Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
“You want me to do WHAT?”
Week Two
I. The Lesson of the Jar
The lesson is not – There is always room for
.
The lesson is – You have to put the Big Rocks in
.
II. The Big Rocks of Ministry Leadership – Ephesians 4:7-16
The context of this passage
Jesus Christ gave “
.”
What are these gifts?
 They are not the spiritual gifts mentioned in Romans 12, 1Corinthians 12 & 14, 1Peter 4.
 Two clues lead me to this conclusion
o The word for gifts in these passages is charisma. The word in Ephesians 4 is
doma.
o The gifts in these passages refer to abilities to function in the kingdom of God.
The gifts here are people.
These gifts are
.
These people are
.
Contrary to popular thought, Jesus Christ doesn’t give leadership to the church to
the ministry, he gives leadership to the church to
people to do the
ministry.
As a SOML, your #1 Job is to EQUIP PEOPLE.
1
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
This word EQUIP has two primary uses in New Testament times – for
ships and for
nets.
Equipping as Fitting – taking what they don’t have and giving it to them so they can fulfill their
purpose – like giving shin guards to soccer players
Equipping as Mending – taking what they have that is broken and fixing it so it can be used for
the original purpose – like fixing a broken net for a goal
Thinking about these people in your ministry, how might they be:
Non-equipped? (lacking)
Ill-equipped? (broken)
On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your level of equipping in your SOM? 1 – no
equipping, thrown to the wolves, 10 totally equipping
1
10
2
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
There are reasons that people don’t do more equipping –
-
Some Principles
You and your players are lacking,
broken people.
Implications
Admit your need. Lead your team
in vulnerability.
Development is a life-long
transformational process.
Don’t expect instant results.
Identify transformational indicators to point
out progress.
Development is Christ-centered
Understand your role and God’s process
role
We need others to help us.
Get involved with your players strategically. Boldly call your players to
this involvement.
The body only grows when
Each part does it’s work.
There are no superstars.
This growth is marked by
-
3
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
III. What is the priority in Equipping?
A story about a vacation
4
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
M
- we also call that
Destination
V
- we also call that
Path
P
- we also call that
Approach
S
- we also call that
Plans
Mission
To know how to begin, you have to know where you are going. You have to know the target to
know where to aim, where to start. Where we want to end up or “go” determines so much of
how we then proceed in ministry. This destination is what we call mission. Mission is the end
result, the target, our reason for existence, the answer to the question
“___
_ ________ ______ _________ ?”
While each church will uniquely determine the destination God has for them in their Sports
Ministry, when looking at the Scriptures there are four components to a Sports Ministry mission
that seem emphasized. They are
-
To reach people for Christ
Through sports
For the glory of God
Our joy
Examples
XCEL Sports – connecting people with God and each other through sports
OARS - an outreach focused ministry that looks to connect people of all ages in the Annapolis
area with God and one another through a wide variety of traditional and nontraditional sports and
recreation.
Impact Sports - a ministry that connects the community to Christ and one another through sports
Vision
For our purposes, Mission defined the where, the Destination. Vision defines the __what____,
the Path to the destination, how we get to the destination. Vision is the what of the where, the
answer to,
“__
___ specifically will we do to achieve our destination?
In developing this vision, you might want to think more of a descriptive paragraph or a list of
whats. You will want to distinguish yourself here, not only from other ministries, but
specifically from other sports ministries.
5
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
Again, while each church will have a unique vision, there are certain components we think are
critical.
-
-
50/50 Model – 50% believers from SOM/50% non-believers
Relational Outreach as the preferred style - How will the three styles be utilized?
o Proclamation
o Confrontational
o Relational
Evangelism is a process
Team leadership
What sports will you participate in?
What target groups of people will you focus on reaching?
Examples
OARS - We accomplish this (mission) by providing:
* quality programs and coaching
* safe and fun activities
* an emphasis on teamwork, character and sportsmanship
Mission and vision combined begin to extend themselves into the idea of a name and a
motto for the Sports Outreach Ministry.
-
Names are very important in the Bible. They often speak of the person’s destiny.
Name should be non-religious
Name should be intriguing to non-Christians
Some examples
Legacy Sports….playing with purpose!
Encouraging Sports…where sports are about a lot more than winning!
Vision Sports…focusing on the heart of the athlete!
OARS…Outer Annapolis Recreation and Sports
SOAR…putting the fun into fundamentals!
XCEL Sports – Connecting, Encouraging, Leading
P2P Sports – playing with a purpose
Philosophy
Mission answers – WHERE? Vision answers – WHAT? Philosophy is the answer to the
question - _ ___?
“How will we accomplish the Whats we identified in our vision?”
There are three components to your Philosophy
6
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership



Values – these are the biblical foundation of the what’s we have identified
Guidelines – our approach to living out those values
Rules – our boundaries to our approach and our values
Guidelines and Rules answer very practical questions like :
- How are teams chosen?
- Do you keep score?
- What is the goal of participation?
- How are decisions made?
- How will spirituality be developed?
- What is the priority
o Athletic development?
o Self-esteem development?
o Character development?
o Other?
- What do you do when you run out of spaces for participants?
- How does a person become a coach?
- What qualifications does a coach need?
- What is expected of coaches?
- What is expected of parents?
- What will be done with coaches/parents who don’t support these values?
- How will new sports initiatives be added?
- Who will lead the ministry?
- How will leadership team members be selected?
Here are some examples of values that have been used in other SOMinistries:








