FAITH & NASCAR: Everyone counts

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—FAITH pastors and NASCAR drivers may both be in the limelight, but neither can do their jobs without a well-run organization. Teamwork is the key to a successful NASCAR race. It’s also the key to successful FAITH ministry.

More than 200 first-time and veteran FAITH clinicians met at First Baptist Church, Daytona Beach, for the National FAITH Institute, Jan. 24-27. FAITH is a strategy of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention that combines Sunday school with evangelism. It uses the acrostic F-A-I-T-H (forgiveness, available, impossible, turn and heaven) as a tool for leading people to a point of receiving Christ as Savior. SBC president and First Baptist Church pastor Bobby Welch is the creator of the strategy.

An off-site tour took pastors and other church staff members to the Daytona Speedway, home of the Daytona 500. Throughout the tour, they heard how NASCAR and FAITH share similarities: teamwork is crucial to success; everyone on the team is important; if you have to make a pit stop, make it quick, then get back on the track; and there may be a lot of personalities involved, but everyone has the same goal.

“NASCAR fans may only know the name of the driver, but there are also mechanics, engineers and the pit crew,” said James Walker, director of FAITH for LifeWay. “People who aren’t members of your church may only know the name of the pastor, but all of you are a crucial part of the FAITH team. Building your team is like building a pit crew. Every person has a job to do.”

The Daytona 500 race brings 250,000 visitors to Daytona Beach each February. All those people are excited about things that don’t last–speed, noise and celebrities. The FAITH Institute brings in about 250 people each January. All those people are excited about the one thing that matters for eternity—bringing people to saving faith in Jesus Christ.

LifeWay will conduct the next National FAITH Institute Sept. 19-22 at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. For more information about the FAITH strategy, or to register for the institute, go to www.lifeway.com/faith.