San Diego recap video HERE !

Missionary Spotlight: Cesar and Irela Rodriguez

Fri, 06 Jul 2018 16:55:00 GMT

Tell a little about yourself and where you’re from. I grew up playing many sports but dedicated myself primarily to… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Cesar and Irela Rodriguez

The Struggle Is Real: Overcoming Reverse Culture Shock

Mon, 02 Jul 2018 18:11:00 GMT

Now that your PWP Project is over, how is the adjustment back to “normal life” going so far? For many… Read more The Struggle Is Real: Overcoming Reverse Culture Shock

Now that your PWP Project is over, how is the adjustment back to “normal life” going so far? For many people, coming home after a short-term missions experience can be just as difficult as leaving in the first place. Friends and family are somehow different. The things you longed for while you were gone aren’t as wonderful as you remembered. You’ve changed, but people at home seem content doing all the same things as before. Any of this sounding familiar?

Integrating your experiences back into your “normal” life at home is just as important as taking the step to leave in the first place. Often times after an amazing cross-cultural experience like the one you’ve just had, people return home and, without even realizing it, can experience “reverse culture shock.” This phrase refers to a time of doubt, anger, and maybe even disgust of your own community upon reentry. Please remember that this is a normal reaction for many people. As you experience these initial feelings we want to challenge you to re-evaluate your lifestyle and allow others to witness a life that has been transformed.

3 SIGNS YOU MAY BE DEALING WITH REVERSE CULTURE SHOCK

HOW TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT

Hopefully, your life will never be “normal” again as a result of this experience! If you find yourself dealing with reverse culture shock, reach out to someone who can help. Our SportQuest staff are available and would love to connect with you at any time.

Playing With Purpose at the University of Arizona

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 21:09:00 GMT

Over the last four years, Omar Thielemans has become an inseparable part of the SportQuest basketball program in Ghent, Belgium. He… Read more Playing With Purpose at the University of Arizona

Over the last four years, Omar Thielemans has become an inseparable part of the SportQuest basketball program in Ghent, Belgium. He has been at every summer basketball camp as well as many of the SQ Reunions throughout the year. Omar is a very talented basketball player and overall athlete, but he is also someone who cares genuinely about people and thinks deeply about life. Recently, he received a scholarship to play in the U.S. at the University of Arizona — one of the top basketball programs in the country. SportQuest discussed this exciting new opportunity with Omar and asked him how his experience with SportQuest has helped to prepare him to Play With Purpose at the University of Arizona.

Describe how it feels to see all your hard work paying off and to receive a scholarship to play at the University of Arizona?

To be honest, it really felt like I thought it would. A lot of people told me America was overhyped and I shouldn’t expect too much, but when I went on an official visit — which was only 3 days — it already felt like a dream come true.

What do you think will be the biggest adjustment or challenge for you playing against U.S. Division 1 competition?

I think I’ll have to play less passive and more aggressive because Americans are typically way stronger.

What are your goals during your collegiate career and even beyond?

I want to develop myself as a player as much as I can but also grow as a man. Hopefully, I can play professionally after college.

How do you feel about moving so far away from home?

Honestly, moving away from home isn’t that big of a deal for me. It’ll be the 4th country I’ve lived in (along with Gambia, France, and Belgium), so moving is natural to me now.

What is something you can takeaway from your SportQuest experiences that can help you in college?

Before SportQuest I really played basketball without a purpose, but SportQuest helped me learn to play with purpose. I used to think I had to play basketball to prove people wrong, and honestly I still kind of do, but there’s so much more to it now. I want to make sure I’m happy as well, to be confident in who I am, and one day be able to take care of my family.

How has SportQuest and the relationships you developed there made an impact on your life?

When I first came to SportQuest I thought everything people did in life was pointless, but when I saw the reasons why people at SportQuest persevered through hard times and how they shared their experiences with other people, I realized that basketball is not just a sport — it’s a way of communicating. That’s the powerful thing about basketball. It doesn’t just teach you the fundamentals of sports but also of life.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time with SportQuest?

I think probably the talks that they gave us everyday when they shared about their life and faith. Those moments were really helpful and gave us some good life lessons. (Another favorite memory is that game where I went off against the SportQuest team!)

Besides working hard on your game everyday, what else do you do to keep your mind and spirit healthy and fit?

I think to improve you have to keep the same schedule every day, try to strive for greatness, and of course never cheat the grind. I pray every time I go to sleep that God protects me through my journey — and not only me but my family and all the people who need it. When I see where I’m at now, I just know I didn’t make it this far for nothing. This is only the beginning.

Where have you found inspiration to keep going during difficult times?

My inspiration is really my family. Everything I do is so I can make sure that one day they’ll be in a better place.

How can the SportQuest Family be praying for you as you prepare for the Fall semester?

You guys could pray that I’ll do great on my exams because that’s probably the last big step for me before I leave Belgium. Also pray that things will go well for me in the U.S.!

2018 Ukraine Project Recap

Wed, 13 Jun 2018 20:54:00 GMT

Andrii Petrenko has been serving with SportQuest in Ukraine since 2011. On a national level, he is one of the… Read more 2018 Ukraine Project Recap

Andrii Petrenko has been serving with SportQuest in Ukraine since 2011. On a national level, he is one of the leaders in the Eurasian Sport Leadership School and trains many sport ministry leaders each year. On the local level, Andrii runs a youth soccer club in Shostka where he coaches 3 teams and provides whole-life coaching that goes way beyond just soccer. In 2016, we organized the first PWP Project in Ukraine in which a team from Belgium came to serve in Shostka. This team included a German schoolteacher named Daniel Ringk. Since that initial experience, Ukraine has remained on Daniel’s heart. This year, Daniel and SportQuest had the vision to bring a team of Daniel’s students from Gummersbach, Germany to Ukraine to serve in Andrii’s ministry.

Five students from Germany participated in the project along with Daniel, Andrii, and SQ Belgium staff member, Meghan Bass. As usual, the first several days consisted of a Training Camp to prepare the German team for the sport ministry project. This training time combined team-building and experiential learning workshops to equip the team spiritually, athletically, and culturally. This was a powerful time for the team that not only prepared them for ministry in Ukraine but also equipped them to make disciples as they returned home to Germany.

After Training Camp, the team began leading soccer clinics each day for Andrii’s three teams (U8, U12, U15). In addition, they also gave presentations at two schools in Shostka and organized KidsGames at a local boarding school. In each environment, the team shared their personal testimonies with the kids and then asked questions to discuss and get their feedback. The Ukrainian kids loved having people from other countries come and share with them. Especially in the small town of Shostka, most people rarely encounter people from outside Ukraine or the Russian-speaking world. So they were especially interested and open to what the SportQuest team had to share.

The SQ team also saw God show up in a powerful way when one of the German students dislocated his shoulder. He was in a lot of pain and unable to pop his shoulder back into place. The team began to pray for him as Andrii called a friend in the medical field to find out how to properly treat the dislocation. Suddenly the young man who had hurt his shoulder said, “It’s back in place.” He wasn’t sure how it happened, but all of the sudden the pain was gone and his shoulder was in place like nothing had ever happened. The team was greatly encouraged by seeing God’s healing power at work while they prayed!

Now Andrii and his local church will continue following up with these kids through his ongoing soccer program, church camps, and family Bible studies. We are so grateful for the way God worked in and through this team and look forward to sending another team back to Ukraine next year!

Missionary Spotlight: Lawson and Joy Sampson

Mon, 28 May 2018 23:06:00 GMT

Tell a little about yourself and where you’re from. I grew up as an orphan in Nigeria, and at times… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Lawson and Joy Sampson

Tell a little about yourself and where you’re from.

I grew up as an orphan in Nigeria, and at times death seemed better than life. However, God, in His infinite mercy, sustained me and kept me alive because He had a bigger purpose for me to fulfill. In 1990, I accepted Christ in my life, but I was not ready to give up my ambitions for my own life. In 1998, I had the chance to play professional soccer in Eastern Europe. However, the dream was short-lived and my career came to an unexpected stop. The Lord led me to Kishinev Bible Church in Moldova where I began to surrender my ambitions and develop a deep trust in God’s plan for my life. The pastor invited me to attend a local Bible study and from that point on, I have never looked back. I returned to Nigeria in 2000 and began using my love and talent for sport to serve and positively influence others. In 2011, I began serving full-time with SportQuest, ministering on the soccer field and in churches and bringing community transformation through sport. My beautiful wife, Joy, serves with me, and we have six children – Jennifer, Samuel, Overcomer, Faith, Love, and Davida.

What made you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

During my time in Moldova, I got to know Nick Morari, a sport ministry leader there who was connected with SportQuest. Through Nick, I got to know SportQuest and discovered that they were a ministry that would come alongside me so we could join forces together in furthering the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and making disciples through sports.

What is your favorite thing about your ministry in Nigeria?

I get to connect with people on a daily basis through the platform of sports. I invest in young men on the soccer team I coach, I organize tournaments that help churches reach their neighborhoods, and some times I take soccer teams to surrounding countries in Africa to lead camps, get exposure to play at a higher level, and to grow deeper in their relationship with Christ. A couple of months ago, I took a group of Christian and Muslim players to Benin Republic. We went by faith to a church there and they fed us and gave us a place to sleep. We did Bible studies together, and the Muslim players participated too. We competed against some teams there, but more importantly this experience deepened our relationships and really impacted the players’ lives spiritually.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge is seeing so many needs around me that I am not able to meet. I would love to do more!

