About Sports Outreach
aiming at the culture shaping arena of sport
Leadership Development and resourcing the church is our focus at Sports Outreach International. Today only 13% of all churches are growing and only 4% of all churches are evangelistic. Today there is a crying need for evangelists and missionaries, people who can think globally and act locally. SOI is committed tor this new generation of leaders. And there are many realities this new generation of emerging leadership must be equipped to face.
For over twenty years we have been involved in sports ministry and we have observed over and over the key to successful ministry is strong, healthy leadership. This development and training is carried out primarily through our global network of the International Sports Coalition. Our emphasis is to globally equip the NGL’s (next generation of leaders).
Meet the Director
Steve Connor
Connor’s extensive experience and in-depth knowledge helps churches and organizations to strategically reach and transform their communities.He loves exploring other cultures and finds the work in the developing world invigorating.
Most of his adult ministry was spent in the United Kingdom helping develop the British national sports ministry, Christians in Sport. Two things defined his time in Europe: a commitment to developing leadership and a passion for writing.
Steve and his family now reside in the United States, basing in Bloomington, Indiana. Much of his time is spent in leadership transformation in more remote or volatile parts of the world.
Connor is a product of ‘Sports Ministry’ after becoming a Christian through the encouragement of his high school coach. He was a Division I scholarship athlete and NAIA All-American. He had a short and un-illustrious career in the NFL (Injured Reserve, three knee surgeries) Chicago Bears 84 and L.A. Rams 85.
He has enjoyed several opportunities as a lecturer, preacher and guest on radio and television. His work has brought him into ministry with: Members of the British Royal Family, Members of Parliament, schools, churches, professional athletes and teams, as well as training to business and civic leaders.
Connor served as NFL Europe Chaplain 1998 – 2004. While in Oxford he also spent much of his time working with University ministries. Steve has enjoyed motorcycle touring in some of the more dicey parts of the world and sailing.
Objectives
Our goal and objective is to train, resource and mobilize churches and ministry organizations to better reach their community for Christ. We have partnered with many churches and ministry organizations to give specific training for strategic mentoring and outreach.
The most satisfying part of SOI’s ministry is seeing potential leaders transformed into great leaders and seeing communities being transformed and individuals growing spiritually.
Funding
Sports Outreach International is a non-profit sports ministry based in Bloomington, Indiana, USA. We always welcome new supporters in any amount.
Books by Steve Connor
Steve has published seven books and bible studies including:
- A Sporting Guide to Eternity, which was short-listed for UK Christian book of the year and has been a Wesley Owen best-seller.
- NT: Sport, a bible/zine which has been developed in four different continents.
Steve also founded the national Sports Magazine: Sports Outreach Scotland.
Why Sports?
Postmodern culture is influencing the way people think, feel and respond. New ways to communicate truth, to defend the faith, to engage the culture and to do church are desperately needed. What’s more, the center of gravity of the Christian Church has shifted. How do we respond to these global and local realities? How do we reach people today in this multi-ethnic and culturally shifting world? The Apostle Paul was always looking for ‘Culturally Strategic Centers’, including Ephesus, Corinth or Rome.
Over half the planet will gather to watch athletes perform in international competitions, almost every community in the world will have youth playing sport – is there a more culturally strategic platform than the phenomenon of sport? Globalization is a reality. In many communities, the multi-ethnic world is already here and the technology media of the West has gone everywhere.
In response to these realities, SOI desires to resource the church and equip leaders to think theologically and act creatively to embody and share the gospel in our contemporary multi-ethnic world.
Why Leadership
In over twenty years of sports ministry our most significant work has been investing in the lives of potential leaders. Many Christian experts say the church is dangerously void of good healthy leadership. We want to be effective in our short time we have at bat. Training leaders hits home-runs!