June 2021 - DOMESTIC SPORTS OUTREACH IS ON THE MOVE!
Kendall Alvey gives a thumbs up to children at Summer sports camp
The impact of Sports Outreach Institute (SOI) in Uganda, Kenya, El Salvador and Mexico is well documented and built upon the founding principles of Russ Carr and his passion to share Christ through sports. Under the current leadership of SOI’s CEO, Sal Ferlise, the ministry has expanded to include new outreaches in several U.S. communities—this we refer to as our Domestic Sports Outreach.
Domestic expansion through developing relationships and resources, at first focused on communities where there was strong existing SOI support (donors, trip takers, churches). Kendall Alvey—trained firsthand by Russ Carr—has served with SOI since 2008. She is SOI’s first Director of Domestic Outreach and has created workable processes that are now allowing for successful recruitment of new coaches, and the establishment of our current coaches network. Through Kendall’s outstanding leadership the SOI domestic coaches program has grown from 3 to 13 coaches in seven states in less than two years’ time!
During the pandemic, the Lord laid on Kendall’s heart (now a pastor’s wife and mother of two boys) that it was time for a transition in her role at SOI. Daniel Narvaez, who for the past 40 years has been using sports to share Christ, was introduced to CEO Sal this year and since then Daniel and Kendall have worked together to begin a smooth transition to take Domestic Sports Outreach to the next level. Daniel (affectionally called Danno here at HQ) has begun to oversee the coaches network and growth of Domestic Sports Outreach while Kendall continues to manage the coaches training. They are proving to be quite a team, identifying and training committed Christian coaches, while also seeking new opportunities to partner with churches who see the value of using sports as a means of evangelism.
Currently we have coaches in Fenton, Delaware; Charlotte and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Coastal South Carolina; Alliance, Ohio; Richmond, Indiana; Waco and Dallas, Texas; and of course, Lynchburg, Virginia. The current efforts have been so effective that this program attracted several coaches serving overseas (India and Croatia).
Each one of these remarkable coaches sees SOI as an evangelistic opportunity to step on the field in order to build trusting relationships, speak truth, and train individuals. They then step off the field to share the Word of God and disciple the next generation of leaders.
The need in the U.S. for evangelism, discipleship and assimilation into strong local churches has never been greater. Sal Ferlise’s vision to deploy more domestic coaches, Kendall’s proven ability to train them in the effective use of sports ministry, and Daniel’s passion to evangelize and develop new coaches is a match that could potentially impact many, many more cities and communities across the country.
But we need your help! Here is how.
· -First, pray!
· -Second, give financially to this exciting ministry (see details on the next page).
· -Third, if you are a church leader, partner with us!
· -Lastly, contact Daniel who is eager to share with you, your sports club, and/or your church.
SOI is looking for new domestic coaches—one may even be attending your church! We are planning to expand further into Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Texas—all the way to California. Please contact Dan Narvaez 336-995-0255 or dnarvaez@sportsoutreach.net if you or someone you know might be interested in being SOI’s next Domestic Coach!
—WE NEED DOMESTIC SPORTS OUTREACH PARTNERS—
Domestic Sports Outreach is looking for partners who see the vision of expanding our evangelistic opportunities in cities and communities across the U.S. We are looking to recruit new coaches in new areas and to kick start our activities on July 1, 2021. Your gift will help fund this important Domestic Sports Outreach initiative.
Our Domestic Sports Outreach Director will be going to 10 states: Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Texas and California.
Our goal is to create fundraising events, bring in new donors to Sports Outreach and support the local network of coaches currently in the field.
Your donation will be multiplied by the local donors we introduce Sports Outreach to, who support our events and our local outreach in each city.
We are also looking to increase the number of coaches from our current 13 and expand our footprint in new cities and communities across the country. Your gift will launch this new initiative and enable us to expand Sports Outreach throughout the US.
2 Corinthians 9:10: “Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”