For over 50 years sending teams cross-culturally has proven to be an effective means of ministry. It attracts many unchurched people to watch and interact with visiting players.
The basic points to Sending Teams is to recruit, train and fund the trip. The basic points to Receiving Teams is to arrange housing, travel, sports seminar & sports ministry opportunities.
:: Evangelism of spectators
:: Encouragement of national host community in their faithwalk
:: Empowering the local community to do sports ministry
2. What skill level of team CAN you send?
3. find key person who can organize the team
4. Key leader delegates to others
5. Identify reason for going: are you playing on campus? Playing in communities near a church? What churches/para-church are inviting the team?
6. How open can the team be in speaking/sharing the Gospel? How efficient is the follow up?
7. IMPORTANT - pre-tour training in sports ministry, for the culture and situation you will encounter
8. key leader needs to organize - training, travel to country, team leader, coach, discipler/chaplain, physical therapist. Sometimes coach/team leader is same.
2. What level of team do you need?
3. Find key leader who can receive teams
4. Who has responsibility to follow up after the team?
5. Arrange one day seminar with churches explaining how to use sports ministry (not just sending and receiving teams).
6. Find host for seminar
7. Prepare orientation on culture, religion, do's/don'ts
8. Jobs to be done: accommodation for the team? Is there lodging in different cities? Cooking? What literature will be used? What language? Is there a response slip? Bible correspondence course? What materials should they have to distribute? Transportation? Do you have vehicle to get around? Financial needs for key leader?
9. What ministry opportunities do you have? Chapels in schools. Games. Clinics? Prison? Orphanage?
10. One national (for language needs) must be with team at all times to sort out everything!