The angels in heaven rejoiced as 71 kids trusted in Christ as their Savior during Stonebriar’s recent summer sports camps.

The four camps—football, soccer, basketball, and baseball/softball—attracted 283 children ages 8 to 13 years. More than half were visitors from the community around Stonebriar. Derrek Engeler, Stonebriar’s director of Sports Outreach, applauded this ratio because a primary camp goal is outreach and evangelism.

 
“We invite 8- to 13-year-olds because they are very receptive to the Gospel,” Engeler said. “Research shows that 68 percent of believers trust Christ at that age.”

Engeler said the camp’s coaches played a crucial role by sharing their faith as they got to know their players.

 
“The kids who trust Christ will always remember the coach who shared the Gospel with them,” Engeler said. Camp coaches are drawn from the ranks of Frisco-area junior high and high school coaches, and a number of Stonebriar high school athletes served as assistant coaches.

Roger Campbell, a veteran sports camp volunteer, loved being called “coach” all week.

“I get to be a mentor, a teacher, a messenger of the Gospel, an encourageer, listerner, role model, and father figure,” Campbell said.  “The greatest part is watching kids trust Christ and then seeing the joy in the eyes of their paterns when they hear the news.”

The other primary camp goal is discipleship. Lessons focused not just on building skills, but also on building character. The kids are taught that the Bible is the “ultimate playbook,” and each day they hear a “chalk talk” on a character trait essential to sports and life—teamwork, respect, effort, and humility.

 
Darren Woodson, former Dallas Cowboys safety, served as guest speaker at the football camp. Engeler said Woodson’s testimony dovetailed perfectly with the fourth character lesson.

“Just before Darren spoke to the kids, we had presented a ‘chalk talk’ on humility,” Engeler explained. “Then Darren came and told them that his three Super Bowls and five Pro Bowls were nothing compared to his relationship with Christ. He was a walking, breathing example of humility.”

Engeler asked the Stonebriar family to pray for the children and families touched by this summer’s camp. He also asked for prayers for SCC staff and ministry partners who are following up with them. For more information on Sports Outreach, call 469-252-5386 or click here to send an e-mail.