Football & Faith or God & Beloved Game

Volume 12 Issue 2
Football & Faith or God & Beloved Game

Sitting on the couch that Sunday just the kids and I (flu struck our house), with the TV turned on and
tuned into the Super Bowl, I marveled. Football has a following especially on Super Bowl Sunday. An occasion for people to gather; feasting on salty and sweet snacks while cheering on their
favored Super Bowl team.

Sport brings people together but also divides; “My team is better than your team.” or “My sport is more important than your sport.” Athletics is entertainment and for some even a profession. Yet, perhaps few use their platform for Christ to be proclaimed or worshiped.

This year Christ was lifted up through this great game of football, by the winning team, the Philadelphia Eagles. They see beyond the field (here and now) even post pro-sport career to the eternal! Winning and losing, the ultimate gain is eternal, not just another trophy or rare timely piece of jewelry. At the Super Bowl LII, Philadelphia Eagles players talked openly about their faith in Christ. How AWESOME to see Gospel activity in the NFL!

Athletes In Action hosted the 31st Annual Super Bowl Breakfast (see photo to left), a sanctioned NFL event, was a sold out (1,600 in attendance) event Sat. February 3rd. The Gospel message is shared at every one of them for the past 30 years.



The 2018 Bart Starr Award recipient is Benjamin Watson (Baltimore Raves- tight end). Photo on the right shows Tony Dungey with Watson after presenting him with the prestigious award. This is awarded to an “NFL player who exemplified outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.”


Praise & Prayer:

• PRAISE– Leslie & Mike had a refreshing time with 100 other Cru Ministry Partnership Development (MPD) coaches last week at the coaches forum.
• PRAY– preparations for our upcoming ALL AIA biennial conference– how we will manage kids and our roles.
• PRAY– wisdom & discernment in coaching 14 AIA new staff (between Leslie and Mike).

DID YOU KNOW? There are 2 honors that ALL NFL players vote for (Pro Bowl & Bart Starr).


Learn more about AIA's Super Bowl Breakfast at:
https://superbowlbreakfast.com/

Spiritual Movements

We dream of a day when there is a Christ follower on every team, in every sport, in every nation. That is our vision at AIA.  We are building spiritual movements on college campuses, in professional sports, sports teams competing overseas, digital strategies, and our sports complex so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.

Here is one such story of spiritual movements happening with one of our new staff couples now serving at UC Davis in California.  Leslie coached them over the last 5 months prior to reporting to their assignment.

For the last 5 weeks, I [Rachel] have been meeting regularly with two girls on the basketball team. We have been walking through the foundations of following Christ and what that means for their lives. In the beginning of our time, both girls were excited to be there, but were fairly reserved during our conversations.  However, as the weeks have passed, a great deal of trust has developed in our relationships, and they have become much more comfortable asking me questions and discussing different topics.  I have so enjoyed getting to know these girls on a deeper level and witnessing them begin to take hold of the power and truth of God’s word in their life!  Through our time together, God has used our studies to not only impact their lives, but mine as well.  For example, when going through the passage of Ephesians 2:8-9 with them, I was reminded that I have been saved by grace through God’s free love, and not through anything that I can earn. While this is something I have understood for some time, I am constantly in need of this reminder in the midst of our performance driven culture. As I prepare to teach these girls each week, I am thankful that God uses these studies to further cement in me the foundations of my faith built on Christ alone.

ALSO on the campus of UC Davis:

The Causeway Classic football game took place two weeks ago [in November], pitting rivals Sacramento State and UC Davis together for an intense and thrilling matchup. Leading up to the game, our staff encouraged a number of players to use this as a platform to come together as brothers in Christ.  For the players on the field, it is easy to get caught up in the hype and disdain that both teams have for one another.  However, as the dust settled following the game, in the midst of cheers and tears from both sides, a number of men from both teams came together to give honor, glory and praise to the King. (see photo to right)

Thank you Andrew and Rachel for sharing how God is at work through the AIA ministry with various athletic teams UC Davis college campus!

Prayer Requests:

• Opportunities to emphasize ministry partnership development as a ministry priority.
• Protection and travel safety as next month Leslie and Mike travel to a coaches conference and leaving the boys at home.
• God would move mountains to secure and graciously provide for us a get-away as a couple to be refreshed and strengthen/focus on our marriage.

PRAISES:

• Seeing spiritual growth in the women Leslie is coaching.
• His sustaining strength amidst  crazy, busy, full schedules.

