Baptists’ “I Believe” OKC Thunder outreach going strong
It’s just a few hours away until the tip-off of the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers NBA game and true to their word, a group of Southern Baptists have continued their “I Believe” faith outreach in conjunction with the Thunder’s playoff series.
I got to meet with several volunteers at the Chesapeake Energy Arean today as they placed Thunder T-shirts and towels on every chair. Van Greenwood, volunteer coordinator of the “I Believe” outreach, said he had a group of about 30 people at the Peake for the T-shirt placement, most of them from Baptist churches in the metro area. However, he said several people from a Baptist church in Maud joined in and he also invited some young men who play basketball at his church, Quail Springs Baptist, to participate. Greenwood said volunteers prayed for the people that would be sitting in the chairs as they placed the T-shirts on them.
My initial story about the “I Believe” initiative ran in Saturday’s Oklahoman. The faith outreach is a combined effort of the Capitol Baptist Association and Union Baptist Association, in partnership with the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. In addition to the T-shirt placement, the faith outreach will include the distribution of faith-inspired brochures and a mini-magazine related to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It’s been a great opportunity for us,” Greenwood said of the effort.
“The Thunder has taken the community by storm. We want to show our support for the Thunder and try to share the love of God with people at the same time,” he said.
Jason Taylor, a member of Judah Christian Assembly, was part of Greenwood’s group on Monday. Taylor said he regularly shoots hoops at the Quail Springs Baptist Church recreation center and was happy to accept Greenwood’s invitation to help place T-shirts on chairs for “I Believe.”
“It’s a blessing,” Taylor said.
Taylor said he’s an Oklahoma City Thunder fan and he particularly enjoys watching Thunder star Kevin Durant play ball.
Look for more stories about the “I Believe” outreach in the near future.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Perk, I hardly knew ya
I don’t think anyone was more surprised than me to learn that Kendrick Perkins had been traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
I told my teenagers and they had a good laugh. 
Here’s why:
I’m a Boston Celtics fan (yes, I admit it) and I’d nicknamed Perkins “Devil Man” because he always seemed to have a scowl on his face and because of the way his thick eyebrows seemed to create a fuzzy uni-brow ala Groucho Marx when he frowned. He was perpetually in frown-mode.
I told my kids I’ll have to stop calling him “Devil Man” now that he’s on our team.
The nickname had nothing to do with his playing. As a Celtics fan, I was heartbroken when he got hurt and couldn’t play in Game 7 in the Celtics-L.A. Lakers battle for the NBA championship last year. Yep, he is a difference maker and I think if he had been healthy and in that last game, Kobe, Pau and the boys might not have pulled that one out.
Ok, enough about the past.
So I read with great interest Jenni Carlson’s story about Perkins being an altar boy at his church growing up. Perkins, I hardly knew ya! Guess the mean-mug look is the persona he puts on for the games. Hey, if it helps you win man, I say keep on doing it.
Anyway, I’ve issued myself a cease and desist on the nickname on my man Perk. Now that he’s suiting up in Thunder blue, he’s an angel in my book.
I finally got a chance to see Perkins play the other day and I’m definitely glad he’s playing for Oklahoma City now.
Oh, and one final thing.
My son lives in Boston and he said that Bostonians are not happy at all about the Perkins trade. Although I hated to see Jeff Green go, methinks the Thunder and Oklahoma City got a great deal.
I’m looking forward to seeing Perk play again tonight.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
