Hunter Education / Sportsman's Expo

One of the great ways to get to know those interested in the outdoors and particularly hunting is to partner with the State Game Department and host a Hunter Education course or Sportsman's Expo.

This past weekend, Friday night and Saturday, our Outdoor Ministry team partnered with the Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries to host an education course. Next weekend we will be hosting a Sportsman's Expo in partnership with Green Top that will focus on specific topics, demonstrations, and wild game. Here are a couple of good reasons for hosting Hunter Education/Sportsman's Expo's:

• Hosting these events allows for your team to participate in outdoor education programs with those agencies and corporations who are doing the same. This also creates new relationships and name recognition within your community that people are looking for. While you could do it alone, I encourage you to go out of your boundaries and work with others already involved.
  
• Hosting these events will expand your target group focus. Those attending and participating will help you create a database for future relationships and attendance in other outdoor ministry activities; hunting, bible studies, etc.
• Hosting these events demonstrates to the community that you are and want to be relevant in your ministry. People will see the passion for the outdoor relate to the passion for a relationship with Christ and living out the two together.
• Hosting special events is and should always be a starting point for entrance into relationships with others, small group or one on one bible studies, and an introduction to Christ or the discipling of believer's.

The Hunter Education course included 60 participates that was taught by our own Brent Bosher. This course allowed us the opportunity to serve 60 new people not related to our ministry. Half of those want to hear more about the Outdoor Ministry and be invited to future Outdoor Ministry related activities. The team did a great job with first impressions for our guests through give-a-ways, providing lunch/snacks, and building relationships.

I look forward to seeing what will happen next week during our Sportsman's Expo with special speaker Gary Miller and other vendors.