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Getting to know Athletes InterVarsity
MISSION & VISION OF ATHLETES INTERVARSITY
Athletes InterVarsity’s vision is to see athletes and coaches transformed, collegiate athletics renewed and world changers developed.
Athletes InterVarsity’s mission is to reach every team and every teammate through Team Ministry committed to student leadership development, intentional outreach and spiritual growth.
ATHLETES INTERVARSITY VS WORKING WITH ATHLETES
An establish designated Athletes InterVarsity movement consists of three commitments:
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- To Mission: to the mission of reaching every team and every teammate through team ministry;
- To Growth: to a Core Leaders Gathering used to develop, train and nurture athlete leaders who catalyze team ministry;
- To Partnership: to the partnership between athletes and Athletes InterVarsity/InterVarsity staff/volunteers and the like-minded growth to the mission on campus.
Without these three commitments, a designated Athletes InterVarsity does not exist.
UNIQUENESS OF ATHLETES INTERVARSITY IN COLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
Birthed nationally in 2013, Athletes InterVarsity brings the uniqueness of InterVarsity to the collegiate athlete corner of the campus. Whether it is student leadership development, intentional outreach or spiritual growth, the long, rich history of InterVarsity’s core ministry is embedded in Athletes InterVarsity. Therefore, as Athletes InterVarsity might be new to collegiate athlete ministry, Athletes InterVarsity is not new to ministry on campus.
Athletes partners alongside other collegiate athlete ministries such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Athletes In Action (AIA).
PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST MEETING WITH AN ATHLETE
Preparing for a meeting with a new athlete typically has three parts:
• Casting a Spiritual Vision for Athletes
• Casting a Vision for Team Ministry
• Invitation to Apprentice
Seet this document for “First Meeting with an Athlete”
CASTING SPIRITUAL VISION FOR ATHLETES
THE BIG STORY VIDEO
The Big Story, contextualized for athletes, provides a spiritual foundation for athlete ministry.
MARK 2:1-12 VIDEO
The Biblical story of Jesus healing the paralytic provides a vision of teammates reaching teammates with compassion and persistence.
CASTING SPIRITUAL VISION FOR TEAM MINISTRY
TEAM MINISTRY PDF
Team Ministry is central to the mission of Athletes InterVarsity. Through this resource an athlete will grasp a deeper and wider vision for Team Ministry.
INVITATION TO APPRENTICESHIP
CORE MEETING STARTER SERIES
CORE MEETING STARTER SERIES HANDOUTS
The last item within the first meeting is the invitation to apprentice. It is asking the athlete to learn a few spiritual skills, build spiritual confidence and prepare for launching team ministry. This invitation comes after casting a spiritual vision and vision for Team Ministry. If the athlete agrees, invite them into training weekly through the Core Meeting Starter Series.
ATHLETES INTERVARSITY CORE LEADERS MEETINGS
The Core Leader Meeting is central to a growing and flourishing Athletes InterVarsity ministry. It is the gathering place of all ministry leaders to care, train and prepare them for Team Ministry. It is also the central place of ministry for Campus Ministry Staff and Volunteers.
See this Core Leaders Meeting PDF
ATHLETE LEADERSHIP PATHWAY
The Athlete Leadership Pathway is a tool to grow and mature an athlete’s leadership throughout their time on campus but also how to grow a missional ministry.
• Fan (Attender)
• Core Member (Player)
• Team Leader (Floor/Field Leader)
• Chapter Mission Leader (Team Captain)
• Volunteer/Intern (Assistant Coach)
• Athletes InterVarsity Staff (Head Coach)
Please see Athlete Leadership Pathway PDF
8 Week Core Meeting Starter Series
If you have a group of athletes from a specific athletic team who:
- Are willing to meet with you
- Show interest in growing personally
- Care about their team
Then start here ⬇️
Getting to know Athletes & Collegiate Athletics
ATHLETE PROFILE
Do you want to know the mind of an athlete?
The Athlete Profile is meant to be a starting point for a cross-cultural understanding of athletes. This bullet-point resource provides a perspective of how athletes are wired, and why they do what they do. If you better understand them, it is much easier to love them, work with them, and foster spiritual and personal growth.
DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ATHLETE
Do you want to know a day in the life of an athlete?
Below are links to videos that provide a further glimpse of an athlete on a variety of levels of competition.
A Day in the Life of a Student Athlete (Women’s Volleyball)
Division 1 (Football and Softball)
Division 3 (Men’s Basketball)
NUMBER OF TEAMS PER CAMPUS
Do you want to know what campuses have athletics and how many teams per campus?
Particularly used with Area Ministry Directors, this document provides the campuses and number of teams per campus within a given Area.
INTRODUCTION TO LAUNCHING TEAM MINISTRY
The missional goal of Athletes InterVarsity is for an athlete leader(s) to lead and engage in Team Ministry. Team Ministry begins with a Launch Event that includes three tasks: 1) writing a vision cast script; 2) asking one spiritual question; and 3) scheduling the next meeting time.
See this Launching Team Ministry PDF
ATHLETES AND INVITATION TO TEAMMATES
The invitation of teammates to a Launch Event is a significant threshold to coach, train and encourage athlete leaders through. This resource names seven coaching points to help them overcome this barrier.
See this Invitation to Teammates PDF
TEAM MINISTRY AND A TEAM OUTREACH BIBLE STUDY (TOBS)
Athletes InterVarsity longs to develop students-athlete leaders who will be engaged in Team Ministry. The center of Team Ministry is a Team Outreach Bible Study (TOBS). In a TOBS, athletes center on God’s Word to transform them and their team.
TEAM MINISTRY IS MORE THAN A TOBS
Team Ministry includes TOBS but also much more. Team Ministry includes praying for teammates, gathering for fun in His name, participating in church, receiving training and mentors, helping other teams start team ministry, etc…
