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Designed to Equip the Local Church for:
Strategically Relevant, Effective and Efficient
"Evangelistic-Disciplemaking" Sports Outreach

Is Sports Ministry Effective: Local Church & Para-Ministry

1/28/2015

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IS SPORTS OUTREACH EFFECTIVE?
Let me be clear… much of what will be discussed in this blog will not be popular.  It may in fact, threaten the beliefs of many in the Sports Outreach World.  It is not intended to be intentionally offensive or hurtful.  It is however, intended to begin a conversation based upon the hard questions asked within.  All truth seekers are invited to continue.  This is the seventh in a series of blogs addressing the question: Is Sports Outreach Effective?  The conversation continues with this blog on the third Continuum: Para-Sport Outreach Ministry – Local Church Sports Outreach Ministry…

A FEW MORE STATISTICS
  • There are tens of thousands of churches below 100 members and they are filled with an aging population
  • Half of all churches last year did not add one new member through conversion growth
Source:  D. Goodmanson 

REVIEW
The first two Continuums in this series on the effectiveness of Sports Outreach have exposed the “Achilles heel” of the major model of Sports Outreach.  I have termed the major model: “Platform Evangelism.” “Platform Evangelism” is a methodology which seeks to provide a “platform” for “Christian” athletes & coaches to share their faith.  This methodology is flawed on two counts.  First, Christian athletes are seldom prepared to speak theologically and thus their “proclamations” are at best, unwise, and at worst, misleading or even heretical.  Second, all too often the personal lives of the “proclaiming” athletes don’t match their “proclamations.”  The motives of most athletes aren’t wrong, the problem is the model.  There is a better model found through the Sports Outreach Continuums

SPORTS OUTREACH CONTINUUM OF TENSION #3: LOCAL CHURCH SPORTS OUTREACH
PARA-SPORTS MINISTRY

Let me cut to the chase.  In its current form, the prevailing model utilized by Sports Outreach oriented Para-Ministries is flawed!  At the very least, it doesn’t live up to its promise.  The typical end goal of such Para-ministries is to reach elite athletes and coaches for Christ, and then use the testimonies of converted athletes to bring others to Christ.  This is a most noble goal.  In fact there is no more important goal a person or organization could invest their efforts in than to attempt to bring the world into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  Yet, the goal is not being accomplished to the degree once hoped or promised by this Methodological Model.  The motivation of these ministries is right but the Philosophical Principles these Methodological Models are based on is problematic and are becoming less and less effective.  It is hoped this series of blogs will strengthen the motivation, but will encourage a re-envisioning of the philosophy and methodologies.

Please hear my heart.  I am not “against” my brothers and sisters who work in the various Sports Ministries.  We are allies.  We are “first cousins” in our mission.  Furthermore, I am employed by a Para-Ministry!  I’m not against any person or any ministry but I am asking the Sports Ministry Family to reconsider the philosophies and methodologies of our Movement.  To that end the next few blogs will further explore this most important Sports Outreach Continuum: Local Church Sports Outreach – Para-Ministry Sports Outreach.
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Sportsmanship, Gamesmanship or Christmanship

1/21/2015

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This is the sixth in a series of blogs addressing the question: Is Sports Outreach Working
and begins with the following premise:

The Sports Outreach Movement that emerged in the mid-20th Century was touted as a most strategic tool for Evangelism, Discipleship and church growth.  In addition, most Sports Outreach Ministers and many Lead/Administrative Pastors believed Sports Outreach to be the most strategic tool the church could employ to accomplish the Great Commission.  Yet, these leaders are now beginning to doubt it can deliver the promised results.  They wonder…if Sports Outreach is so effective then why is the Western Church losing ground.  The following statistics combined with those presented in previous weeks provide evidence of the decline of the local church.

  1. 1.4k pastors in America leave the ministry each month
  2. Only 15% of American churches are growing and only 2.2% of those are growing by conversion growth
  3. 10k American churches have disappeared in a five year period
Taken from “The condition of the church in America, by Andy McAdams

Source: djchuang.com

The purpose of this series of blogs is two-fold: a) an explanation of why Sports Outreach has often been ineffective; and b) a proposal for how Sports Outreach can successfully meet its “Kingdom” oriented goals.  The basis for this discussion flows out of the Six Sports Outreach Continuums of Tension and their impact on the current trends in Sports Outreach Ministry.  The Continuums are:

  • Christianity / Sportianity
  • Christmanship /  Sportsmanship / Gamesmanship
  • Local Church Sports Outreach / Para-Sports Ministry
  • Process-Relational / Mega-Event
  • Formal Training / Informal Training
  • Celtic / Roman

