“We just see sports as a bridge to families who we otherwise wouldn’t be interacting with on a personal level,” said Pastor Doug Wampler, who has coached and assisted with basketball and football teams.
Like many Vacation Bible Schools, the sports clinics include prayer and an emphasis on life principles, Wampler said. The sports clinics are free, while other athletic activities may include small fees.
Basketball is the church’s largest sport, but others have included football, soccer and dance.
Offering free events, such as a black-light egg hunt for kids at Easter and a “Santa in the City” event with winter-themed family photo opportunities, gives the church the chance to build community, said Wampler, 42.
“My goal is to provide opportunities,” he said. “If they step into it, it’s between them and God.”
Wampler is committed to the community, said Pam K. Jones, who nominated him as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
“When you come to church, you’re a VIP,” she said.
She began attending Engage City Church several years ago after participating in some of the community activities. The three tween and teenage grandsons whom Jones is raising have found a role model in Wampler, who makes them feel seen and heard, she said.
One of her grandsons also plays basketball through the church.
“(Wampler) really invests in the kids,” she said. “He really believes in them.”
Wampler was raised in Huber Heights and moved to Youngstown and Lebanon with his growing family. He and his wife, Chrissy, have five sons between the ages of 9 and 17, and they started Engage City Church when they moved to Huber Heights together in 2016.
The church, located at 5310 Packard Rd., reaches a diverse crowd, he said, and around 350 people attend its 11:07 a.m. service each Sunday.
Wampler knows that Engage City Church isn’t for everyone. Some people, for example, don’t care for the loud music.
“Everybody likes different flavors of ice cream,” he said.
His goal is to create a community focused on Jesus, he said, meeting others “where they are” despite any preconceived notions they may have.
Sports is just one way the church builds a relationship.
Another way it connects with others is through its City Bags program, which sends food home to elementary-age kids in Huber Heights who might not otherwise have weekend meals during the school year. Wampler also offers leadership talks in schools, teaching students that one good deed can lead to a lifetime more.
In the future, Wampler would like the church to open a preschool, in addition to building a gymnasium on the property that would open the door to hosting tournaments.
Until then, the church will continue to help people come together, hold open conversations and serve the community.
“Building relationship with people is the key in everything we do,” he said.
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