Layovers, lust and lousy officiating. Any former college athlete on a fall tour with the Athletes in Action men's basketball team must deal with those issues and a myriad of others.

From October 26 to November 14, AIA, the sports ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ, sent 17 men–players, coaches and support crew–to the Midwest for exhibition games against top college teams. The team members include some full-time AIA staff members, but most join these tours as part-time associates while awaiting contract offers from stateside or overseas professional teams. This allows players to hone their skills while receiving training in evangelism and spiritual maturity.

We're taking you with the AIA men's Red team (a Blue tour ran concurrently) for two days to show you the spiritual lessons, divine encounters and stiff competition that define AIA Basketball.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6

1:16 p.m.–TWA Flight #453, Indianapolis to St. Louis, connection to Springfield, MO

Dave Bratton reads his seat assignment: 26C. Minor problem: The plane only has 24 rows. Bigger trouble awaits, though–the connecting puddle-jumper from St. Louis to Springfield will leave two hours late. Seven-foot-tall former Northwestern University player Dan Kreft meets a Mormon on the plane and tries to use the downtime to engage him in conversation about Christ. Dan doesn't get very far–admittedly because of inexperience in communicating the gospel to Mormons.

4:30 p.m.–Springfield/Branson Regional Airport

The problems escalate–four team members have to walk a mile to find the off-site rental-car agency. It's the same hurry-up-and-wait that's defined the day. "What are we saving–40 or 50 bucks?", says head coach Chuck Badger, sitting on a dormant conveyor belt, keeping his eye on team baggage. "It's not worth the wait."

Team dinner tonight, though, is worth the wait. Standing in line, David Daniels–a/k/a Double-D–reminisces about road trips in the Continental Basketball Association (a minor professional league) and on past AIA tours (he's been on six). "In the CBA we loved Old Country Buffet," the 5-10 point guard says. "You could really stretch out that per diem there, man."

The team does eat quite a lot. But above all, tonight's bread-breaking helps bond a group of young men needing a night off after six games in six nights.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7

11:30 a.m.–Shootaround, John Q. Hammons Student Center, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield

At this light, game-day practice acclimating the team to its game environment, Coach Badger immediately addresses on-court deficiencies. "We haven't been running our offense well," he tells them. During drills, Badger, well, badgers them: "Come on, guys–be sharp! I haven't seen a good screen yet!"

Meanwhile, ministry director Dave Bratton meets with Jason Coorts, a Campus Crusade staff member at SMS who's helping coordinate AIA's visit. "[AIA] helps us in our Œbroad sowing' strategy," Jason says. "We want to give every student here an opportunity to hear the gospel. Many of them will be here tonight, so they're going to hear it."

1:30 p.m.–Team Time, Room 326, Holiday Inn

Amazingly, the entire team squeezes into one hotel room. Dave, who as ministry director leads the spiritual side of the tour, starts this daily meeting by exhorting everyone to apply scriptural truths to daily life.

One player hasn't gotten that message. He stands and starts simulating an introduction to the halftime testimony. (AIA teams typically make a halftime or postgame presentation, with one player telling the crowd how he came to know Christ, followed by another player outlining the gospel.) The player fumbles through the intro, then sits down in disgust, saying, "I haven't given more than two minutes of thought to this." He'd had days to prepare. Dave admonishes everyone for not following through on responsibilities.

Julian Winfield stands next. The ex-University of Missouri player will speak at the pregame meal and tonight's game. But Julian has never given his testimony publicly, so he needs extra preparation.

Dave then dives into today's topic: "What makes you run from God?" He provides some examples–sex, drinking and pornography.

"You know how I know you struggle with those things?" Dave asks.

"Because you do?" Coach Badger shoots back.

"Who told you that?" replies Dave as the team breaks into nervous laughter.

A frank discussion ensues about lust, attraction and drawing lines physically in relationships with women. Dave points out how his own failures in these areas caused difficult adjustments when he got married 30 years ago. He encourages everyone, though, to persevere in the struggle with sinful thoughts.

3:00 p.m.–Alumni Lounge, Hammons Center

AIA teams usually eat with that night's opponent four hours before tipoff. Over spaghetti, hamburger patties, baked potatoes and corn, Julian tells the Southwest Missouri State team about his new relationship with Christ, and Double-D outlines the gospel. The players fill out comment cards–after AIA leaves town, Jason Coorts will contact those expressing spiritual interest.

