Sports Evangelism
Sports today is almost like a way of life. When most of us think about sports we probably think about things like football, basketball, and baseball. Although we may think of sports differently today, sports go back as far as the Greeks. From the Good Game book it talked about how the Greeks would use sports as a way of honoring their gods. The most common event we probably think of when we think about the Greeks and sports is the Olympics. Before getting to everything else, what is sports ministry? Sports ministry is just how it sounds and it is in general a way of using sports to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Another question would be why would you want to choose sports as a way to incorporate religion? From the Athletes in Action website they give this information that says “For billions of people, the stadiums of the world serve as houses of worship. Whether on a sandlot or in a stadium, where there is a scoreboard, there is a crowd. Fans gather to cheer on their favorite team – be it professional, collegiate or Little League. Sports is a universal language with the powerful ability to shape a culture, heal a nation, break down political, racial and economic barriers and restore national pride. Children dream of being the next LeBron James, Peyton Manning or Serena Williams. Sports speak a language that children around the world understand.” This all means that since sports is such critical part of most people’s lives and such a universal icon, then by using sports it’s such an easy way to relate to people of all ages.
When we mix religion and sports many things can happen. In an article titled When Sports and Religion Mix by Philip Wise, it talks about how while he was growing up good athletes were fine Christians then. I think a lot of times there are too many athletes proclaiming to be Christians but they go about acting in ways that are not Christ-like. Doing this it could possibly give Christians a bad name because they have people going around acting in ways that are causing their religion to be looked down upon. In this article he also talks about how lessons learned on the field can also be translated into Christian values. Some may think that there is nothing in the Bible that refers to sports but there are quite a few verses that do. Philip gives an example from 1 Corinthians; “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
There are so many athletic ministries today for people to get involved in. These organizations give people somewhere where they can come together with other Christians and worship him through devotions and music as well has coming together to have a good time through playing sports. Top organizations I found were Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Athletes in Action, Rain Maker’s Christian Sports Ministry, and the Christian Athletic Association (CAA). Through these athletic ministries they are trying to train the kids so that they can go on to be role models for others and their communities.
The FCA is one of the top Christian sports programs you will find in schools. This organization has been around since 1954. FCA is one of the largest Christian sports organizations in America which was founded by Don McClanen. They incorporate Jesus into everything they do. They hold sports camps where the kids play but they also come to hear the word of God. The Rain Maker’s Christian Sports ministry is a program focused solely on basketball and volleyball and being able to witness through it. They offer camps that teach the fundamentals of the sports, but they also incorporate daily devotional times, prayers, and studies into their days. They also have speakers that will travel to different areas and preach God’s word at places such as school and retreats. Lastly, the CAA makes sure to provide a Christian environment for their athletes as well as reinforcing Christian character. All of these things that these camps do are helping to shape the kids lives in a way that is positive and to try and bring them up in a way that will honor the Lord.
I was able to find an interesting article from ESPN titled Sports, God & Religion. An interesting point that Rev. Jerry Falwell makes was, “"I think God wants you to be a winner in life, and that spills over into athletics," this comes from something that he had told to Robert Lipsyte who wrote this article."If kicking butts is part of it, that's part of it. Jesus was no sissy. If he played football, you'd be slow getting up after he tackled you." I think that what this is trying to say is that people who are against the mixing of religion in sports need to understand that this is something that God would want. God wants us to all be winners at whatever we do and to put him first. Being able to mix religion with sports is such a great opportunity because it’s such a universal thing. Most everyone loves sports and it is a great opportunity to reach so many people.
If we think that coaches and players are the only ones influencing people with mixing religion and sports we’re wrong. There are so many chaplains who are standing behind their teams and sharing the word of God with them. Onward Christian Athletes talks about Kevin Harvey who is the chaplain for the Philadelphia 76ers who talks about how he couldn’t imagine anyone having a better job. With being a chaplain for the team he has a chance to not only influence the players lives, but he also has a chance to influence millions of other people who watch the 76ers play. Listed below on this blog page I have included two people who are considered to be very influential when it comes to sports and religion. The picture slideshow below also includes 12 pictures of people who are considered to be the top 12 most influential athletes and coaches in sports.
