Two years ago, a few of us from SDBC began playing the fastest growing sport in North America: pickleball. Pickleball is often described as a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Initially, we wanted to have some fun in a friendly environment, as well as get some exercise. With everyone learning how to play all at the same time, we had some pretty good laughs. Word of mouth spread and our numbers grew quickly, to the point where we introduced another evening to accommodate the people coming out each week.
Today, we have seven sessions each week, with over a hundred people attending on a fairly regular basis. 75-85% of these players do not attend our church, with a large percentage of those not attending any church at all. God has given us an incredible opportunity to break down barriers of the unchurched entering a church environment. He has opened up doors for us to develop relationships with so many wonderful people in our community and to expose them to evangelistic opportunities like Alpha, Men’s Breakfast, and other SDBC events. We encourage our church members to reach out to friends, family, and neighbours by inviting them to participate in this fun activity.
When asked to write a “God Story,” I didn't think we would be able to point to a specific example of how God is working. We do know that we have met some wonderful people coming through our gym doors who God loves deeply. We often hear that it is a welcoming, friendly community and we have developed many new friendships. We are in our infancy as a sports ministry, but we trust that God is working through us. We don’t know how God will use this ministry, but we do know He loves each person coming through our doors. We are building relationships by coming alongside those we meet. We love them like Jesus.
We would appreciate your prayers and would love you to partner with us in this ministry of SDBC. For more information please click here. If you would like to get involved, please contact Dave Sowerby.
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