Taking the gospel to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships

For two weeks every summer people from all around the world head to Wimbledon for the tennis tournament. For fourteen nights thousands of people descend on the tiny corner of SW19 and wait overnight. Many people come year after year, and many come for several days in a row. They set up their tents in the park and it almost feels like a mini festival with a warm and positive atmosphere.

As these thousands of tennis fans gather for tickets, the Third Space Ministries team also arrives. Third Space Ministries seeks to demonstrate God's love in the third spaces of society i.e. the leisure industry through chaplaincy, team mission and teaching. Under the banner of Love All, Serve All (LASA for short) they come armed with free refreshments, bespoke LASA gospel's, and their signature tennis themed stress balls.

Hope filled conversations 

They strike up conversations with the fans, offer a listening ear, sometimes prayer, and a stress ball featuring inspirational words about life and faith. ‘Our heart is to show that God is relevant in all spheres of society.’ said a Third Space Ministries team member.

Faith, hope and holding on 

Last year, one lady took a stress ball which said, 'Have Faith'. She couldn't quite believe it as she rolled up her sleeve and revealed a tattoo which also said, 'Have Faith'! Her partner also took a stress ball which said, 'Have Faith' so the team chatted with them about what that meant to them and ended up praying with them both. Only God can create these unique moments where gospel moments serendipitously happen.

One night, the team met a man who pulled out a stress ball with 'Hope' written on it. He was deeply moved as he had just been diagnosed with cancer. The team member offering the ball had also received his own cancer diagnosis and was keen to minister to others like him. By the end of the conversation they were crying together. The man clinging on to his hope stress ball while the team prayed for him. 

Another time the team met a lady who was concerned about her family going through some deeply challenging times.  She drew out a stress ball which said the words ‘Hold on’ written on it. She wept with the team and they prayed for her.

Gospel opportunities at Wimbledon

At each LASA event the team give out hundreds of stress balls. Some people even bring them back from previous years to talk about what has been happening in their lives since. It creates a wonderful opportunity to talk about how faith in Jesus can bring hope no matter the circumstances.

This year ‘Love All, Serve All’ runs from Sunday 2 July to Saturday 15 July. The evening begins with an hour of training and prayer at 7:30pm before heading to meet people camping outside Wimbledon. 

GIVE

Third Space Ministries need to raise money towards their stress balls and would greatly appreciate donations towards these costs.

SUPPORT THIRD SPACE MINISTRIES 

ACT

If you would like to volunteer for one or more nights please let them know by contacting them. No previous experience is required and you will be very welcome. For a taster of the experience, you can check out this short video. 

PRAY

Please pray for the ministry and the team of volunteers as they seek to share God's love at the Wimbledon Tennis championships again this year.