CrossFire Ministries

This is Hans Schile from the Finishing Well Podcast.

On Finishing Well, we help you make godly choices about Medicare, long-term care, and your money. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. This is Stu Epperson talking about God's favorite game, because the ball is shaped just like the world God created. And I can't really talk about it without sharing the good news of Jesus and without my friends, Randy Shepard and Jamie Johnson, who have literally circled the globe sharing the gospel.

Let's just get back from the Philippines. And so let me bring Randy Shepard and Jamie Johnson, two of my favorite people on planet earth. I may have just hung up on one of them. Let's see who this is. Let's see, let's see. If I got you, Jamie, is this Jamie or Randy? Hey there, this is Jamie. Man, Jamie, God bless you, man. I don't know how you guys do it, but you're spinning balls and leading people to Christ. Crossfire ministry, brother, what's cooking, man? Well, a lot's going well, Stu. I don't have the best reception, so bear with me.

It seems like it's a little muffled on your end, but Crossfire's doing well, man. As you said, we just got back to the Philippines and saw 9,000 plus professions of faith. Stu's seven basketball games, about 12 schools, including one in South Korea on the way home, a girls school, and man, the Lord's just blessed us. We're just so thankful. Praise the Lord. And we got your partner in crime, the legendary Randy Shepard is joining us.

Randy, Jamie just talked about what God did in the Philippines. You guys go all over the world, and you're not just playing excellent basketball, and you're not just giving really sharp speeches and doing good diplomacy from America. You are bringing people the message of the Savior. Is that right?

Yes, sir. We use the silly game of basketball as a platform. Apostle Paul said to use all means necessary to win some, and God called us together about 31 years ago to start Crossfire. And we started a camp back then, and it's just a prayer request, and glory to God.

Since then, we've had 25,000 six to 18 year olds come through the camp, half day, full day, and overnight. We just give him the praise and the glory and the honor, teach him all the basketball they can learn in a major university camp, but more importantly, share God's Word and the gospel every day. So we're blessed to do what we do, Stu. We're thankful. Amen. The thought just occurred to me.

You guys are going, going, going. Of course, you know, the word goer is the first two letters of the word gospel, and you're going to people, and you're speaking. I saw you, the picture's just on the Facebook. Folks, if you're not following these guys on Facebook, I'm telling you, this is edifying. They're not putting pictures of food, and they're not putting silly little games up there. They are putting pictures of souls inviting Jesus Christ into their life. This whole ministry of Crossfire, you get to the bottom line, but you're going everywhere. When these camps come to town, these camps are literally, this is everyone coming to you.

Like, you're actually grounded for a week, or several weeks. How does this work, man? Yeah, well, we rent out Morris Hill University all-you-can-eat food. Guys dorm, girls dorm. We've probably had campers come from 15 different states and two foreign countries, and we bring them in Sunday through Thursday. We have about 25 male, female coaches that are sold out to the Lord that either played Division I, Division II, NAIA ball, or they're presently a high school coach, and we just do all the Pistol Pete, Steppin' Curry drills in the morning. Then we break for lunch, have a service, we're sharing the Word of God and music, and then we go back to the gym and do five-on-five, three-on-three, go to dinner, go back to the gym and do some more playing, and then at night we do Christian movies and just constantly pouring in God's Word. And basketball is the tool, so yeah, they'll come to us on a Sunday afternoon and stay through Thursday, ending with a parent program, where all the kids run out of the court, about 180. We have three different gyms here in a week, but we bring the parent program to one gym, about 180 kids there demonstrating to their parents a lot of ball handling, shooting, passing drills they've learned that week, and then we share the gospel with the parents. So a few years ago, Stu, there was about 18 parents at one of those parent meetings that raised their hand that they were repenting and putting their faith in Christ, so we want to reach the campers and their parents, glory to God. Wow. Parents, are you hearing this?

Grandparents, you want to make just an eternal investment. This is a fun camp with basketball and food in a great facility, but the kids are going to hear about Jesus, and they're going to learn some of the best fundamentals. And you guys take it seriously, Randy.

