Soccer + Jesus Christ = True Winners
The BCM Germany field has a heartfelt burden for sharing the gospel in a country with great financial wealth but an equal measure of spiritual poverty. One solution? Using Germany’s fierce loyalty to their national sport as an evangelistic outreach.
That is what happened in Hünfeld August 15, 2009, when enthusiasm for a soccer competition between the city youth center and BCM Germany’s largest church plant, Bibelgemeinde Nordrhön (Bible Church of the North Rhine) grew into a full-fledged local tournament. Six teams participated—one team from the youth center and five church teams, though unchurched players also participated on church teams.
“We saw this as an opportunity to reach out to many young men in Hünfeld and other towns who did not know the Lord,” explains Dale Sigafoos, European Director for BCM. “Our theme of the day was, ‘Who are the only true winners?’”
Good weather and good sportsmanship marked five and one-half hours of soccer games. A grill party packed with food and fellowship time capped off the event. Awarding trophies to first, second and third place teams was followed by the spiritual part of the program. This included an evening devotional and a film about the testimonies of three Brazilian soccer players who are believers in the Lord Jesus. Viewing pictures from the tournament concluded the day’s festivities.
“We are thankful to the Lord for a very blessed day where He was honored and those attending had the opportunity to see our lives lived out for Christ in our actions,” says Dale.
Of Germany’s 82 million population, 70% describe themselves as historically Christian. But less than 10% attend worship services and less than 3% could be categorized as born-again, Bible-believing Christians. More than half of German churchgoers are over the age of 50.
With an aging population, it is critical to reach the nation’s younger generation if Bible-believing churches are to survive, so much of BCM Germany’s outreach effort is directed at the youth. Key elements of BCM Germany’s vision for church growth are friendship and personal testimony. In order to reach Germans for Jesus, believers within the church must lead testimony-in-action lives which glorify God. Make a friend. Be a friend. Bring a friend to Christ.
BCM Germany is headquartered in the Bibelgemeinde Nordrhön church in Hünfeld. Ministry includes Bible Clubs, youth outreaches, men’s and women’s ministries, a children’s ministry to area refugee camps, a Russian-immigrant outreach. The church also houses offices of the Konferenz für Gemeindegründung (KfG), a ministry coalition for planting and developing Bible-believing freie gemeinde, or “free churches,” a term used for any church not sponsored by the government or state-controlled denominations.
Overwhelming feedback from soccer tournament participants is that they are looking forward to having the event repeated. And that makes the day a winner for everyone.
