Nationwide TOURLIFE Leader: Jose Alvarez

Jose Alvarez, Nationwide TOURLIFE Leader

Q:      You were a journeyman major league player; tell us one of your most memorable stories?

A:        There were many during the 16 seasons. One was after briefly (and I mean briefly) being in the majors on the ‘82 Braves team that won the National League West division . . . I was sent back to the minors, traded, released, picked up, sent down, and basically told that my playing days were finished. So, getting recalled to the major leagues after 5 long years in the minor leagues and experiencing 3 more years at the big league level was certainly memorable of itself, particularly because John Smoltz and I were on the golf course in a heated match in Richmond, VA, when the call came. I was also named the Braves Most Outstanding Pitcher that year (1988).

Q:      When did you start to get a passion for ministry?

A:        I became a believer the last week of my college career and began to develop a heart for others to know and experience the new life that came from trusting Jesus. During my baseball days, I was involved with Baseball Chapel and saw how the platform of being a professional baseball player opened up doors to share with kids and adults. It wasn’t long before I realized that my career was simply a way to make a living, but that real life was about people and not possessions, power, or prosperity.

Q:      How did the vision for FCA TOURLIFE begin in your heart?

A:        I always enjoyed competitive golf, and, after my baseball days were over, golf became a good venue for the competitive juices to flow. I had some good experiences playing in some celebrity events and thought it would be enjoyable to pursue competing at a higher level. At the end of 2005, Tim Roberson, a friend that had known me for almost 20 years and had seen God use my baseball career as a platform to share the story of grace, encouraged me to begin the journey of professional golf. It was during the 2006 season on the U.S. Pro Golf Tour that I began seeing golf was not just what some of the guys were doing, but it was who they were. I knew from experiencing the highest level of baseball that ultimately golf would not satisfy their desires regardless of how many events they would win. I remembered how Baseball Chapel reached out to guys from the lowest of rookie ball to the major league level and wondered why there wasn’t something like that for golfers of all ages. So, I started building some relationships with some of the guys on that tour and tried to show them where they fit in with the story of grace and how they too can experience life on and off the golf course. We came up with the name “TourLife Talk” and soon had a bunch of guys coming weekly to hear about life on tour and meaning in life from a biblical perspective. Eventually we shortened the name to TourLife and began trying to reach out to the “minor league golfer” as they pursued their big league dreams.

Q:      What would you say is the most difficult thing you face doing ministry in tour golf?

A:        Probably the same thing most golfers feel is the most difficult and that would be travel. In baseball, we at least had stretches of two consecutive weeks where we would be home, thus most of us that had families had an apartment for a 6-month lease, not to mention that the team made all the travel arrangements. Golfers not only begin and end on the road during their season, but they make their own arrangements – and my hats off to those that have endured the journey. Another challenge with tour ministry is not being there all week. I think having more time with the guys and their families would be great, and perhaps a time is coming when my wife and I can do that.

Q:      Tell our readers the one essential thing they need to know about FCA TOURLIFE?

A:        FCA TourLife is making a difference in lives. As part of the FCA Golf Ministry, TOURLIFE is about serving golfers professionals and amateurs, volunteers, staff, caddies, and families by helping them experience meaningful life as they find themselves in the story of the life and the grace of Jesus Christ.
 

Read more about FCA TOURLIFE and see a list of all the tours FCA Golf is ministering on!