Another question would be why would you want to choose sports as a way to incorporate religion? From the Athletes in Action website they give this information that says “For billions of people, the stadiums of the world serve as houses of worship. Whether on a sandlot or in a stadium, where there is a scoreboard, there is a crowd. Fans gather to cheer on their favorite team – be it professional, collegiate or Little League. Sports is a universal language with the powerful ability to shape a culture, heal a nation, break down political, racial and economic barriers and restore national pride. Children dream of being the next LeBron James, Peyton Manning or Serena Williams. Sports speak a language that children around the world understand.” This all means that since sports is such critical part of most people’s lives and such a universal icon, then by using sports it’s such an easy way to relate to people of all ages.
When we mix religion and sports many things can happen. In an article titled When Sports and Religion Mix by Philip Wise, it talks about how while he was growing up good athletes were fine Christians then. I think a lot of times there are too many athletes proclaiming to be Christians but they go about acting in ways that are not Christ-like. Doing this it could possibly give Christians a bad name because they have people going around acting in ways that are causing their religion to be looked down upon. In this article he also talks about how lessons learned on the field can also be translated into Christian values. Some may think that there is nothing in the Bible that refers to sports but there are quite a few verses that do. Philip gives an example from 1 Corinthians; “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
There are so many athletic ministries today for people to get involved in. These organizations give people somewhere where they can come together with other Christians and worship him through devotions and music as well has coming together to have a good time through playing sports. Top organizations I found were Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Athletes in Action, Rain Maker’s Christian Sports Ministry, and the Christian Athletic Association (CAA). Through these athletic ministries they are trying to train the kids so that they can go on to be role models for others and their communities.
The FCA is one of the top Christian sports programs you will find in schools. This organization has been around since 1954. FCA is one of the largest Christian sports organizations in America which was founded by Don McClanen. They incorporate Jesus into everything they do. They hold sports camps where the kids play but they also come to hear the word of God. The Rain Maker’s Christian Sports ministry is a program focused solely on basketball and volleyball and being able to witness through it. They offer camps that teach the fundamentals of the sports, but they also incorporate daily devotional times, prayers, and studies into their days. They also have speakers that will travel to different areas and preach God’s word at places such as school and retreats. Lastly, the CAA makes sure to provide a Christian environment for their athletes as well as reinforcing Christian character. All of these things that these camps do are helping to shape the kids lives in a way that is positive and to try and bring them up in a way that will honor the Lord.
I was able to find an interesting article from ESPN titled Sports, God & Religion. An interesting point that Rev. Jerry Falwell makes was, “"I think God wants you to be a winner in life, and that spills over into athletics," this comes from something that he had told to Robert Lipsyte who wrote this article."If kicking butts is part of it, that's part of it. Jesus was no sissy. If he played football, you'd be slow getting up after he tackled you." I think that what this is trying to say is that people who are against the mixing of religion in sports need to understand that this is something that God would want. God wants us to all be winners at whatever we do and to put him first. Being able to mix religion with sports is such a great opportunity because it’s such a universal thing. Most everyone loves sports and it is a great opportunity to reach so many people.
If we think that coaches and players are the only ones influencing people with mixing religion and sports we’re wrong. There are so many chaplains who are standing behind their teams and sharing the word of God with them. Onward Christian Athletes talks about Kevin Harvey who is the chaplain for the Philadelphia 76ers who talks about how he couldn’t imagine anyone having a better job. With being a chaplain for the team he has a chance to not only influence the players lives, but he also has a chance to influence millions of other people who watch the 76ers play. Listed below on this blog page I have included two people who are considered to be very influential when it comes to sports and religion. The picture slideshow below also includes 12 pictures of people who are considered to be the top 12 most influential athletes and coaches in sports.
Maya Moore
- Played for the University of Connecticut and now plays for the Minnesota Lynx.
- “Even though I’ve got a lot of awards and honors, it’s nothing compared to what the Lord has done to my heart and what He’s done for the world” (Moore).
- Her faith has not gone unnoticed among teammates and she always credits everything to God. One of her teammates even stated that she has the kind of attitude of doing whatever she needs to do for her team.
