December 14, 2004
With many parents in America more apt to take their children to Sunday tournaments over Sunday School, athletics is a fast-growing mission field.
Oklahoma Baptist University is preparing students to help meet the spiritual needs of athletes around the globe through its Sports Ministry major.
The International Sports Federation, which oversees a variety of overseas ministries, will conduct seminars on campus and assist in teaching a course at no cost to OBU.
The sports ministry emphasis allows graduates opportunities in overseas missions, home missions, and ministries in the local church. Many countries that are closed to formal missions are open to athletes and coaches.
In preparation, students in the program will take a wide range of courses. The core classes include legal issues, research, organization and administration of recreation and fitness programs, planning and design of facilities, and the basics of leisure service management.
Courses more specific to the major include, among others, commercial and community recreation, ministry development, field experience and an internship in sports ministry.
Additionally, students should plan to take coursework in evangelism, family ministry, Christian doctrines, youth ministry and Biblical ethics, as well as a mid-level Bible course.