Sports Church reaching out to fans, families in Snohomish
by Bryan Malley
SNOHOMISH — "Many times the Church today expects people to come to us, dress like us, act like us, talk like us, etc.," said Pastor DJ Rabe. "Jesus met people where they lived and brought the gospel to them. According to the Barna Research Group, North America is the only continent where the Christian Church is not growing. This being true, something needs to change in the way we are attempting to reach people for Christ."

One aspect of that change comes with the launch of Sports Church, a ministry of The House, a new church Rabe and his wife Dottie founded in Snohomish.

DJ Rabe and his friend Mike Unverzagt, a pastor in Vancouver, Wash., began discussing the idea for Sports Church a few years ago.

"As pastors, both Mike and I have noticed that many times men are made to feel guilty by 'the religious crowd' for wanting to be in front of the big screen watching the game instead of in a church service," Rabe said. "People shouldn't be made to feel guilty about not wanting to attend church. If a person doesn't want to attend our church services, then maybe we should ask ourselves why?"

Sports Church invites attendees to watch football, socialize and hear a spiritual message during halftime of each game. Because the events are geared toward men, Sports Church meetings will not feature a time of singing.

The Vancouver Sports Church will begin Sept. 9 with the opening of the NFL season and will meet in a local sports pub. The Sports Church in Snohomish begins Sept. 10 for "Monday Night Football" and will meet at the Snohomish Boys and Girls Club each Monday night, rounding out the year with a Super Bowl party.

"I see this initiative reaching the entire family—men, women, teenagers and children," Rabe said. "As a father, I am excited for the opportunity to experience Sports Church with my 7-year-old son."

The House church services will also be held at the Snohomish Boys and Girls Club on Saturday nights beginning Sept. 15. Services at The House will feature a laid-back atmosphere, song, sermons and socializing.

Rabe—who also runs a consulting service for other churches—hopes to build a ministry that focuses not on building itself but rather on "ministering to people." He said momentum has been building for Sports Church even before its launch.

"People are absolutely pumped for Sports Church to begin, both in Vancouver and Snohomish. I have even had a ministry leader call me asking how he can implement some of these concepts to reach more men in his church," Rabe said. "The response has been amazing."

To read more about Sports Church, visit www.sportschurch.net. For more information about The House, visit www.experiencethehouse.com.