The Jeremiah Sportsmen based in Bloomington-Normal have a church as big as all outdoors.

The Christian group of men who enjoy fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation will host the first-ever Sportsmen's Outdoor Adventure Exposition at Normal Community High School and the adjacent Eastview Christian Church on Friday and Saturday.

The non-denominational event includes appearances by;

• Famed fishing personality Jimmy Houston, founder of the Fellowship of Christian Anglers Society;

• David Wardell, co-founder of Promise Keepers, will emcee;

• Richard Jordan, president of Christian Sportsmen Fellowship of Atlanta, Ga., and editor of The Christian Sportsman Magazine, and;

• Brad Stine, a well-known Christian comedian.

Seminar speakers include: popular area fishing educators and guides Jim Crowley, Terry Brown and Paul Center; waterfowl hunting expert Pat Gregory; Bobby Brasher of Christian Hunters and Anglers; Jay Houston of ElkCamp.com; Steve Sewell, a GPS and camping expert; Hank Hough of Kingdom Dog and many more.

The family-oriented event also will include 100 vendors, a two-story climbing wall, 3D archery, dog exhibitions, a camping area to learn new techniques and a chance for kids and parents to compete against the experts in a casting contest.

The Vietnam Traveling Wall War Memorial and memorial displays will be at the site and open to visitors 24 hours a day from 1 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. June 30.

Jeremiah Sportsmen executive director David Iverson said the goal of Jeremiah Sportsmen and the expo is to offer families a portal to find their way to faith with people who share the same interests they do.

"I believe two things. One, there are a number in the church who want to be involved in ministry but have never found their comfort zone, their niche," said Iverson, a data specialist at State Farm Insurance Cos. and an upland game hunter who grew up in South Dakota. "They now see getting involved with people with the same passions, hunting and fishing, as a way to reach out, a way to get involved in the church they didn't have before.

"A second thing - a number of people aren't active in the church. This is a draw for them. They can build a relationship with the other men, attend church and realize their love of the outdoors is not unusual. They are not alone," he said.

Randy Lorimor, publicity chairman for the event and manager for advertising and marketing media for Country Financial, agreed.

"The objective is to try to reach men who are either intimidated by or uncomfortable with the church or with their faith," he said. "So many men enjoy fishing and hunting and camping and all that. This is a non-threatening environment for them to participate and understand you don't have to be a Bible-pounding fanatic. We are all just a bunch of guys. A lot of them know us already. We hunt with them, we fish with them."

The mustard seed that became Jeremiah Sportsmen was planted at Eastview in early 2006 when a group of men got together to shoot sporting clays. As the fellowship grew, so did its list of activities. Fishing and hunting trips soon became popular.

"Our job from a ministry standpoint is to provide those opportunities. If there is a group of people who enjoy rock climbing, let's get something started," Iverson said. "If it's waterfowl hunting, let's get something started there, and on through all the other outdoor activities. … Whatever someone comes up with to enjoy the great outdoors, we'll do it."

Members enjoyed the trips with other Christian men. They also sponsored outings for families. They soon saw the get-togethers as a way to reach out to others with similar hobbies who might not be practicing their faith for one reason or another. The potential base is huge. A 2006 survey revealed about half the people who engaged in hunting and fishing identify themselves as evangelical Christians.

Houston, one of America's most popular fishing and hunting television personalities, has seen the movement toward faith-based outdoor groups grow since he launched FOCAS as a way for professional anglers who competed on Sundays to express their faith during nightly meetings at tournament sites.

During an interview that will be featured in Hook Line & Sinker, the Pantagraph's fishing column in Thursday's sports section, Houston said he thinks people who enjoy spending a day hunting or fishing find it hard not to connect with a higher power.

"You see life as it is and creation as it is," Houston said.

The idea apparently is contagious. Iverson is fielding questions from men who want to start similar groups in churches as far away as New Mexico and Colorado.

"When we started, the interest was absolutely immediate among our inner circle. It spread out very quickly," said Iverson.

He'd pitched the idea for a faith-based outdoor exposition to another local group even before the birth of the Eastview Christian Sportsmen. The concept never became reality until he mentioned it to the newer group. Members seized on it as a way to reach out to the Christian outdoor community at large. As more members from other churches joined in, Eastview Christian Sportsmen evolved to become Jeremiah Sportsmen.

About a year ago, a handful of members approached Lorimor, who lives in rural Carlock and attends Wesley United Methodist Church in the Twin Cities. They wanted help publicizing the expo. He liked the idea.

"There is a percentage of men who are closest to God when they're in the outdoors. That to them is the proof not only of God's existence, but of his grace," he said. "This gorgeous world we live in is proof of the existence of God and the basis of their faith. It seemed like a good match. … We are going to have a good time."

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If you go

What: Outdoor Adventure Expo

When: 1-6 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday.

Where: Eastview Christian Church and Normal Community High School

Vendors: About 100 companies will sell hunting gear, fishing tackle and a variety of other outdoor-related products.

Seminars: Speakers include: ex-pro baseball player Bobby Brasher and Eric Switzer of Christian Hunters and Anglers; Terry Brown of Wired2Fish.com; Paul Center, guide and custom rod maker; Jim Crowley of Midwest Outdoors television; Dan Field of ProVision on filming your hunt; Pat Gregory on layout hunting for waterfowl; Hank Hough and Kingdom Dog; Jay Houston of Elkcamp.com; Roger Medley of Backcountry Bowhunting; T.W. Norman of Team Extreme, who will perform feats of strength; Tron Peterson of Peterson Outdoors; Steve Sewell, a GPS and camping expert; Kevin Teveldal of South Dakota-based Pheasant City Adventures; and martial arts grandmaster Manny Sosa of Victory Academy.

Special guests: Fishing personality Jimmy Houston, comedian Brad Stine, Promise Keepers co-founder David Wardell, Richard Jordan of The Christian Sportsman Magazine. They will appear at 7 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m and 2 p.m. on Saturday at Eastview Christian Church; extra charge is $20. Advanced reservations are suggested.

Other attractions: The Vietnam Traveling Wall Memorial is open for visitors free of charge 24 hours a day from 1 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. June 30. A prayer breakfast and presentation about launching an outdoor ministry at your church begins at 6 a.m. Saturday; advance registration is $15. A sporting clays adventure will be at Oakridge Sportman's Club, Mackinaw, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday; advance registration is $40.

More information: www.jeremiahsportsmen.com Tickets available online or by calling (309) 454-4256.