- Taj Mcwilliams-Franklin states, “Maya has the humility and passion to be the best at whatever she chooses because she puts God first in all things. No matter what the stat line says during or after the ball game, God’s stat line says, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.’ That is what she aspires to hear at all times.”
- http://www.sharingthevictory.com/vsItemDisplay.lsp?method=display&objectid=2E203AC8-C296-6C1A-767A235D66453A8B
Luke Zeller
- Played basketball for Notre Dame before being drafted into the NBA D-League's Iowa Energy. He was later traded to the Texas Toro's where he was then released due to an injury.
- Since his release he has started a non-profit organization that offers character-based basketball camps and tournaments for kids in Indiana.
- Uses the talents Christ has given him by pointing others to Christ, as each camp features a chapel service and presents the gospel.
- http://www.sharingthevictory.com/vsItemDisplay.lsp?method=display&objectid=C1D917F1-C29A-EE7A-E0C715D2577CDF33
Annotated Bibliography:
1. Krattenmaker, Tom. Onward Christian Athletes. Maryland: Rowan & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2010.
I chose to use this book to show how team chaplains are so critical. If it weren't for the chaplains would we see as much religion going on throughout various locker rooms? Kevin Harvey is a team chaplain that this book talks about. It talks about how he not only has the chance to influence the players but also the fans who watch the 76ers.
2. Hoffman, Shirl. Good Game. Texas: Baylor University Press, 2007.
Good Game talks a lot about the various aspects of religion and sports. I chose to focus in on the Christian community and how they reacted towards the rise of Christianity in sports.
3. Fellowship of Christian Athletes. http://www.fca.org/.
This is one of the most well known sports ministry organizations. The website offers a lot of background information about he organization and what they are doing in different communities to help teach kids about Jesus Christ.
4. Sharing the Victory. http://www.sharingthevictory.com/.
Sharing the Victorybranches off of FCA. Sharing the Victory is a website that offers great stories about influential Christian athletes and what they are doing. The stories all have something that relates back to Jesus and what he is doing in their lives.
5. Rain Makers Christian Sports Ministry. http://www.rainmakerscsm.org/events.htm.
What’s so neat about this website is that it’s an organization that totally focuses on basketball and religion. This website does a good job of explain what sports ministry is. It also does a good job of answering a question about whether or not is there a need for sports ministry.
6. Athletes in Action. http://athletesinaction.org.
This organization’s purpose is to build spiritual movements everywhere through the platform of sport so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus. On this website they talk about some of the projects that are taking part in and what they are trying to do through these projects.
7. Christian Athletic Association. http://playcaa.org.
This association focuses on sports such as soccer, volleyball, golf, street hockey, softball, baseball, and basketball. They offer sports for all ages from youth to adults. This association has been around since 1979 and founded by the First Baptist Church. Since 2003 the main focus of this association has been strictly soccer. They try to provide competition through a God-honoring way. They also reinforce proper attitude and use positive character traits that are found in the Bible to help reinforce the positive attitudes.
8. Lipsyte, Robert. “Sports, God & Religion”. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=bloc/040210.
I liked this article from ESPN because it takes an interesting perspective on a few things. The first statement I like talks about God being a football player and how it wants you to be a winner at life. So if being a winner at life means kicking butt and tackling people then God would agree with it because even he wasn’t a sissy. I also like the comparison he uses when he talks about how sports are like Evangelical Christianity. "In evangelical Christianity you are either saved or lost. You've gone to heaven or you've gone to hell, you win or you lose, and that's what sport is all about." This was something his old professor William Baker once said.
9. Wise, Philip. When Sports and Religion Mix. http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/75231.pdf.
This story is about Bill Curry. He talks about how when growing up sports and religion were mixed and how a lot of good athletes were fine Christians at that time. He also talks about how lessons learned playing on the field could also be translated and turned into Christian values. He recalls back to times when he remembers athletes from FCA going around and speaking at local religious events. He also gives a few examples from the Bible where religion is compared to sports. For example, “Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable garland, but we an imperishable one. So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air; but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. Throughout this story there are other great examples of how to relate our sports lives to our discipleship.