Prayer Requests for Lawson:

Countdown to your PWP Project: Prevailing Prayer

Fri, 25 May 2018 18:40:00 GMT

It is said that “Prayerless people cut themselves off from God’s prevailing power” (Bill Hybels). As you prepare for the… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Prevailing Prayer

It is said that “Prayerless people cut themselves off from God’s prevailing power” (Bill Hybels). As you prepare for the summer project, tap into God’s power by praying these Scriptures over yourselves and others you will encounter over the trip. Know that God is faithful and His Word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what He desires, and achieve the purposes for which it was sent (Isaiah 55:11).

Protection

Father, I have made You, the Most High God, my dwelling and refuge. May no harm befall me and no disaster come near me . May I know that You will command Your angels concerning me to guard me in all my ways; they will lift me up in their hands so that I will not strike my foot against a stone. Protect me, Father, because I acknowledge Your name. (Psalm 91:9-11,14)

Preparedness

May I believe that You, God, are able to do immeasurably more than all I could ask or imagine. May I know that it is Your power that is at work within me. (Ephesians 3:20)

Equipping/Team Unity

Father, help me to be completely humble and gentle. May I be patient, bearing with others in love. May I make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:2-3)

Hearts to be open to team and message

May those who are hear our team hear the word of truth, the gospel of salvation, and believe. May the eyes of the children’s hearts (who will hear the gospel through our team) be enlightened so that they and their families may know the hope to which You, Jesus, have called them. (Ephesians 1:13, 18)

Countdown to Your PWP Project: Overcoming Anxiety

Thu, 17 May 2018 13:12:00 GMT

Macey McCune is a graduating senior at Boyd High School in Boyd, Texas where she played varsity volleyball, basketball, golf,… Read more Countdown to Your PWP Project: Overcoming Anxiety

Macey McCune is a graduating senior at Boyd High School in Boyd, Texas where she played varsity volleyball, basketball, golf, and track. Her first PWP Project experience was 2016 in San Diego. She returned to San Diego last summer, and this year she’ll be serving as a SportQuest Intern, which will once again include helping with the San Diego project. Macey’s favorite things to do are spending time with family and friends, playing sports, and journaling. She is heavily involved in various aspects of leadership at her school and has a huge passion to follow Christ and make disciples.

I was 16 when I participated in my first SportQuest PWP Project. Although I had been on three other mission trips with my church before, SportQuest was the first trip that pushed me outside of my comfort zone and challenged me to tell my story. Up until that point I was not very good at sharing my feelings or my testimony. When I heard that we were going to have to share our testimonies within our sport groups, you can imagine the amount of anxiety and fear that came over me. I’ve always been a super social person, but I had never been asked to share my story until that moment. The first thoughts that came into my head were:

What you have to say isn’t important. No one will relate to your story. The other athletes have a “better” testimony than you.

Then I read Philippians 4:4-9.

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

The book of Philippians is a letter written by Paul to the Philippian church, which was one of his most beloved communities. Throughout this book Paul addresses fellowship, suffering, and finding joy in day-to-day situations. I want to focus on verses 4 through 9 and share briefly what I’ve learned from each verse in this passage.

Reflection Questions:

Missionary Spotlight: Oscar and Cirimar Peña

Wed, 16 May 2018 15:44:00 GMT

Tell a little bit about yourself and where you’re from. We are from Venezuela. My wife, Cirimar, works as a… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Oscar and Cirimar Peña

Tell a little bit about yourself and where you’re from.

We are from Venezuela. My wife, Cirimar, works as a public accountant and serves full-time in sport ministry with me. I am a Judo trainer and am starting a Judo school in a strategic community this summer. We also teach biblical values in schools and serve youth and families in poor urban and indigenous communities through sports and games. We also coach and support 4 sport ministry teams who work in various cities in Venezuela. Each team has organized a sport school in their community offering holistic training in sports such as soccer, basketball, volleyball, and surfing.

What made you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

We were praying about serving with a strong ministry that was connected with the global sports movement. We never applied for any ministry – we just prayed that God would lead us. Then, our good friend Cesar (SQ Panama Coordinator) told us about SportQuest, and we love this ministry!

What is your favorite thing about your ministry in Venezuela?

We have a very good opportunity right now in Venezuela. People don’t have access to food or medicine, and they are losing hope. So it’s an amazing opportunity for us to serve, to show them God’s love, and share the Gospel with action. When I was young, missionaries came and shared the Gospel with me, but it wasn’t until many years later that I remembered what they said and started following Christ. Now I have the opportunity to bring this good news to others, and I know God will change their lives like He did mine.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge is the current situation in our country. In the last few months, it’s getting harder and harder to find medicine and food for us and to share with the people around us. Often times, we have to wait 8 hours in line at the grocery store, and when we finally enter the store, there is hardly any food left to buy.

Prayer Requests:

If you would like to donate to Oscar and Cirimar, please contact SportQuest at info@sportquest.org or use our online giving page .

Countdown to your PWP Project: Pro Tips

Wed, 09 May 2018 18:47:00 GMT

Summer is almost here! That means your PWP Project is just around the corner. Here are a few pro tips… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Pro Tips

Summer is almost here! That means your PWP Project is just around the corner. Here are a few pro tips to help you get ready as you make your final preparations (and they all start with “P”!):

Countdown to your PWP Project: Fun Facts

Thu, 03 May 2018 21:59:00 GMT

Dear SQ 2018 Athlete or Parent, Besides being a life-changing, paradigm-shifting experience, SportQuest projects are also a lot of fun!… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Fun Facts

Dear SQ 2018 Athlete or Parent,

Besides being a life-changing, paradigm-shifting experience, SportQuest projects are also a lot of fun! So we decided to create a list of 10 Fun Facts about SportQuest to highlight a few unique aspects of this summer’s projects!

“Let the whole world sing for JOY, because You govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.” Psalm 67:4

10 FUN FACTS

1. Out of all of our 2018 participants, 58% are in high school, 24% are in college , and 18% are out of college. 53% are girls , and 47% are guys .

2. 53% are 1st-time participants.

3. We will have a total of 11 states represented from the US along with athletes from 2 other countries during our 2018 projects. The top 3 most represented states: Michigan, Indiana, and Tennessee .

4. In Baton Rouge, one of the favorite meals of the week is always Crawfish Etouffee !

5. In San Diego, SQ athletes have been known to jump off a cliff… and safely land in the ocean beneath.

6. Many years ago in Belgium, one of our SQ athletes dropped her passport off a bridge into a canal. One of her SQ teammates came to the rescue though and jumped into the canal. By some miracle, he was able to recover the passport for her!

7. Over the past 18 years, five couples have met each other on a SportQuest project and have ended up getting married! The most recent wedding took place on April 14th, 2018 in Hoopstad, South Africa. SQ staff member Kenneth De Heyn married Janette Swart four years after meeting each other in Belgium during a PWP Project!

8. Since 1998, SportQuest has led PWP Projects in Indianapolis, Lawton, Lubbock, Baton Rouge, and San Diego as well as in 17 other countries around the world .

9. The largest SportQuest camp so far was in Kenya in 2010 with 800 Samburu tribal youth learning basketball and soccer each day!

10. The 4th Musketeer is also part of the SportQuest family and provides inspiration for every man’s heart and worldwide waves of compassion. XCC Weekends push men — both young and old — to their limits and cause them to rely on their brothers and on God. Muskathlons are events for men and women who want to fight injustice in our world such as child poverty, human trafficking, and religious persecution.

Countdown to your PWP Project: Alumni Perspective

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 19:38:00 GMT

For those of you who are first-time SportQuest participants, welcome to the SQ Family! For those who are returning athletes,… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Alumni Perspective

For those of you who are first-time SportQuest participants, welcome to the SQ Family! For those who are returning athletes, we are excited to have you back for another summer!

Whether it’s your first SQ experience or you are a seasoned alumni, you will enjoy learning more about PWP Projects through the eyes of Jacob Williams. Jacob lives in College Station, TX, where he studies at Texas A&M University. The last two years he has participated in the SportQuest project in Baton Rouge. We asked him to share some of his experiences and insights.

Initially, why did you decide to travel on a PWP Project?

I decided to travel on a PWP Project because I wanted to use the experiences and talents that God has given me to serve His Kingdom.

What effect has your SportQuest experience had on you personally?

Personally, it reaffirmed what God has been showing me over the past few years — that all we do is for His glory, whether that be on the athletic field or in the classroom.

What have you learned or taken away from the SQ experience that has helped you to “Play With Purpose” at home?

It has helped me to see the gifts and experiences God has given me as opportunities to serve His Kingdom, rather than ways to glorify myself or serve my own ends.

What is your best memory from the project?

My best memory was definitely when we had the lock-in at the church for the older teens in the camp. We were able to really get to know each of them better in a less hectic environment.

What was your biggest challenge during the project?

The biggest challenge was adapting to changing situations, such as moving camp indoors and having to improvise three days of camp due to rain.

What would you say to a first-time SportQuest traveler?

My best advice is to be willing to let God guide the experience. Be prepared to adapt to changing situations and realize that He has a bigger plan for everything that will occur on the project.

Countdown to Belgium: Meet your Project Leaders

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 15:04:00 GMT

Greetings from Belgium! We are incredibly excited for you to join us this summer as we partner with local churches… Read more Countdown to Belgium: Meet your Project Leaders

Greetings from Belgium! We are incredibly excited for you to join us this summer as we partner with local churches to serve youth through the tool of sports. Thank you for your commitment to come to Belgium in July! We are excited to see how God will use this upcoming project to build His Kingdom here.

We are just now wrapping up the spring vacation period here in Belgium. For the past two weeks, we have been traveling throughout the country and visiting our different church locations in order to reconnect with the kids that we met during last summer’s project. The summer project is when we establish relationships with many new kids from the communities, and throughout the year the local church hosts “SportQuest Reunions” to continue building on those relationships and sharing about Christ through sports or other fun activities. The 2-3 weeks you will spend in Belgium play a big role in our year-round ministry!

