Our newest member...

Shepherd Sports is growing once again! Wendell Campbell has joined our team as the Adult Sports Coordinator, and we thought we would share a little bit about Wendell with you!

We sat down with Wendell as he shared about his life, faith, and what it means to be part of the Shepherd Sports family. Hope you enjoy!

 I was privileged to marry Wendell and his new bride earlier this year.

What is your family background?

I grew up with my mom because my parents separated when I was about 2 years old. I didn’t see my father because he was a truck driver and was away a lot.

Who most influenced you in your faith growing up?

When I was younger, I went to church with my grandmother. My great-aunt was an angel in human form – her passion for Christ was a great influence on my father, and he eventually accepted Christ around the time when I was in middle school. I grew up hearing my family accusing him of abuse, and they often referred to him as the “right hand of Satan”. In spite of this, my father became my greatest influence for God. To see his transformation in Christ revealed to me the power of God. I learned that no matter what you’ve gone through, He can pull you through it. In spite of what my family said about my father, I saw what God did for him, through him, and I tried to make good choices in my life because of my dad’s experience.

You spent most of your childhood with your mom. How did she influence your life?

I think a lot of my personality comes from my mom. Even though she, like my dad, had drug and alcohol problems, she was an inspiration to me. She was a single mom, my provider, my nurturer, and she was my friend. She’s made a lot of mistakes in her life, as we all have, but I have a great relationship with her. She has made some bad choices, but as she has persevered, I have started to see her in a different light. She has accepted Christ into her life and was baptized at Shepherd. She has a different attitude about life, and I think through our lives together, I have become a better man because of her and she is becoming a better woman in Christ.

When did you accept Christ into your life?

I accepted Christ and was baptized when I was in middle school. I had good influences at home in the ways of the Lord, but I was a typical, rebellious teenager and I felt like my life was a tug of war between living for Christ and living in the world. Around the time I was in 9^th grade, I talked to my dad and told him I wanted to live with him. I missed my dad for a better part of my childhood, but ultimately he became my teacher and the source of my encouragement to grow in my faith. My dad taught me what it meant to be a true Christian according to God’s word. I truly believe the way he taught me was how Jesus must have taught his disciples in his day.

How did you end up at Shepherd?

A friend of mine from middle school invited me here. I had visited other churches at that time, but eventually found my church home at Shepherd and have been coming here for about 3½ years.

You and Amanda are engaged to be married. How did you meet and how long have you known each other?

Amanda and I met in January 2009 through mutual friends, close friends from high school. After meeting, we realized we had met once several years earlier but hadn’t recognized each other at the time. We became friends and spent some time at the gym playing basketball. She is good. I am terrible. We saw each other at a few different get-togethers with friends and actually starting coming to church at Shepherd together.

How did you get involved in the sports ministry?

Probably the third time Amanda and I came to church together, Matt was in the lobby talking to everyone about the missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Amanda was passionate about going on this trip, but I really had no interest in going. My heart just wasn’t into this missions trip and I was trying not to get too involved with Matt talking about it, but we started talking basketball and the rest is pretty much history.

So Amanda went on the missions trip? Did her experience on that trip impact your relationship?

Yes, and she came back on fire for God. Her heart and her experience on that missions trip set the tone for our relationship going forward. At that time, I was coming to church but I hadn’t completely surrendered myself to the Lord. That tug of war was still there in my heart, but when Amanda came back, things changed drastically. Some were good changes and some were difficult, but we decided to have a relationship based on the Biblical values and commandments that God has given to us. We made it a priority to honor God as a couple and He has given us so many rewards as a result.

How has your relationship with Amanda changed?

We made a deliberate choice to change our attitudes and our behavior. We served in the sports ministry and surrounded ourselves with Godly friends. We put Christ first in our lives and asked him for discernment in our lives, and uncompromising spirit in our hearts, and He has in return given us peace. We have no stress in our relationship and there is no arguing.

What do your friends think about this change, and how has your life influenced these friendships?

They have noticed a change in us, and I can tell that some of our friends want to ask and some just don’t know what to say. Maybe they’re afraid of hearing the answer if they do? I don’t hide that I’ve decided to have a relationship with Christ. Amanda and I don’t hide that He is the foundation of our relationship. We try to include our friends in our life with invitations to the Passion Play for example, and we try not to impose, but we do share our faith. Amanda and I are still growing in our faith, and our walk with Christ, but we do reach out to them so they know the blessings that we’ve received.

Is it difficult to have friends that are not believers?