Each participant is of equal value to God and therefore to the team.
Sports are an excellent way to develop the character of an individual. Such as
Humility
Unity
Wholeheartedness
Perseverance
Patience
Teachability
People grow from an understanding of what they are doing right and where they need to
improve – with the mix of the two slighted toward the former.
People come to know Jesus Christ through a process.
Successful outreach takes place when a person takes the initiative to help a person move one
step closer to Jesus Christ in that process.
Role models deeply affect children. Children need to hear more encouragement because of
all the negativity today.
Winning is more than which team scores the most points.
Parents have the primary influence on developing a child. Supportive peer and non-peer
models play a significant role.
7
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership



The role of the SO Leadership Team is to equip the ECBC participants to fulfill the mission
and vision of the EC SPORTS.
We will start new initiatives when …..
Ministries are best lead by teams.
Here are some examples of guidelines and rules flowing from these values.














The most important role of the coach is that of building relationships with the participants.
Coaches must be trained in doing relational outreach before they can coach.
SERVE Tennis will be led by a team of qualified individuals.
The SERVE Tennis Leadership Team will provide regular equipping and evaluation for
coaches.
We will not field a team with more than 66% Christians.
We will not field a team with less than 25% Christians.
Coaches will strive to be a living representation of the life of Christ to the players.
The league will strive to involve the parents and families as much as possible.
The focus of the game will not be on the score.
The focus of the game will be on developing a winning attitude among all who participate.
Coaches and parents need to be encouraging to the participants.
All players will get equal playing time.
Something about running up the score
We do not encourage or support the running up of scores when one team plays another
who is less competitive. At the same time we do not want to impose a rule that restrict
play and impose burdensome requirements on coaches. The intent is for the coaches to
govern this issue and keep scores in check so that both teams have a positive experience.
Coaches are responsible for….
Here is an example of the MVPs together for OARS.
Mission
* OARS (Outer Annapolis Recreation & Sports) is a new ministry of Riva Trace Baptist
Church looking to connect people of all ages in the Annapolis area with God and one another
through a wide variety of traditional and nontraditional sports and recreation.
Vision
* We are an outreach focused ministry seeking to connect people of all ages in the Annapolis
area with God and one another through a wide variety of traditional and nontradional sports and
recreation.
o * quality programs and coaching
o * safe and fun activities
o * emphasis on teamwork, character and sportsmanship
8
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
Philosophy
1)
Values
* We are a league of encouragement. Coaches, referees and parents play an important role
encouraging all league participants, including one another.
* We are a recreational/instructional league. We teach fundamental skills development in a
loving, safe and encouraging environment.
* We believe, as coaches and administrators of this league, that the dreams and aspirations of
our players are of premium importance.
* We believe that the ?battles? relating to athletic competition are more meaningful and the
lessons learned are longer lasting, when skill levels of opposing players are matched as closely as
possible.
* We play games knowing there is usually a winner and a loser. Our players will be taught to
play the game to win and to have fun while using their God-given talents to the best of their
ability. The lessons of winning and losing will be kept in proper perspective and will be
paramount in our coaching methods.
* We believe in the important elements of good sportsmanship and will teach these values to
our players. Good sportsmanship is defined as being a person who is fair, generous, a good loser
and a gracious winner. This is someone who accepts the rules, plays by them, and wins or loses
by them.
* We are committed far more to developing character in our players than to winning games.
Character counts far more than the scoreboard.
* We are committed to offering the safest and most secure environment possible.
2)
Guidelines
* The most important role of the coach is that of building relationships with the participants.
* Teach initiative will be led by a team of qualified individuals.
* Coaches will strive to be a living representation of the life of Christ to the players.
* The league will strive to involve parents and families as much as possible.
* The focus of the game will not be on the score, but rather on developing a winning attitude
among all who participate.
* Coaches and parents need to be encouraging to the participants.
* Coaches/Counselors must always look out for the safety and security of the kids.
3)
Rules
* Coaches must be trained in doing relational outreach before they can coach
* The leadership team will provide regular equipping and evaluation for coaches
* We will not field a team with more than 66% Christians
* We will not field a team with less than 25% Christians
* All players will get equal playing time
* We don't encourage running up of scores when one team plays another who is less
competitive, but at the same time we don't want to impose a rule that restricts play and imposes
burdensome requirements on coaches
* We will always have someone around who knows first aid and CPR
* We will perform background checks on coaches to ensure safety
9
Sports Outreach Ministry Leadership
Strategy
Now we want to look specifically at the Whos and the Whats, the activities, events, and time
frames of the WHAT and HOW.
This is our Strategy, our Plans.
Assignment
1) Project – Begin thinking about a particular need that your Sports Ministry has related to the
topics we have covered and how you might address that need.
2) Work on your reading of your leadership book.
3) Optional - Read and study Acts 6:1- 7.
a) What is the dilemma here?
b) Who wrestles with the dilemma to develop a solution?
c) What solution is developed for this dilemma?
d) What is the impact of the solution?
e) What principles of leadership do you see operating in this situation?
f) Now take Acts 6 and make it into a SOM story
i) What is the dilemma?
ii) Who wrestles with the solution?
iii) What is the solution?
iv) What is the impact?
4) Gather together whatever you have that outlines your Mission, Vision, and Philosophy and
email it to the instructor and other students.
10