October 6, 2015
The Mission Ball
Brandon, South Dakota
ccm Cross #0087
GPS/DMS Location
Additional photos after Testimony
3907 cdd Uniquely Different
Cyber Daily Devotion by Pastor Bill
Volume 16 Number 201
Today’s Author: Pastor Bill
Scripture: Matthew 28:19
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” NKJV
“Hello, my name is Torrey Babb and this is my Cross testimony of how the Lord challenged me to step out in faith starting a unique ministry for His Glory and Kingdom.
I grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where my dad was a builder and my mom made sure all three of her boys were in church every Sunday. I can’t say I was a Christian, but I went through the motions and passed all the tests!
After graduation from high school in 1992, I took a job as a sales manager for a Marketing Company and eventually migrated to Minneapolis. Life was good and my income was a blessing I didn’t quite understand. I developed over the years as an entrepreneur, but still only gave lip service to God.
Then in 1995 I was invited to the Billy Graham Crusade in the old Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was curious. That night everything changed as I look back. It wasn’t a big bang experience, but Jesus became real in my life — my life by osmosis; a little here and a little there.
I met my wife Heather in 1999, who at the time was a sales rep in the Sioux Falls area where I grew up. We married in 2001 where we began our family, and moved back to Sioux Falls in 2002. We now have a son, Jaxon, and a daughter, Talix.
In 2003 I was invited to Australia for a year to help establish a new mattress/furniture show room in Adelaide. Just more of what the Lord had for us in developing our entrepreneur skills.
After a quick year in Australia we were back in Sioux Falls by early 2004 and very active as youth directors for different churches. In June 2005 I went on my first mission trip with 20 other people. I raised money and gave up 10 days of my life to build a house for a family in Juarez, Mexico. A couple of years later, in the fall of 2007, I recalled that Mexico trip and asked myself, ‘Did anyone actually share the Gospel with Alex and Leticia (the family for whom we had built the house)?’ The answer was a resounding no.
I was haunted with the thought of my eyes meeting theirs on judgment day and hearing them cry out to me, asking, ‘Why?’ ‘Why would all of you spend all that money and all that time to build a house to provide for our temporal needs, and yet be so unwilling to open your mouths to tell us anything about our eternal needs? How could you love us so little that not one of you would tell us about Jesus?’
By then I had been in Mexico, Israel, Guatemala and Ecuador. I had bought people wheelchairs, provided food, gave them clothing, built houses, fixed houses, gave people fresh water, passed out chewing gum, and many other good things. I had done many great things in the name of The Lord Jesus Christ, but it came at the expense of not telling people about Jesus Christ. I had “ministered” to people all over the world — and my only thought was, if all I did was make their journey to hell more comfortable then I certainly failed at the Great Commission as outlined by Jesus.
Yet, in the midst of all that emptiness, I was left with a very frustrating question. I offered this up to God in prayer: ‘How do I share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people who don’t speak my language?’
In February 2008 I believe God uniquely answered my question. The answer came during a time of worship while in prayer. The Holy Spirit prompted me that in every country I had traveled, there was one common thread, which always united locals and foreigners alike — the game of soccer.
That’s when it hit me like a brick wall: Why not use soccer to connect with people and share the Living Gospel of Jesus Christ with them? The Holy Spirit was speaking very clearly, ‘use the uniting power of the world’s most popular sport as a platform for sharing the world’s most important message — the Gospel of Jesus Christ.’ So, using all my entrepreneur skills the Lord had been training me with, I set out to create and manufacture a soccer ball that accomplished what I had only daydreamed about. In 2009, The Mission Ball was born. A uniquely different ministry to reach around the world.
Since its inception, nearly 70,000 Mission Balls in 34 different languages have been used to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ in more than 70 countries. However, it was not my love for soccer that prompted the creation of the The Mission Ball; it was my love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Soccer just unites people in a special way that makes spreading the Gospel easier. And that is why the Lord groomed me as an entrepreneur — for His Mission Ball.”
Editors comment:
I was a History major in college. The Lord was grooming me. I was a traveling salesman. The Lord was grooming me. Each step in life along the way I was being groomed. So many parts of my life didn’t quite make sense until the Lord brought it all together. Who could have imagined how a broken neck would have resulted in Christian Cyber Ministries, Cyber Daily Devotions and planting Crosses for the Kingdom around the world.
The Lord knows your heart and where you are today. I believe Jesus is grooming you for His purposes. Open your heart and ask your own specific question of the Lord, just as Torrey did. Torrey asked, “How do I share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with people who don’t speak my language?” The Holy Spirit answered with a uniquely different kind of ministry. All for the Glory of God.
What question do you have today that could spark a unique ministry opportunity for the Lord? Ask it now. It worked for Torrey.
Prayer: Father please send Your Holy Spirit to clearly answer every question prayerfully directed to You, that You may be Glorified. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!
The South Dakota Cross in route parked alongside a gasoline taker
which gives a good indication of the length while traveling.
Meet two new ccm Board members. On the left is Jim Teal and on the right is Dan Horner.
The three of us rendezvous as Jim volunteered his truck for our trip.
Upon arrival Dan quickly began scrubbing the road grit off the Cross
Jim joined in the scrub down party
Torrey Babb pitched in as well
Torrey makes final adjustments as Dan looks on
Here we are using a hand held power auger to reach the required six foot hole depth
Left to Right: Frank Walker (Torrey’s Father-in-law), Pastor Bill looking on, Torrey and Jim
Torrey’s daughter Talix and Jim apply roof tar to protect
the aluminum form touching the concrete
Frank on the left watches as Pastor Bill and Jim wrap heavy duty plastic over the portion of the Cross that will be underground
Everyone pitches in as the Cross is raised into the hole as Dan is on photo duty.
” FIRE IN THE HOLE”
Surrounding the Cross in Sakrete
Left to Right: Jim, Frank, Talix, Heather (Torrey’s wife)
and Lori (Frank’s wife, Torrey’s Mother-in-law)
Frank attaching the plaque
Talix finishes up the plaque installation
Torrey and Pastor Bill with a Mission Ball
Mission Balls on display in Torrey’s office.
Since its inception, nearly 70,000 Mission Balls
in 34 different languages have been used
to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ
in more than 70 countries.
The Mission Ball plaque
Giving God Glory over South Dakota
and around the world through The Mission Ball Ministry.
Mission Ball website CLICK HERE