Go and Make Disciples . . . Playing Pool?

If you associate smoke-filled rooms, loud music, and late nights with playing pool, you probably haven’t heard of Gospel Trick Shots. This group of professional players performs amazing pool shot tricks while sharing their personal testimony.

Last month, Steve Lillis, Mike Massey, and Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman came to Midland Park (N.J.) Christian Reformed Church to perform and share the gospel.

“They set up their pool table in our fellowship hall,” said pastor Rod Gorter. “The presentation lasted an hour and a half; many from the community, including youth, came out to watch.”

“Their skills are quite amazing,” said event organizer George Schaaf. “They could hit the side of the table with enough force to cause a coin sitting there to hop up and land into a cup.” What’s more, each trick was tied to a biblical lesson. The players discussed the Great Commission as they scattered different colored pool balls over the table. To illustrate Jesus providing a way out of life’s roadblocks, they jumped pool balls over each other.

The organization’s website states that they “will take the gospel of Jesus Christ to venues having pool tables and people who need to come to a personal relationship with Christ and/or be encouraged in their walk with Jesus.”

During their performance, Schaaf added, “they emphasized that they were having fun playing pool but started to question what they were chasing after. They realized that God had a bigger plan for them and their skills.”

“This was a great way to demonstrate our church’s desire to be a blessing to the community and share the good news of Christ with them in a fun and entertaining context,” Gorter said. “These three billiard players are world-class performers, and they use their skills to entertain people and point them to the truth of Christ.”