Now let’s meet the SportQuest Belgium team:

Kevin and Jenni Verstraeten

Meghan Bass

Leslie Geist

In addition to the SQ Belgium team, SQ staff members Danielle Thomas and Becky Bowden will also be providing leadership for this project.

Danielle Thomas

Becky Bowden

Discipleship: On Stage vs. Behind the Scenes

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 11:00:00 GMT

A while back I was driving down I-25 in Albuquerque and saw a billboard that read: “Just skip church. It’s… Read more Discipleship: On Stage vs. Behind the Scenes

A while back I was driving down I-25 in Albuquerque and saw a billboard that read: “Just skip church. It’s all fake news.” The billboard, which was sponsored by American Atheists, got me thinking. Why is it that many people view church as being fake? Of course, some people would point to hypocrisy as a critical factor, which we’re all guilty of to some degree — that is, no one lives out their convictions with perfect consistency (including atheists). However, I began realizing perhaps another cause of this allegation. So much of what we know as “church” these days happens on stage under bright lights — sometimes aided by fog machines and Cold Play-like theatrics. Which is exactly what you want when orchestrating a professional performance, but shouldn’t church be more than a “performance”? Anybody can stand on stage and project an image, engage an audience, and even espouse a belief system, but our generation is well-versed in being able to distinguish a performance of characters on stage from the reality of who those characters are in real life. Could our love affair with “on-stage Christianity” be unwittingly hindering the authenticity of our message and ministry?

Don’t get me wrong. This is not one of those Millennial anti-Church rants. I love Christ’s Church — His Bride, His Body, His Beloved. I just don’t think the word “church” should be synonymous with the on-stage, performance-side of a Sunday morning worship service. Rather, I think we need to reaffirm that discipleship is more than passing on information and inspiration through silver-tongued sermons or concert-quality worship. The information of discipleship has to be modeled, embodied, lived, and then imitated. Therefore, discipleship can’t happen on stage — it happens behind the scenes.

Discipleship lives and breathes in kitchens, living rooms, and laundry rooms; at ball games, parties, and play dates; in board rooms, locker rooms, and classrooms; in coffee shops, around campfires, and at the dinner table. This is where real life happens, and this is where we can show what the Kingdom of God really looks like — while we’re passing the biscuits. Ideally, our church gatherings inspire and equip us to leave our church campuses and permeate society once again so we can be disciples who make disciples behind the scenes (sans fog machines). Maybe if we were more aware of the power and potential of the Church to impact culture Monday – Saturday, the gap between what’s said on stage and what’s lived behind the scenes would sound a whole lot less like “fake news.”

By the way, since we’re on the subject of billboards…

Countdown to your PWP Project: Alumni Interview

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:34:00 GMT

This summer, many first time SportQuest participants have joined our SQ Family. Welcome to this great adventure! Also this summer,… Read more Countdown to your PWP Project: Alumni Interview

This summer, many first time SportQuest participants have joined our SQ Family. Welcome to this great adventure! Also this summer, many returning SQ athletes (alumni) will again travel with SQ to continue their great adventures!

We interviewed SQ Alum, Luke Dryer, from Avon, IN to help you learn more about SQ through the eyes of our alumni. Luke is a senior at Covenant Christian High School, where he plays football, and was a part of the 2016 Baton Rouge Project and 2017 San Diego Project.

I attended the SportQuest camps in Indianapolis when I was younger and always knew I wanted to participate in a project as a leader. I’ve always loved the idea of sports ministry because I’ve always had a passion for sports and missions. So when I found out about the opportunity to combine them through SQ, I knew it was something I had to be a part of.

2. What effect did the SQ experience have on you personally?

Personally, the daily quiet times, small group Bible studies, and worship and prayer times over the city at the beginning and end of the week were the most impactful. These times allowed me to get alone with God in a new atmosphere. In these times I was able to speak with God and hear Him outside of the environment I was used to. It really re-ignited my passion and love for my relationship with God.

3. What have you learned or taken away from the SQ experience that has helped you to “Play With Purpose” at home?

I think the PWP Project had a very direct impact on my football season. As a team we experienced the most success we’ve had since I’ve been here, but individually it was one of the most frustrating times in all of my playing days. However, when I remembered the experience I had and the lessons I learned during my PWP Project, it led me to question my purpose for playing football. Was it simply because I enjoyed it? Was it just to get a scholarship and play in college? Was it just to have individual success and feel validated or significant? As I pondered these questions, I realized I needed to redefine my purpose for playing. That’s when I remembered the purpose of SportQuest — to use athlete s’ passion for sports for the glory of God. This reminded me that I needed to share this same purpose. I began to be more focused on doing the best I possibly can, simply because that’s what God asks of us, and that is what glorifies Him. It also comes as no surprise that this is when I began to individually experience more success, but then my focus was on glorifying God, not myself.

4. What is your best memory from the project?

5. What was your biggest challenge during the project?

My biggest challenge was remembering it was a short-term mission trip. It is so hard to develop deep relationships with the kids in such a short time. I had to realize that I was mostly there to plant seeds in the children’s hearts, and that I may not get to see the fruit of those seeds before I had to leave.

6. What would you say to a first-time SportQuest traveler?

I would say three things. First, do not worry about the project. I was pretty nervous about being so far away from home for a couple weeks. I promise that after the first few days, you will feel right at home and by the end you won’t want to leave. As I mentioned earlier, you will grow close to those with you on the trip, and it will be a really great and comforting experience. I would also advise you to remember (unlike I did) that it is a short-term mission trip. You probably won’t see a kid’s life radically change before your eyes over the course of time you are on the project. While this would be the ideal situation, the reality is this is rarely happens in such a short amount of time. However, I would encourage you to make the most of every moment you have with the kids precisely because the time is so short. Love on them and show them God in everything you do. Trust that the SQ Staff and others who live there year-round will continue to invest in their lives and cultivate the seeds you have planted. Lastly, I would say to make sure you are taking the time to be spiritually fed on the trip. You will be pouring out so much as a leader, and it is so important to not burn out. Even outside of the trip, as leaders at your school, on your team, and in your communities, you need to remember to continually be filled spiritually. As leaders we shouldn’t just pour out into others, but rather continually be filled and let the overflow of our spirit fill others.

That’s some great advice! We are so thankful for young people like Luke whom God is using to make a big impact in our PWP Projects as well as at home. I hope you are encouraged by Luke’s experience and insights. I know God will honor your courage to step out in faith and participate in a project this summer, and He will use you powerfully.

Countdown to San Diego: Meet Your Project Leaders

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 22:46:00 GMT

A wise man once said, “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” One of the things that make SportQuest projects… Read more Countdown to San Diego: Meet Your Project Leaders

A wise man once said, “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” One of the things that make SportQuest projects so effective is the excellent leaders who have made a choice to serve others and are committed to playing their part in God’s mission. For our SQ staff, mission is a lifestyle and not just something that happens on a short-term trip.

As you prepare for your trip, we want you to go ahead and get to know your Project Coordinators, hear their stories, and learn how this short project plays a big role in the year-round ministry that takes place in San Diego:

SETH

BECKY

Countdown to Baton Rouge: Meet Your Project Leaders

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 18:01:00 GMT

A wise man once said, “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” One of the things that make SportQuest projects… Read more Countdown to Baton Rouge: Meet Your Project Leaders

DANIELLE

DEBBIE

Countdown to Ukraine: Meet Your Project Leaders

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 14:19:00 GMT

A wise man once said, “Leadership is a choice, not a position.” One of the things that make SportQuest projects… Read more Countdown to Ukraine: Meet Your Project Leaders

Andrii Petrenko

Pavel Rozhkov (“Pasha”)

Meghan Bass

Daniel Ringk

Does this guy look familiar? Of course, you all know Daniel as your teacher; however, we’ve known Daniel for many years now ever since he crossed paths with SportQuest in Belgium in 2013. Since then, he’s been involved in leadership roles in several SportQuest projects throughout Belgium as well as South Africa and Ukraine. As you know, Daniel is full of joy, cares genuinely about people, and helps bring structure and order when there is chaos. He has a heart to see God move powerfully in the lives of others, and SportQuest is so excited to be partnering with Daniel again in Ukraine!

Planting Small Seeds of Big Impact in Nigeria

Mon, 16 Apr 2018 16:00:00 GMT

Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” This seems to… Read more Planting Small Seeds of Big Impact in Nigeria

Vincent Van Gogh once said, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” This seems to echo Jesus’ teaching about small things like a tiny mustard seed or a pinch of yeast, which ultimately grow into something large. SportQuest has a huge global vision, but our strategy remains focused on training ordinary people to do simple, small – yet powerful – things in local neighborhoods and communities through the tool of sport.

As we continue to develop this training culture in the SportQuest family, our goal is to train all our staff in the principles and practices of multiplying disciples and help them start disciple-making movements. Last month, March 21-23, we had the opportunity to provide this training for SQ staff member, Lawson Sampson (pictured above with wife Joy) , in Badagry, Nigeria. Through our partnership with Biglife , we were able to send two skilled and experienced Nigerian trainers to facilitate the discipleship training for Lawson and his community. Around 25 people participated in the training, including some local church leaders, members of Lawson’s church, and some players from the soccer team that Lawson coaches. The training was very successful, and everyone was excited to start implementing what they learned into their daily lives.

The basic idea is to find a “person of peace” and share your story with them. Then ask them if they would like to know the Person who changed your life. Then you share God’s story with them and show them how to discover God in the Bible. As this person opens their heart to Christ, you challenge them to invite a few people from their social circles who might also be interested. The person of peace becomes a group of peace. The group is discipled, and then the group multiplies. We keep multiplying until the whole earth has heard! This is the simple model we see in Scripture, and – not surprising – it actually works!

