The Sacraments in Relationship to The Sports Outreach Movement
This series of blogs is generally discussing the topic of Ecclesiology (The Theology of The Church) in relationship to local church Sport, Recreation and Fitness Ministry.  Previous blogs have dealt with the Biblical concepts and mandates of The Church, its purpose function and the responsibility of individual Christians.  This blog deals with the subject of the sacraments.

While the three great strands of Christianity disagree on the number of and the understanding of the Sacraments they do agree on the general vital importance of Sacraments.  Catholic and Orthodox traditions share in the belief there are seven Sacraments whereas Protestants claim only two, often calling them Ordinances.  However, all traditions place a very high priority on the regular receiving of, and participation in the Sacraments.  The relevance of the Sacraments in regards to athletes, coaches and Sports Outreach Ministry has to do with the fact that commitments to sport most often preclude participation in the Sacraments for coaches and athletes; a result of athletes participating in sporting activities on the Lord’s Day.  The implications of this should be apparent.  Christian athletes and coaches, along with Sports Outreach Ministries need to evaluate their priorities and find a way to reconcile their sporting commitments so as to be able to regularly participate in a local congregation’s activities including the receiving of the Sacraments.

Summary of Obligations and Participation in a Local Church
As this blog series on Ecclesiology concludes, it becomes apparent there are few good reasons to participate in non-church sponsored Sunday Sport and many great reasons not to.  However, I do believe a case can be made for a local congregation incorporating Sunday sport and recreation into an overall ministry plan.  To state it even stronger, I believe a church would find combining recreational and sporting activities with traditional Lord’s Day worship services, Christian Education classes, youth, children and other outreach ministries not only strategic and relevant, but more importantly well within the theological mandates and biblically-based Level #2 Philosophical Principles of the scriptures.  The key distinction is all such activities are church sponsored and they both support and enhance the purpose, function and evangelistic-disciplemaking endeavors of The Church
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This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book yet to be released book – Sports Ministry Fundamentals.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:


Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and other local church Sports, Rec & Fitness Ministers are archived at: www.csrm.org
 

Communicating One’s Faith Through Sports Related “Proclamation Platforms”
As discussed in the previous blog, most Christian sportspeople want to maximize their sports opportunities for the glory of God and including being able to verbally encourage others to consider becoming a disciple of Christ.  Therefore, it would seem counter-intuitive to ask these sincere people to consider forgoing participating in sport on Sunday.  However, there is most often a surprising unintended result that occurs when Christian consistently participate in sporting activities on the Lord’s Day; especially when it clearly conflicts with traditional times for church worship services!  These well-intentioned and properly motivated intentions often have the exact opposite effect of that which is desired by Sports Outreach Evangelists!  By participating in sport on Sunday, athletes subtly communicate church is a lower priority than sport itself.  Most often, those who are far from Christ realize the ones who call themselves Christians deem sport a higher priority than church…. well, you can draw your own conclusions.  The question must be asked: “What does skipping church to participate in sport really communicate?”

A far better argument can be made for someone who forgoes attending church to reach out to those playing sport on Sunday but does not participate in sport so as to clearly communicate they are there for ministry, rather than arguing for playing sport for evangelistic reasons.  (I further elaborate this point in my book on the Fundamentals of Sports Outreach Ministry of which this blog is excerpted from).  To repeatedly show up at sporting events for the express purpose of reaching those who play sport is made far more powerful when the “evangelists” don’t participate, than when they do, especially if they are good enough athletes to compete!  The reason is, their purpose for showing up at the sporting events is clear: They are there for spiritual reasons, not athletic pursuits!  When participating in the sport, their motives are not clearly communicated.  The validity of this argument is made obvious by seeing the result in the numbers of people who show up at a Sunday sport event to “evangelize” as compared to those who would come if they could “play.”  It is even more apparent by assessing how many of those team-members end up coming to church, coming to Christ and actively grow in their faith!
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The next blog in this series will how sporting involvements preclude receiving the sacraments
 
