As the school year comes to an end, Lipscomb Athletic Missions and Spiritual Formation team is making the most of the summer months by recognizing the opportunity students have to share the Gospel overseas and right here in Nashville.
“Spiritual Formation within Lipscomb Athletics exists to train student-athletes and coaches to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. We work to provide opportunities for our athletes and coaches to participate in the Kingdom of God, living in the unforced rhythms of grace,” says Chris Klotz, director of spiritual formation and athletic missions trip coordinator. “This way, they see their lives in light of a greater story and become fully alive in the purposes of God.”
These opportunities are what we have been praying and planning for, said Klotz.
On May 6, the day after graduation, a team of 12 will head to Uganda to partner alongside Sports Outreach Institute for a general athletics mission trip.
SOI’s mission is to recruit, train, equip and deploy committed Christian leaders in the effective use of sports ministry for the purposes of sharing the Gospel and alleviating human suffering.
For nearly two weeks, the team, which is comprised of student-athletes from multiple teams, athletic training staff, coaches, alumni and friends of Lipscomb athletics, will work alongside the SOI staff as they engage in sports ministry, trauma counseling, feeding programs, school and orphanage assistance, home visits and more.
“The Athletic Missions program has had a steady presence in Africa for the last several years,” said Klotz. “We sent a team to Uganda in 2016 and the women’s volleyball team served in Malawi in 2017, and we are excited to head back to Uganda this summer.”
From June 25-29, Lipscomb Athletics Spiritual Formation will partner with Carpenter’s Square and Christ for the Nations Church to offer local seven through 11-year-olds who desire to learn and play multiple sports in a positive, high energy environment, the opportunity to participate in the inaugural Nashville All-Sports camp. Sports featured in the camp include volleyball, wiffle ball, basketball, soccer, flag-football, track and field and extreme games.
Led by Lipscomb student-athletes who have been chosen by their character, ability to teach, positive attitude and passion, the Nashville All-Sports camp will also feature intentional Bible curriculum where university student-athletes will encourage and care for each camper.
The Nashville All-Sports camp will be held at Carpenter’s Square, a collaborative fellowship bringing ministries together to more effectively share the love of Jesus, in the Kyle Hutchison Center, off of Nolensville Road. The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from June 25-28 and 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 29. The cost of this camp is $200 per camper and includes lunch daily, camp t-shirt, team picture, and memories for a lifetime.
Click here to register for the Nashville All-Sports Camp.
For the fourth year in a row, members of the Lipscomb University softball team will return to Baja, Mexico, July 28 through Aug. 4.
The team will partner with Baja Missions, which exists to demonstrate the love of Jesus by bringing spiritual guidance and physical relief to the people of Baja and the planting of Christ’s church in communities in need of the gospel, and will serve in a variety of ways, while deepening existing relationships that have been formed over the years.
Want to learn more about what God is doing here at Lipscomb and all over the world? Follow lipscombsports.com for more information and to read daily recaps of each trip.
For other questions or to learn how to be more involved, contact Chris Klotz at cpklotz@lipscomb.edu
