Your question is a great one? One I have asked many times myself.  

As for me and Joyce we have had many opportunities to  pray for people but we need to see more solid decisions for Christ.  (Meaning people STAY with Jesus after accepting Him into their lives). 

We were in a league a few years back and got to minister to owners of a large pool hall. While I didn't the pray prayer of salvation we sowed many seeds with them, offered prayer for them, gave them gospel tracts.  

We also at same league ministered as best we could to a Jew who was a seeker and got to share much about Christ.  We also this same league got to minister and pray for a girl who grew up in a Christian home and went to a Christian school, then backslide and ended up marrying a drug dealer, that's when she met us, and confided in us and told us her story.  We were able to pray for her.  

Then in this same place small internal league we would go shake hands every week and show Christ love to everyone there, I believe we sowed many, many seeds in there.

 

Since then we have had people pray with us at large pool shows individually, 

and through working with Gospel Trick Shot ministries (www.gospeltrickshot.org) 

and have invited saved and unsaved alike to Bible Studies where they heard about Jesus.

 

We had a born again woman meet us (by divine providence) 3 years ago to Allen Hopkins event.  She came along with her husband, because he liked pool (and as an obedient wife wanting to be with her husband), never did she expect to find a Christian booth, bible studies, and a bunch of Christians.  Well she hooked up with CPPA, and has been coming every year with her husband.  

 

Last year in home league in PA we had 28-30 teams. I had people again open up to me, ask for prayers, but no salvations yet, but ground is being prepared.  I have also loved on the unloveable, and encouraged and prayed for the hard cases "so to speak".  And it is breaking through. 

Slowly, it is breaking through.   

 

Now honestly, I personally don't believe I can save anyone just by getting them to say a prayer.        I believe they need to truly see their need and have the Holy Spirit's conviction.   Whereas I see ministries get huge amounts of decisions but where are all those decisions years later.  Gone and back into the world 95% of the time.  So while it looks impressive at first, many are not heart decisions but emotional decisions and those kind don't last.  So I'm not impressed by huge altar calls - I want to know what has happened to them since that altar call. 

 

Me personally, I feel my call is to sow seeds, and water seeds, and believe God to bring the increase.

Read: I Cor. 3:6-9 and also Matthew 13:3-9 and Matthew 13:18-23 (sower and the seed).

 

I have seen many backsliden Christian get more serious

with God because of CPPA  and around the country/world - PTL!

 

Since statistically 83% of those who become Christians do so before age 20 (most by age 14)

We are working with a harder field, which is older, set in their ways, many have already rejected Jesus and many have hard hearts.  But it is still a needed missionfield.  Someone has to have words of hope for these pool players, I feel CPPA has a part in reaching them.   

 

As to reaching people for Christ in the pool world 

It is a lot of work for a small harvest, but it should be done.

 

I minister at a local Nursing home to encourage those saved in there and also for a chance of 

maybe getting one of these older folks saved, though again chances are slim but I still try.

 

 

So no matter what stats say, no matter how many will reject the message of Jesus Christ, still I feel it is many of us in the pool world to see that as Christians that is our responsibility and our mission field.   

 

YOU ARE THERE FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR OTHERS.  TO SHARE JESUS WITH THEM!    

PLAYING POOL SHOULD COME FAR BEHIND THAT REASON ON WHY YOU ARE THERE!

 

So let's keep our focus on the right thing - JESUS and SOULS!