“It doesn’t matter if you’re athletic or not, you can get out there and have fun,” says Chinnis. “It’s a good way to meet people while getting a bit of exercise.”

Charleston Baptist Church has about 400 members. Chinnis found that a lot of members knew one another’s faces but not their names. 

“It was a lot of saying ‘hi’ in the hallway, but that’s not much of an in-house reach,” he says.

Chinnis thought if he could get folks onto a pickleball court, a kinship would follow, so in August of 2022, he started setting up pickleball nets at the church and inviting folks to play. 

Initially, 20 to 30 people came out; over time, that number has grown to 70. Chinnis is pleased by the wide range of demographics the game attracts as Charleston Baptist sees people from children as young as nine to 80-year-olds who play regularly.

“Any age can play, but if you’ve got a background in tennis, ping-pong, badminton or racquetball, then you’ll learn to love this game,” says Chinnis. “And because there is not as much running as in tennis, it’s a good game for people to get to know each other.” 

People at the church gather for games and, midway through, have a three-minute devotion. When they aren’t playing, they sit and talk. The church uses pickleball both for in-house reach and outreach as members invite friends and neighbors to come play. Some church families have taken the idea home and elected to put up a net in their driveway or street.

“People come over to play, and that activity sparks conversations and builds relationships,” says Chinnis. “Hopefully some of them will attend church and learn more about Jesus.”

More Sports Ideas »

Check out more sports-related outreach ideas.

Children who are active in sports have better health, more positive self-esteem and a lower risk of negative influences. But the 500 kids involved in Upward Basketball and Cheerleading at Centreville United Methodist Church (CUMC) in Virginia also have the chance to learn about God.

Children in kindergarten through sixth grade can join a basketball team or a cheerleading squad for a season that runs January through March. Volunteer coaches lead team devotions on biblical virtues and emphasize character development by awarding stars for positive actions and attitudes. Referees lead pregame prayer.

“This program gets everyone—kids and adults—so excited,” says Zach Ayers, the new league director. “Everybody comes together as one to celebrate each child.”

The church’s program is a partner ministry of Upward Sports, a Christian youth sports provider serving more than 2,000 churches and 500,000 children nationwide. According to Ayers, approximately one-third of the student athletes are from CUMC, one-third from other churches and the remainder are unchurched.

“We love the smiles on the kids’ faces when they score a basket, and we celebrate with them,” says Referee Commissioner David “Hoop” Hoopengardner of the program’s all-for-one attitude. “That’s pretty cool when you think about it—when’s the last time you saw a referee celebrate with a player?”

After each game, players and cheerleaders are individually acknowledged at post-game huddles. Teams have pancake parties, if they play early in the morning, or pizza parties in the afternoon.

CUMC has an English as a Second Language class and lets other churches use its facilities, but the sports program remains the most popular.

“A kindergartener may go to the free-throw line and make a shot and everyone gives him a standing ovation,” Ayers says. “The look on his face is priceless.”

Find more children’s outreach ideas »

CENTREVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Centreville, Virginia
Centreville-UMC.org

Some would argue that the church should not cave in to social pressure, and have nothing to do with the “big game.” But is there a better way to look at this media event that will be seen by about 115 million viewers around the country? Is it possible that churches can use the Super Bowl as an outreach event that will have an impact on someone who might normally never set foot in church? There are some simple tools that your church can use to bring the gospel into a Super Bowl event.

No Bait and Switch

Let me begin by making it clear that I do not believe in getting people to your church, or into your home, and surprising them. I think they should know, up front, that you will be watching the game. But let them know that you will take some time to watch a testimony video. Let them know when that will take place—for example, at halftime or after the game. Invite friends and co-workers with the understanding that this is a church event.

You might be surprised to find that some people are actually interested in that. They might welcome a “nonthreatening” environment to learn more about God and mix with some “church people.”

A Super Bowl party can certainly be a great time to show off the church’s hospitality, so don’t hold that hostage, either. Don’t say, “We’ll let you have some snacks after you fill out a visitor card.” Instead, give the party an open, welcoming atmosphere, especially for someone who has never been to your church before. Bring out the best food and desserts. Make sure that you engage them in conversation as well. Don’t separate newcomers from the regulars.

Don’t oversell the event, either. Don’t tell your guests, “Church is like this every Sunday!” Maybe the family environment is present, and maybe you have great snacks, but make it clear that this is a special event. You want them to check out church, but ultimately that’s not the point. You want to introduce people to Jesus.

Time for Testimony

Perhaps the best method to reach people with the gospel is with a personal testimony. There is nothing like someone sharing how Christ has transformed them and changed their life. Since Super Bowl is about football, having a player, or former player, tell their story is a great way to engage people with the gospel.

Do you have someone in your church who has been there? Is there a player who has a great testimony who you can get to speak? That would be the best connection. How many people might come to a Super Bowl gathering at your church if they knew an NFL pro was going to speak? You might be surprised—someone might be looking for a little nudge to get them to step up and share. They don’t have to be slick and polished. They just have to have a relationship with Christ that is real. In fact, slick and polished may actually turn some people away.

