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It was
a clear, hot day in
Chattanooga,
Tennessee. Tom Welborn was
driving back to the business that he and his wife, Cheryl, owned. As he
reached the corner of
37th Street and
4th Avenue, the bad
news came over the radio. It was June 18, 1986: the news was concerning
Maryland All American, Len Bias. After returning from his trip to
Boston to consummate his
contract with the Celtics, Bias celebrated by taking cocaine and died of
cardiac arrest. It was at that moment that the Lord revealed that Tom's
ministry would be in the area of sports. The idea of Victory Sports was
born.
Unfortunately, the business was flourishing and Victory Sports was put
on the back burner. The Lord began to remove the major obstacle to His
calling: the business was taken away. In February, 1992, after several
years of struggling through the business world, Tom received a call from
Dr. Joe Ray, the play-by-play announcer at
Tennessee
Temple
University in
Chattanooga , asking him to
fill in for the final game of the season. He did and the next season he
was named the regular play-by-play announcer for Crusader Basketball.
Tom continues in that capacity and with the addition of academy games,
WDYN broadcasts over 50 games a year. TTU won the 2003 NCCAA national
championship and TTA has won two straight TSSAA state championships.
Having
a great desire to minister to players, coaches, and fans in the sports
world, Tom, along with engineer, Charlie Nicholson, began the "Victory
Sports Update." The "Update" began on June 21, 1993, and continues to
air Monday through Friday at 5:45 am and 4:45 pm (eastern). With over
5,000 broadcasts done, it continues to provide a comprehensive sports
report while blending in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In November, 1999
the "Update" became worldwide in scope, as WDYN began broadcasting on
the internet at www.wdyn.com.
Listeners to WDYN have been documented in 97 foreign countries.
One of
the great supporters of this ministry over the years has been Tom's
lovely wife, Cheryl. The couple was married in 1970 and in the past 30+
years, Cheryl has been a vital part of each ministry and the raising of
five children. Blessed with a beautiful singing voice, Cheryl sings as
Tom preaches around the country.
The
burden of Victory Sports continues to be the spreading of the Gospel
using sports as the entry tool to establish relationships. In 2001 the
ministry took a turn as Tom and Cheryl answered the call to take the
ministry of Victory Sports to the foreign mission field. Placing
themselves under the accountability of the
Association of Baptists for World
Evangelism, headquartered in
Harrisburg, the Welborns made their first
foreign trip in 2002 to
Costa Rica.
Using basketball as a tool to get into public, private, and parochial
schools, the team saw hundreds of responses to public invitations. It
was during this trip that the technology was used to allow broadcasts of
the "Victory Sports Update" by way of computer, which allows broadcasts
from anywhere. It was after that trip that God burdened the Welborns for
permanent ministry in
Costa Rica. The
Welborns left their secular jobs after returning home, stepping out on
faith to raise support for that ministry. An extended return trip in
2003 laid the foundation for that ministry.
However, Tom's mother became seriously ill and Tom & Cheryl became the
caregivers for two years, before Mary went home to be with the Lord on
August 1, 2004. Two weeks later, Cheryl suffered a stroke that would not
allow Tom & Cheryl to have a permanent ministry in Costa, although they
have made several short term trips. The ministry of Victory Sports has
changed but still goes on. The headquarters is in Sanford, North
Carolina. The ministry has diversified to add television to the
ministry, as well a teaching and counseling ministry to people dealing
with vallys in their lives, cal "Victory in the Valley". The Welborns
intend to continue the outreach of Victory Sports until God calls them
home.
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