OKC, Cherokee Hills adopts Putnam City football team
How can a church impact its community? How about adopting a high school football team? Oklahoma City, Cherokee Hills is investing in the players of the Putnam City High School football team, as families “adopt” players by going to the Pirates’ home games and cheering them on. This idea happened as Pastor Mike Keahbone was looking for ways Cherokee Hills could have a community presence. “We started praying for God to open doors,” said...
GameDay Church in second NFL season, ready to expand
>> by Nicole Kalil Florida Baptist Witness JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP)—When most people think about tailgating, they think of football, food and fun with family and friends. But believers in the Jacksonville area have the chance to add faith to the mix before every Jacksonville Jaguars home game as GameDay Church returns for the 2016 NFL season. Last year more than 200 people gathered for a new kind of worship experience as GameDay...
Fort Gibson, First impacts Bacone College football team
Bacone College (BC) is a small college with a strong Native American heritage. The football team competes at the NAIA level, and doesn’t get much recognition beyond Muskogee where the campus was founded in 1880. But for Steve and Sharon Dixon and other members of Fort Gibson, First, they have invested themselves in the lives of the players for the last six years, as well as with other students, and God has blessed this relationship...
Bison football eyes improvement in 2016
SHAWNEE, Okla.—Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) enters its second year against Division II opponents a little bit wiser, a lot more experienced and ready to improve. “I’d say that we definitely figured out what we need to do to be more competitive in the NCAA level,” said OBU Coach Chris Jensen. “We know we have to improve our depth up front. You play five starters, but you need to have at least nine guys you’re comfortable playing....
Olympics wrap-up: God praised by athletes in triumph, defeat
RIO DE JAINEIRO (BP)—The images and memories of the 2016 Olympics will endure for much longer than the torch’s flame. Simone Biles racking up five medals (four gold) in gymnastics. Usain Bolt running away from every challenger. Katie Ledecky doing the same thing in the pool. Michael Phelps further establishing himself as the greatest Olympian ever. The list could go on. Several athletes who are professing Christians joined in the...
Olympics: Triple jumper ready for big leap
>> by Tim Ellsworth Baptist Press RIO DE JANEIRO (BP)—Will Claye’s journey to the Rio Olympics began with heartbreak. He thought he had qualified in the long jump during the Olympic team trials in July. He even took a victory lap. But he was wrong. “It took a lot of prayers and a lot of my family, my agent, old coaches just uplifting me and letting me know that this is in God’s plan,” Claye told Baptist Press. “It was something...
