The church has come to the obvious reality that the world is on daily basis becoming more resistant to traditional approaches to reaching out with the message of salvation. Hence, the need to employ modern strategies to penetrate places where traditional tools of evangelism have not been effective in reaching the lost. Nowadays, many are familiar with sports personalities and sporting events/competitions they are already following. When these persons get saved they tend to be very passionate and they already have captive audience. Sports enthusiasts believe that it connects with people and moves them towards active discipleship. In today’s world, sports have become a viable tool for evangelism as it attracts the secularized and unchurched; it reaches two missing groups in the church – men and youths; it fulfils church growth principles; people are mostly influenced while having fun and sporting activities/facilities attract people. COCIN recently joined the list of churches that own football clubs as it formally unveiled its new club, Light FC recently in Jos, Plateau State, reports Ralph Madugu.
The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) has established the Light Football Club which will soon join the Nigeria Premier Football League.
While performing the unveiling ceremony in Jos, the COCIN President, Rev. Dr. Dacholom C. Datiri, announced that the club would create an avenue for talented youth within and outside the church to excel in football and shine the light of Christ to the world.
The cleric, who challenged the players to be Christ ambassadors, assured that the COCIN would ensure that the club played at the highest level of the Nigerian league so that the players can reach the top in their chosen profession.
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, Mr. Bitrus Bewaran, who attended the ceremony, applauded the church for the laudable step as it would not only do Plateau good but Nigeria and the world at large and admonished the players to shun drug abuse, formication, alcoholism and acts of indiscipline capable of truncating their career.
Also speaking, Jos South Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Dachung Choji, pledged to support the new club.
He added: “Am just waiting for the list of things needed by the team and see how we can render our little assistance for this new club to achieve their dream.”
Light Football Club came into existence when Coach Alex Enoch, Welfare Officer of the Plateau State Chapter of the Nigerian Football Coaches Association and his colleague, Coach Joseph Bitrus, sold the idea to COCIN of a football club in 2015. This led to the maiden edition of the COCIN President’s Cup tournament held in 2018.
The newly formed Light FC has forty players currently in camp in preparation for securing a professional slot that is expected to be acquired by COCIN.
Light FC is expected to be the second church-owned football club to join the Nigeria Football League if it is able to meet all the laid down requirements of the various soccer regulatory bodies.
The Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) has established the Light Football Club which will soon join the Nigeria Premier Football League.
While performing the unveiling ceremony in Jos, the COCIN President, Rev. Dr. Dacholom C. Datiri, announced that the club would create an avenue for talented youth within and outside the church to excel in football and shine the light of Christ to the world.
The cleric, who challenged the players to be Christ ambassadors, assured that the COCIN would ensure that the club played at the highest level of the Nigerian league so that the players can reach the top in their chosen profession.
Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director, Mr. Bitrus Bewaran, who attended the ceremony, applauded the church for the laudable step as it would not only do Plateau good but Nigeria and the world at large and admonished the players to shun drug abuse, formication, alcoholism and acts of indiscipline capable of truncating their career.
Also speaking, Jos South Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Dachung Choji, pledged to support the new club.
He added: “Am just waiting for the list of things needed by the team and see how we can render our little assistance for this new club to achieve their dream.”
Light Football Club came into existence when Coach Alex Enoch, Welfare Officer of the Plateau State Chapter of the Nigerian Football Coaches Association and his colleague, Coach Joseph Bitrus, sold the idea to COCIN of a football club in 2015. This led to the maiden edition of the COCIN President’s Cup tournament held in 2018.
The newly formed Light FC has forty players currently in camp in preparation for securing a professional slot that is expected to be acquired by COCIN.
Light FC is expected to be the second church-owned football club to join the Nigeria Football League if it is able to meet all the laid down requirements of the various soccer regulatory bodies.