During the training, the trainees go prayer walking in their community and look for people of peace. Lawson met a man named Victor (pictured below) whose wife had just given birth to their first child. Victor was very open to what Lawson shared and expressed interest to know the Person who changed Lawson’s life. Last week, Lawson met in Victor’s home with Victor’s family and friends to help them discover Christ through God’s Word!

The same thing happened when Lawson met a young lady named Felicia (pictured below) . She introduced Lawson to her immediate and extended family, and now they are also open to discovering God in the Bible together.

Also, Lawson challenged his soccer players who came to the training to invite three of their unbelieving friends to come to practice with them. After practice ends, they do a short Bible study and break into small groups with the three friends they brought and discuss what God is saying to them.

We are so excited for what God is doing in Badagry, Nigeria! Lawson and the others who were trained are strategically positioned to make a huge impact in their community! Pray for a mighty move of God to awaken hearts and raise up spiritual families who effectively make disciples all throughout Nigeria and West Africa!

Countdown to Your PWP Project: Funding Your Mission

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 21:56:00 GMT

It is hard to believe that PWP Projects are only a few months away. Despite what many may think, the… Read more Countdown to Your PWP Project: Funding Your Mission

It is hard to believe that PWP Projects are only a few months away. Despite what many may think, the mission trip doesn’t begin when you get on the plane. It actually begins now as you prepare your heart and trust God to provide the financial resources for you to go! Over the past 20 years, hundreds of other SQ athletes have overcome the same challenge by realizing this truth: when God guides, He always provides.

I don’t know how you feel about fundraising — maybe you’re very confident about this or maybe you have no clue where to begin. Wherever you are, SportQuest is here to help! Raising funds for your project IS POSSIBLE — it’s just a matter of putting in the effort to share about your trip with people as well as praying and trusting God to provide.

Here’s a few steps to help you get going:

Author William Dillon outlines two basic principles when raising financial support. First of all, people give to people they know, trust, and care for. Secondly, the key to successfully raising support is to contact people you know in the most personal and practical way possible.

The “SQ Family” section of our website has great resources including a Sample Fundraising Letter and SQ Response Cards. Log into the SQ Family page on our website to download these helpful resources.

To log in, use the following case-sensitive info:

Username : SportQuest

Password : Playing With Purpose

You should have already received your Project Prep Guide in your prep packet . Be sure to read this carefully as it provides several helpful tips on fundraising.

Also, check out our “Top 20 Fundraising Ideas” on the SQ Family page to jumpstart some more creative strategies for you. If you have any questions, please let us know. We look forward to hearing how God faithfully provides for each of you to answer His call to go on this mission trip.

It always seems impossible, until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela

Be sure to get started as soon and possible and let us know if you have any questions.

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Thu, 12 Apr 2018 19:48:00 GMT

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Missionary Spotlight: Kevin & Jenni Verstraeten

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 22:01:00 GMT

Meet Kevin Verstraeten, Coordinator for the SportQuest Belgium team. As a 16-year-old kid in Belgium, Kevin began following Christ at… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Kevin & Jenni Verstraeten

Meet Kevin Verstraeten, Coordinator for the SportQuest Belgium team. As a 16-year-old kid in Belgium, Kevin began following Christ at a SportQuest camp. Now 15 years later, he is giving leadership to the very ministry that introduced him to Jesus! Over the last several years, Kevin has grown in experience and maturity through what started as an internship with SportQuest, then coming on staff with SportQuest in the U.S., and later spending 3 months in South Africa at the International Sports Leadership School. Now, he and his team in Belgium are partnering with local churches to use sports to reach a whole new generation of Belgian youth.

Tell us a little about yourself and where you are from.

My name is Kevin Verstraeten, 31 years old, and I live in Genk, Belgium. I am married to my beautiful wife, Jenni, and we are expecting our first baby in August. I was born and raised in Belgium but lived in the States for 6 years while working for SportQuest in Indianapolis. I met Jenni one week after arriving in the U.S., and we recently celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. In 2016 we decided to move back to Belgium and are enjoying serving the Lord here in the land of chocolate, waffles, and fries. Since the start of this year I have taken on the role of SportQuest Belgium Coordinator. I am passionate about basketball — I love to play, coach, and referee games and have a heart for the basketball community. We have two adorable cats — Po, who came with us from America, and Nina, a Belgian cat. We are also youth leaders in our church for the 11-15 year-old group.

Why did you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

The funny thing is that I never felt that I chose SportQuest at all. SportQuest found me. When I was a 16-year-old boy I was invited to a SportQuest camp in Genk. It was during this camp that I was really introduced to Jesus. The coaches made me feel at home, they cared, and they showed me what the secret ingredient to life is — having a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. After making that decision I wanted to do everything I could to help SportQuest reach the people who needed to hear this message. I became a SportQuest coach in 2005 and have been involved every year since then. In 2009, I was part of the first SportQuest team that came from Belgium to do a project in the U.S., and I fell in love with America. In 2010, I was invited to come back to the States to do an internship in the main office in Indianapolis, IN. The internship lasted 1 year, but, as mentioned in the previous question, I met Jenni. We decided to get married 8 months later, and I became a full-time member of the SportQuest team. In July 2013, the Lord spoke to Jenni and told her that we needed leave the States to move to Belgium. It was a big step in faith and took 3 years to accomplish, but the Lord has been so faithful and has given us so many blessings through SportQuest. I know His blessings will only continue here in Belgium.

What is your favorite thing about your ministry in Belgium?

The thing I love the most about our ministry in Belgium is the loyalty of the people we are working with. Some of our partnering churches have been with us for more than 15 years. We have seen some kids literally grow up from a teenager to adulthood. We see them coming back every year to meet the team and hear our message — whether they choose to believe or not. Another thing I love about being in Belgium is the fact that we have key leaders in every location that have been impacted by SportQuest in the past. They are the ones who keep SportQuest going in their community. It’s a true missional community!

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

The biggest challenge has always been to find enough people to come alongside the SportQuest team to serve here in Belgium. In the past we have always been very fortunate having a big team coming from the United States, but in recent years that number has significantly decreased. We are investing more in Belgian and European athletes to contribute to that team, but it is a process. The Lord provides every year and we are extremely grateful, but please pray for wisdom and connections to keep exploring ways to find new athletes who will join us in Belgium.

Prayer Requests

No Coincidence: A Story of God’s Relentless Pursuit

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 23:02:00 GMT

Last year in Panama, our team spent some time in Cinta Costera, a large recreational park area on the Panama… Read more No Coincidence: A Story of God’s Relentless Pursuit

Last year in Panama, our team spent some time in Cinta Costera, a large recreational park area on the Panama City coastline. We had the opportunity to meet some guys out there on the basketball court. After playing for a while, we began talking, and they were very open to spiritual conversation. I told them we’d be back later in the week and asked if they would be interested in discovering God in the Bible together when we returned. Enthusiastically, they said YES! Two nights later, we were back, but only one of them showed up. His name was Ivan. Ivan doesn’t speak much English, but he loves basketball and is very interested in discussing faith matters. So we got a pickup game going with Ivan and some other Panamanians. Afterwards I asked Ivan if he still wanted to read Scripture together. He said yes, and we were able to invite the other guys we played ball with to join us. We all sat down on the basketball court and did a Discovery Bible Study together — a simple way to read Scripture and facilitate a discovery process where people learn to hear God for themselves.

After that night, Ivan wanted to stay in touch so we used WhatsApp. Unfortunately, after a few weeks he stopped responding to my messages. As it turns out, he had lost his phone and had to get a new number. This year as we prepared to go back to Cinta Costera, I prayed that God would reconnect me and Ivan — even though I had no way to communicate with him and let him know we were coming. We arrived at Cinta Costera around 7pm, and some team members headed straight for the public restrooms. My focus was on the basketball courts, but we had to wait for the whole team to come back together. Just then, I saw a couple guys from our team talking with two Panamanians sitting on a bench just outside the public restrooms. Then I saw him — it was Ivan!

I knew at that moment that this was not a coincidence! We had prayed for God to lead us to People of Peace, and more specifically I prayed that Ivan would be there so we could continue our relationship — and God answered. Excitedly, we began talking — mostly through a translator — and then we started playing basketball. After playing a while, I asked Ivan to tell me his story. He went on to share about how his dad was murdered when he was 8 years old and his grandmother had to raise him. Then she also died a few years later. Now he lives with his other grandmother in a dangerous neighborhood where he never feels safe. Then I shared a story from my life about my family and how God gave me peace and purpose in the midst of some difficult times. After that I shared God’s story of redeeming a broken world and His desire to restore us to His perfect design. As I shared the Gospel, Ivan was finishing my sentences! He knew and believed the Gospel too and was helping me tell the story (his friend and our translator were listening as well).

I realized then that Ivan is already following Christ, but he doesn’t have a lot of support. Nonetheless, God has positioned him to be a light in a dark neighborhood. I encouraged him that God wants to use him to lead others out of brokenness into God’s perfect design too. Then I invited him to join us for the disciple-making training that we had planned later in the week at Cesar’s house. I knew it would be a challenge for him to get all the way across town to be there, but I wanted to see how interested he really was.

Sure enough he made the 1-hour journey via public transportation to get to Cesar’s house and join us for the training. Not only did he get equipped to make disciples in his neighborhood, but he also got connected to many other followers of Jesus in Panama City that can help support and encourage him. I’m so thankful that I could play a small part in what God is doing in Ivan’s life! I know God has big plans to use Ivan to have a Kingdom impact in his sphere of influence. Not only that, but it was amazing to be reminded that when God plans to work in and through someone’s life, there are no coincidences!

