A Sports Camp in Ivory Coast
A team to Ivory Coast used Base Sports camp curriculum to reach a young Muslim man with the gospel.
A church group traveled to Ivory Coast on mission. Initially, they prepared a sports camp for younger kids, and decided to use our High Power curriculum.
When they arrived, the host church had already arranged a high school sports camp. In short notice, the team was able to adjust the curriculum. Over 70 high school students from the community came to the camp. The team met K., who was a great soccer player and natural leader – and also a Muslim. He enjoyed himself, despite being at a Christian event. The team sensed something different about K. After sharing the gospel with him, however, the team wasn’t sure if he would be back.
Later on in the trip, the team ran a kid’s camp for over 100 kids. They noticed K. was hanging out on the sidelines, wanting to join in but hesitant…what would people say if they knew he was at a Christian event? But, the team asked him to help out with the skills sessions – and he jumped right in. The kids looked up to K, and he enjoyed sharing one of his passions.
At the end of the trip, the team was sharing at a church service. One of the team members had to excuse themselves due to sickness, and saw K. standing outside under a tree, trying to decide if he should go inside. The team welcomed him in, and he stayed the entire service, following along in his New Testament and hearing the gospel again.
Joël, the team leader, had this to say about his experience:
"It was such a privilege for us to be able to run this soccer camp and share with these kids. I wanted to thank you, and I know I speak not only for myself but for the entire team. The curriculum truly was a great tool to get us where we needed to be, and the players were receptive to the message we had."
We don’t know how God is continuing to work in K’s life, but we’re continuing to pray that he will come to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Through sports ministry, a church in Ivory Coast has reached a young man who may never have heard the gospel otherwise. Imagine the people you can impact in your community through sports.
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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.
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Sports Ministry Grows in Brazil
It was so popular that even adults from the neighborhood came to participate. The church responded by hiring a sports and youth pastor to handle the new, vibrant ministry.
Located in the mountains outside the bustling metropolis of São Paulo, Brazil, lies a smaller town called Atibaia. In 2008, Youth Missions International sent a high school mission team to work with a missionary in this city.
During their time, the team partnered with a church called Primeira Igreja Batista de Atibaia Imperial (PIBAI). This was a church plant off a larger church located in a more affluent part of town. The smaller congregation was slowly making connections in their community, but dealing with vandalism from the local teenagers.
The team helped PIBAI run their first ever sports camp. The week started with a handful of kids, but as the week went on, word about the camp began to spread. Street children attended, and the very kids who were vandalizing the church were now hearing the Gospel.
It was so popular even adults from the neighborhood came to participate. The church responded by hiring a sports and youth pastor to handle the new, vibrant ministry.
After the week of camp and our team’s return home, the church continued to open its doors to run soccer ministry one night a week. Word spread throughout the community. One night quickly turned to two, which became three! In a relatively short amount of time, PIBAI was offering soccer ministry almost every night of the week and Sunday morning. It was so popular that even adults from the neighborhood came to participate. The church responded by hiring a sports and youth pastor to handle the new, vibrant ministry.
The mission team, led by young people who said, "yes" to mission and were trained, helped a church reach out to their community. As a result, children and whole families were changed as they committed their lives to Jesus.
To support more communities like Atibaia grow in their connection to Christ, click here:
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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.