Death Next Door

Volume 11, Issue 5
Death Next Door

Tuesday shortly before noon, turning left onto Bickett Road ahead on my left was a 2NEWs truck.  “Hmm what could be news worthy here on this side of the road and out here.” I pondered to myself driving on the two lane road in-between two college campuses.  Hours later, my husband inquired, “Did you see the news about Wilberforce?”   Instantly I made the connection as to what caught my eye on the country drive earlier that day/ on my way home from a midweek meeting at our church in Cedarville.   Less than ten hours prior in the wee morning hours (typical for some college students) a sedan (Toyota Corolla) car with four passengers lost control that became a deadly crash for one of the women and the three other passengers presently in ICU.  The student who’s picture and flowers sit at the foot of the tree was a sophomore and a part of the choir and dance team on her college campus.

AIA has a ministry presence at Wilberforce and Central State University.   (Three exits on 35 from our house in Xenia also one exit from AIA’s Head Quarters.) That morning of the accident one AIA staff was contacted and her presence was requested.  The death of this young woman unveiled opportunity for spiritual conversations.

I (Lisa) work on campus as the women’s basketball team chaplain.  Students were wondering why God would take someone so young.  I was talking to the coach and he said that students were needing people to talk to and I knew that one of AIA’s staff was a part of a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program that helps athletes and athletic programs walk through unexpected deaths within athletic departments.  I talked with our AIA staff and he got the ball rolling with his team to come and talk with the students.  On Sept. 28^th the women’s basketball, dance, and cheerleaders all met with the CISM group.  This meeting allowed the girls to ask questions “Did she go to heaven?  What happens after you die?  Why would God let this happen?...” The girls also told how they were feeling in the process. It was an amazingly hard hour and a half, yet it was so good to see the girls remember their friend in this way.  The women’s basketball team have been involved with AIA through Bible studies the last 6 years.  This tragedy has opened the doors for Bible studies with the cheer and dance teams as well.  On Oct. 3^rd, the men’s basketball team also asked for the same CISM team to come and debrief with them as well.  I was amazed at how open these young men were and how they trusted these men, and me, that they didn’t know that well in a time when they were unsure and hurting.  The doors are truly open for the Lord to come in and fill a void!

 I (Leslie) recently had the privilege of sharing at a family memorial and these words are fitting here as well.  Death is a bookend reality of life on earth.  Psalm 39: 4-5 Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. ⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.  Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.

{To see our previous month's newsletter, please see it at this link}
http://mailchi.mp/10557cf9ee31/rebholz-newsletter-oct-2017?e=a4fc0fec9a#August

  

On Mission with God

Volume 11 Issue 2

On Mission with God

“Someone has prayed for you.  Athletes in Action has prayed for you….” spoken by Mark Householder (President of AIA) at the commissioning of recent college graduates passionate about Jesus and on mission from God to serve a 1 year internship with AIA.  A privilege it is to continue to equip, train and mobilize new laborers. These interns will reach out to/minister to people who are broken, spiritually harassed, helpless and in need of as Shepherd.  …we have something to offer them that the World and their sport can’t.

This spring our LDHR services team hosted two of these Intern trainings (April 21^st-23^rd  & June 9-11).  This was a first for us to offer two trainings so we get include athletes competing in spring sports that couldn't come to our April date.

10 of those are new laborers that  have bravely accepted the call to ministry in other countries (Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, East Asia).  New this year Mike and I team taught all the Ministry Partner Development (MPD) material and had a BLAST.  Let’s just say Mike was on “fire” and even staff serving at the training came up to me and said, “We’ve never seen this side of Mike!”  A highlight for me was being asked to give the devotional again this year. 

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Thank you for the part you play in our ministry and in sending these 51 new missionary laborers.  Also, Let us thank the Lord for answered prayers for more laborers!  We pray for these workers as they prepare to take the message of the Gospel….to college campuses, sports teams and countries.

Karyn, now coaching interns, Leslie was her MPD coached last fall.

April Interns  trained  (above)

June Interns trained (below)

Mike Teaching  MPD principles

Commissioning of  Interns

AIA Internationally

Volume 11, Issue 1

Hablo Espanola? Atletas en Accíon

Yes, I have a little familiarity (some words I know the meaning of) in speaking Spanish however I am not fluent!  Have you ever studied a foreign language in school or as an adult?

 

Imagine for a moment, being in a country where a language is spoken that you have no experience speaking, much less you have the life-saving message of the Gospel and your mission is to tell others by using the platform of sport.  We know “sport” is a universal “language” around the globe.  There is an ability is to “get” the challenges, pressures, and mindset in “sport” regardless of a language barrier or where you are from.  While our short term international (STINT) missionaries are not required to know the language before they go, they are required to take language classes or get tutoring once on the field. 

