Last weekend I had the opportunity to tell others about Tennis Ambassadors Christian Ministry and the meaning of tennis ministry.  I do my best to give every tennis player I meet an opportunity to hear about how God is moving in the world of tennis.

This was brought home to me when I spoke with top player, Todd Martin, a few years ago and he listened very intently as I explained about tennis ministry in China.  Who was standing right next to him, listening very closely, his best friend, Pete Sampras.  The message was not rejected at all in fact Todd was very appreciative of the conversation and Pete was very polite to me.

I count on the strategy that while not everyone is interested, some are.  I find that at least 10% of those who play tennis will be interested in tennis ministry, enough to want information regularly.  Then another 20-30% will be interested enough to have positive and supportive questions, while they are talking with you, and some will want information sent to them on a regular basis.  The remainder I look at it as planting a seed to them and educating them with the meaning of tennis ministry.  Then less than 5% will take an aggressive stand against tennis ministry.  Having taken this approach from grass roots tennis players, to world class tennis professionals, it works across all boundaries and cultures.  To me, it is quite clear that tennis ministry does have a place in the world of tennis and it is largely a matter of education as to what tennis ministry is.

Each story below takes a different aspect to what tennis ministry is and the role of Tennis Ambassadors Christian Ministry.

Last weekend, the United States Professional Tennis Registry (USPTR) was in Hong Kong for a coach's certification workshop.  The director of the workshop, Dr. Louie Cap, graciously allowed me to speak to the 20 coaches attending about tennis ministry.  My main purpose was to identify those coaches who were attending as being Christians, for inclusion in our database of Hong Kong coaches.  I had 2 minutes to explain what Tennis Ambassadors does.  I took the approach that I wanted to identify Christian coaches for our Hong Kong activities.  I also mentioned that we are located in 73 nations with 3000 members.  From this came the following: 2 coaches were already Christians and several others later spoke to these two Christians coaches expressing an interest in helping Christian tennis activities.  I also had two non-Christian coaches approach me about what tennis ministry is and asked me to contact them later and include them on our email mailings.

The next day, I met with Andrew Ma who is the Director of Sports Development for Hong Kong and the Director of the National Training Center for Elite Athletes.  The Sports Development Board controls the government funding for all Hong Kong sports, including tennis.   Our meeting lasted 75 minutes.  The purpose was for me to explain what is tennis ministry, sports ministry in general, and tennis ministry projects that I would like to see started in Hong Kong.  Early in the conversation Mr. Ma asked me directly "Exactly what do you do?"  I explained to him that Hong Kong has over 1100 churches and almost every church will have tennis players.  I explained that it was a goal for the upcoming year to network these church members who play tennis together for a common goal of unity.  I then briefly explained Tennis Ambassadors, my role and methods of reaching around the world through the Internet.  Finally I discussed with him my own experience and the difference between emotional, psychological and spiritual counseling for elite athletes.  Once we started to discuss the role of the sports psychologist in the success of the elite tennis player, we began to have some common understandings.  I explained to Mr. Ma how emotional, and as Christians call it spiritual development, is an integral part of development to reach athletes highest potential success.  He told me that he would speak with the head sports psychologist for the Institute on this matter and see if I would have a role to play with elite athletes.  During our conversation, one particular comment from Mr. Ma had an impact on me, "Tennis ministry is something people can not get a handle on, they don't understand what it means."

Later that same day, I spoke with the Head National Coach and Davis Cup Coach for Hong Kong, Ashley Hobson.  Having known him for several years, he knows that I am involved in tennis ministry.  I was able to speak with him on how an athletes off court emotional problems can hinder their on-court performance.  I brought up several well-known cases with top players that I have had direct contact with and past experiences with top Hong Kong players.  We then agreed that a players emotional well being would be a major factor in how they end up as a tennis player and we agreed that a person's spiritual control could control a person emotionally.  He asked me to prepare a plan for him for counseling his players.

The next day, and the last day of the USPTR coaches workshop, I met a new coach attending the workshop.  He did not attend the earlier lecture when I shared about tennis ministry.  During a break in the lectures, he asked me if I was a coach.  I told him yes, part-time, but that I worked in the church and was a Pastor.  He told me that he had gone to a Christian primary school, and from our discussion it was clear that he had a heart that knew Jesus Christ.  It appeared that after school he got caught up in the importance of the world values and put God and Christ in the back of his mind.  He told me that 3 years prior he had a large business manufacturing garments in China, had all the material possessions that he desired and then as the economy bottomed out had been forced into bankruptcy.  He now was teaching tennis to provide for his family.  He could only find a few hours of lessons a day, as many today's Hong Kong coaches still find it difficult during this economic time.  Close to tears, as he spoke to another Christian coach and myself I knew that God wanted to drawn him back to himself.  He thanked us for our concern, and we promised to contact each other.  He was very excited about tennis ministry, and wanted to make this part of his life.

God gave me clear thoughts in my mind that very night.  Once I go to bed, I go to sleep immediately and soundly.  So I have learned to recognize when God keeps me awake and usually on a matter of great importance.  All night long, until sunrise the next morning, I will assume God had a point to make with me.  What Tennis Ambassadors and tennis ministry is all about is changed life's.  This is what people need, Christians and non-Christians.  My thoughts came of well known players such as former world number one Stan Smith, current world number one Andre Agassi, and others such as Michael Chang, and many others, each has a story to tell about how God changed their life.  Many others that I have had contact with, and who are known but to God, also have a wonderful story.  And I also have a story.  This is what it is all about.  God spoke to me very clearly that night, this is what it is all about, focus on this for Tennis Ambassadors.  While 73 nations, thousands of contacts around the world, sports psychology, elite counseling, birthing other tennis ministries and well-known Christian tennis players are part of Tennis Ambassadors Christian Ministry, what touches God heart is a changed life towards God.

Please join us as we focus on this for the new millennium and the year 2000.  From January to June 2000 in our newsletters we will be bringing  you testimony's of changed life's in tennis from a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you wish to read some past newsletters on how this ministry developed please look at the following:
Letters to this ministry. Oct 1, 1998
Vision for this ministry. Dec. 1, 1998
Internet Development for this ministry. Apr. 15, 1999

Blessings,
Rev. Bob Kraft