“We desire to help the local church develop effective Sports and Fitness ministries which build the church and impact communities.” 

Our primary focus will be to empower the local church leadership; providing vision, resources and training. 

Why Sports and Fitness Ministries in the Local Church? 

First we cannot help but notice the majority of our country is obsessed with sports. Whether you are an athlete, fan, or parent of an athlete, the level of time, energy and commitment towards sports is at an all time high – regardless of age. As the church, we then need to recognize that from a ministry perspective, sports ministries within the local church setting is relevant and has tremendous potential for outreach into the local community – to reach those individuals who feel the church has nothing to offer them. To those individuals who have never, or seldom, stepped inside the doors of a church except for the occasional wedding or funeral. They are not aware of the practical support and life-changing potential found within their neighborhood parish. Sports and fitness ministry is a way to connect with them. Just as the Apostle Paul used the relevance of sports in his era, we too can invite and challenge people to run a race worthy of the training and sacrifice to win the prize that never tarnishes. It also provides the opportunity to see Christians as normal people like themselves who like to play hard and have fun. Within this sports setting, and through the intentional building of relationships, people who once never considered the church as having any relevance to their lives may have their eternities transformed.

Another extremely critical reason for a sports and fitness ministry in the local church is our country’s need to get into better physical shape. Within the American culture, lack of fitness and obesity are becoming epidemic. Each year we publish the statistics of the ‘fattest city in America’. Illness such as diabetes and heart disease are expected to skyrocket in the coming decades and these problems are directly correlated to our lack of fitness. The United States Secretary of Health has encouraged all Americans to eat less and exercise more. As a society we are standing on the precipice of a health crisis. Beyond the threat of physical illness, mental health and quality of life are also in danger as both of these suffer when we neglect to take care of our bodies. The church can step up in a huge way and help to meet this enormous challenge. A Sports and Fitness ministry is a way to encourage people to get into better shape, to support them in their efforts for physical health and to enter into conversations of their spiritual health. If the church is going to be relevant today to those inside and outside of its walls, then this is an area we must address through ministries that are supported and valued by the church and which impact the community.

To provide Vision, Training and Resources to key leaders in and around the local church, to inspire, equip and encourage them in their efforts to build effective sports and fitness ministries.  

• To provide Vision…

• Training…

• Resources…

• To key leaders in and around the local church…

• To inspire, equip and encourage them in their efforts…

• Build effective sports and fitness ministries…

Impact the Community

We see a number of ways in which we will impact the community, but two stand out. 

1. Introducing those who are far from God to the local church community through events, programs and classes which both serves them and provides a bridge for church members to invite them in and build intentional relationships.
2. Making a concentrated effort to be involved in serving the community in the arena of sports and fitness and investing in those key influencers such as the coaches and teachers at all levels of sports, recreation and fitness.

As we partner with the local church (and as local churches extend partnerships with other churches) each church will be brought through a six-step strategy to build a healthy and effective sports ministry.  

1. Envision – To paint a clear picture to the church leadership and their key influencers of the potential and possibilities of a sports and fitness ministry-based program in their church. 
2. Evaluate – To take a close look at individual church needs and evaluate opportunities for sports ministry and create effective strategic plans accordingly.
3. Equip – To recruit and train people, implement systems and develop structures which will prepare the ministry for long-term effectiveness and health.
4. Engage – To lead, assist and coach the ministry in the implementation of their strategic plan.
5. Entrust – To continually transfer the ministry leadership into the hands of the people within the church.
6. Encourage – To provide vision, leadership, training and resources to support the church so they might continue to build prevailing sports and fitness ministries. 

To accomplish the mission of Sports Outreach in the local church many men and women from a variety of ages, interests, giftedness and seasons of life will be needed. The intention would be to build these people into high performing teams – a community with a cause! To accomplish this goal, three important ingredients will need to be present. 

1. Information – We need to effectively communicate the necessary information for our team members to be successful. We need to have a clear understanding of who each person is, what their schedule and season of life is at this time and how God has wired them to serve. We in turn will need to give our team members a clear understanding of the vision and mission of Sports Outreach and clearly define what parts they are being asked to do.

2. Care – We will need to develop a consistent ‘span of care’ for our team members. Every team member, whether they are full-time or serving only a few hours a week, needs to know they are not just serving on a team but that they belong to a community that cares for them. We want our team members to serve not because they have to, or feel obligated to, but because they want to.

3. Training – You don’t ask someone to do something they don’t know how to do – it ends up in either frustration or chaos.  The same principle applies in ministry – we need to train and equip all team members to do their part of Kingdom work. We will need to provide them with the resources and tools to help them with their ministry.

To be financially sustainable means that the overall operating expenses for the ministry are being met by revenue streams through ministry events and resources.  

Extend to a New Church

The model of Sports Outreach is not complete without the investing in, and sponsoring of, another church which is less fortunate financially. The extension church could be down the road or across the globe – it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that a partnership is created so that the overall effectiveness of each ministry relies on the other.  

The Sports Outreach vision is realized when the local church focuses on extending to meet the needs of others. This is the heart of God and also needs to be at the heart of Sports Outreach, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself.”  

The extension church would receive funding and/or support from the sponsoring local church until their own local funding and support was obtained to make the extension church sustainable, thereby allowing them (in turn) to extend to another church less fortunate. 

Keith Cote – Executive Director

Keith is the Executive Director of Sports Outreach Association. He is also a consultant for the Willow Creek Association. With his over 25 years of ministry experience he teaches and trains leaders around the world. He consults on leadership and organizational development and is the author of “Beyond the Game” and co-author of “Vision Moments”. 

Jan Day – Director 

Jan has 16 years of experience in the Fitness industry. She is the director of Sports and Fitness ministry at Community Fellowship Church.  She has served in various roles including Sports Center Senior Manager, Fitness Director, Exercise Physiologist, Personal Trainer and Sports Specific Trainer. Jan received her Masters of Science in Exercise Physiology from Northern Illinois University.

Retha Theron – Operations Director

Kent Graham – Chairman of the Leadership Board 

Kent is a ten-year plus veteran of the NFL, playing with such teams as the New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins, and Jacksonville Jaguars.  Kent played college football at Notre Dame and Ohio State.  

Greg Wittstock – Leadership Board Member 

Greg is the CEO of Aquascape, rated one of Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing companies for the past three years.

Sharon Swing – Leadership Board Member 

Sharon is president of Sterling and Wells Consulting.  

Dave Christensen – Leadership Board Member 

Dave is president of Christensen contractors. 

Steve Connor – Director of Sports Outreach, International   

Steve is the Executive Director of Sports Outreach International.  He is a coach, teacher, NFL Chaplain, international speaker and author.  Steve now serves as Director of an international training school for Sports Ministry and has authored several books including: "NT Sport", "Principles and Practices of Successful Sports Ministry" and "A Sporting Guide to Eternity".  He played in the NFL for the 1984 and 1985 seasons.