 

Last year we had an eight person team STINT in Puerto Rico.  Presently AIA doesn’t have any STINTers in Puerto Rico. However for next year, we have a married couple from MN that will be the team leaders. We currently have more applicants than we can send for this 8 person team (two leaders and six participants). 

 

Overseas on the field right now we have Bethany and Landon in Central Asia, and Nicole in the Middle East. The STINTers in Central Asia are reaching an unreached people group. They have seen around 8 people accept Christ just this year, which is incredible for this Muslim culture.

 

AIA has 3 priority countries that we are trying to raise up STINT teams.  We have begun to investigate 5 additional countries for future teams.

Praise & Prayer:

• Praise for the 100+  applicants in process (Interns, STINTers, staff) with AIA.
• Prayer for  implementation of new ministry tool in MPD coaching as well as All Cru Staff that Leslie will be training others.
• Prayer for wisdom and capacity as Mike is overseeing implementation of two major ministry programs.
• Praise for ministry partners and prayers said on our behalf.  Thankful for community and the body of Christ.
• Prayer for peace as we face important appointments for our kids in April.

Christmas Greeting 2016

As this Advent season approached, the Lord etched the word “wait” on my mind and heart. Think of all the things we have to “wait” for. Perhaps you find yourself in a season of waiting as well right this very moment. (a cure for disease or cancer, marriage proposal from the love of your life, a job offer, reconciliation of a relationship, a season of darkness to lift, a loved one to come back to Jesus, a pregnancy test turn positive, being chosen as the prospective adoptive parents, or return of loved one from an extended time away.)

Did you know Advent in essence is a season of “wait”, marking the coming of the New Born King, the fulfillment of God’s promises, Messiah? In Deitrich Bonhoeffer’s Reflections on Advent and Christmas titled God in the Manger he shares, Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting-that is, of hopefully doing without-will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment…For the greatest, most profound, tenderest things in the world, we must wait. It happens not here in a storm but according to the divine laws of sprouting, growing and becoming.

So, I’m pondering waiting differently. It is an opportunity to remind us of God’s story (brokenness, redemption, hope, true joy) being written on the tablet of our lives. What sets me on the plain of peace again amidst waiting is not the answer but the WHO in my wait. Just like in the awaiting of Jesus, God in human form. The Psalmist captured this heart-cry, “For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us” (62:5-8 also see Ps. 37:7;27:14).

…The waiting reminds us that this is God’s story, His plan, and His promises. He is in control, and He will take this story wherever He pleases. And it reminds us, slaps us in the face at times, that we’re not the center of the story. It’s not about us, and things don’t always (or often!) go the way we’d like. Finally, all the waiting helps us think differently about both the present and the future: valuing the present as a gift, cherishing the future as our ultimate hope.
Used with permission (Cortez, Marc “Forced to wait: An Advent Reflection.” Web blog post. Transformed. Western Seminary.17 December 2012)
https://www.westernseminary.edu/transformedblog/2012/12/17/forced-to-wait-an-advent-reflection/

May this advent season cause you to see waiting in a new light.

With love,
The Rebholz Family
Mike, Leslie, Benjamin, & Baby M


Because of foster care privacy, we are unable to share Baby M's face electronically. If you would like a physical picture, please let us know by email and we will be glad to send you a copy of our family photo.

Stepping Up - A New Chapter

Volume 10 Issue 5
Stepping Up - A New Chapter

Transition has been the norm for us in ministry these last 10 years.  No surprise God would move in ways we never expected!  Can you relate?  (Email us as we’d love to hear how God has done so in your life!)   Mike along with another HR associate have recently stepped up to take the interim role of LDHR Director of AIA.  (overseeing the care of 600+ AIA staff)  While the search process for a new team director continues, Mike and Michael are both sharing the load in addition to their normal jobs on the team.  Mike’s days are filled with meetings helping the team to keep moving forward.  This varies from dealing with growth conversations, health crises, hiring decisions, staff trainings, and the like.