This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book yet to be released book – Sports Ministry Fundamentals.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:


Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and other local church Sports, Rec & Fitness Ministers are archived at: www.csrm.org
 

Relationships and Fellowship
This series of blogs is in the midst of a discussion about how vitally important it is to regularly participate in a local church’s activities for the enhancement of personal faith.  In fact, one’s faith is always enhanced by and through the personal relationships and regular fellowship with other believers.  Whether the relationships are peer-based or more of a mentor to a mentee, consistent and sustained fellowship is crucial to one’s spiritual journey.  Furthermore, accountability partners are a must for anyone serious about growing in their faith.  This latter area however, is one that is easiest met on days, and at times, other than Sunday.  Times for such activities can be much easier scheduled around sporting commitments and this point should not be used to deter any sporting involvement.  However, one’s personal growth is only one side of why a “sporty” Christian should be committed to regular participation in a local congregation’s activities…

One of the most overlooked aspects of the conflict between sports commitments and church participation is the loss to a church of the gifts, skills, passions and leadership of sportspeople who choose not to attend church functions when they conflict with sporting commitments.  The Body of Christ is always negatively impacted when any individual and/or specific groups of people self-select to not be regularly involved in local church ministries, outreaches and activities.  There is yet another key element of this point that often goes overlooked…

One of the prime rationales given by sporting people for their commitment to sports is they have a goal to reach the sporting world by using their sporting gifts and positions (proclamation platforms) for the benefit of the gospel.  They should be highly commended and encouraged for this but I would challenge them to consider how much more effective they could be for the kingdom by applying their sporting gifts and position to a local church sports outreach ministry!  Further implications of this are taken up in the Missiology and Soteriology chapters of the book from which this blog is an excerpt and also from the following blog in this series.
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The next blog in this series will further contemplate the concept of sharing one’s faith through sporting opportunities
 
This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book yet to be released book – Sports Ministry Fundamentals.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:


Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and other local church Sports, Rec & Fitness Ministers are archived at: www.csrm.org
 

The Sabbath/Lord’s Day in Relationship to Sports Outreach Ministry
The second aspect for understanding the importance of commitment to and participation with a local congregation is one of the most controversial issues that has confronted the Sports Outreach Movement through the decades: What about Sunday Sports?

Many athletes, coaches and Sports, Recreation and Fitness Ministers wrestle with whether to participate in, or whether to program sports outreach activities on a Sunday.  If the truth be told, almost every Christian athlete, coach and athletic director has already made the decision to play, coach or organize sport on Sunday and many local churches have followed the lead of sport-related para-ministries who subscribe to the sport on Sunday ethic.

All of this then cause Christian families to determine whether or not to allow their “sporty” kids’ athletic involvements, priorities and commitments to trump church and spiritual commitments.  Specifically, should their children participate in “travel team,” AAU or other specialized and/or elite athletic sports activities if they occur on a Sunday?  The issue of Sunday Sport is indeed uniquely linked with, and connected to, the Level #1 Theological Truth discussion on commitment to and participation with The Church (the overall topic of this series of blogs).

The answer to Sunday Sports cannot be determined quickly and must not be pre-determined by the often emotional desire to play sport at a high level…even if that desire is tied up with a desire to utilize one’s sport to glorify God and/or reach others for God.  The answer can only be ascertained by reflection on five key Theological Truths / Doctrines: a) the Doctrine of Sabbath Day; b) the Doctrine of the Lord’s Day; c) Ecclesiology (theology of The Church) in relationship to church association and participation; d) Missiology (the theology of reaching those far from Christ) in relationship to biblical principles of reaching those far from Christ; and e) Soteriology (the theology of salvation) in relationship to evangelism and discipleship.[1]  For the purposes of this series of blogs, it is assumed that true disciples of Jesus will be regularly participating in a local congregation and abstaining from any regular, organized sporting activities and events held on the Lord’s Day.  The primary reason for this has to do with utter importance of establishing a growing and vibrant faith in Christ that can only be achieved through regular participation in both personal and corporate spiritual activities.

