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"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:5-6
To provide fellowship, discipleship, and evangelism to the adult recreational hockey community.
FELLOWSHIP
"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42
As this Scripture indicates, fellowship was a very important ingredient in the early church. It has continued to be ever since. One of our main goals for Christian Hockey Ministries is that fellowship will be an integral part. A place of true Christian friendship.
While playing in recreational hockey leagues one of the most difficult things for a Christian player to face is not the opposition’s slapshot, but of being in an environment of foul language, rude comments, and the constant discussions of subject matter that makes the Spirit grieve. Any Christian who has been in a locker room full of jocks can attest to the fact that even when surrounded by teammates it can be a lonely place, devoid of wholesome friendship. The guilt of having to compromise their convictions has driven many Christians to give up the game they love.
We at CHM strive to provide a place where hockey players can share their love of the game without sacrificing their love for God. Where time can be spent with other men who share their desire to have clean, wholesome competition. A place where men can share their game, their faith, their prayers, and their joys without ridicule. Where they can even bring their families & friends with no fear of embarrassment or shame.
Because Christian Hockey Ministries is open to anyone who is willing to live by the rules (no checking, no fighting, no foul language), we have Christians and non-Christians alike. It is our hope that through fellowship with other believers that the Christian players will gain friends and grow in the Lord. It is also our hope that the non-Christian players will witness true friendship, creating in them the desire to share in that fellowship, and thus leading them to salvation.
DISCIPLESHIP
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen" Matthew 28:18-20
It's called "The Great Commission" and it says we are to "make disciples". Vine's Expository Dictionary says "A disciple was not only a pupil, but an adherent; hence they are spoken of as imitators of their teacher". At Christian Hockey Ministries our desire is to make disciples of hockey players. The first step of discipleship is to lead the lost to salvation.
"Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed." John 8:31
The second step of discipleship is "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" or to "abide in My word". That means we must teach them the Word of God.
It is evident from Scripture that discipleship is a two-way street - it takes both a teacher and a learner. In order to be a learner one must have a desire to learn. Therefore, we at CHM do not try to force discipleship on anyone. We simply offer ourselves to anyone who has a desire to learn more about Jesus and His teachings.
In an effort to share God's Word, we have a half-time devotion at each game. These devotions are delivered by a group of 5 players on a rotating schedule. We also hand out gospel tracts, stories about Christian athletes, Bibles, and other things that come available to us. We currently have a handful of players who accepted our challenge to read through the entire Bible in the year 2000.
Discipleship is a lifelong process. It is our hope at CHM that God will use us to "make disciples" in the hockey community.
EVANGELISM
Evangelism is bringing the good news about Jesus Christ to someone. At Christian Hockey Ministries we believe in doing this in a non-confrontational manner. In other words, we share the Gospel openly and unashamedly to those who are willing to hear. When contacted by someone who wants to visit CHM for the first time, we make them aware that we have a devotion and opening prayer at each game. We tell them that if the Gospel offends them they might not be comfortable with us, but if they don't mind the preaching they're welcome to join us.
Don't be confused by the terminology. Saved, born again, and becoming a Christian are different expressions for the same thing - placing your trust (faith) in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation.
The first thing that's important to understand is that everyone is guilty of sin. We're all in the same boat; we're all sinners. The Bible says "As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;" (Romans 3:10).
It's easy to look around and see that "all are sinners", but why? There are two reasons. First, we are born with a sin nature. That's because Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden and "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-" (Romans 5:12). Second, we all commit sin individually: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
The next thing to understand is that the penalty for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). Not just physical death, but spiritual death which is eternal separation from God in hell.
Fortunately for us this is not the end of the story as the verse continues to say "But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23b). We also read "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8). The verse that just about everybody knows says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16a). However, even though Christ's death on the cross was sufficient for all, it is only effective for those who believe. In other words, "that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16b). That means in order to receive the salvation that Christ provided for you, you must believe Him for it.
The Scripture plainly teaches that the only way to have your sins forgiven is by placing your faith in Christ alone: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9) and "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).
If you would like to become a Christian, pray something like this:
Dear God, I know I'm a sinner. I believe Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins, was buried and rose again. I now receive the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Amen.
1. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist from all Eternity to all Eternity, as one God, three Persons.
2. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life, was crucified as the substitutionary sacrifice for all men, rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven where He is now exalted at the right hand of the Father.
3. The coming of Christ for His Church, a period of great tribulation on earth, the return of Christ to establish an earthly kingdom, the judgment and eternal doom of the lost, and the eternal reward of the saved. Jesus Christ will return personally, visibly, and bodily to receive His own and to establish His kingdom, and to rule in righteousness and peace.
4. Man was created in the image of God and fell through disobedience. Consequently, all men are born sinners, unable to please God in their natural state.
5. Salvation is the gift of God brought to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
6. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, the final authority for faith and life, inerrant in the original writings, infallible and God-breathed.
2004
In May of 2004, the Saints joined Chicago, Dallas, Cape Cod, Raynham, and Rockland to compete in the 1st annual Christian Cup tournament in Raynham, MA.
2005
In March of 2005, the Saints claimed their first ever tournament championship by winning the U.S. Ice hosted Shamrock Shoot-out in Fairview Heights.
In May of 2005, the Saints won the championship of the 2nd annual Christian Cup in an overtime thriller against Cape Cod.
