One day, while watching their daughter, Kaitlyn, participate in a basketball game at an area church, a dream was birthed in the heart of Pastors Russell and Beverly Hylton of Bethel Family Worship Center in Indianapolis, IN. They each saw an opportunity to connect with families within their community and share the gospel message through the use of an unusual medium: sports. On their way home from the game, Russell and Beverly shared with one another that, should their church ever be blessed with the necessary facilities, they would one day use basketball and sports as a tool to reach their community.
Over the next few years, BFWC would experience much growth. Crowds eventually grew so large that the leadership of the church began exploring the church’s options for new facilities that could accommodate the needs of their growing congregation. After much searching and time spent in prayer, a beautiful church campus was located and purchased only 1.4 miles away from BFWC’s existing property. In the summer of 2008, the congregation of Bethel Family Worship Center moved to its brand new campus at 24 S. Lynhurst Drive in Indianapolis. This new property would come with more than enough space, FOR THE TIME BEING! Plans are already in place for expansion as BFWC continues to reach Indianapolis with the good news of Jesus Christ. To God be the glory!
Once the move and subsequent renovation was completed, God began to remind Pastor Hylton and his wife, Beverly, of the dream that had been planted in their hearts during their daughter’s basketball game many years before. The new BFWC campus would house a full-size gymnasium, which would be the perfect facility from which to base a thriving sports ministry. Pastor and First Lady Hylton began to pray about how God could use their new campus to reach the families of their community through a dynamic sports ministry. Little did they know that while they were praying, God was raising up a leader within the house to lead this ministry.
One day, a gentleman in the congregation named Andy Carpenter asked Pastor Hylton if he could share something about which God had been speaking to him. Andy and his wife, Lisa, had been attending BFWC for quite some time, and had been praying about how they could be more involved in their church. Andy works as a football coach at one of the high schools in the area. He began to share his dream with Pastor Hylton to start and lead an Upward Sports League at BFWC. Upon hearing this, Pastor Hylton’s spirit leaped, knowing that God was at work and prayers were being answered.
Upward Sports is a community outreach program that has grown into the largest Christian-based sports league for children in the world. In the 2012 season, nearly 550,000 children in grades K-6 participated in basketball, soccer, flag-football, or cheerleading through one of over 5,000 leagues and camps. By providing a fun sports experience based on healthy competition, Upward Sports Leagues help kids develop skills for the sports arena and values for life. Upward Sports uses the universal language of sports to connect with kids at a critical age and help them discover and build athletic skills, values, self-confidence, and a life-long love of the game. (Source: www.upward.org)
In the fall of 2008, BFWC launched its first season of Upward basketball and cheerleading. Beginning with a team of only 20 volunteers, they opened the league to only 2nd and 3rd grade children. The idea was to start with that age group so the church could get a feel for how the program operated. When the season began, 60 children were registered for basketball and cheerleading. Since those humble beginnings in 2008, BFWC has seen its program grow tremendously. The group of people that started as a team of only 20 volunteers has grown into an army of over 100 strong. Furthermore, the league that began with only 60 children in 2nd and 3rd grade has now boomed to over 220 children ages 4 years old to 6th grade. Something that started as a simple dream in the heart of a pastor, watching his daughter play basketball, has now been fulfilled in the form of children playing basketball in the gymnasium at his church. In 2011 the sports ministry at BFWC expanded and now offers a Flag-Football league as well. Using the field on the church’s campus, BFWC has found yet another avenue to use every square inch of their campus for the advancement of the kingdom of God.
When BFWC launched its sports ministry, what really began was a commitment to use the resources with which God had entrusted them as a tool to reach their community. Instead of using their facilities for just the people inside the church, they’ve opened them up for the world outside of the church. In doing so, the church has been exposed to individuals who don’t always possess an understanding for what it means to have a reverence for the house of God. However, according to Pastor Hylton, that’s just fine with him.