Our former executive director of LDHR pulled me (Leslie) into his office for a random meeting one of the hot Ohio summer days.  He asked  me to take the role of Ministry Partner Development (MPD) Coordinator for all of AIA, I was astounded and humbled!  My initial response/reaction was “um no…How can I do that job AND still be fully engaged with my children/mom to my children?”  After much prayer and conviction by the Holy Spirit, by faith I said yes to this new leadership role.  The Lord showed me that if I didn’t take this role I would be disobedient to Him. Surely, a desperate area to rely on the Holy Spirit and not my own strength.  This opportunity means added work (I enjoy most of the time) but also a means to grow (spiritually, leadership-wise…) while playing an integral part in laborer’s lives and impacting the plentiful harvest…(see Matt 9:27-28)

What does this mean?  I have the privilege of overseeing 5 AIA MPD coaches (Mike, myself and 3 others) and 30+new AIA staff raising their initial support.   Already I have begun coaching new staff in groups because of the few MPD coaches AIA has.  Last Friday 11:30am I hung up the phone from a 90 minute conference call with 6 new staff.   I marveled in my head, “Lord, thank you I LOVE my job!”  We had a lively but heavy-hearted discussion about this quote by Philip Yancey: “Most of my struggles in the Christian life circle around the same two themes:  Why God doesn’t act the way we want God to and why I don’t act the way God wants me to.  Prayer is the precise point where those themes converge.”  We unpacked how this has implications for them presently not to mention envisioning ways this plays out in ministry.

What a privilege we have to build up, mobilize, equip, care for and minister to AIA staff as they go out to their mission field through the platform of sport (college campus, pros, sports teams, international teams, and digital communication )  Frequently I share this verse with new staff I’m coaching “no eye has seen no ear has heard the things He has planned for them….”  (1 Cor 2:9).  Moving to Ohio and serving with AIA has been a step faith and transition.  Never did we imagine our scope of influence and touching so many lives so that the Gospel can go forth!  THANK you for joining in this incredible, daunting, humbling mission.  We are grateful for your financial support and prayers.

YES!  We LOVE OUR JOBS!  (granted they aren’t easy and can’t do it through our own strength.)

 Praise & Prayer:

• Praise: God continues to be our sustaining power and strength.
• Pray for Wisdom and discernment for Mike as he oversees many critical decisions in his new role.
• Pray for the ability to create margin in our present reality.
  
• Praise for the many opportunities we’ve had in our new roles and being foster parents to give testimony about Jesus ,what He’s done and how He’s changed our lives.[Baby M had to be cut out of this picture due to foster care policy.]

Summer Lineup

Summer is here! The Rebholz family has stayed put this summer (no moving and no travel trips). We are jumping right into athletic world by working alongside athletes. Mike worked with the high school Ultimate Training Camp at AIA HQ.

Leslie discipled 3 college interns for the summer who were here as a part of a larger group serving at AIA HQ’s (see photo to right). Recently, we hosted all the summer interns for a Monday night meal. What a neat opportunity to get to know them (see photo bottom rt.). We will also continue to equip and inspire laborers to be Christ-centered, fully-funded, and financially faithful as we coach and mobilize a 20+ laborers between the two of us.

Scope of the AIA Summer happenings:
Many athletes ponder this question “Can I be competitive, all the while being a person who has surrendered their life to having Christ on the throne?” AIA Ultimate Training Camp (UTC) seeks to answer that question. The heart and goal of the camp is to help current competing athletes give their lives and talents back to God and in turn, find freedom. Freedom from placing their identity and overall value in their sport. We see it in the world we live in, athletes in the media are idolized and put on a pedestal. Yet, sometimes, as glamorous as their life may seem, they sometimes may be spiritually broken. It’s because they succumb to the pressures of the world, demands of their sport, coaches and university. All taking the place of God.

The Spring and early summer was a flurry in our ministry for Mike and I. Praise the Lord we came out still breathing and praising the Lord– we are blessed and life is FULL! AIA celebrated its 50th Anniversary as over 400 of our AIA staff family were present for our biennial AIA staff Conference called Springboard. (see photo at left) Thankfully, Xenia is AIA’s Headquarters so we didn’t have to travel but down the road. Mike ran the tech for the conference. Leslie took over 1,000 photos of the commemorative event (not a professional by any means just a hobby). Amazingly, all 4 AIA president’s past and present were there. What a tremendous opportunity to hear stories of God’s mighty hand blessing and using this ministry to sports and athletes in the world!

NEW AND UPDATED: The official AIA ministry website is now at www.goaia.org. www.athletesinaction.org in NOW the evangelistic website, “The Assist”. The articles are sports centered yet Biblical as they tackle current and controversial topics in the sporting realm and news media. 

Ready, Set, Spike

Volume 10, Issue 3
Ready, Set, Spike

Amber and Leif stepped out in faith as they moved to a town of 25,000 people in Ohio this past December. They are a young married couple in their 20’s born in the south and raised Texans. This past summer they went through Cru’s new staff training to join with Athletes in Action.

Amber is 6 ft tall and the build of a volleyball setter. Having played her sport in college, she understands the challenges first hand athletes face. Immediately, upon moving to Xenia, OH she found an adult volleyball “club” league and joined. Having now been playing in weekend tournaments with other women in their 20-40s she’s developed new friendships.

