Biblical Foundations of Sport Ministry: Encouraging Healthy Competition

Presented to Atlanta SOLD

March 5, 2009

IS SPORT GOOD OR EVIL?

Is Sport Good or Evil?Could it be that certain sports are evil in its structural design?

Is Sport Good or Evil?Could it be that we play in an evil way, although the sport itself may be generally good in it’s design?

IS COMPETITION HEALTHY?

Position

The morality of competition is not determined by the objectives of the activity itself, but by the heart of the participants.

Competition Defined

• Latin “competere”, strive in common

• com = “together”

• petere = “to strive, seek”

Views On Competition

• Competition undermines self-esteem, poisons relationships, and holds us back from doing our best.

• Competition invites outright aggression.

• Sportsmanship is nothing more than an artificial way to try to limit the damage of competition.

New Definition

“Is two opponents coming together to agree for the purpose of bringing the best out in each other, not the worst.”

IMAGEGENESIS 1:26-28

TALENTSGENESIS 2:15-17

RELATIONSHIPSGENESIS 2:18-25

Born to Play

IMAGEGENESIS 3:8-10

TALENTSGENESIS 3:17-19

RELATIONSHIPSGENESIS 3:16

The Professional Foul

IMAGEROMANS 12:1-2

TALENTSROMANS 12:3-8

RELATIONSHIPSROMANS 12:9-21

Back in the Race

Conclusion

• There is no split between secular and sacred in the mind of God.

• Competition is part of God’s creation and is morally and ethically neutral.

• God filled the hearts of man with the desire to play and compete with one another in an effort to achieve their best.

• As a result of sin, sport and competition are in bondage.

Redeemed Competition

• As redeemed people through faith in Jesus, we have the ability to restore competition to what God intended.

• Sport can be played and enjoyed the way God intended.

• What does redeemed competition look like?

Consider

• Do everything for the glory of God

(I Cor. 10:31)

• Do nothing out of selfish ambition

(Phil. 2:3)

• Work at it with all your heart

(Col. 3:23)

Application

As church sport recreation leaders how can we model what God intended for competition?

Resources

• Lowrie McCown and Valerie J. Gin, Focus on Sport in Ministry

• Graham Daniels and Stuart Weir, Born to Play

• Graham Daniels and Stuart Weir, The Sports Stadium

I would like to hear from you!Send me your thoughts, observations or areas where you agree or disagree with my conclusions on Encouraging Health Competition.