Champions for Christ
Encyclopedia
Established in 1985 as part of the controversial Maranatha Campus Ministries
, Champions for Christ (CFC) is an outreach to college and professional athletes. Now a part of the Every Nation
group of ministries, CFC has also come under the auspices of other organizations since initial establishment.
Champions for Christ has branches on 40 college campuses, organizing an annual conference for college athletes for the purpose of challenging young people to use their status and influence for the sake of the Gospel. In response to questioning by MinistryWatch.com over its targeting of athletes in particular, CFC responded "When we strategically draw and disciple athletes, we influence the culture and the world."
CFC believes that God has mandated them to reach and train the next generation, helping young men and women to grow spiritually and physically. As well as the annual conferece, CFC conducts Champion All-Star Sports Camps. Several of these camps are conducted each year both in the United States and abroad.
, Los Angeles Laker A. C. Green
, Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green
, and quarterback Mark Brunell
, it has not been without controversy.
1998 saw CFC make national headlines when a number of NFL teams asked the security arm of the National Football League to investigate CFC over concerns that players were being taken advantage of financially. Champions for Christ was said to be steering NFL players to an agent tied to the group—Brunell’s then-marketing representative, Greg Feste, was accused of putting the fear of God into Chicago Bears running back Curtis Enis to get him to switch agents.
As well as media scrutiny CFC has also been questioned by watch groups, such as the National Values Center: "It's an entrepreneurial religious group. It's a new start-up business, quite frankly, What raises a question for me is when a religious organization uses Christianity as a front for making money. It makes me kind of queasy." Don Beck, National Values Center
Maranatha Campus Ministries
Maranatha Campus Ministries was a Charismatic/Pentecostal-oriented Christian ministry founded by Bob Weiner which existed from 1971 to 1990. Its primary outreach was to college and university campuses....
, Champions for Christ (CFC) is an outreach to college and professional athletes. Now a part of the Every Nation
Every Nation
Every Nation Churches is an organization of non-denominational Christian churches. Its name embodies its goal of reaching "every nation in our generation" with the gospel....
group of ministries, CFC has also come under the auspices of other organizations since initial establishment.
Champions for Christ has branches on 40 college campuses, organizing an annual conference for college athletes for the purpose of challenging young people to use their status and influence for the sake of the Gospel. In response to questioning by MinistryWatch.com over its targeting of athletes in particular, CFC responded "When we strategically draw and disciple athletes, we influence the culture and the world."
CFC believes that God has mandated them to reach and train the next generation, helping young men and women to grow spiritually and physically. As well as the annual conferece, CFC conducts Champion All-Star Sports Camps. Several of these camps are conducted each year both in the United States and abroad.
Controversy
While Champions for Christ has seen some success in recruiting big name athletes such as Chicago Bear's Curtis EnisCurtis Enis
Curtis D. Enis is a former professional American football player. For three seasons he played running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League...
, Los Angeles Laker A. C. Green
A. C. Green
A.C. Green, Jr., is a retired American NBA basketball player who played in more consecutive games than any other player in NBA and ABA history. With 1,192 straight games played, he earned the nickname "Iron Man". He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat...
, Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green
Darrell Green
Darrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
, and quarterback Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
, it has not been without controversy.
1998 saw CFC make national headlines when a number of NFL teams asked the security arm of the National Football League to investigate CFC over concerns that players were being taken advantage of financially. Champions for Christ was said to be steering NFL players to an agent tied to the group—Brunell’s then-marketing representative, Greg Feste, was accused of putting the fear of God into Chicago Bears running back Curtis Enis to get him to switch agents.
As well as media scrutiny CFC has also been questioned by watch groups, such as the National Values Center: "It's an entrepreneurial religious group. It's a new start-up business, quite frankly, What raises a question for me is when a religious organization uses Christianity as a front for making money. It makes me kind of queasy." Don Beck, National Values Center
CFC Timeline
- 1985—Champions for Christ established as a ministry of Maranatha (was not separately incorporated)
- October, 1986—“Champions for Christ” is used in commerce for the first time, according to records filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office. “Champions for Christ” logo is registered as a trademark of Maranatha Christian Churches, Inc.
- November 28, 1990—The now defunct Maranatha Christian Churches, Inc. transfers the entire interest and goodwill of the Champions for Christ name and logo to Word of Life Church, Midland, TX (later renamed Mid Cities Christian Church). This is the church where Rice Broocks was then based.
- 1996 (n.d.)—Champions for Christ is an active University of Minnesota ministry operating out of the Minneapolis Maranatha Christian Fellowship church pastored by Bruce Harpel.
- November 22, 1996—Champions for Christ refiles the old Maranatha-owned CFC logo and the typed name, “Champions for Christ” with the US Patent and Trademark Office, claiming 10/1986 as the first use in commerce, thus claiming CFC’s Maranatha history.
- 1998 - Darrell GreenDarrell GreenDarrell Ray Green is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League who played for the Washington Redskins from 1983 to 2002. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks to ever play football...
speaks as a Champions for Christ board member on the PBS program, Religion & Ethics.
Links with other groups
- December 12, 1992—Executives for Christ, Inc. is incorporated in Texas as a subsidiary of Champions for Christ. Board members include Greg Ball, Greg Feste, Ben Broocks, and John-Paul Morgante.
- November 16, 2001—Force Ministries, Inc. is incorporated in Austin, TX as a subsidiary of Champions for Christ. Registered agents include Greg Ball, Jim Laffoon, and Greg Wark (pastor of the San Diego Morning Star church).