I have been praying for opportunity to have an open door with the football team here at Virginia Tech. Ever since I have been praying last semester, I started running into the coach more and more. I took advantage of every opportunity God presented by saying, "Hi", shaking his hand and talking to him if that opportunity presented itself. Last week I ran into him in the office area and he said, "You should come check out our practice and see how we look." You better believe I was there. Actually, God graciously opened another door when I went to their practice. As I was parking my car and hanging the parking tag, I saw the head coach walking to practice by himself . As we talked all the way to practice his last comment was, "Make yourself at home." Praise the Lord as He has opened the door there and I plan on continuing to pray and join Christ where He is at work. To Christ be the glory!
--TOM WILLIAMS, Campus Ministry, Blacksburg , VA
Tracey Tarkington and I are facilitating a "Coaches of Mission" group with four collegiate, female coaches. We had our first meeting before the Final Four in Cleveland . It was so cool to see them respond to the feedback they received form their 360 Lite (includes 6 questions they give to people who work around them-people they supervise, peers, their supervisor-to get feedback on what they do well and areas of needed growth) and to work through developing a PDP (Personal Development Plan). I sensed they were encouraged that Tracey and I cared enough about their personal and professional growth to spend intentional time with them. It was a blast!
--STEPHANIE ZONARS, Women's Ministry, Xenia , OH
The time at the FCA breakfast during the NCAA Nationals was great-again. Upon my return to the University of Minnesota campus the next Tuesday, the wrestling coach introduced me to the new football coach who was anxious to meet me. Coach Brewster had been at a wrestling camp when he was in the seventh grade. Watching my brother Ben and I train together in the early 1970's at that camp left a lasting impression upon him. Needless to say, he was impressed with our work ethic. He seemed excited to know that I was doing Bible studies with the wrestlers. I believe that when our new campus staff person arrives, he will find a wide open door for ministry with the Golden Gopher football team!
--JOHN PETERSON, Sports Teams , Comstock , WI
We went to Bryan College , a small Christian college to recruit for AIA Summer Opportunities. We have had the women's soccer coach come to the camps the last two summers, so he has been our lead recruiter. When we arrived on campus he had the baseball coach and his team captains and the volleyball coach already on board to come out to the Colorado camp. Then there was a basketball player from Africa who is interested in coming on full-time with AIA Basketball. We also have a men's soccer player who wants to go back to Africa or the Middle East full-time to reach another religious group with the gospel. Praise God for a fruitful visit! All we did was show up and pick the fruit!
--DAVE TEGELAAR, Campus Ministry, Knoxville , TN
A couple of weeks ago at our Servant Team (for those who lead the movement at UK ) meeting, I was able to air my concerns about too many of our leaders coasting or going through the motions, performing their responsibilities without really thinking (auto-pilot, so to speak). They received what I said to them. We prayed, asked God to lead in and through our lives and set about planning the rest of the semester. In this case, conflict was good. Had we left the problem unchecked, it may have led to complacency, stagnation, and ultimately, the slow death of our movement.
--BRET NATHANIEL, Campus Ministry, Lexington , KY
On March 29 th we had Hunter Smith (punter for the NFL-Champion Indianapolis Colts) come to Ball State for an outreach. He brought part of his band ("Connersvine") and played music in place of the weekly meeting on campus. He also gave an extended version of his faith story and related to the students, revealing how they, too, could have a relationship with God. He really connected with our students as he shared about his college career and his experiences in the NFL. An estimated 550 students came to the meeting and 31 indicated decisions for Jesus Christ. Many more people desired additional information and will be contacted by staff and students within the AIA and/or CCC ministries on campus. It was a great event!
--ERIC KNODEL, Campus Ministry, Muncie , IN
Three of our student leaders (Molly, Rubin and Carjay) were able to speak during a local church's Upward Basketball program. All three did a great job of sharing about their relationship with Jesus Christ. After the talk, more than ninety kids came to our table and talked with the athletes. We gave out hundreds of posters and testimony cards that the athletes signed. It was unbelievable to see the kids mob the athletes. It again showed the platform athletes have to impact the world with the gospel.
--ERIC PHILLIPS, Campus Ministry, Knoxville , TN
Jon Kitna (Detroit Lions' quarterback) came and spoke at our weekly meeting twice this month. We had nearly 60 students in attendance. He shared the gospel and six women indicated a decision for Jesus Christ. I am still following up with the girls to learn more of their level of interest in getting involved with AIA at here at Michigan . We needed something like this to get more people at our weekly meeting. One week we had 12 students (two men), the next meeting we had 60 (and nearly half of those students were guys). I met 10-12 new female athletes during those meetings. This is encouraging because this month I didn't have a lot of new evangelistic appointments, but I am seeing a few students really develop a vision for how they can share Christ with others and leave a legacy.
--DEE HAMMONS, Campus Ministry, Ann Arbor , MI