Oak Bend Church lies in the heart of the sports-loving community of Perrysburg, Ohio. This fall, a new Upward flag football league has begun on Oak Bend’s grounds to make deeper connections within that community.
Dustin Baughman, the Family and Outreach Pastor at Oak Bend, grew up in Perrysburg, enjoying sports through the years. While discussing community outreach with his fellow elders, Dustin’s thoughts turned to the positive experience his son had at a nearby Upward Sports league. As the elder team considered the church’s large acreage, thoughts went toward a sports outreach of some kind.
Oak Bend moved forward by connecting with Upward and investing the last six months in preparations for the Perrysburg Upward Flag Football league to launch this month. As a result, 66 players registered and seven teams are playing, as of September 6th. Dustin has seen a very positive response from the community, observing several families from his own neighborhood signing up. Many of the volunteer coaches, referees, and helpers come from different churches across the northwest Ohio region.
“Overall, parents feel such gratitude and grace,” Dustin says. “There’s a personal care that they’re receiving that they didn’t expect.” The players are just as happy to have this opportunity. “You should see the excitement on these kids’ faces.” Dustin sees great unity among the families involved, whether they attend a church or not. There is a shared vision to see this program succeed.
Upward Sports began in 1995 as a way to connect sports with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Devotions are given at halftime, coaches pray before games, and in general, there is a spirit of Christ-likeness in sportsmanship between players, coaches, referees, and everyone. Children have an opportunity to play no matter their experience, skill level, or ability. Oak Bend’s vision is to meet a need while strategically weaving the gospel into it. As Dustin says, it’s a “whole family experience.”
