Kevin Durant and Oklahoma City Thunder Inspire Baptists to Spread Word of Jesus

By Christine Thomasos, Christian Post Reporter Monday, May 14, 2012

Kevin Durant and Derek Fisher are two popular Oklahoma City players who have been vocal about their Christian faith over their careers, and have now inspired Baptists in Oklahoma to spread the message of Jesus Christ.

Harry Black, executive director of the Capitol Baptist Association, helped create the "I Believe" Outreach where fans can cheer their team on while sharing their Christian faith. The outreach project consists of joint efforts between the Capitol Baptists, the Union Baptist Association and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Churches in the central Oklahoma area, including Norman have also joined together to help spread pamphlets and magazines containing the testimonies about Christian athletes and coaches in the area.

Black said the efforts can bolster the Baptists' outreach with co-workers, friends, family and Thunder fans.

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"They can put one of those in someone's hands and let the Holy Spirit take it from there," he said. "The Thunder in Oklahoma City is great news - we're in the finals and we believe they can go all the way to the finals and win the finals. We thought this was a great opportunity to combine good news in two ways."

Rev. Jimmy Kinnaird, senior pastor of Village Baptist Church, said the Oklahoma Baptists' strong belief in both Jesus Christ and the Thunder winning a championship was a message of hope.

"'I believe we're (Thunder) going to make it all the way and I believe in Christ. We need hope and that's really what this is - a message of hope," Kinnaird in the NewsOk report. "We're Thunder fans of course and of course we're fans of Jesus too."

The Rev. Dave Evans, senior pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Moore, Okla., said his church was planning playoff watch parties where they will distribute Sports Spectrum magazine with faith-based content for sports fans.

"This will be an opportunity to build a bridge out in the community," Evans said in News Ok.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were the number two seed in the east during the NBA 2011-2012 regular season, and will play the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Semi-Finals on Monday after sweeping the defending champion Dallas Mavericks.