Throughout the nation each week in Major League Baseball, the NBA, NFL, Major League Soccer and college sports programs, AIA provides a chapel time for players and coaches to hear a message from the Bible and how to apply it to their lives.

In the New York area, we're helping athletes and coaches on some of the world's most influential pro and college sports teams grow in character and faith. Teams we support are: The New York Yankees, New York Football Giants, New Jersey Nets, Staten Island Yankees, Red Bull New York, Philadelphia Union, Newark Bears, and several sports programs at Rutgers University.

Some call it "church at the ballpark." The athletes and coaches involved see it as an oasis in the midst a demanding and high pressure schedule. The public generally knows little about it. The front offices of most sports team franchises support its existence. It's an optional element within the pre-game itinerary. The meeting space can be an auxiliary locker room, a section of the weight room, a large storage closet, a stadium conference room, or the manager's office.

A typical chapel service runs 15 minutes...no choir, no offering, no announcements. It consists of a lead-off prayer, a message, and then a closing prayer. 15 minutes of grace in the midst of a "what have you done for me lately" universe...not enough time for life-transformation, but just enough for God to get a foot-hold and stem the tide of opposition. Other opportunities for growth build on the chapel service, but that's a topic for another day (or web-page).

For more information about our AIA programs, please contact George McGovern at gmcgovern@athletesinactionnyc.org.