But, what if your church or community doesn’t have a professional athlete who can share? Or you can’t get someone on such short notice? Fortunately, there are a lot of resources online that you can utilize for this very purpose. Here are a few choices:

Football Sunday (footballsunday.com). NFL player Benjamin Watson is hosting this year’s video that will include several active players, including some who will be playing on Sunday. The resources are available on Life.Church’s open network. The video and resources are free, but you’ll need to register.

Men ReWired (menrewired.com). Also free, this is a video from this men’s ministry resource page. The program is called “ReWired Half-Time Adjustment.” It features former players Abraham Wright and Kenyatta Wright. Look in the video section of the web site.

I Am Second (iamsecond.com). This web site is well known for its testimony videos of people in the white chair. If you search “football,” you’ll get about 10 testimonies, including former coach Tony Dungy who has been outspoken about his faith. The videos are free for church use, but they are short, so you may want to use a couple.

Best Timing

When is the best time to have the testimony, or play the video, at your Super Bowl party? Most of the produced programs are made to fit into halftime. Halftime is extended for the Super Bowl and lasts just about 15 minutes. This year that may be a good option because the headliner for the halftime show is Lady Gaga, who is known to give some “less than family-friendly” performances.

Remember that it’s not too late to get the outreach going. You can use one of the downloadable video options mentioned and connect with your church via social media. If you are already planning a get-together, encourage your group to invite someone who doesn’t normally go to church. But first, pray and ask God who he might touch this year though a Super Bowl outreach.

Jeff Chaves is a freelance writer and pastor. He has been married to Peggy for more than 32 years, and they have four children. He is the pastor of Northpointe Community Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.

1. Rename it “SuperGoal Sunday” and have a high-attendance day.

January church attendance can be challenging (especially if your part of the country experiences frigid temperatures and wintry weather). Setting a high-attendance goal (hence the name “SuperGoal Sunday”) gives churches and groups something to shoot for early in the new year. And a high-attendance goal on this special day of the year can be fun—people can wear the jerseys of their favorite teams, the sermon can be crafted to include references to football, and decorating in a football theme is easy (every party-supply store will carry lots of football-themed merchandise that is economical and can be reused next year). This is simply another way to reinforce the importance of being connected to a “team” (a Bible-study group).

2. Encourage groups to host Super Bowl fellowships.

Many churches already do this, but because they’ve done it for a long time, “Super Bowl fatigue” sets in and groups often are increasingly resistant to hosting parties on this night. Constantly remind people why you’re asking them to host a party: to help new people connect to a group, to allow “associate members” (those who teach a kid or student group) to have adult fellowship time with your group and to give everyone else in the group a chance to hang out and deepen friendships. It’s not about watching the game per se. To help younger families, the church will need to provide childcare, or childcare vouchers, to families with kids through sixth grade.

3. Host a tailgate party right after church.

While the church meets for Bible study and worship, servant leaders can set aside a section of the parking lot, back up their trucks, and grill hotdogs and burgers. When the church dismisses, lunch is ready. Ask Bible-study groups to provide the side dishes and/or drinks. The church can provide the meats, plates and utensils. Simply ask families to bring a lawn chair and enjoy the free meal. Of course, your part of the country may be extremely cold, so consider moving the eating inside to a fellowship hall, foyer or classrooms. What goes better with football than a good tailgating event?

Find more winter outreach ideas »

Ken Braddy is the manager of adult ongoing Bible studies at LifeWay Christian Resources. He blogs about small groups and Bible studies at KenBraddy.com.

1. Organize a running club and train for the race, giving people the opportunity to invite co-workers, friends from the gym, etc., to join the group.

2. Sponsor a team, and outfit runners and workers with team shirts.

3. Provide a relief station along the race route. Pass out custom water bottles, quick cups of water for serious runners and portable water dishes for family pets.

4. Shoot photos of groups before, during and after the race. Provide cards directing them to your church website to download pictures free of charge.

5. Offer to be the cleanup crew and pick up debris, clean bathrooms, etc.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2010 issue of Outreach magazine.

Check out more sports-related outreach ideas.

Gus Martin and Todd Taylor, members of the congregation who volunteer to oversee the paintball ministry, have entrusted the operation to the youth group, and the kids have banded together to invite players, run events and build relationships.

The biweekly games cost half the price of virtually every other local paintball venue and attract those who might not excel at traditional athletics.

Martin has seen shy kids come alive and grades improve dramatically. One parent sought church elders to share her gratitude after leaders encouraged and included her son on the field.

Martin and Taylor realize their unconventional sports ministry may raise eyebrows, but that’s OK with them.

“The idea was to find a way to build real relationships and interact with people who might not otherwise come to church,” Martin says.

A version of this article originally appeared in the November/December 2009 issue of Outreach magazine.