6:00 p.m–Pregame at Hammons Center

As the gates open, Campus Crusade students at SMS strategically position themselves in front of the game-program vendors. They hand each fan a brochure containing information about AIA, a gospel outline and a comment card.

SMS basketball exudes festivity. You can smell the popcorn even down by the dressing rooms, and rock tunes reverberate. The group Chumbawamba chants, "I get knocked down, then I get up again," as Double-D leads AIA through the tunnel, imploring, "Let's have fun tonight!" With hands together, the players chant, as in all their huddles, "One, two, three–Jesus!", then wade into a sea of maroon and black.

7:05 p.m.–Tipoff

Unfortunately AIA gets knocked down tonight, and the game isn't much fun. A technical foul against SMS does help keep the first half close. The fans boo ferociously, and they're still booing at the halftime buzzer. But the mood changes when SMS coach Steve Alford grabs the courtside microphone.

"After the way the first half ended, we need this halftime presentation," he says. "I encourage you to give AIA your attention as they share what I think is the most important message there is."

Julian Winfield then tells the fans about his three loves throughout life. The first was basketball. Then he explains that when he lost the second love through a broken engagement, he realized he needed a love that would never leave him, and that he found that love in Christ. "I'm just a rookie in the Christian life," the 6-4 guard says, "but I'm looking forward to becoming a veteran."

Then 6-5 swingman David Shivers outlines the gospel, encouraging fans to fill out the comment cards if interested in a fuller explanation of how to know Christ. During a quick locker-room meeting, the team exchanges hugs and high-fives with Julian for his job well done.

After that, the evening unravels like a dime-store sweater for AIA. SMS picks up few fouls, while AIA gets whistled for seemingly anything. "That's the reality of playing on the road," assistant coach John Farwell acknowledges later. Double-D, to control his attitude, addresses each official as "sir." Despite the bad calls, AIA still trails by only five with 3:58 to go. But with a few missed shots here and a few desperate fouls there, AIA loses 94-82.

Coach Farwell and 6-9 center Steve Scheffler approach the "Bear Hair" section–student crazies who paint their faces maroon and black. Scheffler and Farwell focus in on "Fish," the rotund ringleader of Bear Hair.

When asked his opinion of halftime, Fish says, "It took a lot of courage for [Julian] to stand out there in front of all those people and tell them about [his decision to trust Christ]." It becomes evident that Fish hasn't focused his faculties on the concept of absolute spiritual truth. Fish professes to be a Christian, but says Christianity "is a leap of faith. I don't think there's any physical evidence for belief."

That piques Scheffler's interest. While several Bear Hair students listen, the former philosophy minor at Purdue University asks Fish questions to help him recognize the historical facts distinguishing Christianity from other religions.

Meanwhile, Dave Bratton and 6-9 forward Matt Garrison talk to Tommy and T.J., two SMS students. Tommy tells Dave that the halftime presentation had forced him to re-evaluate his spiritual condition. Tommy prays and trusts Christ with Dave and Matt's help, and T.J. tells Matt that he has already trusted Christ but needs to recommit his life to Him.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8

10:30 a.m.–Team Time, Back in Room 326

Dave Bratton doesn't try to top the weighty topics of yesterday. He merely amplifies the themes.

"There's two different kinds of guilt," he explains. "True guilt and false guilt. True guilt comes from the Holy Spirit. He taps you on the shoulder, pricks your heart and points out something in your life." Dave then explains confession of sin, with 1 John 1:9 the basis for God's faithfulness to forgive.

He emphasizes practical steps for avoiding temptation. "In 1 Peter, we're told that Satan is like a roaring lion," Dave says. "We tend to ask, 'How close can I get to the lion without being bit?' Men, you've got to know your weaknesses and you've got to trust God."

After Dave's devotional, a player practices his testimony. Everyone agrees it needs work–it's too long and unfocused. After a closing prayer, the team meets in the lobby to load the vans and head for the airport. It's time to fly to Michigan.

EDITOR'S NOTE: AIA Red finished 6-7 on the 20-day tour, including an agonizing 1-5 against NCAA tournament qualifiers. More important, the team spoke to an estimated 73,000 about how they can know Christ as their Savior.

For more information on AIA, call (937) 352-1000 or see http://www.athletesinaction.org/.