One of the things that I learned from my mother is to stand for what I believe in. I don’t really care what people think of me because she gave me the courage to have convictions. One of my favorite sayings is, “It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not” (Andre Gide). I know I will be ridiculed for my faith, but that will not discourage me from doing the right thing according to God’s word.

What was your work experience before you came to Shepherd Sports?

I had a few different jobs, but I primarily worked in the entertainment industry. I was a production assistant for a while then later become and assistant director. Law enforcement was really my passion, but in thinking ahead to having a family, this career probably wasn’t the best choice even though it would pay well and have great benefits.

When did the idea of come to mind for you to go into full-time ministry?

I volunteered in the sports ministry for 3 years, and I thought it was cool to have a place where I could talk about God with people. Serving was very important to me and I felt a tug on my heart that the entertainment industry or law enforcement was enough. When I couldn’t serve at church, I felt like something was missing from my life.

What do you do in the sports ministry?

Matt and I became friends and he really encouraged me along the way. I started out part-time as a basketball coordinator and started to see how great it could be to do God’s work.

How did you decide to leave your career and come to work in the sports ministry?

I prayed. I prayed that God would give me the wisdom to follow His lead and direction for my life. Amanda and I would be starting our lives together so I was reserved about what this change would mean for our finances and our plans for the future. Amanda was 100% supportive and she thought this would be a great avenue for me to grow as a man of God and who I needed to be for our family. I am dumbfounded that I can be here and do this work for God’s Kingdom. It is a blessing what he’s done for me and what he continues to do for me.

What do you want to accomplish in your role at Shepherd Sports?

I want to be able to influence others. I want to better myself and become a light for Christ. I was to pour into others, the love that He has given me, and be a blessing in their lives.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Sports as a tool!

Often times it’s the staff that gets credit when something goes off without a hitch in the sports ministry… However, its rarely the case, and today I want to share about the one of our wonderful leaders that breathe life into the ministry every day. She’s one of those people that believe in what we’re doing as a ministry and committed to serving and using the ministry how it was designed.

I have yet to find a sport that actually saved someone of their sin and it is this thought that often keeps people from thinking sports belong in the church. I’m here to tell you it can be the biggest tool the church has.

• Sports gives people an opportunity to get involved and serve in a capacity that people can relate to.
• Sports can engage people who would otherwise would never step foot inside a church building.
• Sports can give you a chance to connect with people you may not otherwise meet.
• Sports give you the avenue to reach those around you who don’t know Christ.

I am blessed with hundreds of people within our ministry that dedicate some time out of their daily lives to serve, and I want to introduce you to one. Her name is Mariann McDonell, and she has been around Shepherd Sports so long I can’t remember a time without her. She has been faithful to serve and has committed to using her God-given passion, for health and fitness and leading others, for his kingdom through this ministry.

Mariann heads up our Run/Walk Club, and she has engages this group with an enthusiasm and love for them that we desire in all our leaders. She encourages new leaders in the ministry, and seeks out encouragement in areas of training where she needs additional support. It is always a joy to see this group huddled up on Saturday morning praying under the parking structure and driving home on a Wednesday night as 20 or more people are leaving our church campus for a run together.

Our Run/Walk Club just finished another event last week, and they had 5K, 10K and Half-Marathon participants. We had one first place finisher, two-second place finishers and one-third place finisher within their age groups.

The spirit of this group is love and sacrifice, two things that we always want people to see when they enter a Shepherd Sports program. Our ministry is blessed to have Mariann and so many other people like her. Below is an email Mariann sent out to her crew before their last event. It shows her dedication and commitment to these people.

Hello Team Shepherd!! 

Well......it's almost here!  This Saturday, we will meet at Church (t-shirts are in!!!!), Wednesday again at Church and then.......Saturday the 23rd, we will not be training....but......if you want to carpool to the expo, we will meet at the parking structure at 1:30.  We can pick up our packets and check out the course! 

Please plan on Saturday evening church service as Sunday will be a great day to stay and cheer on our 1/2 marathoners as well!  Bring your friends and family for a fantastic day! 

Race day, we will meet at the parking structure at 5:30am and carpool to the event.  Anyone who wants to drive themselves are free to do so.  We will try to meet close to the registration booth.  Shouldn't be hard to miss all the red shirts!!! 

Love the dedication and all the great fellowship in this group!

See ya tomorrow! 

We are thankful for Mariann and ALL of our leaders at Shepherd Sports. You make our mission come alive and fulfill God’s word through your service.