Sports church pioneer ‘humbled, blessed and blown away’ by award
BY LAUREN MARTIN
Fourteen years ago, Bill Hunter had the vision to start a church that would be a safe place where those who felt they didn’t fit with the traditional church would be welcomed and accepted despite their background and history.
Having been the Brisbane Broncos NRL chaplain for 20 years, Bill designed the service with a sports theme and called it ‘God’s Sports Arena’.
Today, the church is still going strong, with a second expression being planted on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in February 2021.
With the mantra of God’s Sports Arena being a place where people are loved, encouraged, and not judged, it has been a safe place where thousands of people, many of whom are on a recovery journey, discover and experience God in a way they can relate to.
On Thursday evening, at the General’s rally in Brisbane to mark the visit of The Salvation Army’s world leaders, Australia Territory Commander Commissioner Miriam Gluyas surprised Bill with a Cutmore Award for his pioneering spirit.
As he approached the stage, he was given a standing ovation.
As she described Bill’s work with God’s Sports Arena, Commissioner Gluyas reminded those gathered that Bill is a volunteer – he leads the corps in his spare time. “It is a beautiful church. It’s about loving, encouraging and – don’t judge! It’s just wonderful, he is a pioneer, and we want to acknowledge that tonight. We need our pioneers; you’re one of them, and we are so grateful for you.”
Afterwards, Bill said he was “humbled, blessed and blown away.”
The Cutmore Award is named after Commissioners Ian and Nancy Cutmore, Australian officers who pioneered The Salvation Army’s work in Papua New Guinea more than 60 years ago.
Bill said he met the Cutmores many years ago, and “Ian Cutmore is one of the most beautiful Christian gentlemen you’d ever like to meet. So, to have his name on his [Bill’s award certificate] is just blows my mind. God just moves in miraculous ways.”
