All In!

Men “All-In” For Jesus As a Result of Adult Softball

By Pastor Chip Woodall

As the lead pastor of Christwalk Ministries, the desire of my heart is to see our men go “all-in” for Jesus, then their influence will reverberate through to wives, kids, the workplace, the community, and eventually the church.

I fully believe this is what we are watching be birthed at Christwalk, and one of the contributing factors is from participating in the Habersham County Recreational Softball League. Let me explain the story.

Five years ago, Simon Raley, a missionary  at Christwalk, formed our first ever adult softball team to play in our local county league. We looked like the least likely to ever win a ball game, but we determined it would be a great opportunity to play Christ-like ball no matter what.

We kept practicing and going to games, but the first season was way more losses than wins on the scoreboard. However, attitude and sportsmanship was Raley’s focus, so the players followed his lead. As the lead pastor, I supported him and our men, making a point to attend most games, along with my wife and a growing fan club from the church.

By the second season, our fan club increased and as a church family, we saw we had a platform of ministry both on and off the field. We were being noticed league-wide. The scoreboard still was not showing in our favor, but we were gaining respect with the other teams, referees and the recreation department directors.

Raley, said that over time, his ball friends started becoming attracted to what he had with Jesus and how he lives it out on the softball field. Men through the local league, other surrounding leagues and even tournaments followed Raley to Christwalk on Wednesdays and Sundays. “I gained their respect on the field game after game. The results come from consistently showing the redeeming love of Jesus on and off the field.”

Fast forward to this season. Raley now is the League Director for Habersham County. Multiple new families are now attending Christwalk on a regular basis. One man from the softball league, Tony Lovell, is now helping lead our men’s ministry as a result. Another softball guy, Jay Nix, just returned from our sister church in Millersburg, Ohio where he did a joint mission outreach trip. The greatest testimony is we are having to expand our church in Cornelia, GA as a result from the explosion of families from softball.

Our last men’s meeting was held at Christwalk in the Valley, our Christian Retreat Center near Tallulah Gorge. We had a total of (33) men attend with hopes that our next gathering on Sunday, May 22nd will be even larger. It is not about numbers, but it is about gaining as many men as possible so they can grow into Godly Men who are “all-in”for Jesus!

Christwalk Ministries International, Inc.

Cornelia GA Church
360 Stonecypher St in Cornelia, GA 30531

Millersburg OH Church
1207 Wooster St in Millersburg, OH 44654

Waynesville NC Bible Study
Waynesville Recreation Center

Christwalk in the Valley
Christian Retreat Center
1212 Bear Gap Rd Clarkesville, GA 30523

Administrative Offices
255 Deer Haven
Clarkesville, GA 30523