During a recent conversation regarding the Upward Sports Ministry at BFWC, Pastor Hylton was asked how the church had adapted to opening its doors to unchurched people, knowing that it could lead to potential wear and tear on their facilities. “We’re the Church; this is just a building,” said Pastor Hylton. “I would rather wear this building out with students and children and families coming through the door who don’t yet know Christ than to have people come to church once a week on a Sunday morning in a clean environment.” Pastor Hylton’s favorite story to illustrate this point is what he often refers to as “the Cigarette Story.”
During one of the first basketball seasons at BFWC, as unchurched people began to attend the games and the practices, one of Bethel’s Upward volunteers, Lisa Carpenter (who is also the wife of Director Andy Carpenter) noticed that people had been smoking outside one of the main entrances to the building. This naturally resulted in there being a collection of cigarette butts by one of the most trafficked entrances to the church. Sis. Lisa was so concerned that someone may get mad or offended at the sight of cigarette butts on the ground at the church, so she frantically began sweeping and cleaning up the mess. Pastor Hylton saw her working feverishly and walked up to her. Before he could even say a word, she immediately began apologizing and expressing her remorse over the fact that people had been smoking on the church property. Pastor Hylton smiled at Lisa and said, “I would rather have cigarette butts on the ground than no people at all walking through the doors. Those cigarettes are just proof that people who need Jesus are here at our church!” This perspective has infiltrated the DNA of Bethel Family Worship Center to the point that cleaning up a mess is no longer viewed as a burden, but rather a privilege, because it’s proof that lost people are walking through the doors.
The heartbeat of the outreach efforts of Bethel Family Worship Center’s Upwards Sports Ministry is to spread the love of Jesus through the simplest of things—a game.
Each Saturday during basketball season, thousands of people pour onto the BFWC Campus to watch their children play or cheer for a game, but something much more significant is going on whether they realize it or not. During halftime of every game, a member of BFWC’s leadership team comes to center court to share a half-time devotion with the audience. This opportunity is used to share a message of hope with everyone in attendance. In that moment, seeds are planted that eventually will result in people coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Family members may arrive with the intention of watching their child play a basketball game, or to hear their daughter cheer, but in reality, they’re really being brought in to hear about Jesus and to be shown the love of God. This is outreach!The children who participate in Upward are the highlight of the program. They are the reason the program exists. The focus of the game is not on the scoreboard, but on the individual child. The motto of Upward is, “Every child plays, every child learns, and every child wins.” BFWC is putting that philosophy into practice every week. Each child plays the same amount of time in each game, whether they score the most points or not! Each child is treated like they are an NBA superstar when they run through the tunnel and onto the court and have their name announced by the public address announcer. Each child feels important. Each child is important.
Because of the way BFWC’s program has grown, it has required the enlistment of more volunteers. What could be viewed as a challenge has become a new opportunity for BFWC to reach people who don’t currently attend their church. Many of the referees and coaches who volunteer in the league are parents of children who don’t attend BFWC. During the final celebration ceremony of the season in 2012, one of those volunteer coaches came forward to accept Christ for the first time!
Since 2008 well over 50 people have made BFWC their home church as a direct result of the Upward Sports Ministry.
On Super Bowl Sunday of 2012, a single mother and her three children were together after accepting Christ as a direct result of the children playing basketball at Upward! Every Saturday, Vanessa Crow volunteers as a faithful member of BFWC; however, she first came to watch her son Dylan play basketball. Stories like these could continue for hours, all because one church was willing to find an unusual way to use their resources for the gospel’s sake.Now in its fifth season, the Upward Sports Ministry at Bethel Family Worship Center is now more committed than ever to using this program to make a difference in their community. BFWC has experienced their registration numbers increase in each season, and believe God for an even greater harvest of souls in 2013.
Perhaps you are reading this story of one church’s desire to use their resources to impact their community and have questions of how you could do the same. Bethel Family Worship Center gladly extends to you an invitation to contact them for ways your church can employ a similar strategy in your community. For more information on Bethel Family Worship Center’s Upward Sports Ministry, email them at sportsministry@bfwc.net.
Also, for more information regarding the Upward Program, visit www.upward.org/connect.
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