Navy Seal Training, Soccer, and Giving God the Glory

One7 Ministries isn’t normal.

Now we could end the blog post right here, and there would be many people nodding their heads in agreement. Let’s define our definition of normal. Work 9-5, Monday through Friday, and then take off the weekend. Yeah…One7 is most certainly not normal. This is a 24/7, 365 kind of ministry. God continues to bring the broken and hurting to our doorstep, and we will do whatever it takes to help them.

This past weekend was full of activities. Our One7 team from Johnson City came into town and brought the biggest group yet. Their limitations were put to the test with some Navy Seal training. We’re not talking about a few push ups and a jumping jack or two. This is some serious, hard-core training. Running a mile with a ladder raised above their heads, 200 sit ups while holding the same ladder and being sprayed with water, lifting, moving, climbing over/under railroad ties, and several more events. These activities not only teach vital team work, they also push each individual to their breaking point. They fight through the fatigue and pain to eventually finish the course.

 

We also had a total of five soccer games this weekend. The purpose of the One7 soccer program is to provide kids, who have little or no resources, a chance to compete at a high level. We seek to utilize these teams as a way to train up leaders who can then go into their own communities and become an influence for positive change. We also use the game to bridge the gap that exists with racial barriers. By intentionally building diverse teams, it forces players to work together with people from different nationalities.

The One7 soccer program can also be utilized as a tool for discipleship, and we are taking full advantage of that fact. Being part of an athletic team is a unique experience, and we use our program to draw kids into an environment that honors Jesus first, above everything else. After each game, one of our captains shares his or her personal testimony with the other team. One of the leagues we play in is Strikers. They offer competitive play and also recreational. It’s 5 vs 5 and is usually very fast paced since we play on smaller fields with walls. We lost on Saturday, but shared and prayed with the opposing team afterwards.

 

In everything we do at One7, our most important goal is to glorify God. Win or lose on the soccer field, we are out there to represent His name. If we take kids to eat dollar menu at McDonald’s, we glorify God. No matter what it is, from the biggest down to the smallest activity, we are constantly praising the One who continues to bless this ministry. We are nothing without Jesucristo.

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Have a blessed day.