I recently read about a foundation that is actively seeking to hire a children's pastor...for travel ball players.
If you serve in children's ministry, I am sure you are familiar with travel ball.
Travel ball players typically represent local travel teams made up of the best players from their town or neighboring towns, and often participate in regional and national tournaments.
According to Time magazine, travel ball has grown into a $15 billion dollar industry.
True to the namesake, travel ball often requires players and families to travel all over their region for tournament play...mostly during weekends...even more specifically...on Sunday mornings.
“It’s definitely taken over everything,” says Magali Sanchez, a legal records clerk from San Diego whose daughter Melanie Barcenas, 9, and son Xzavier Barcenas, 8, play travel soccer. To help pay for their fees, Sanchez’s husband Carlos, a gas-station attendant, will spend 12 hours on a Saturday carting supplies at tournaments. Practice and tournaments overtake nights and weekends like kudzu–Sanchez says they often have to skip family weddings and kids’ birthday parties. “This sports lifestyle is crazy,” she says.
Families often have to make a choice...church or travel ball?
There are tens of thousands of travel baseball teams around the country, and their popularity has exploded over the past two decades. Participation is seen by many as a necessity for talented players to develop their skills and hone their game against the best competition they can find.
Travel ball is something children's ministries often struggle with and grapple with. Children's ministry leaders often feel like parents are not making a wise choice when it comes to missing church for travel ball.
Now one group of children's ministry leaders are making a bold move. They are actively seeking to hire a full-time children's minister specifically for travel ball players.
Here are the responsibilities they have listed for this position:
- Share personal testimony as a Faithful and Dedicated Follower of Christ
- Prepare 20-minute sermons directed toward athletes and young individuals.
- Set up and tear down equipment at ball fields (i.e., tents, tables, AV, etc.)
- Build relationships with athletes and their families, coaches, tournament directors, and officials.
- Contribute to weekly virtual board meetings.
- Recruit and develop other pastors.
- Work with other churches to adopt the TBC mission and vision.
- Play a key role in planning and executing future TBC and NFF events.
This is very interesting and it is definitely thinking outside the box. It is taking the Gospel to the world. It is living out the great commission found in Matthew. It is getting outside the four walls of the church and into the world.
On the flip side, is this a move that is catering to the world?
Are we telling the next generation by our actions that church is not a priority but rather a quick box to check to ease our spiritual conscience?
If we treat church as optional, will the next generation treat the church as unnecessary?
Can the spiritual needs of kids and families be met if you use this format?
What are your thoughts?
Feel free to share in the comment section below.
