Using Sports For Outreach

Elder Bob Miles

My wife Faye and I have been involved with Bob Johnston and his sports ministry since about 1996 when Bob was with Athletes in Action. At that time we were involved with a couple of baseball camps in Pickering. This soon developed into over 20 camps around the province of Ontario including, baseball, soccer, basketball, and floor hockey.

Bob has been involved with Scripture Union since 2005, (hence the name SU Sportz), and the programs have expanded to include not only summer camps, but hockey programs throughout the winter and the Real Deal Leadership program in partnership with Durham Christian High School.

The goal of this ministry is first and foremost to reach souls for Christ. The method is by helping churches build relationships with children and their families through sports.

Faye and I love sports and have always been involved in sports of some sort, since leaving high school, (just a few years ago). When we saw what Bob was doing through AIA, we immediately realized that this was a great way for us to get involved in Christian outreach. There are few better ways to get to know people than through sports, especially when you have a program that is non-threatening and can only help their children. The motto for AIA was “Victory Beyond Competition”. The lead organization may have changed, but the philosophy has stayed the same, Christ first.

Faye and I have both helped out at the summer camps and have seen first hand how well Bob and his staff relate to the kids that get involved. We have seen transformations of young people that have gone from being the camp’s trouble maker in their first year, to becoming incredible leaders, working and teaching those who have followed behind them. This can only be attributed to the wonderful grace of God and we are thankful that God is using this ministry as a vehicle to facilitate these changes.

We have had the opportunity to have some of the summer staff stay in our home and it’s exciting to see how their lives have changed over the years and how they are taking their own ministry to different levels. As I think back, our part of this ministry has been very minor. In fact the joy that we have received far surpasses anything that we have put in.

I believe that it is critical for churches to come along side ministries like SU Sportz. We need to show the community around us that we are more than just a bunch of people that get together for church on Sunday. More importantly, we have an obligation to share “The Good News”, with the world. What better way to do that, than through organizations like SU Sportz that have already laid the ground work and have the vehicle in place to reach people and address their needs in a practical and enjoyable way?