Once such friendship is with a gal, Emma (name has been changed). Amber met Emma as she was a sub that weekend for another girl on her Club volleyball team. From the start they hit it off not to mention a love for the game of volleyball. On several occasions Amber and Emma have met together over meals.

During a recent weekly development time with Amber, she and Leslie were discussing evangelism. This struck a chord with Amber as we dialogued about being intentional in learning people’s story, since Emma’s been weighing on Amber’s heart. Emma attended a Christian university and even grew up in a Christian home. However, over the years her heart has hardened to the “church” (the formal gathering of believers) and perhaps other Christians. She attributes this to “legalistic people” and bad experiences. At this time in her life she’s not “walking with Jesus.” Emma knows truth in her mind but it’s thousands of miles from her heart -- her emotions and will to surrender to the Lord.

“We must learn to find the backdoor to people’s hearts because the front door is heavily guarded.” Says Author Ravi Zacharias about today’s evangelism. To Amber the back door to Emma is through her beloved sport, volleyball. Their friendship began through the platform of sport. Since their initial meetings just 3 months ago Amber has been able to ask Emma open-ended questions that tap into her life, the deep stuff, hurt, struggles, and marriage. Their conversations aren’t a monolog rather a dialogue that illustrates care, heart, friendship and bows the knee saying “I’m listening, tell me your story, I’m may not have all the answers but…”

I love seeing how the Lord is leading our new staff step to out in faith and engage in spiritual conversations. It is a privilege to mobilize and help train our new staff so that they are better equipped to start such transforming conversations.

Mike coached them as they raised their initial support in Texas. Leslie is presently coaching Amber through new staff development training. (all 1st year staff going through this training cycle.)

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for Emma; that her heart would be softened.  Through the friendship with Amber and ongoing heart conversations that she would experience a freshness to God’s love.
• Pray the Lord would strengthen and provide good sleep as this month is crazy busy. (Mission’s conference, both Mike and Leslie work back to back conferences, foster son’s case plan meeting, Leslie’s b-day, Leslie’s in an out of town wedding, perseverance with Benjamin’s treatment plan for a medical issue, ministry projects deadlines.)
• Praise:  Life is FULL and we are blessed!

Super Bowl

Volume 10, Issue 1
On the Saturday morning prior to the Super Bowl #50, Athletes in Action hosted the Super Bowl Breakfast.  There the presentation of the Bart Starr award was awarded to this year’s recipient, Carolina Panthers' linebacker Thomas Davis.  The Bart Starr Award is given annually to a player in the NFL who exemplifies outstanding character and leadership at home, on the field and in the community.

Among the 10 nominees, Davis was voted in as the award's 29th recipient by his peers, including NFL opponents and teammates.

Davis played in the Super Bowl with a broken arm (and was credited with seven tackles) that was sustained in the NFC championship game two weeks prior. He has overcome three knee surgeries on the same knee in his 10-year NFL career.

Surely this man of character can and will overcome a Super Bowl loss because Christ is his leader.

Davis recalled during his acceptance speech a time about four or 5 years ago, sitting in Jerry Richardson’s office (the owner of the Panthers), after a third ACL tear to the right knee.  Mr. Richardson had to make a decision about whether to allow him to continue on in his NFL career. Davis believes there is a good reason that he has been given the opportunity to continue to play. He stated “When I think of the last four years since that meeting, how good the Lord has been to me.  It makes me emotional.”

He went on to state “As an NFL player, we have a platform.  It is important to be a good example for our children.  I set an example for my boys of how to be a man. We have been blessed to take the stage before millions.  it is important for us to use that the right way.”

Some of the previous Bart Star Award winners have been: Peyton Manning - Denver Broncos, Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers, Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys, London Fletcher - Washington Redskins, Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints, Kurt Warner - Arizona Cardinals, Warrick Dunn -Tampa Bay Buccaneers, LaDainian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers, John Lynch - Denver Broncos, Curtis Martin -New York Jets, Troy Vincent - Buffalo Bills, Derrick Brooks -Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Trent Dilfer -Seattle Seahawks, Darren Woodson -Dallas Cowboys, Bruce Matthews - Tennessee Titans, Aeneas Williams -Arizona Cardinals, Irving Fryar - Philadelphia Eagles, Brent Jones - San Francisco 49ers, Darrell Green -Washington Redskins, Jackie Slater - St. Louis Rams, Cris Carter - Minnesota Vikings, Warren Moon - Houston/Seattle, Gill Byrd - San Diego Chargers, Reggie White - Green Bay Packers, Mike Singletary - Chicago Bears, Anthony Munoz - Cincinnati Bengal's, Steve Largent -Seattle Seahawks

Thank you for your faithful prayers and your partnership making it possible to spread the Gospel of Jesus through the unspoken language of Sport.

