28 years of ministry has produced 53,734 campers, over 55,000 Bibles distributed, and 6,202 Professions of Faith (U.S. camps). 404 local churches have partnered with us and over 50 of our Sports Crusader alumni have gone on to serve in full-time ministry positions.
History
Founder Bobby Shows accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He began to prayerfully contemplated how he could serve the Lord. As a Mississippi State University basketball player, the Lord desired for him to use his sports background as a common ground for sharing Christ. Bobby coached for Mississippi State University and high schools for three years when God called him into full-time Recreation and Sports ministry. He served for 25 years as Recreation Minister in churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri and Arkansas.
In February, Bobby accepted a position with the Missouri Baptist Convention with recreation and sports evangelism as one of his consulting responsibilities. Later that spring, he got the vision of forming a sports evangelism ministry through the Missouri Baptist Convention.
The first Sports Crusader team was formed using college students. They held 18 camps with 273 campers. 28 indicated they accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior
International Ministries began. Sports Crusaders have sent teams to 13 countries reaching thousands of children and adults.
After a lot of prayer and blessing from the Missouri Baptist Convention, Sports Crusaders became a faith-based ministry. Bobby operated Crusaders from the basement of his home.
Union Hill Baptist Church in Holts Summit, Mo., invited Sports Crusaders to house their permanent offices at the church. Tricia Alberts became the second staff member.
Bobby retired in January and later that year, Randy Curless, became the executive director.
Tricia Alberts became Executive Director
CampP82 was started by our Vice-President, Cory Casey
20 Years of ministry has produced 40,368 campers, over 50,000 Bibles distributed, 4964 Professions of Faith documented in our U.S. Camps(not international),378 local churches have partnered, and over 50 of our Sports Crusader coaches have gone on to serve in full-time ministry.
Celebrating 25 years of ministry with 51,301 campers 5,950 POF, 415 local churches.
Our bylaws require us to have an active board. Please feel free to contact us for an updated list of board members.
What We Believe
Statement of Faith
We are partners with the Missouri Baptist Convention. We agree with their Statement of Faith on Evangelism and Missions.
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3 || Exodus 19:5-6 || Isaiah 6:1-8 || Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20 || Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53 || John14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21 || Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3 || Romans 10:13-15 || Ephesians 3:1-11 || 1 Thessalonians 1:8 || 2 Timothy 4:5 || Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2 || 1 Peter 2:4-10 || Revelation 22:17