This week focuses on Continuum of Tension #2: Christmanship / Sportsmanship / Gamesmanship.
Gamesmanship and Sportsmanship need little definition.  Conversely, Christmanship may be unfamiliar to some.  Gamesmanship defines what athletes do and think to win a game.  Adherents commit to winning at all costs.  The ultimate goal of the “gamesman” is to win… by fair means or by foul.  Most likely, those adhering to Gamesmanship are also committed to a worldview called Sportianity (defined in previous blogs).  Sportsmanship describes a code of ethics for athletics based upon humanistic relativism.  Humanistic because the athletic code of conduct emerges out of what humans determine to be ethical.  "Relative," because the Sportsmanship ethic changes according to shifts in the societal morals and the specific group of people who are deciding what is ethical.  "Sportsmen" drift towards Sportianity.
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Conversely, Christmanship describes the value system and ethos of athletes, coaches and fans committed to pursuing Christ above all else, including competing in the image of Christ and worshipping Him through their competing.  They strive to win and have an affinity for certain aspects of Gamesmanship/Sportsmanship but they evaluate their success from a Biblical foundation.

Gamesmanship, Sportsmanship and Christmanship all share areas of overlapping agreement, with Sportsmanship occupying a middle ground between the other two concepts.  This does not mean however, Sportsmanship should be considered Aristotle’s highest ethic: the “Golden Mean.”  Sportsmanship has many excellent characteristics but is far from being the perfect model for sporting ethics.  The following graph illustrates Christmanship shares an affinity with Sportsmanship because both are based on a higher standard than Gamesmanship’s ultimate ethic of winning.  But there remains a sharp, foundational distinction between Christmanship and Sportsmanship.

Christmanship is founded upon the unchangeable final authority of the Word of God.  Conversely, Sportsmanship is founded on the constantly changing ethic as determined by humankind.  This does not mean Christmanship can’t affirm the overwhelming ethic of Gamesmanship – winning – or the basics of the Sportsmanship ethic – playing fair, striving for excellence etc.  It does affirm these positive values but it also surpasses both, in its pursuit of not only playing to win and playing fair but more importantly, by playing in the image of, and to the glory of, Christ.

Relevance of the Sports Outreach Christmanship, Sportsmanship, Gamesmanship Tension Continuum

It’s not enough to choose Christianity over Sportianity.  Individual Christian Sportspersons must compete in a Christmanship ethic and Local Church Sports must be conducted in a Christmanship ethic, both on and off the court, field or pitch.  How you play will either glorify and honor Christ or it won’t.  Local church Sports Outreach Ministries have the incredible opportunity to not only redeem the individual sports person but can also serve as a catalyst to transform and redeem the sports culture by “discipling” athletes of all ages in the Christmanship ethic.  This is no little thing!

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Sportianity - Christianity: Effectiveness of Sports Chaplaincy

1/10/2015

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THIS SERIES OF BLOGS ARE ADDRESSING THE QUESTION. 
Is Sports Outreach Working and begins with the following premise:

The Sports Outreach Movement that emerged in the mid-20th Century was touted as a most strategic tool for Evangelism, Discipleship and church growth.  In addition, most Sports Outreach Ministers and many Lead/Administrative Pastors believed Sports Outreach to be the most strategic tool the church could employ to accomplish the Great Commission.  Yet, many church leaders now wonder whether it has delivered the promised results.
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Last week’s blog described four classical responses to this dilemma: Capitulation; Accommodation; Redemption; Rejection in relationship to the first of six Sports Ministry Continuums: Christianity-Sportianity.  It describes the tension experienced by sportspeople when faith and sport conflict.  This week describes two major relevancies of the Sportianity-Christianity Continuum.

There are two ways the Christianity-Sportianity Sports Outreach Tension Continuum is relevant to the question of whether or not Sports Outreach effectively aids the local church in accomplishing its goals of evangelism and discipleship.

The first concerns the failure of Sports Chaplaincy.  Sports Chaplains must meet expectations of their hosts: the professional, collegiate, club or school team.  Chaplains don’t have complete freedom to “preach the gospel,” especially when it is at odds with athletic goals or expectations of their host or when it runs afoul of the politically correct divide to be exclusively Christian and call athletes, coaches and managers into a personal relationship with Christ.  There is a growing movement to make athletic chapels not only inter-denominational but multi-faith. Also, Chaplains cannot advocate a Christmanship ethic of not working on the Lord’s Day or not endorsing team sponsors who are engaged in businesses not compatible with a Biblical ethic!  Chaplains often must choose between being faithful to Christianity and kowtowing to the demands of management, coaches and players who are sold out to a Sportianity ethic.  Chaplains truly teaching the tenets of Christianity which contradict Sportianity goals typically have short tenures.  This then, perpetuates weak and anemic Christian athletes.