Sport continues to be one of the unspoken languages in the world today through which the gospel can speak the clearest and loudest.

-AIA president Mark Householder

Prayer requests & Praises

• Praise several of the new staff Mike has been coaching on their initial support development have reported to their assignments with AIA. 
• Prayer for wisdom for Leslie as she begins to coach Amber through the new staff first year curriculum a newly reported staff member to the AIA “teams” 
• Prayer for Mike as his plate is FULL of ministry responsibilities (coaching new staff, leading team meetings, meeting with staff one on one, preparing for upcoming conferences and events…). Discernment in how to utilize his time/schedule well. The ability to protect his “time with the Lord” and family commitments. 
• Prayer for patience and perseverance as we begin an invasive/intense treatment plan for our son’s gastrointestinal issues.

Personal Note Mid January we received a call for our first foster placement. What a transition it has been. One of great JOY and sleeplessness/ depravation. We are unable to share a picture of baby “m” with you. We do not know how long exactly he will be with us or if we will become his forever home. We are over the moon blessed with this addition to our family. If you would like to know our journey to this we’d be happy to share it with you.

Year End Greeting...

Waiting.  Approaching this month known to most of the world as Christmas, there is great expectancy (gifts, family gatherings, festivities, lights and glitz).  For months, even days we anticipate this favored traditional holiday – Christmas. 

I’ve been pondering the word “Advent” lately.  Advent is a Latin word that means “coming”.  Reminiscing on the first coming of Christ as a baby, while also preparing for the Christ’s second coming when He is “making all things new” (Revelation 21:5).  This holiday season we fight materialism and busyness amidst the stress, yet long to have a peaceful, quiet heart.  Advent is an opportunity to day by day prepare our heart and lives for the coming Savior.  Here are a few thoughts to ponder on the powerful meaning of Christmas and “waiting”.

The plan of salvation did not start with the birth of a tiny baby in the lowliest of places.  The preincarnate Christ was present before the beginning.  The history of the Old Testament sets the stage for this babe born at Christmas who would perform the work of salvation for us on the Cross. -Dean Lambert. Preface of The Advent Jesse Tree: Devotions for children and adults to prepare for the coming of the Christ Child at Christmas.

The Advent Season is a Season of Waiting, but our whole life is an Advent season, that is, a season of waiting for the last Advent, for the time when there will be a new heaven and a new earth…Whoever does not know the austere blessedness of waiting -that is, of hopefully doing without-will never experience the full blessing of fulfillment…For the greatest, most profound , tenderest things in the world, we must wait. -Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  God is in the Manger:  Reflections of Advent and Christmas.

 Below is a copy of our ministry prayer card.  Free to download and print a copy to hang on your fridge, or please contact us if you would like a print mailed to you.  You can click this link to download a high resolution copy of the image.

Transition & Transformation

Volume 9 Issue 6

Transition & Transformation

Truth be told, transitions are hard!  New ministry assignment, moving to a new state and a new town is no easy task, but with the Lord, He’s given us the strength and grace to forge ahead.  A lot has transpired in the last two months for our family.

Two weeks after moving to Xenia we got on a plane for our biennial Cru staff conference in Colorado.  We jumped into working the conference; it was a privilege to serve our staff.   

The 4,000+ person conference was epic in that we focused in on togetherness -- what it means to reach the world in light of our ethnic and cultural differences.

At the end of August we were a part of the 21 person Athletes in Action (AIA) Leadership Development and Human Resource (LDHR) team retreat.  (Photo to rt. Is team praying.)  This enabled us to partake in the strategic planning of LDHR -advancing the mission of AIA by creating strategies and infrastructures to engage the millions of followers of Jesus on mission.  Our key strategic objectives: sending, oneness, equipping leaders for multiplication, and staff wellbeing.  Our mission at AIA is to build healthy leaders and sending laborers who build spiritual movements through the platform of sports.

Among other happenings we celebrated Benjamin’s 4^th birthday, our 9^th wedding anniversary, and the start of a new preschool year and of course settling into our new home!  Huge praise as we found a new church home near Xenia.

We firmly believe this new ministry assignment with AIA as well as the move to Xenia was God ordained.  It doesn’t equate to being easy though. (Leslie likens it to the title of Shelia Walsh’s book: Life is Hard but God is Faithful.) In all of this transition there have been tears, grieving, new experiences and adventures as well as excitement.  (Who knew driving in town without using a GPS for the first time could feel like a great feat.)   This monumental move for our family is a step forward with courage into the land and life God has prepared for us.

