These past 12 months have been phenomenal for me personally as I have witnessed the global growth of Sports Chaplaincy first hand.
· Our email network of sports chaplains and sports mentors has grown significantly and I really enjoy sending these weekly notes to hundreds around the world.
· In July, I made a trip to Jamaica and worked with dear friends in training sports chaplains for their sport communities. They now continue to do further training with the books we left in country. http://www.unitedcaribbean.com/hope.html
· In October, I was privileged to speak to and do training with the best developed network of sports chaplains on the planet – Sports Chaplaincy Australia. http://www.sportschaplaincy.com.au/
· In November I met with the International Sport Coalition’s Serving the People of Sport Coalition and we further grew our global network of sports chaplains and sports mentors. http://www.servingthepeopleofsport.net/
· I am now anticipating a trip to Singapore in January to work with our friends there to help train sports chaplains for that country, for others in Southeast Asia and for the Youth Olympics to be held there in 2010. http://www.singapore2010.sg/night/index.htm
· I’ve been in conversation with men and women in the world of academia who are seeking to add their expertise to the world of sports chaplaincy in the USA.
· I’ve been hearing from others across the USA who are feeling the same sense of God’s movement in relation to sports chaplaincy and we’re trying to hear clearly what our Lord wants for it.
All these factors lead me to ask some questions of those of you who are in the USA about helping to develop a network which would provide training, certification and ongoing resourcing and encouragement to sports chaplains around the country. The model we see in Sports Chaplaincy Australia would seem to be a great fit in the USA and this network would probably be very similar to that one.
If you’re reading this from beyond the borders of the USA, please pray for us as we seek to grow and develop Sports Chaplaincy as well as you have.
Please take a moment and reply to this questionnaire. Your insights and opinions can help us discern whether such a network is ready to develop or if it’s still a few years away. Please reply to lipe@earthlink.net. Thanks very much.
1. Would you participate in a course of training which would result in an official certification of your qualifications as a sport chaplain? Yes or No?
2. Would you lead others in your organization or within your influence to participate in such a course? Yes or No?
3. Would you be willing to pay a nominal annual fee for participation in a national network of sports chaplains? Yes or No?
4. What amount would be the most your would annually invest in such a network? $50 $100 $150 $250
5. Would you participate in annual national or regional meetings of sports chaplains for ongoing training, networking, encouragement and resources? Yes or No?
6. How great a deterrent would it be to such a network if it had any particular Sports Ministry’s name on it? (Choose one.) None A little A lot I would simply not participate
7. How important would it be to you for this network to include sports chaplains from a wide variety of different sports, different sports ministries and church affiliations? Not at all A little A lot It must be so
8. Would you like to be involved in the formation and establishment of such a network’s course of training and structure? Yes or No?
9. Would you like to serve as a member of an Advisory Board of Sport Chaplains for such a network? Yes or No?
10. Please indicate any or all of your affiliations in sports ministry from the list below.
a. Athletes in Action
b. Fellowship of Christian Athletes
c. Chaplains Roundtable (Charlotte, Indy or Lansing)
d. International Sports Coalition
e. Motor Racing Outreach
f. World Span
g. Hockey Ministries International
h. Baseball Chapel
i. Nations of Coaches
j. Champions for Christ
k. Church Staff ___________________________________ (name)
l. University or seminary ____________________________ (name)
m. Other _________________________________________ (name)
11. Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Your name and contact information: ___________________________________________________________________
Thanks once again for your valuable insight as we try to discern the Lords’ will re: Sports Chaplaincy in the USA.
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