Panama Project Recap

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 21:18:00 GMT

For the second straight year, SportQuest partnered with Trinity Christian School in Lubbock, Texas to do a PWP Project in… Read more Panama Project Recap

For the second straight year, SportQuest partnered with Trinity Christian School in Lubbock, Texas to do a PWP Project in Panama City, Panama. This year 18 students and parents as well as SQ staff members, Rance Bland and Becky Bowden, travelled to Panama to serve alongside Cesar and Irela Rodriguez, SQ Panama Coordinators. The team spent 5 days serving in a bilingual private school that, in many ways, resembles their private school in Texas. Some students know the Lord and some students don’t; some students are living out their faith and some struggle with spiritual apathy and worldly distractions – just like at their school in the U.S.

In the mornings, they visited different classrooms and had the opportunity to lead experiential learning games, share their testimonies, and lead small group Bible studies. In the afternoon, they led a multi-sport clinic featuring basketball, volleyball, baseball, and American football. The excitement and interest level grew tremendously as the week went on, and by the last day there were 130 Panamanian students attending the sport clinic. The sport clinics ended on Friday with “SportQuest Night,” a special event for the students and their families. The SQ team gave awards, shared the Gospel, and served hot dogs and ice cream.

Because they are the same age as these high school students, they are able to quickly connect with them and relate to the things they are going through in life. For both the Panamanian students and American students, this experience really heightens their awareness of how blessed they are to have the opportunity to have a good education in a Christian environment. There was also a deeper level of openness on behalf of the Panamanians toward the SportQuest team this year. Each day the SQ team led small groups, which gave an opportunity to get to know each other and share more personally with one another. Several Panamanian students began following Christ during this week, and many others many others made a commitment, not only to follow Christ, but to help others in their lives to also come to know and follow Christ.

4th Generation Disciple-Making Training

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:24:00 GMT

Last Fall, several of our staff went through a training that equips people to start disciple-making movements, which is central to… Read more 4th Generation Disciple-Making Training

SportQuest in Cuba

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:01:00 GMT

In January, SQ Staff member Oscar Peña had the opportunity to go to Cuba for the 4th time. 156 pastors,… Read more SportQuest in Cuba

In January, SQ Staff member Oscar Peña had the opportunity to go to Cuba for the 4th time. 156 pastors, coaches, athletes, and leaders gathered to be trained with tools and strategies to develop and strengthen sport ministry in Cuba! The first time Oscar went to Cuba he was only able to meet with 11 leaders. The second year this grew to 86 leaders who learned about the ReadySetGo movement and KidsGames. Last year, Oscar had the opportunity to train 20 leaders in Cuba who could train others how to lead KidsGames. The gathering this year in January was the largest yet, and Oscar was able to share more about ReadySetGo, teach the Heart Values of the movement, and train them in KidsGames and Active Discipleship for Children. During this year, those who were trained by Oscar will go back to their cities and train local leaders to develop the KidsGames strategy in their communities. It’s obvious there is a great spiritual hunger in Cuba, and God is doing something great!

SportQuest will also be back in Cuba in January 2019 when we take a team of high school students from Covenant Christian High School in Indianapolis, IN. The purpose of this project will be to connect with Cuban students through sports and games in order to build relationships, partner with local churches and ministries, and share the Gospel. Participants will be trained to lead “KidsGames”, soccer clinics, and do compassion projects such as repairing equipment and facilities. Students will also be immersed in Cuban culture and have the opportunity to experience the history and beauty of this previously closed country.

Cuba poses a significant spiritual opportunity now that the doors of this Communist country are open to the U.S. We don’t know how long this window of opportunity will remain open so it’s a strategic time to go to Cuba and partner with local churches and ministries who are so desperate for outside support. This trip will provide students a simple and fun way to share their faith and make a difference in the lives of others by using the tool of sports and games. In addition, there will be rich educational value in learning and experiencing the culture and history of this island nation.

Pray with us for what God is doing in Cuba through the tool of sport!

The Great Commission Is For Ordinary People

Fri, 23 Feb 2018 22:34:00 GMT

The Great Commission is not just for pastors and missionaries. It’s for all believers. Sadly we often leave this in… Read more The Great Commission Is For Ordinary People

The Great Commission is not just for pastors and missionaries. It’s for all believers. Sadly we often leave this in the hands of paid, professional staff and have no context for what this could look like for everyday people in everyday life. If we believe in the priesthood of all believers then we should realize we all have access to God who gives everything we need to make disciples.

Jesus told His eleven followers, “ I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” We forget sometimes that Jesus was not giving a commencement speech for recent seminary graduates. Rather, He was speaking to fishermen, a tax collector, a former Zealot, and other salt-of-the-earth individuals whose only distinguishing characteristic was that they had just spent the last 2-3 years as Jesus’ traveling companions. In place of a formal seminary education, their training came from watching Jesus and learning to do exactly what He did. It was their ordinary obedience to the Way of Jesus that fueled a movement that continues to grow and expand today (much like the mustard seed analogy Jesus used in Matthew 13:31-32).

If we’re honest though, I think we all realize that our Christian experience today is much different than the dynamic movement of the early church. How were those ordinary men and women able to build and sustain a movement that spread like wildfire despite constant persecution and resistance from the established powers of that day? Why aren’t we experiencing the same vitality and vibrancy in our movement today that we read about in the book of Acts? Perhaps one reason is the shift that took place over many years of church history from ordinary people living in the power and authority of Jesus to the rise of certified, credentialed, professional Christians who performed the functions of the ministry.

In 313 A.D. Emperor Constantine decriminalized Christian worship, thus ending the centuries of persecution that the early Christians had endured. This was primarily a political move on the part of Constantine who realized that Christianity was growing in influence, and the result was that this dynamic movement that had grown organically from eleven ordinary people was suddenly co-opted by the Roman patronage and class system. Suddenly, the church began to reflect the culture around it instead of transforming culture. Without even realizing it, the clergy began adopting the same posture toward the laity as Roman patrons and benefactors would toward the commoners. They started wearing clothing that set them apart from ordinary people and built basilicas that rivaled even the famed halls of the Roman forum. Before long, the Bible was something only the clergy had access to, and ordinary people became dependent upon the religious professionals to dispense biblical teaching and knowledge. Not much has changed in almost two thousand years as we sit in our pews and expect pastors and priests to feed us spiritually.

Bog Rognlien says it well: “No longer tested by the challenges of a pagan world hostile to their faith, the followers of Jesus forfeited their authority and power. Roman patrons turned them into clients, European lords turned them into serfs, and now capitalistic culture has turned many into religious consumers. We have largely forgotten how to claim the authority of Jesus and follow his example of exercising God’s power on behalf of the faithless, broken, and oppressed. We are the inheritors of this spiritual amnesia, and now face a postmodern, pagan challenge threatening to consign the movement of Jesus to irrelevance and impotence. The time has come to awaken, shake off our forgetfulness, and recapture the movement of empowered missional disciples who are once again following Jesus and carrying out the mission of God in his authority and power” ( Empowering Missional Disciples ).

Do you long to play your role in this high calling of God? Do you long to see God move again in our day like He did in the book of Acts? I would love to embark on a journey with you to become faithful disciples of Jesus who make disciples like Jesus and His early followers did. Feel free to leave a comment or contact me via email (rancebland@yahoo.com), and I’d love to walk alongside you in this process. You can also start an online course on disciple-making at www.multiplicationschool.com . Also, I’ll be writing more blog posts in the coming weeks and months that will continue to explore this theme. I hope you’ll join me!

Missionary Spotlight: Andrii Petrenko

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 23:27:00 GMT

Meet Andrii Petrenko, coordinator for SportQuest Ukraine. After an injury ended his professional soccer career, Andrii felt God calling him to… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Andrii Petrenko

Meet Andrii Petrenko, coordinator for SportQuest Ukraine. After an injury ended his professional soccer career, Andrii felt God calling him to continue using his sport skills
in sport ministry. In 2010, Andrii completed a 3-month course at the International Sports Leadership School in South Africa, where he was able to connect with many other leaders in sport ministry. Eventually, this led to meeting Kent Susud in 2011, which is when he joined the SQ Family. Now Andrii provides whole-life coaching for about 60 young players, leads discipleship groups for families, trains other soccer coaches, and serves as a facilitator for the sport ministry movement in Eurasia.

Tell a little bit about yourself and where you’re from.

My name is Andrii Petrenko, and I am from Shostka, Ukraine. I played soccer since I was a child. I started to play professionally at 16 but was seriously injured at the age of 17 and forced to stop playing professionally after only one season of my career. Just before my injury, I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I realized that this injury was God’s prompting for me to commit my life to ministry. It was my desire to dedicate my life to the spreading of the gospel to people involved in sports. Sport is a very powerful language, which speaks to the lives of people. This is a language that we as Christians should try to use.

What made you choose to serve with SportQuest Ministries?

SQ is a part of global movement which is called ReadySetGo. SQ is opposite from the big ministry organizations that want to dictate what their staff must do. SQ shares the same values of the global movement and supports leaders in different countries to accomplish their calling from God using sport as a tool. SQ supports and helps more from a position of service to local leaders rather than by controlling and micromanaging.

What is your favorite thing about your ministry in Ukraine/Eurasia?

I love to be used by God. I love to coach and help to grow and develop kids in all areas of life. I love to build up families and help them to pay more attention to their kids and try to develop healthy community. We are influencing a small community in Shostka (it is around 50-60 kids and families), but we help other coaches and leaders all over Ukraine to influence more kids and families in their cities and towns.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

Recruiting of leaders for local ministry. Shostka is a small town and most of our players who would be able to help as a coach leave for bigger cities or other countries where they can earn more money. Also, it was hard to be a Christian coach in a community where people are negative toward evangelical belief or faith in general. I was often blamed by other coaches, families, and even players when I shared Bible stories with kids or did Christian football (soccer) camps. But now it is much better and more people see the benefit of allowing their kids to be part of a faith-based program.

