An avid hunter, Ron Brent thought he knew what to expect when fellow outdoorsmen gathered to boast of their bounty.
He envisioned a rowdy crowd where the fish tales became more unrealistic with every beer gulped. What he found was a group of hunters more interested in being fishers of men.
"I saw men who weren’t drinking, and they weren’t cussing, and they were having a great time," Ron says. "I left knowing they had something I didn’t have. Three months later, I became a Christian."
Ron is now pastor of global evangelism at Hebron Baptist Church in Dacula, Georgia, an outlying suburb of Atlanta. The church sponsors an annual wild game dinner to appeal to people like Ron who was unchurched when co-workers invited him to the dinner. Now the event is held at the county fairgrounds and draws about 3,500 people. In addition to a menu of deer, rattlesnake, elk, ostrich and alligator, the program features sports figures who share their faith.
Each year about 200 people make professions of faith at the dinner. Afterward, church members visit the new Christians and those who have expressed interest in Christianity or church involvement.
The wild game dinner is a time-consuming production requiring year-round planning and efforts of countless volunteers. But using hobbies and special interests as avenues to share Christ does not have to be so elaborate. It can be as simple as riding a bike.
The racing reverend
John Stockstill, youth minister at South City Southern Baptist Church in Wichita, Kansas, realized teenagers in his community spent their time at a bicycle motocross track. He decided to visit the track with church students and invite their friends to church. The teenagers talked him into joining their sport, and he is known now as the "Racing Reverend."
John, 31, was hospitalized one weekend last year after crashing in a race. His only serious loss, however, was a broken helmet.
John also teaches math full time at a local high school. Though being involved in motocross racing eats at his free time, John says it’s worth it. Four or five previously unchurched racers now regularly attend church at South City.
The motocross sport involves racing one-gear bikes on a dirt track through obstacles, jumps and turns. Racers are grouped by age and skill, meaning it can be a family affair. Racers win points in local and national events. Points are tallied at the end of the March-to-November season.
To minister to spectators, John and the church youth created "Bicycle Messengers for Christ" or BMX. At local races, the group sets up a tent to distribute water, T-shirts and Christian music CDs.
Ron Brent, the hunter, is involved in a similar ministry through karate. Rather than sitting on the sidelines, Ron took up the sport and has earned a black belt. The church has a karate team that does demonstrations to the song "The Champion" which highlights Jesus’ victory over Satan. The team does karate stunts such as breaking boards with their hands as attention-getters. Then team members share the gospel. More than 100 people have accepted Christ through the ministry.
If bike racing and board splitting don’t appeal to you, take heart. Any hobby you enjoy can be evangelistic.
Making memories
Michele Gerbrandt turned her hobby of making scrapbooks into a business venture by founding "Memory Makers" magazine and "Punch Your Art Out" books. But it’s more than a business for her.
Working with someone on a scrapbook points the conversation to personal issues about how Christ works in our lives. A newlywed, for example, might make a scrapbook of how she met her husband, or a mother could chronicle a family vacation.
Michele encourages Christians to include scripture in their scrapbooks. The verses can be a discussion starter for people looking at the book. Pages can also include events such as baptisms or mission trips. When a fellow scrapbooking hobbyist asks, "What are you working on?" you have the perfect opportunity to talk about your faith.
Scrapbooks can also be instruments of healing. A woman Michele knows suffered the death of a baby. Six months later, Michele offered to help the woman make a scrapbook to remember the child’s life. "You can offer help with that. You offer hope through that."
Women working on crafts together are the modern-day equivalent of a quilting bee, Michele says. Her church, Crossroads Baptist in Northglenn, Colorado, regularly hosts a craft night. People come to share ideas for all kinds of projects, from needlework to cross-stitch. It brings people from all walks of life to the church, she says, including people who may not come to church for a Bible study or worship service.
A hobby can be used to build relationships with non-Christians if you view it as an evangelistic opportunity.
Hunting for a hobby
If you don’t have a special interest but would be willing to try something new as an outreach activity, just look around. "Find out where the people are. Whatever it is, God can be involved in it too," adds John Stockstill, the motocross enthusiast. "Find out what people are into and meet them where they are."
A community’s interest will vary and change. When Hebron Baptist Church began the wild game dinner 11 years ago, the church was in a nearly rural community. Many members enjoyed hunting and fishing. With the area becoming more suburban, the church has begun evangelistic golf tournaments. Teams of four play in the tournament. Church members participate, but the aim is for each team to include at least one non-Christian. Golfers are treated to lunch and a gospel presentation before the tournament. The program gives participants something to discuss as they play 18 holes.
Follow up is important so always include a feedback form for group events, stresses Ron Brent. The form should include ways for people to indicate if they have made a profession of faith, if they want to know more about Christ or if they want information about a church. The form can also be used for participants to register for door prizes that gives them an incentive to fill out the form.
Lynn Stevens is a writer living in Zaire.
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