The Philippines is a basketball-craze country.  Filipinos—young and old—all over the country love to play basketball.

 Christian Basketball Association (CBA) is more than just plains sports. It is more than just a sporting competition. It is more than just a sports  development. It has a moral, ethical and spiritual content that can never be found in the program of other sports organizations. At CBA sports development is soul/character development of the young—moving towards becoming the persons they were created to be and deeply need to become.

As a matter of fact, CBA caters to the whole man as he is designed by God.

 Physical Dimension. Creation theologians affirm that our human body—intricately and miraculously woven and fashioned—is a gift from God.  Hence, the creation mandate to take care of the physical universe includes our stewardship to enhance and develop our physical well-being. One way to do it is through sports.  Disciplined physical training finds its anchor in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 4:6-10).

 Mental Dimension. Our physical well-being sharpens our mental perception.  A sluggish mind is a resultant effect of a sluggish body.  Our physical health has a direct bearing with our mental health.

 Social Dimension. Sports fosters camaraderie and our sense of humanity.  Dr. Alfred Adler, a psychiatrist, speaks of it as “an inborn social feeling—a connectedness of the whole cosmos within us.  It is part of being a human being.

 John Donne, in the same vein, writes: “When someone dies, a part of me dies for I am a part of the great humanity.”

 Indeed, politics divides but sports unites.  Human ideology polarizes but sports unites.  Sports makes us “indivisibly united” (Dr. Bruce Milne’s words).

 Spiritual Dimension. A philosopher says that meaninglessness and/or emptiness plagues our age. Emptiness within and emptiness without is what we are. Emptiness within is the resultant effect of the meaninglessness of life. There is an “unheard cry for meaning” (Viktor Frankl).

Since time immemorial man has been seeking the ultimate meaning to life. However, the quest for life’s meaning leads us to a Spiritual Being. . .called God. For God “explains” everything.  He explains the universe. He explains life and the meaning of human existence. God “answers” the question: “What am I living for?”

 Christian Basketball Association (CBA) will lead young people to a saving and relational knowledge of a knowable God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 In the words of St. Augustine: “Lord, You have created us for Yourself, Oh God, and our soul is restless until rests in You!”

 Thus, CBA’s timely slogan:

“In Touch With God and Man . . . Through Sports!”
 

Basketball Evangelistic Camp (“Bola at Bibliya”)

Evangelical Christian Church of Manila uses basketball as the avenue in reaching young people for Christ who otherwise cannot be reached by direct evangelistic church-related activities.

Evangelism in CBA is more than just the usual “play-pray-proclaim” type of witnessing.  It is not a one-shot deal.  Evangelism in CBA is programmed.  It will be done in a series of sessions and in different settings and occasions.  This is to prevent from soft-selling the Gospel that will result to easy believism.

 It’s Gospel presentation emphasizes on repentance and the Lordship of  Jesus Christ. And it does not sidestep the cost of discipleship.

Basketball and Discipleship Camp

 A depth-quality discipleship will usher spiritual deepening among young believers until “Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).  The Growth Group program will be used to attain discipleship among young believers.

Coupled with the aim of Christian growth and maturity, the young believers are also schooled on their local church’s privileges and responsibilities.

Basketball and Missions

 CBA will be in the forefront of challenging young people to responsively and responsibly commit themselves to missions. World missions need reinforcement from young blood.

Crime- and Drug-Watch Seminar

 To prevent young people from being prey to criminal and drug-related activities, CBA conducts seminars on crime and drug prevention.  Police and government experts are being recruited to handle these seminars and educate young people on the devastating and crippling effects of crime and drug addiction.

Seminar on Nation Building

 Further, seminars on enhancing Filipino values, nationalism and on the role of young people in nation building are being conducted. CBA intends to develop among the young wholeness of life and a sense of being.

·   Basketball Clinic  ·   Officiating Clinic Regional
·   Summer Basketball League  ·   Sports Science Seminar/Conference

You can be a part of  CBA’s holistic and strategic ministry by supporting its programs.  Attached please find a pledge/response form for this purpose.