Prayer Requests

Parent and Child Begin Following Christ!

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 16:35:00 GMT

One night at basketball practice, Becky was talking with Sue (not her real name), one of the parents she had… Read more Parent and Child Begin Following Christ!

One night at basketball practice, Becky was talking with Sue (not her real name) , one of the parents she had met a few weeks prior. It had been a rough day for Sue because it was the birthday of her child’s father who had died of cancer two years earlier. She began opening up to Becky and sharing her life story. She grew up in the church and had accepted Christ but had turned away from the Lord and made a lot of mistakes. She allowed Becky to pray for her and through their conversation she felt like the Lord was drawing her back to following Him, but she didn’t feel worthy. They talked about God’s grace, love, and Christ’s finished work on the cross. Sue walked away feeling encouraged and challenged that God was pursuing her and drawing her back to Him. After the conversation, Becky had to leave the gym to take care of a couple of things but came back toward the end of the practice. Suddenly, Sue returned and introduced Becky to a 6th grade boy she had been talking to for the last 10-15 minutes. He had been asking her questions about Jesus and was interested in becoming a Christian. She brought him to Becky to answer more of his questions, and he ended up accepting Christ that night! Thirty minutes earlier, Sue hadn’t felt worthy of God’s love, but now God was using her to lead someone else to a relationship with Jesus. Sue and Becky are now meeting on a weekly basis during her son’s practice for Bible study, she is starting to come back to church, and together they are helping this 6th grade boy learn what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus Christ!

More about Becky’s ministry in Indianapolis:

This past year, SQ staff member Becky Bowden, has taken on a new role in Indianapolis running a youth basketball and cheerleading league in partnership with a local church. Through this league she is able to train and invest in the coaches, build relationships with close to 200 athletes, and connect with their parents in the stands during practices and games. Using a strategy called “GameLife 123”, athletes are challenged every week through experiential learning games that connect to Bible stories to obey what God’s Word says and to share it with others. In the past couple of months, several athletes have come to salvation and are learning and growing in their understanding of God. Not only are the athletes being challenged, but the parents are as well. During practices, Becky spends her time in the bleachers getting to know the parents and sharing her story and God’s story with them. Over half of the families involved in this program are not plugged into a local church or do not understand basic truths of the Bible. Through various conversations, she has felt led to begin two Bible studies that meet during practice times on different nights to help parents grow in their faith in Christ and obedience to the Bible. The season only has one month left, but plans are already in place to continue an off-season program for the older athletes, which would take place on the same night as the parent’s Bible study in order to continue that as well.

In addition to the youth sports league, Becky also teaches a weekly leadership class. This class trains local leaders in the basics of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, providing tools on how to study the Scriptures, how to pray, and how to hold one another accountable in walking in obedience. It also teaches leaders how to be effective disciple-makers, training them in how to share their personal story, how to share God’s story of the Gospel, how to lead groups, and how to train others. As this group wraps up over the next month, leaders will be challenged to start their own groups and equip people to to love God, love others, and make other disciples.

www.sportquest.org

Big Hopes for 2018

Wed, 31 Jan 2018 15:29:00 GMT

2018 is SportQuest’s 20th anniversary, and we’ve probably never been more excited about what God is doing in and through… Read more Big Hopes for 2018

2018 is SportQuest’s 20th anniversary, and we’ve probably never been more excited about what God is doing in and through this ministry. SportQuest is positioned to make a great impact this year in the lives of many youth and families around the world. Here are some of our goals and “big hopes” for 2018:

This is just some of what we expect God to do in and through SportQuest this year! Will you pray with us for God to open doors and give us the grace and power to make disciples who make disciples through the tool of sport? That is our heart’s cry, and we can’t do it without people like you who pray, give, and get involved. Thank you!

www.sportquest.org

JANUARY PROMO FOR ALUMNI

Tue, 09 Jan 2018 19:10:00 GMT

That’s right! Normally, when you get a friend to sign up for a PWP Project, only you get the discount,… Read more JANUARY PROMO FOR ALUMNI

That means if you sign up for an international project, you and your friend will get $50 off ! And if you sign up for a U.S. project, you’ll each get $25 off ! Not only that, but your friend will get to experience the amazing-ness of a SportQuest experience for the first time. What’s not to love about that?

So start telling your friends now about how they could spend part of their summer playing sports, making friends, seeing new places, and changing lives with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Missionary Spotlight: Danielle Thomas

Fri, 05 Jan 2018 22:16:00 GMT

Meet Danielle Thomas, one of our newest full-time missionaries. After receiving her PhD in Sociology from Louisiana State University last… Read more Missionary Spotlight: Danielle Thomas

Share SportQuest With Your Friends!

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 22:09:00 GMT

As a member of the SportQuest Family, would you consider helping us spread the word and get others involved in… Read more Share SportQuest With Your Friends!

As a member of the SportQuest Family, would you consider helping us spread the word and get others involved in a life-changing sport mission project? Because of your experience with our PWP Projects, you’re uniquely qualified to help us share about SportQuest and invite others into the SQ Family.

To help you share SportQuest with others, we’ve put a few tools together that you can download right now:

Use these tools to share with a friend or even to give a group presentation. You can also receive a discount on your PWP Project when you share with 5 or more people. Contact SportQuest for details!

If you would like, we can send you our Promo Toolkit by mail that includes a flash drive with all of these tools as well as flyers and SQ decals to give away! Just email becky.bowden@sportquest.org and be sure to include your mailing address if you would like us to send these resources to you. Thank you for helping us share SportQuest!

Stories of Hope: Macey

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:18:00 GMT

Macey’s first SportQuest experience was in 2016 when she participated in the San Diego project. She and SQ staff member,… Read more Stories of Hope: Macey

Macey’s first SportQuest experience was in 2016 when she participated in the San Diego project. She and SQ staff member, Becky Bowden, hit it off immediately, and Becky began discipling her after that project. Initially, Macey was on fire for the Lord, but as time went on, she began to allow lies of insecurity about her weight and her body image cause her to spiral into a spiritual and physical downfall. However, the Lord helped her gain victory over these lies through the help of a supportive family, godly counsel, and a determination to overcome these struggles. The impact that SportQuest had on her life motivated her to participate again in the 2017 San Diego project, where she was able to boldly share her testimony with the youth and encourage so many who had similar struggles. Coming home after a SQ project, it can be tough to continue living missionally without the same support system that you are surrounded with on the SQ project. Despite the struggle, Macey has been on a mission to impact her volleyball team ever since returning from San Diego. She has identified several “people of peace” on her team and has been purposeful in her conversations with them. Recently, one of them accepted Christ, and they are now doing Discovery Bible Studies together! Macey is well-respected as a leader in her school and is now leading a Bible study just for athletes every other week. She has taken what she learned through her SportQuest experience and is now serving as a missionary in her school. This is what we call Playing With Purpose!

I am more spiritually mature, understanding, and compassionate because the SportQuest leaders, kids, and fellow athletes helped open my eyes. — Macey

Stories of Hope: Matthias

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 13:49:00 GMT

My name is Matthias, and I’m 18 years old and currently still in high school. I’m studying to become a… Read more Stories of Hope: Matthias

My name is Matthias, and I’m 18 years old and currently still in high school. I’m studying to become a film director and want to create films that inspire people to be good and to do good.

I grew up with 2 older brothers, who were tough to live with at times, but I couldn’t imagine growing up without them. They were not always friendly toward me, and I wished I had a little sister or brother to play with sometimes.  My mother and father educated us in a Catholic way — we had to pray before dinner, for example. We eventually stopped praying, though, because my brothers and I didn’t believe in God.

When I was 10 or 11 years old, I went to SportQuest for the first time because my brothers convinced me to come with them. I went to SportQuest because they would teach me how to play basketball, but, in the meantime, they also taught us about God. I never really believed in God, and it was odd to see so many people that did believe in Him. Some of the people even came from the other side of the globe, just to teach us – me – about God.

Around the age of 13, I started to believe in God. I felt a pain in my back and in my neck. Rance and Brandon, my SportQuest coaches, prayed with me about the pain I felt. When we were done praying, I straightened my back and felt a big relief. It didn’t hurt as much as it did before. I was surprised that this had happened. How was it possible? Was it truly God or was it just a coincidence?  I started praying for a while but after bad things happened to my family, I couldn’t think of God as a good thing. If God loved me, why did my mom and dad divorce? If God loved me, why did my family have a lot of financial problems?

I still went to the SportQuest camp each year and never missed a single day since I first started going. At the age of 16, I still didn’t believe in God. “There is no proof of his existence,” I thought. I was only focused on things that had been proven by scientists. God has not been proven to be real.  I talked with a SQ coach, Kevin and asked my questions: Why does God allow war? Why aren’t criminals stopped by God? Why do people die of cancer? Why does God allow that? I asked him why God was allowing bad things to happen to my family. Why doesn’t God care for us?  There was a moment of silence.

Then he said that God does care for me.

I didn’t believe Kevin. I didn’t believe in God. I only believed in things that have been proven by scientist.

A few months back, I was thinking about SportQuest…about the conversation I had with Kevin.

He said that God does care for me.

I suddenly knew he was right all along.   My parents were divorced, but then they got remarried. My aunt had cancer but recovered. My family’s financial problems were fading away. I had sleeping problems, but now I sleep fine. I hated school ,and now school is great. I’m finally happy, and I even have a little sister now!

