The Problem

In today's society, the youth sport's culture is out of control with a "win at all cost" mentality. This is evident as seen through increased performance enhancing drug use, student and parental violence, inappropriate language, abuse, greed and pride. While sports are the dominant influence in today's youth, there remains a tremendous void of Godly leaders who can portray and instill the proper values, integrity and character for this impressionable audience. There are simply not enough Godly leaders who can reach the masses in the numerous sporting arenas. In addition, there continues to be racial, socioeconomic and gender bias growing in the sports arena today. To add fuel to this fire, there is tremendous competition for funding from non-profit organizations seeking donors who have the passion to change this cultural problem.

The Solution

The Colorado Sports Ministry Institute is a ministry mandate of the Colorado Fellowship of Christian Athletes to change the way this next generation of athletes play the game. This mandate is achieved by impacting this next generation of sports ministry leaders without regard for ethnicity or gender. The CSMI believes that the principles of the Bible are the answer to the problems of this world's culture. As such, the CSMI provides a training platform for this new breed of athletic discipleship by empowering the student athlete "off of the bench and into the game". The end result is a large generation of leaders who have been trained in a structured environment and who will further God's kingdom through the venue of sports.

CSMI is a 18 month sports ministry internship program designed to empower the next generation of Christian athletic leaders to minister to people in all areas of sports.

The six major objectives of the CSMI are as follows:

• To develop cross-cultural, multi-ethnic, spiritual leaders who can unite people of sport and who can build a spiritual community in God's Kingdom.
• To train leaders in a sports ministry model that can be reproduced in college, high school, middle school, club sports, youth leagues and on the mission field.
• To provide ministry placement opportunities within the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
• To develop strong leaders through the following four key methods:
• Building Godly relationships with influential people of sport.
• Discipleship and mentorship training.
• Spiritual leadership development.
• Evangelism training.
• To provide athletic students a relevant sports ministry education, and practical ministry experience working with coaches and athletes.
• To allow students the opportunity to enjoy "The Colorado Experience" through Colorado's FCA family model.

This ministry program is designed to empower multi-ethnic and gender leadership who desire to impact their generation for Jesus Christ through the venue of sports. The training aspect of CSMI can be found in three different arenas as follows:

First, is the classroom atmosphere where students will learn from vintage FCA staff where they will be taught Biblical life skills along with strategic sports ministry training.

Second, will be the "hands on" approach where students will be given leadership responsibilities in local huddles and FCA events.

Third, will be through the FCA family get-a-ways and retreats called Experience Colorado. This particular leadership training will be designed around building relationships and experiencing the Colorado FCA family life behind the ministry.

Colorado FCA develops, unites, and then mobilizes Christian leaders to impact their sphere of influence. We are focused on relationships with faithful, available, and teachable influencers in the business, coaching, and athletic communities. Our desire is to see each person in these communities learn through the Legacy Builders discipleship series to grow in knowing, being, and doing in, for, and through Jesus Christ then unite with other KBLs to invest their time, treasure, and talents to build and strengthen the Kingdom of God.

Colorado FCA utilizes four pillars that follow a flow of ministry that all leaders adhere to. These are: relationship building, that leads to discipleship, that leads to leadership development, that leads to evangelism, which expands the Kingdom. A series of interrelated scriptures guide us in our leadership development. These are in order of teaching: 1) Matthew 22:37-39 which leads to 2) Ephesians 4:11-13 which leads to 3) 2 Timothy 2:2 which leads to 4) Matthew 28:18-20.

Once a person goes through our discipleship process they are required to invest in the life or lives of others who the Lord puts in their life so they can reproduce the training that they themselves went through. This process is really about leaders developing leaders, not leaders leading followers.