HELENA, Ala. (ABP) — In Alabama, where devotion to hunting can approach a religion, several organizations are trying to match the passion hunters and fishermen feel for the outdoors with a passion for Christ.
Wayne Vining, a member of the Alabama chapter of Christian Bowhunters of America, says the group teaches a balanced view of creation and outdoor enjoyment.
“Christian hunters should always let it be known that they are not just out there to 'kill something,' but that they are there to enjoy God's blessings and enjoy time in the outdoors,” said Vining, a member of Riverside Baptist Church in Helena, Ala.
The organization also provides Christian hunters and their families with a healthy source of fellowship, members say.
“This group gives people a place where they can enjoy fellowship with Christians who share their love of archery and know they can be around one another with their families and not worry about the language being used or being offended by things that go on in secular activities,” said Darrin Jarvis, president of the Christian Bowhunters of Alabama, which began in 1997 with four hunters.
“We encourage people to bring their children to our shoots and welcome new people,” he continued. “We want to be a loving and caring group that enjoys archery and God.”
There are a number of national organizations that cater to the Christian outdoorsman, such as Christian Hunters and Anglers, a fellowship and ministry group.
Designed to give support to men in their roles as family leaders, the organization teaches “healthy principles of Christian living.” Activities include workshops, Bible studies, and accountability groups that focus on communication skills, conflict resolution, financial management and other family-related skills.
Vining said Christian hunting groups also promote conservation.
“Hunting has been part of man's existence since that fall and God gave us dominion over the animals, even telling us to 'kill and eat,'”
Vining said. “But as Christians we should be good stewards of the land and all that's on it. And it says in Proverbs that a godly man should never kill a game animal that he, or someone else, is not going to eat.”
Christian hunting organizations also teach the importance of being a Christian witness to fellow hunters, Jarvis and Vining said.
“There are a lot of young people today who live in single-parent homes where the father isn't there a lot,” Vining said. “Introducing these folks to hunting also allows a chance to introduce them to Jesus. A Christian man introducing a young person to the outdoors is a witness that will last a lifetime.”
Jarvis agreed “deer hunting can be an excellent opportunity for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with other hunters” and said one of the purposes behind the Christian Bowhunters of Alabama is to provide members with tools to share their faith in the field.
Some Baptist churches have already caught on to the effectiveness of hunting-inspired activities and ministries. First Baptist Church in Gardendale, Ala., hosts an annual wild game dinner that attracts hundreds of fathers and sons.
A similar event at First Baptist Church of North Mobile, Ala., resulted in 127 professions of faith.
Another prominent Christian hunting organization takes its passion for the sport even further, using hunting as a way to reach out to the poor.
Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry is a national outreach ministry that provides venison and other game to soup kitchens and food pantries throughout the country. Since its inception in 1997, the organization has been responsible for the processing of 1,400 tons of meat for donation.
Rick Wilson, the founder and president of Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, said he began the ministry after an experience in helping a woman load a deer into the trunk of her car. The woman was transporting the deer, which had been run over, to her home so that she and her children could eat.
“Standing there as she drove away, I knew I had just looked into the eyes of Jesus,” Wilson said.
— Cheryl Sloan Wray is a correspondent for the Alabama Baptist.