Sifting through our experiences, emotions, and truth from the Word, we believe in faith, we are being transformed.  It is not fun and we don’t see the full picture but there is a process that Jesus does speak to in His Word and it’s about HIS Glory not our comfort.   Romans 12:2  says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  2 Corinthians 3:18  “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

If you are willing to share, we’d love to hear how the Lord is transforming you!

College Athlete Influences her Team

Volume 9 Issue 5
College Athlete Influences her Team

In our April newsletter, we announced that we are transferring to another ministry of Cru.  If you missed that announcement, you can see that letter online at: http://bit.ly/AIARebholz
In this newsletter, we continue to give you a glimpse of what Athletes in Action does by highlighting specific facets of the ministry.

Athletes in Action’s largest segment of ministry is focused on the college campus.  We have over 200 campuses with dedicated ministry to athletes across the United States.  Eric Knodel serves as AIA staff on the campus of Ball State University in Muncie, IN.  A few months ago he shared the following story about his ministry on campus.

Jessica is a senior on the softball team. She has been on our AIA student leadership team for the last three school years, but she decided to remove herself from the leadership team last spring semester. She told us that she wanted to focus on studies while she was “in season” and traveling with softball. We were excited this fall when she came back on our team. Jessica approached me saying that she wanted to speak at our weekly meeting a few weeks later. She wanted to talk about some things that had been happening in her life. It turned out that during her message she talked about some serious events in her life that caused her to fall in depression and some bad choices that she made over Christmas break last year. This was the true reason that she had stopped being on AIA Leadership. But the Lord showed Himself to her over the semester and she came back to Him and started to walk with Him even stronger. By God’s grace she came back on our leadership team this fall and started to again reach out to her teammates, many of whom were at our weekly meeting when she spoke! A couple of weeks ago, she texted this message to our Leadership team: God has been working BIG this week! I was able to hold a bible study with my assistant coaches, had 3 girls come to me asking about Christ and wanting to sit down and talk to me about the gospel (even at the library!). I am about to head over to the Christian bible store to help pick out a bible for one girl, and another asked to go to church with me next Sunday!! AND two (one that I spoke with this week) are watching Gods Not Dead with me this weekend..... GOD IS MOVING!!!!!!

Prayer Requests:

• Pray for all the details of our move.  Closing in Indy on June 23rd and in Xenia on June 24.
• Pray: That our transition will go smoothly
• Pray that we would acclimate to Xenia quickly and find a church to be involved with.

If you would like our new address, please leave a comment here (our comments are moderated so it will not appear) and I will reply back with our Xenia address.

Sports– A Universal Language

Below you will find our May 2015 newsletter. In our last newsletter, we announced that we are transferring to another ministry of Cru. If you missed that announcement, you can see that letter online at: http://bit.ly/AIARebholz

We want to give you a glimpse of what Athletes in Action does, so we will attempt to use the next few newsletters to highlight specific facets of the ministry.

Volume 9 Issue 4
Sports– A Universal Language

“Sports ministry provides the greatest opportunity in our time for global evangelism and creating sustainable discipleship movements through national staff and volunteers who can use the platform of sport to connect with the lost and reach their communities and their nations for Christ.” [Quoted from: Athletes in Action Annual Report 2014 pg 6]

With staff and a ministry presence in 40+ countries and volunteers working in another 20+ countries, AIA is taking great strides in global evangelism. AIA uses a model of ministry that includes: reaching top sports influencers, empowering churches to reach their communities, utilizing media, and leveraging global sporting events.

An example of this ministry is the country of Brazil. It hosted the 2014 World Cup and will host the Olympics in 2016. Local churches rose up to provide ministry in eight of the twelve cities where World Cup events were hosted. City coordinators trained 2,639 volunteers from 351 churches. They had 66 AIA church fan zones in the eight cities. The fan zones provided outreach parties that capitalized on the excitement of the soccer games.

The media component was also a key part of the strategy in Brazil. The Prize film, which features world class soccer players from around the globe sharing their faith in Jesus, was shown as well as handed out in the fan zones in partnership with the Brazilian Bible Society. Elsewhere, the film was also broadcast on national television in numerous countries (including several in Northern Africa and the Middle East).

Watch: The Prize - Under Pressure:

[See more about The Prize - Under Pressure at the website: http://www.theprize.com/]

Even though the World Cup is over, the network of churches and volunteers have what is needed to build on the momentum and prepare for the Olympics next year. The goal is to see these churches and volunteers expand ministry movements in 27 cities by the time the Olympics come to town.

