Vista, California
Valley Bible Church is a small congregation in Vista, CA, with a heart for their community. Like many churches, however, they lack the facility and volunteers to host a major outreach. They reached out to YMI for help with an ambitious project: running a sports camp at a local school.
Valley Bible Church is a small congregation in Vista, CA, with a heart for their community. Like many churches, however, they lack the facility and volunteers to host a major outreach. They reached out to Base for help with an ambitious project: running a sports camp at a local school.
The Base Ministry staff got to work customizing a ministry plan for Valley. Base Sports provided the curriculum and sports instruction, and Base Missions provided the people: a youth group from SeaTac, WA looking to serve in a domestic mission trip. After getting to know the goals of both churches, Base felt confident that these groups would be a perfect fit.
The mission team received custom training in sports ministry and evangelism prior to their trip. When they arrived at Valley Bible Church, the group was ready and excited to help the congregation reach their community. Each member of the team ran drills, led songs, and shared their faith at the 5-day sports camp.
How did Valley Bible Church feel about the partnership?
In the words of a church coordinator, “It was the best thing we have ever participated in!”
Our philosophy of training means real impact for both those going on a trip and those receiving a mission trip. Whether your church is looking to send or receive a ministry team, Base can make your summer ministry a success.
To help churches like Valley Bible Church receive mission team, support the ministry of Base.
To train groups to support churches like Valley Bible Church, click here to volunteer.
Soccer Camp Leads to Church Plant
It’s not uncommon for a church to assemble a team for a sports league; less often does a sports team assemble to form a church.
It’s not uncommon for a church to assemble a team for a sports league...it's far less common for a sports team to plant a church.
In Zimbabwe, a second-division soccer team attended a tournament organized by High Power Sports. They competed against teams from around the region, enjoying themselves as they played together and formed new relationships – including a new relationship with Jesus.
They had all placed their trust in Jesus Christ together, and wanted to go to church together. However, their community didn’t have a church they could join. Rather than give up, these athletes decided to turn an abandoned building into their town’s first church.
The impact of one soccer tournament is still being felt by this community – not only from the transformed lives of the athletes, but by the continuing impact of a church ministering to the community.
Enable High Power Sports to sponsor more life-changing tournaments:
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Lightbulb Gospel
When Toby arrived at the gravesite, his grandpa handed him a lightbulb and said, “You know what to do with this.”
We all have those “lightbulb” moments in life where things just seem to click. We often see these moments in our mission trainings as students confront new perspectives in leadership development, culture, and sharing the gospel…but it’s not often that it involves an actual lightbulb.
One training activity we do is called “gospel improv.” Structured like comedy improv, this activity teaches students how to riff off everyday objects and events to share the gospel. Students use tattoos, water-bottles – yes, even lightbulbs – to start gospel conversations.
Toby is a high school student who signed up for a Go mission trip with his church, but had to leave training early after the gospel improv session to attend his grandmother’s funeral. Toby’s dad arrived early to pick him up, and got the chance to watch his son share the gospel using the painting of a lightbulb.
Toby’s grandpa heard about the gospel improv training and decided Toby was ready to put his training into practice. When Toby arrived at the gravesite, his grandpa handed him a lightbulb and said, “You know what to do with this.”
Mission Differently means quality training for authentic ministry – at home or around the world. Paul wrote concerning the gospel, “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Toby’s training gave him the outlet and the method to share that good news in a way he never expected, and is just one story of how we are empowering youth and developing young Christian leaders who love to share Jesus.