The second way the Christianity-Sportianity Sports Outreach Tension Continuum is relevant to determining the success of Sports Outreach Ministries has to do with the athletes themselves.  The main model for Evangelism and Discipleship in Sports Outreach is to have well known athletes and coaches publically proclaim their faith.  The success of this model is dependent upon the personal integrity of the athlete’s faith, including his/her Biblical and theological training.

In over 20 years of serving as a chaplain to a professional sports team, I experienced very few athletes and coaches on the Christianity side of this Continuum.  Roughly 10% of high-level athletes self-identify as consistently being in the redemption category.  All others struggle to find the right balance in the Christianity-Sportianity Sports Outreach Tension Continuum.  Some walk away (Capitulation) from faith, others leave sport (Rejection).  Most highly skilled, knowledgeable and successful athletes exhibit a weak, anemic and unsuccessful walk with Christ; unable to live a Christian life because they don’t make the necessary commitment to feed their soul and develop their Biblical/Theological knowledge.  Accommodating at first they eventually, capitulate their faith to succeed in sport, or feel compelled to leave sport altogether.

Summary of the Christianity-Sportianity Sports Outreach Tension Continuum
Providing platforms for Christian athletes and coaches to share their faith and teach others about Jesus Christ has been the preferred model for Sports Outreach.  Local churches and Para-Sports Ministries heavily invested in this methodology are greatly hindered when so called Christian athletes prove to be less than stellar Disciples of Christ.  Is there a better way?  Subsequent blogs on the Six Sports Outreach Continuums of Tension will continue the discussion.

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Sportianity - Christianity - 4 Responses

1/6/2015

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THIS SERIES OF BLOGS ARE ADDRESSING THE QUESTION. 
Is Sports Outreach Working and begins with the following premise:

The Sports Outreach Movement that emerged in the mid-20th Century was touted as a most strategic tool for Evangelism, Discipleship and church growth.  In addition, most Sports Outreach Ministers and many Lead/Administrative Pastors believed Sports Outreach to be the most strategic tool the church could employ to accomplish the Great Commission.  Yet, many church leaders wonder whether it has delivered the promised results.  This series of blogs addresses that concern. 
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Last week’s blog described the first of six Sports Ministry Continuums: Christianity-Sportianity.  It describes the tension experienced by sportspeople when their faith and sport conflict.  There are four classical responses to this dilemma: Capitulation; Accommodation; Redemption; Rejection.

Capitulation describes athletes at one extreme end of the Sportianity side of the Continuum.  These coaches and athletes willingly “capitulate” their faith to fully pursue their athletic goals.

Accommodation describes athletes who are also on the Sportianity side of the Continuum but are not so extremely committed to athletic endeavors.  These athletes are unwilling to totally capitulate their faith but are often willing to make concessions to their sport, even if these concessions negatively impact their spiritual growth and well-being.  Examples include: choosing sports endeavors over attending a church service or Bible study.  It also occurs when athletes choose an action which cannot be defended Biblically but does help win a competition. “Accommodation” athletes struggle with choosing between what helps them succeed in sport and what helps them hold on to and grow in their faith.

Rejection describes the choice of former athletes to no longer participate in sport.  It is the extreme opposite of the Capitulation end of the Continuum.  These athletes choose faith over sport.  They have come to believe sport is always or often evil, and has an overall detrimental impact on their faith.  Thus they opt out of sport so as to remain committed to their spiritual growth.

Redemption describes the goal of athletes who are in the middle of the Continuum but decidedly on the Christianity side, opposite Accommodation.  Faith is their highest priority but they choose to stay involved in sport, seeking to be a redeeming force in and through their athletics.  They may reject certain actions and activities often required in sport, but they continue to play their sport. They believe: a) God can be worshipped through their athletic endeavors; b) sport provides an opportunity to reach teammates and others for Christ; and c) they have a responsibility to be a positive force for changing how sports are played and how competition is engaged in.  They have a twofold goal.  First, they seek to redeem the individuals in sport by inviting them to experience a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and second, they want to play their part in redeeming the culture of sport.

Relevance of the Christianity-Sportianity Sports Outreach Tension Continuum
Providing platforms for Christian athletes and coaches to share their faith and teach others about Jesus Christ has been the primary and most prevalent model for Sports Outreach.  Local churches heavily invested in this methodology are greatly hindered when Christian athletes prove to be less than stellar Disciples of Christ.  Athletes who verbally proclaim Christ, but are not well grounded in the Bible not only make poor theologians but worse, embarrass the local church when their unbiblical and hypocritical lives become front page news.  It all ends up hurting local church evangelistic endeavors.

Is there a better Methodological Model? Subsequent blogs on the Six Sports Outreach Continuums of Tension will continue the discussion.
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