What an exciting privilege to be a part of how the Lord moves through the annual international REACHgathering conference (www.reachgathering.org)! It was a great time of inspiration, affirmation, connection and equipping at this year’s event which was hosted by Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis Tennessee from April 19-21. We had participants from fourteen countries on four continents who are using sports as a bridge for the gospel. It was inspirational to see the global Sports Ministry movement represented in such an incredible way.
Participants joined in corporate worship, heard speakers who challenged them from scripture and personal experience, participated in workshops in fourteen different tracks and joined in 
panel discussions. Some of the track topics included age and individual sport specific issues, international sports ministry, leadership and personal development. Bob Schindler and Jeff Fox taught in the Gospel Centered Sports track on these topics, “What is Gospel Centered Sports Ministry- What is it and How Do I Get There? “What Difference Should Being Truly Gospel-Centered Make in Our Leadership and Sports Ministry?”, and “Injection vs. Integration -3D Integrated Devotions.”
One of the participants shared that the worship and workshops were excellent but the “ministry connections” may have been even more valuable. CSO was able to make strong ministry connections that are already being used to further the gospel through collaborative efforts. We look forward to seeing how the Lord continues using them for years to come.
We were also able to pray for ministers and ministries around the world. We heard from a Pakistani pastor who shared an account of a terrorist bombing in a park during an Easter 
celebration and how that had impacted him, his family and his church. What a powerful reminder of the deep need for the gospel around the world.
Hopefully, you can now understand more clearly why it is such a privilege to be an ongoing part of how the Lord moves through the REACHgathering. We want to invite you to pray for REACHgathering 2017 and even join us. It will be hosted by Lake Pointe Church, Dallas TX from April 25th-27th. We hope to see you there! Click here to register.
