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Community Church 'Adopts' High School Football Players

CBN

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The Cherokee Hills Baptist Church is "adopting" football players from the Putnam City High School team in Oklahoma City. 

The church decided to attend all of the team's home games and cheer them on. The idea was spurred by pastor Mike Keahbone, who was looking for ways to reach the community. 

"We started praying for God to open doors," Keahbone said. "And Kyle Hale, the Putnam City assistant football coach started coming to our church earlier this year."

Church members started serving lunch to the players during the preseason practices. Hale also told Keahbone how few of the kids' parents come support their sons at the games. 

Keahbone said he had asked the coach, "Out of those 80, how many would not have anybody out there watching them play on Friday nights?'"

"'I'd say about 80-90 percent of them,'" he said the coach replied. "It broke my heart."

Hale sent him a list of those who did not have family supporting them, around 60 players. 

"What if we could rally around them and have people sign up to 'adopt' a player, wear a shirt that had that kid's jersey number and make a commitment to make it to every home game?" Keahobone said of his idea. "Whether they play or not, they can look over their shoulder and see someone in the stands just for them. After the game, go where the team is at, shake the player's hand and tell him you're proud of him."

"The goal is to build a relationship with the kid, so that we can have an open door to build a relationship with the family," Keahbone said.

"If it's because their parents don't care, then we'll have somebody there who does care," Keahbone added. "And if the Lord opens the door, we'll share the Gospel with them."

Hale says his team is already motivated and happier to be at school since the church started coming to games and investing their time into the players.

SOURCE: http://bpnews.net/47595/church-cheers-for-high-school-football-team


 

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