I mean, you're out there, when you lace them up with me, man, I can't even keep up with you. You know, Baller Nation's out there, he's in the studio, he's pumped about what you're doing. But this is an excellent—you're trying to train these young people to be the best they can be for Christ, but also to see there's something bigger. There's a bigger narrative. God's doing something in this world, Randy Shepard, and that's at the heart and soul of what you and Jamie have there across our ministries.

Yes, sir. There's a lot of AAU ball out there today, Stu, which when you and I played back in the day, we didn't have AAU ball. We had to work on our game in the backyard or in the gym.

Nothing against AAU ball, but they're getting a lot of run and gun in that. I've had D1 coaches tell me, I have to reprogram these players when they come to us in college. So we're going to give them fundamentals that's going to help them in their game and get them playing time on the middle school, high school, and then hopefully a scholarship one day so we just don't throw the balls out in the gym and babysit. We work with them, as you said. I'm working as hard as they are doing the drills and demonstrating to coaches. And then we do give them five on five, plenty of that, plenty of three on three where they can get that action in there. But we have been successful by God's grace for 33 years, stressing the fundamentals which they need to compete on the next level. I love it. I love it. When we come back, how you can sign up for camp, how you can pray for and support the ministry of Crossfire and some really cool stories with NBA hardwood legends.

You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com. I'm talking about some guys that are bringing the fire on the basketball court and I love these guys. These guys have sharpened me to share my faith more actively through the game of basketball. That's why we play ball. And guys, there's a special guest in the studio who you know, but Baller Nation. I mean, these guys have made an impact on you. Talk right into that mic. Put it on your chin.

Put it on your chin and tell everyone how they've impacted you for Christ. Yeah, Randy and Jamie have really impacted me for Christ in so many ways, teaching me how to conduct Baller Nation and the ministry that I have, as well as teaching me how to be a godly coach. Every coach that comes into their camp is a coach that loves the Lord and wants to impact these young people. And I'm going to tell you, Jamie Johnson and Randy Shepard, you guys aren't going to believe this. Baller Nation and I had coffee this morning with an NBA hardwood legend who played with Len Bias.

He played against Jordan, who you guys know. You guys administered all these guys. We had coffee this morning with none other than Adrian Branch, who was on fire for Jesus. He told me to tell you guys hello. He loves Crossfire Ministries. Those are those guys in Asheville that lead people to Jesus on the hardwoods.

Bless his heart. They were so encouraged. Baller Nation is one of your spiritual children, and your ministry has spawned and progenated all kinds of other ministries, teaching folks the excellence in basketball, but teaching young people especially how to share their faith and how to walk with Christ. A lot of these kids that will come to your camp, Randy, they may not have ever been to church. They may never have even heard the Gospel.

They'll come to a high-level basketball camp in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. Is that right? Yes, sir. I'll tell you a testimony to the Lord, Stu. Be in the mall or a restaurant, have a young man come up and say, I came to the camp when I was 9, 10, 11, 12. Do you remember me?

Now he's 25 with a beard. Yeah, I remember you. But there are some pastors that have come through camp, and Baller Nations worked the camp several times, and we're just so thrilled at what God's doing in his life. And players that have gone on to play university ball, and in some, they don't play past a grade or two, but the camp is for beginners to those that want to play on the university level. We try to get the top 25 to 30 players in Western North Carolina there for our overnight camps.

So kids coming in from out of town and your listening audience, different cities, will have good competition. The Word of God, and the number one thing about the camps, Stu, is it's got to play in Jesus Christ or we wouldn't do it. So that's our first goal. And this thing's filling up.

I mean, word has gotten out. I've heard your ad, I don't know how many times this week on the Truth Network, and I'm so encouraged and we're so grateful for you guys promoting the camp, because we want our listeners to send their kids. Your kid doesn't have to be like the next Jordan. Your kid doesn't have to be at the highest level, and your kid may be the very big time basketball progeny.

But at all scales, Randy, you take him at all levels, don't you, at Crossfire Camp? Yeah, Jamie, who was my ministry partner, Johnson, he was an academic All-American at Montreat and excelled at Gardner-Webb, Jamie was cut in the ninth grade. And he went back and worked with his coach one-on-one and worked on his skills.

