Churches in Columbia are using basketball to bring the Gospel to their communities.

North Trenholm Baptist Church and First Northeast Baptist Church have partnered together to hold Bible Basketball, a ministry that combines the love for the sport with spiritual growth.

“Bible Basketball is the opportunity to bring guys out from the community to play basketball. But the cool thing about it is we get to share the hope we have in Jesus,” Rischard Brown, Student Pastor at First Northeast Baptist Church, said. The Bible Basketball Ministry serves as a model of how ministries can be designed to meet people where they are – in this case, on the basketball court.

Reaching their Communities

Besides providing an opportunity for community members to play basketball, the event also gives an opportunity for participants to hear the Word of Christ. Each meeting begins with a devotion led by different men in the community and a chance for the participants to respond. As a result of this ministry, lives have been changed, individuals have followed through in baptism, and many have joined their local faith communities. “We’ve had ten people say that they want to put their hope and faith in Jesus,” Brown said.

Planting Seeds of Faith

The ultimate goal of the Bible Basketball Ministry is to plant seeds of faith, nurture relationships, and watch as lives are transformed. Whether it’s through baptisms, spiritual growth, or the strengthening of friendships, the impact of this ministry is felt on multiple levels.

Jason Crawley, NextGen Pastor at North Trenholm Baptist Church, said, “What I have seen and my expectation would be that we are continuing to reach into our communities and bring these young men to the feet of Jesus, whether that’s here at North Trenholm or somewhere else.”