Athletes in Action desires to see that what has occurred in Brazil becomes a model for sports ministry around the world. Our hope is to have more than 100,000 volunteers servings with AIA in the 250 largest cities of the world.

Prayers & Praise:

• Praise: Our Indy home sold in just 7 days.
• Pray: For all the details of the pending sale of our home in Indy. Closing June 23rd.
• Pray: Details for the move to Xenia, OH. Closing on home June 24
• Pray: That our transition will go smoothly

A Story of Faith - Traevon Jackson

ESPN just did a great story on a Wisconsin Badger player's faith...

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2015/story/_/id/12600400/wisconsin-badgers-guard-traevon-jackson-leans-faith

Our own God story in the making

Volume 9 Issue 3

Our own God story in the making

 Spring has sprung: flowers in bloom, kids playing outdoors and so forth.   As with our lives a new season has begun, a new chapter in ministry for us!  In our last newsletter, we hinted at a coming change.  We want to share with you the BIG NEWS that has been developing for us in ministry.  We will be moving (in the coming months) to serve with another ministry of Cru- Athletes in Action!

First, the back-story: Over the last two years or so, we have had occasions to for us to be involved in a scope that is much larger than our roles with Keynote.  About a year ago, we began to put feelers out looking for a change in our part within the ministry of Cru.  Thus allowing for this larger scope to be part of our normal jobs (rather than added on).  Months rolled by with very little being a good fit or peaking our interests and gifting.  But we still felt like God was leading to something more.  It’s a God story, really!  In November, Mike had interactions with the Human Resources Director of AIA (whom Mike knew all the way back from 1998 when they joined Cru staff together). In talking with this ministry’s leader about HR related matters, Mike discovered a potential role that sounded like a good fit.  The more we investigated the possibility of these ministry roles with AIA, the more we got excited.  The experiences and trainings that both of us have had, were exactly what AIA was looking for and in need of!

We have been offered and accepted roles with the Leadership Development and Human Resources department.  Mike will become the associate national director of the department.  Leslie will continue to serve as an application evaluator and a new staff support coach.

As the Lord would have it, since we LOVE what we do, these new roles are almost exactly the same we had at Keynote.  Our scope will now have influence in training and equipping 460+ AIA staff worldwide as well as sending out new laborers in the gospel work!

We will need to move from our home in Indianapolis, to the AIA headquarters located in Xenia, Ohio (near Dayton).  Our goal is to start the new school year there September 1st.  We are excited to be part of what God is doing through the ministries of Athletes in Action.

For those that give financially to our ministry, this does not change anything in how you give.  AIA is part of Cru.

Should you be interested in more details we would love the opportunity to talk further with you.  Please comment on our blog (all comments are moderated, and will not appear directly) and leave your contact info.

Prayers:

• The Joy of the Lord (Neh. 8:10) would be our strength in these months of transition.
• The Lord would provide opportunities for us to talk with new partners who would be interested in the ministry of AIA.
• The Lord to go before us and prepare a house/home for us in Ohio.

TIMELINE

April-June: Prep house for the market and sell our home. Pack.

July: Cru biennial staff conference in Colorado

August:  In faith sell our home, move to Xenia and find new house.

September 1: start new roles at AIA.

Training up

Volume 9 Issue 2

Training up

She was trying to protect the information in the ministry office as armed guards ransacked it.  “They beat her to the point she almost died. We had to flee the country.”  I (Mike) sat in shock as I heard this husband share his story of why as a national from this former Russian State; he and his wife were coming to the United States to work at the Cru headquarters following a season of serving in a Middle Eastern country.

We had the opportunity to help train this couple in how to raise support in the United States.  Obviously having served in a country where they couldn't publicly disclose what they were doing, their style of raising support was VERY different.

 

The above photo is the workshop/class we (Mike and Leslie) had the opportunity to help teach and train these new laborers for the Gospel to go forth.  Leslie and I have counted it a privilege to be part of equipping such a diverse group of Cru staff members when we have served at New Staff Training (as we did last month).  In fact, we have enjoyed these opportunities so much, we have been taking intentional steps to increase the scope of our ministry beyond Keynote (but you will have to wait till next newsletter to hear about that). 

Praise & Prayer:

• Strength and His peace during a season of  transition.  (more     details to come next month)
• Together we are coaching two families. Pray for them to meet their April deadline so that they can partake of the international training for their fall assignment overseas.
• Praise: For the opportunity to train 60+ laborers at Cru’s New Staff Training in early Feb. and we all got to go as a family.