So we can relate to the kid that may not be as well as he wants to be, a kid that's been cut, or a kid that's gone on to play university ball. We had several of those. We had one that went on to the NBA, was shot by camp, kicked our campaign with John, played North Carolina. So we try to meet them where they're at, and fundamentals are fundamentals, Stu, where you play basketball at the Masters College in California are the same as the fundamentals are at North Carolina or UNC Asheville. They just have to work on them and be taught them and then be encouraged to do them because of all the AAU ball out there today.

They're not getting that a lot unless they've got a great AAU coach, you know? And that's something. And you know, so many people, you hear about these hardwood legends, and even a lot of these guys that, like Adrian Branch we talked about earlier, who've come to Christ, God's opened some doors for you, Randy.

Hit our listeners up real quick with maybe a story or a testimony of how God's used you to witness to maybe someone high profile, where instead of fanboying and saying, hey, I need a picture, I need an autograph, you go right in with a gospel and you've led some of these guys to Christ. Well, one of the unique stories, and Stu, you've heard it several times, but there are probably people that have been listening. I think God had his hand in it when I was 16. My best friend from Asheville was 17. He beat me every day in the backyard, not physically, but in basketball. We go to Dean Smith's basketball camp, University of North Carolina, legendary coach there, before Roy Williams and Hubert Davis. But Coach Smith put two African American guys from Wilmington in the same suite with two white guys from Asheville.

It's in a book now about this guy, and this guy comes through at 17 years old, knocks on the door, sticks his hand out, says, hey, my name is Mike Jordan. Well, he wasn't even Michael then. In fact, Buzz got player of the year in the state of North Carolina the next year over Michael. But Dean was smart. He put them together to be roommates and us all to meet, and they went to play at North Carolina.

I wasn't good enough, so I went to UNC Asheville. But we've been able to minister to Michael the last 35 years and plant seeds in his life. And, you know, as you just said, lots of people are pulling on those guys for money, for endorsements, pictures, for autographs. But we try to get to the heart level because, you know, what is it, Bible says, what does it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his soul? Nothing wrong with a picture, nothing wrong with an autograph, but we try to take it a step further and say, hey, do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? If you died today and you stood before God, and he said, why should I let you into heaven, what are you going to say? And then we give him the gospel. So, yes, we try to do that from that level to, I just spoke this week two days ago in Charleston, South Carolina here to 180 high school players at an FBA team camp, and glory to God, 50 of those kids made professions of faith and 50 made recommitment. So whether a pro or high school player, they're all important, and they're important to us.

Wow. And I love it. I love when you come to town because we try to lace up and hit the hardwoods, although I'm not moving like I used to. And, you know, we have to, it takes two of us to keep up with Baller Nation, but Randy Sheppard has that stroke, you know, hitting, you know, 800 threes in a row and all that stuff. But Randy, I got to ask you, you know, your passion for this, you know, the game and for ultimately for kids' souls, make one more plea as we get out of this segment and go, you know, as we say goodbye to you and to Jamie. And we had some technical problems with hooking Jamie up here, but your passion, and they can go to the website, but challenge us one more time, parents, give us one more call as to why they need to sign up right now while there's still a spot for their youngster, their grandkid, their kid, and their neighbor's kid. What a great way to reach like the whole neighbor and say, let's get an advantage, let's take you to Asheville to crossfire camp. Real quick, give a plug and give a challenge why it's so important.

Definitely. All the pressures that our young people are facing today with all the things that are coming through the TV, coming through Thank God for Truth radio, it's not coming through there. That's why we support you guys. But coming through secular radio, they're getting bombarded and they need the truth. And these young people will come to a basketball camp where they can hear the word of God from coaches and hear the gospel from coaches, even if they already know the Lord, we're going to disciple them that week. They'll come to a camp when they might not come to church or might not want to go to church. You and I have been there when we were young. We wanted to play basketball. Soon as church was over, we would get these kids in a camp where for four or five days we can sew into their life the word of God.

And hopefully they go back at their schools and they're a witness for crime. So that's the passion behind it. We try to give them the best basketball they can get plus the word of God and the gospel every day. I love it. Crossfireministries.com. Is that right, Randy?

Yes. Crossfireministries.com. The overnight camp is July 23rd through the 27th. We can come to your area, do a one or two day clinic, do a church, youth rally, whatever God may open up. This is the Truth Network.