I had ignored the good things that had happened, and I had only been looking at the bad things in life. I never realized until a few months ago that God has been watching over me, even when I tried to block God out of my life.   Now I pray, I believe. I know God is hard to find sometimes. I know it’s odd to believe in God. But God exists. Maybe you think he doesn’t, but I feel that He does and knowing that others feel the same love I feel, that’s amazing. Reading the Bible and being able to relate to parts of it because I was in similar situations, that’s amazing. Finding out that God has been here all my life to watch over me…that’s amazing!

Stories of Hope: Keicy

Tue, 05 Dec 2017 00:49:00 GMT

Image Above: Keicy (left), Irela (middle), Irela’s son Mattias (right) Last year, Keicy Marin was a 10th grade student in… Read more Stories of Hope: Keicy

Image Above: Keicy (left), Irela (middle), Irela’s son Mattias (right)

Last year, Keicy Marin was a 10th grade student in Irela Rodriguez’s Ethics class at the Instituto Bern in Panama City, Panama. Irela is the wife of Cesar, and together they have been serving with SportQuest since 2012. They also have the opportunity to partner with the Instituto Bern, a bilingual private school, where Cesar serves as a sports teacher and volleyball coach and Irela teaches Ethics and Bible.

Sitting in Ethics class, Keicy began to grow curious. She had never had a teacher before that used the Bible to teach Ethics. Growing up in the Catholic church, the Bible was not something she had learned to apply to her everyday life and choices. She started asking Irela questions during breaks and after class and wanted to know more about the Bible. Eventually her questions got deeper and deeper, and Irela didn’t have time to address them in class, so she invited Keicy to get coffee and discuss things in more detail. Keicy was excited to learn more from Irela, and they began meeting each Friday for one-on-one discipleship.

Three months later, there were noticeable differences in Keicy’s life and she couldn’t help but question many of the Catholic traditions she had been brought up with. This made her mom angry, and her mom told her not to meet with Irela anymore. Irela encouraged Keicy to respect her mom’s wishes, and they stopped meeting; however, Keicy kept asking Irela questions in class and talking to her through WhatsApp. Then, she found out that Cesar always did a Bible study during volleyball practices so she joined the volleyball team! This way she could obey her mother and still learn more about the Bible and grow in her faith in a sport environment.

Here’s what Keicy had to say to Cesar and Irela recently:

I want to thank you for all the time you’ve spent with me in the Bible studies. The studies have strengthened me spiritually, it has helped change many things in my life, and has been an incredible and unforgettable experience… When I grow up I would like to do the same for someone else.

Keicy won’t have to wait until she is older — God is already using her to teach others what Cesar and Irela have taught her. Her classmates started coming to her for advice and sharing personal things with her, and she is giving them advice from the Bible just like Irela has done for her. Her classmates listen to her and respect her, and even some of the teachers have commented to Irela about how much Keicy has changed. One young man saw the difference in Keicy’s life, and so he asked Cesar and Irela if they would listen to his questions about God. Now Cesar is meeting with him and discipling him — all because he saw the impact they had on Keicy’s life!

Finding Home

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 23:04:00 GMT

“Home.” The meaning of this word has changed for us over the last few years as we made our home… Read more Finding Home

“Home.” The meaning of this word has changed for us over the last few years as we made our home in a foreign culture and again as we spent several weeks on the road in between homes. When asked where home is for us, we tend to hesitate now before we answer. Where is our home?

I can only imagine how Jesus felt as He left His heavenly home only to take up an earthly residence in a Bethlehem stable. Not long after, He would have to flee to Egypt as a political refugee. Eventually, He would settle in Nazareth for a few years only to set out on a nomadic mission at the age of 30. Then, the Author of Life would make a temporary home in a dark, stony tomb before returning to glory at the right hand of the Father.

Some say home is where the heart is, and I guess that’s true if our hearts are set on heaven. Though we may get glimpses of heaven on earth, we’ll never truly be at home until God once again makes His home with us — when He rights every wrong, ends every war, fills every emptiness, and wipes every tear from our eyes. He’ll bring heaven to earth just like He’s always planned, and then and only then will we finally be…home.

As we reflect on the Christmas story during this holiday season, let us remember the God who left His home to rescue us. May we show the same love to all those around us who are desperate to find home.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14:23

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

“ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, a nd being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

Disciple-Making vs. Church-Building

Mon, 07 Dec 2015 13:11:00 GMT

“If you make disciples, you will always get the Church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples” (Mike… Read more Disciple-Making vs. Church-Building

“ If you make disciples, you will always get the Church. But if you make a church, you rarely get disciples ” (Mike Breen, Building a Discipling Culture ).

Do you agree with this statement? I think it’s a question of focus. Is our focus to build our reputation or a successful organization with lots of members, wide-spread influence in the community, and national recognition, or are we interested in doing what Jesus asked us to do: make disciples. How far we’ve come from those first Jesus-followers when they received the mission directive from Jesus Himself. “ Go and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations ” (Matthew 28:19). This was the only thing Jesus wanted us to be focused on.

Somehow most of us have lost sight of this and instead began redefining success the way our culture defines success: numbers, money, fame, power, achievement, novelty, big, bigger, biggest! Some churches aren’t that much different from Wal-Mart. On Sunday morning you drive into the massive church campus where you can get an oil change and your tires rotated while you shop around inside for some spiritual groceries to get you through the week and sip on a Starbucks latte. Today’s ministry leaders mean well and even say things like “we just want to make disciples,” but the reality is all our time gets sucked up by the pressures of keeping the organization running smoothly and all the needs of the customers met. At the end of the day, there just isn’t time for discipleship.

What if we took a hard look at our churches and ministries and made the commitment not only to do WHAT Jesus is doing but to do it the WAY Jesus did it. Jesus did not start a church, publish a book, or build an empire. He did what the Father told Him to do and He invited people to follow Him as He did it. He spent a disproportionate amount of time with 12 guys who weren’t exactly the cream of the crop (one of whom would actually betray him), ministered for 3 years in a dusty, insignificant corner of the Roman Empire, was put to death, came back to life, and then left. Granted, the “coming back to life” part is pretty spectacular, but as for the rest, I doubt any church growth experts would have advised Jesus to follow this strategy. Apparently though, that’s all it took to empower His disciples to ignite a revolution that would change the world and still is changing this world.

Why were they so successful? Perhaps it’s because they understood that Jesus asked them to make disciples. That was their job. His job was to build the Church. Jesus told Peter, “ You are the Rock on which I will build my church ” (Matthew 16:18). So just to be clear, Jesus builds the Church; we make disciples. It’s seems so simple and yet we often prefer to be clever and come up with new ways of doing things instead of following Jesus’ simple ways. Would we be willing to invest 3 years giving the same 12 people full access to our life and showing them the Way, Truth, and Life of Jesus as lived out through us? Perhaps if we were, we’d start to see the kind of life-changing, world-transforming results that Jesus got. If we make disciples, healthy churches will be built to equip and encourage the disciples to keep making disciples. Let’s not get our priorities out of whack. Stay focused. Make disciples.

The Kingdom Tree

Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:23:00 GMT

What is the goal of evangelism? In our summer SportQuest camps, we encounter people from all sorts of diverse faith… Read more The Kingdom Tree

What is the goal of evangelism? In our summer SportQuest camps, we encounter people from all sorts of diverse faith and non-faith backgrounds (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant/Evangelical, Muslim, Jew, atheist, etc.). Should we try to turn Catholics into Protestants or Muslims into Evangelicals? Is our goal simply to get them to join a church?

For these answers, I think we need to look at Jesus’ ministry and see what His goal was. It seems Jesus was much more interested in bringing people into God’s Kingdom than into a certain church denomination or religious affiliation. Look at Jesus’ first message as He began His ministry: “The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15 NIV) Jesus invited people to experience life in the Kingdom, not a particular religious brand or way of doing church. Often times, we make the mistake of thinking the Church and God’s Kingdom are the same, but God’s Kingdom isn’t bound by structural walls. In fact, Jesus told the Pharisees, “The Kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you” (Luke 17:21 NLT).

So our goal should be to lead people into experiencing life in the Kingdom of God through a relationship with the King. Practically, this means “conversion” might look different than we previously thought. What should people be converted to? Certainly not to dressing like us, talking like us, and listening to the same style of worship music! The only conversion we need is to become more like Jesus. He is the only Converter. Just like when you travel to other countries and have to use an electrical converter in order to access the power supply that runs your laptop, cell phone, hair dryer, etc. In the same way, Jesus is the converter that allows Christians, Muslims, Jews, etc. to access the Kingdom of God and have that power flowing through us.

The video below explains and illustrates this concept in a profound way, and I believe the implications for our missional strategies are great. Please take the time to watch this clip and then reflect on the questions below.

Questions for Reflection:

What questions do you have about this topic? Let me know in the comments section!

An Update on the Situation in Belgium

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 13:51:00 GMT

It’s not everyday that the media outlets of the world have their attention riveted on the small country of Belgium,… Read more An Update on the Situation in Belgium

It’s not everyday that the media outlets of the world have their attention riveted on the small country of Belgium, but after discovering the horrific attack on Paris was planned by extremists in a Brussels neighborhood, suddenly everyone has their eye on this small nation. In roughly the last year, there have now been 4 incidents involving terroristic activity in Belgium: a police shootout with a terror cell in southern Belgium, a shooting at a Jewish museum in Brussels, the train attack that ended in Brussels after several heroic passengers took action, as well as the current manhunt and terror alert.

It’s worth noting that none of these incidents had anything to do with the refugees fleeing from Syria. These extremists were already here. There are around 700,000 Muslims living in Belgium and 1 in 4 residents of Brussels are Muslim, making it one of the most Islamic cities in the EU. However, the vast majority are not radicalized Muslims and certainly not terrorists. Based on my experience, I would say most of these Muslims who live in Belgium have become far more Westernized than radicalized. Many of them experience a crisis of faith and identity as they go to Catholic schools, hang out with friends who regularly drink alcohol and eat pork, and are exposed to Western music and films. Every year we have many Muslims who come to our SportQuest camps and openly discuss issues of faith with us, and we partner with the Bijbelhuis in Antwerp who reaches out to its Muslim community daily — even hosting Bible studies for Muslims and Christians to examine the Bible together.