In September of 2005, Tom announced that John Hackmann is taking over leadership of Christian Hockey Ministries effective September 1, 2005. "John has been a valued member of CHM since October 19, 1998. Please join me in welcoming John to his new role and in providing him with 100% support."
THE PRESENT
With few exceptions we've played at least one game a week since that first game in February 1998. Players ranging in skill level from novice to college club and ages ranging from teens to the 60's have participated in our Christian Pickup Hockey League. Over 500 players have participated with CHM and each one has been greeted with the love of Jesus Christ.
We've used devotions, handouts, tracts, Bibles, and testimonies in our attempt to reach each individual with God's good news. Our ministry is three-fold: to provide fellowship for Christians, discipleship for those who have a desire to grow, and evangelism to those who have never put their trust in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for their eternal salvation. We've had the opportunity to pray with, rejoice with, grieve with, and encourage one another. We've also made close friends and, most importantly, we've strived to glorify God in everything we do.
I've seen changes in many of the men who are regulars with CHM. I've also received comments from players families on how they can see changes in their husbands/fathers/sons. There is no question that God has His hand on this ministry and the men it is encountering.
The creation of the CPHL, St. Louis Saints, and the Christian Classic Fellowship Tournament have allowed CHM to fulfill some of the goals we established "in the beginning". Through our website another goal is being reached - to work together with other likeminded ministries. In addition to all of the hockey ministries previously mentioned, we have also been contacted by individuals and non-hockey ministries after they discovered our site on the web. Little did we know that our website would become such an incredibly valuable tool for making friends and sharing ministry ideas with people all around the country.
THE FUTURE
The next major step of the ministry will be to host our 1st annual Christian Classic Fellowship Tournament in Fairview Heights on January 6-8, 2006. By inviting players and teams from other hockey ministries throughout North America, we seek to provide a time of genuine fellowship and fun for those whom God has called to share His love through the game of hockey. In addition to the games, the event will include many off ice opportunities for the folks of each ministry to spend time together, get to know one another, and encourage each other.
We at Christian Hockey Ministries will continue to seek God's will and serve Him through the game of hockey. In the future we hope to attain some of the following goals. None are written in stone. They are currently just ideas, hopes, and dreams. We want to make sure that each one is in God's will before we proceed.
1. Host Christian hockey camps for recreational adult players.
2. Host annual Christian Classic Fellowship Tournaments.
3. Expand CHM to other age groups by establishing youth and high school programs.
4. Provide Chaplains/Counselors for hockey players, teams, leagues, and rinks.
5. Work with other ministries and provide opportunities for CHM players to feed the hungry, house the homeless, and care for the widows.
Mike Blessing (Pass It On) welcomes CHM
Pat Kern (NHM), Greg Pearson (CHM), Bethany Hacker, Larry Hacker (NEHIM), Dale Keune (CHM), and Evan Hacker during the 2002 NEHIM Rally weekend
The Saints' Rick Bittner takes a face-off at the Illinois Prairie State Games
Tom Hunter (CHM), Kevin Mahoney (NEHIM), and Jim Rocha (NEHIM)
2002
During the week of January 1, 2002 CHM defensement Jeff Mucci and I (as a coach) joined NEHIM's Cape Crusaders on a road trip to Dallas, Houston, and Texarkana to play four games against the three teams of the Gulf Coast Hockey League.
On January 10, 2002, Pat Kern of Tacoma, WA visited our website and contacted us about starting a hockey ministry in Washington. Pat later founded Northwest Hockey Ministry.
On March 15, 2002 the inaugural game of the St. Louis Saints Christian Hockey Club was played. For over four years, CHM had been reaching out to the hockey community by inviting it to visit us and join us in our games. Now through the Saints, we are reaching out to the community by visiting them and playing in their games through local tournaments.
IN THE BEGINNING
1997
During the late Fall of 1997, a burden for adult recreational hockey players was placed upon my heart. After a few weeks of prayer I brought up the idea to my wife, Brenda, of combining hockey with a Christian outreach. Being a firm believer in walking through the doors that God opens and not trying to force my way through those that He closes, I agreed to pursue the idea only if He would provide enough players to get it off the ground.
On December 12, 1997 we began distributing flyers and pamphlets to ice rinks, pro shops, and Christian bookstores throughout the St. Louis metro area. There was absolutely no response for the first few days, but then just as it appeared that God was closing the door, the calls came pouring in.
1998 - 2000
On February 17, 1998 the very first CPHL game was played at an outdoor rink in Granite City, Illinois. There were 21 players who participated in that inaugural game. Five of the players who started "in the beginning" are still active with CHM. A number of others keep in contact and still play on occasion.
On March 30, 1998 after the outdoor rink closed for the Summer, our games were moved to the indoor East Alton Ice Arena and continued there through June 24. Because the rink was nearly 40 miles away and the games began so late at night, there was a large turnover of players. However, six of the players who began with us during the East Alton days are still active with the ministry.
Almost a year before the U.S. Ice Sports Complex opened in Fairview Heights, we contacted their management in an attempt to secure ice time. When the rink finally had their Grand Opening, we setup a table to introduce CHM to the community. So many players signed up to play that day, we had to establish a reserve roster. Our first game in Fairview Heights was played on June 1, 1998 with 26 players.
2001
On February 27, 2001 CHM was contacted by Kevin Mahoney, Founder of New England Hockey Ice Ministries. I was invited by Kevin to participate in NEHIM's All-Star Rally in May 2001 and the first face to face meeting between CHM and NEHIM took place. Since that time a tremendous friendship has blossomed between our ministries.