I know from a political standpoint all of this raises some difficult and complex questions, but as a Christian I have to see this as an amazing opportunity. Did you know more Muslims have committed to follow Christ in the last 10 years than in the first 15 centuries of Islam? There are now somewhere between 2 and 7 million Christians who come from a Muslim background (conservative estimate). I have a friend named Cagdas, who comes from Turkey and became radically saved in Istanbul when he was 18 years old. He now lives in Brussels with his wife, and together they continue reaching out to the many Turkish immigrants around them. In the past, missionaries had to risk their lives to have a chance to share the Gospel in these closed Muslim countries, but now God is bringing the Muslim countries to us.

Since the attacks in Paris, daily life here in Ghent has not changed. The only adjustment we had to make was canceling an appointment we were supposed to have yesterday at the American Embassy in Brussels. In Brussels itself things came to a halt for a few days as schools closed down and the metro stopped running. Soldiers could be seen posted all over the city while several arrests were being made and the terror alert was raised to its highest level. Though it’s strange to be in such close proximity to the attacks in Paris (3 hours away) and the threats in Brussels (45 minutes away), we are not fearful. We pray for comfort and healing for those grieving their losses after the attacks in Paris, as well as others in Lebanon, Nigeria, and elsewhere, and we pray for protection from evil.

To be sure, this will not be the last time that evil will rear its ugly head in our world, whether far or near; however, we trust that the safest place to be is in the center of God’s will for our lives. Nowhere is 100% safe and nothing is 100% under our control; therefore, we choose to keep our eyes fixed on the Author of Life and we pray God will use us to be a light in the midst of the darkness all around. Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “ Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that. ” In light of everything that is changing so rapidly in our world, may God use us to shine bright and love without fear all who God puts in our path. For the Body of Christ throughout the world, may this be our finest hour yet!

A Response to Terrorism

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 11:26:00 GMT

The goal of terrorism is to create fear that disrupts society. But fear of what? Violence? Death? Of course that’s… Read more A Response to Terrorism

The goal of terrorism is to create fear that disrupts society. But fear of what? Violence? Death? Of course that’s part of it, but more specifically terrorism hits at the heart of our way of life. It’s about shrinking our comfort zones so that we can’t even go to a concert or restaurant without being afraid. Terrorism is always done at random so as to instill the fear that, when you least expect it, something terrible could happen to you. And it works because it succeeds in taking away the one thing the whole world is running after: peace.

The problem is most of the world is seeking a false sense of peace through financial security, social status, mind-numbing entertainment, and instant gratification. We should no longer refer to this as the American Dream. Even child soldiers in Uganda, who have been raised on a steady diet of American rap videos, have been fed the lie that true peace is found when you’ve got more money, women, and success than the next guy. This lie has been exported all over the globe to the point that it is now a Universal Dream.

And if this is your dream — to have the easiest, most comfortable, most effortlessly happy life — than terrorism is terrifying. Because it means that at any moment, your dream could be taken away. Your comfort and ease could vanish and you will be shockingly confronted with a reality that is cruel, merciless, and inconsiderate of your dream. But Jesus is not shocked by terrorism. Luke 13 mentions a tragic event in Jesus’ time when the Roman governor Pilate had apparently entered the temple grounds while some Galileans were bringing their animal sacrifices. Pilate, a Gentile, was profaning the temple just by being there, yet he went on to slaughter these Jews, mixing their blood with the blood of the lambs and goats they came to sacrifice. People were appalled, and they came to Jesus to see what his response would be. Jesus was not shocked. Bottomline, his response was this: life is short, so repent and make your life count. The loss of comfort, the abrupt removal of temporary pleasures, even bringing an end to this fleeting, earthly life — these things didn’t phase Jesus. His worldview was not rocked because He wasn’t pursuing some deceptive, shallow Universal Dream. His life was given over to an Eternal Mission. Jesus was ready to risk pain, failure, loss, and even death to fulfill His mission.

For followers of Christ who have relinquished the pursuit of the Universal Dream and are giving their lives for Jesus’s Mission, terrorism is not so terrifying. No amount of despicable cruelty and violence can cause us to shrink back and hope for the return of the good ol’ days. They can take false peace and comfort away, but they cannot take away the peace that Jesus gives us. Just before going to the cross, Jesus said, “ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid ” (John 14:27).

In the face of terrorism, we have nothing to fear. While the dark gets darker, our light must shine brighter. Our response must be to prepare ourselves to risk more than ever before for the sake of a King, who loved us so much as to lay down His comfort, ease, and popularity and then defeated terror and evil on the cross. His empty tomb is a reminder that the darkness will not win and the Resurrected King will still have His Day. So in response to what happened in Paris over the weekend, “ let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart ” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Our hearts and prayers go out on behalf of the families and friends of the victims of the Paris attacks that the God of peace would be very near to them right now. May we all receive the true peace that only Christ can give and then freely give it away.

Identity vs. Image

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 10:08:00 GMT

It’s 7am, and nowadays in the Bland household that means it’s my time to get up and hang with Jaxton,… Read more Identity vs. Image

It’s 7am, and nowadays in the Bland household that means it’s my time to get up and hang with Jaxton, my seven-week old son. I give him his bottle and usually put on some worship music. Frequently, I end up dancing around the living room with him while singing worship songs. I love it. He loves it too. I’ve had some amazing times with Jesus and Jaxton lately. The funny thing is that there’s a large window in our living room that looks out to the backyard, which is surrounded with eight-foot-high hedges. Behind the back row of hedges is a one-way street where people are zipping by on their way to school or work. The reason I mention this is that, despite the near impossibility of anyone seeing me as they speed by and glance through our near-impenetrable hedges, I inevitably still find myself mid-worship-chorus thinking, “What if someone sees me? Will they think it’s weird that I’m raising my hands/baby while singing at the top of my lungs to God? And, oh yeah, are my roommates still upstairs within earshot?”

Perhaps the last question is a valid one out of respect to my sometimes sleeping roommates — but that’s not the point here:) The point is: Why do we always tend to worry so much about our image? I’m in my own house spending time with my son and with the Lord, and somehow the thought of what other people think of me still finds its way into my self-absorbed brain. It’s as if my alter-ego thinks it’s a Kardashian who’s being followed around night and day by a camera crew and has to constantly perform and entertain.

If we are honest, these thoughts haunt us much more than we like to admit — especially in terms of our spirituality. Ever find yourself going to church because you know others expect it instead of out of a desire to connect with the Lord and other believers? Or how about when you pray in front of others? Do you say what’s really on your heart or do you robotically just stick to the safe, polished prayers you’ve heard other pray? Have you ever honestly evaluated where your ambition to do “great things for God” comes from? Could it be sometimes we are building and maintaining our image as a successful minister or well-thought-of leader rather than living and loving out of our true identity as a child of God?

Image fails where identity sustains. Keeping up our image as good Christians is tiring, stressful, and ultimately doomed to fail. As it would turn out, we’re just not that perfect. You see, image is earned by living up to others’ expectations whereas identity is freely given by a God who defies all expectations. Image must work frenetically to secure its future, but our identity is defined by what has already been done, enabling us to rest in an unchangeable truth. We are who God says we are. The end.

As followers of Christ, our spirituality must be driven by our God-given identity and not our own image-driven ambition. As we get to know the Father, we will learn to hear His voice that speaks eternal identity and destiny into our souls, empowering us to live, love, and serve out of a place of secure identity-trusting rather than anxious image-protecting.

Jax and I were singing a song this morning from United Pursuit’s new album “Simple Gospel” that reflects the uninhibited response of someone who knows who they really are: There’s no shame/ in looking like a fool/ when I give You what I can’t keep/ and take a hold of You. And, yes, we were still dancing in front of the living room window as we sang.

You can listen to United Pursuit’s song “Head to the Heart” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSol3_QZaaI .

Entertainment and the Pursuit of Real Joy

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 09:48:00 GMT

Ouch! I read the article below and have to say I’m feeling convicted. It’s so easy when I’m bored, frustrated,… Read more Entertainment and the Pursuit of Real Joy

Ouch! I read the article below and have to say I’m feeling convicted. It’s so easy when I’m bored, frustrated, or stressed to simply zone out and escape to entertainment, but I can’t say this has ever left me with a sustained experience of peace and satisfaction. Generally, all the drama of entertainment produces more stress and harried emotions that drain my energy even more. Perhaps it’s time to take an honest look at our use of entertainment and make some intentional choices to guard our delight and joy in Christ.

Take a look at the article below. Am I the only one this convicted? What are some ways we can guard our hearts from allowing entertainment to become “a cruel master”?

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-cant-serve-god-and-entertainment

Marriage and Mission

Thu, 29 Oct 2015 09:14:00 GMT

As Christians, many of us often feel the tension between investing time in our closest relationships (spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend) and… Read more Marriage and Mission

As Christians, many of us often feel the tension between investing time in our closest relationships (spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend) and investing time in our ministry. Have you ever found yourself struggling with how to prioritize these and find some sort of “balance”? Perhaps the problem is that we’ve made marriage an end instead of a means to an end. Our eternal purpose was never meant to terminate on ourselves. God gave us a mission during this short-term stay we have on earth, and marriage should strengthen and synergize our ability to fulfill this mission.

Check out this great article from Francis and Lisa Chan on the subject:

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/marriage-on-the-edge-of-eternity

What are your thoughts?