To that end, local congregations do have worship services, Christian education and fellowship opportunities that meet on days other than Sunday, but it stretches the limits of credulity to suggest even a sizable minority of churches offer services to nurture a strong faith in any athlete that don’t conflict with the time of athletic trainings and practices.  Christian athletes and coaches must face the fact that sporting activities regularly conflict with spiritual commitments.  Sundays, Saturday evenings and most week night evenings are all consumed by athletic practices, conditioning and games.  As hard as it is to say…and even harder to live out…Christian sportspeople must often make a choice between sport and faith.  It is imperative for athletes and coaches to make room in their schedules for a commitment to regular, active participation with a church for the good of their own spiritual development; even if it means leaving sport.  It should be pointed out that the same principle would apply to all vocations as sport cannot be singled out.  If one’s career precludes or prohibits personal involvement in a local church, then a new career is necessitated.
 

The next blog in this series will further contemplate the Sabbath and Lord’s Day Principles as they relate to personal and corporate fellowship and relationships
 
This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book yet to be released book – Sports Ministry Fundamentals.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:


Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and other local church Sports, Rec & Fitness Ministers are archived at: www.csrm.org


[1] I address each of these in depth in my book on the Fundamentals of The Sports Outreach Movement and in chapter 7 of my book Christmanship.

Worship in Relationship to Sports Outreach Ministry

Many sincere athletes and coaches have asked the question: “Can athletes worship God in, through and by, their sporting activities and endeavors?”

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!  But!  This does not automatically mean a worshipful sporting activity on a Lord’s Day, especially a Lord’s Day morning, can serve to replace more traditional worship experiences.  Therefore, even though sportspersons can and should attempt to worship God through their athletic activities, they neglect the regular participation in traditional worship opportunities to their own spiritual peril and detriment.

Other vocations also offer opportunities to worship God.  Doctors can worship God in their practice of medicine and their healing of the sick and infirm; actors can worship God as they bring joy and poignant messages to theater goers; teachers worship God whenever they inform and inspire students, and farmers worship God as they provide food for the world.  Yet none of these worshipful activities can replace or substitute corporate, family and individual worship, nor any Christian Education opportunities.  Perhaps this point can be most clearly communicated by realizing not even the traditional Lord’s Day worship can totally replace the complementary and necessary roles Christian Education and regular participation in other disciplines play in the shaping of one’s discipleship.[1]

The Scriptures are clear as to the organization and function of The Church, and the mandate for sportspeople to become members of, and actively participate in, the worship and disciplemaking activities of a local congregation.  Some ask however, “what about the gifted athlete’s role and responsibility to maximize the opportunities afforded them to reach out to others through the “platforms” that come via their God-given talents?”  They sincerely want to know: “should adults be encouraged to join the local Sunday morning soccer league to reach out to friends” and “should a church organize youth league travel teams to be a witness in weekend tournaments, including playing games on Sundays?”

I have answered these and other questions in great detail in my book entitled “Christmanship,” which outlines the application of Sabbath/Lord’s Day principles, and out of which two things become clear.  The first question that needs an answer is, should the church reach those playing sports on a Lord’s Day and second is, should they participate in sport with them on Sunday as a way to reach them?  The answer to question #1 is an emphatic yes.  However the answer to the second question is much less clear.  In fact, it may well be, that the very act of trying to reach them by participating in sporting activities with them, precludes being able to reach them!  One thing must be clearly understood…reaching those far from Christ is much different than participating with them. This can best be understood by asking such questions as: should a Christian get “high” with drug addicts, or should they visit a burlesque with those who frequent such places?

So, the bottom line question for sports participants who are disciples of Christ concerning worship is: “What/Who is Lord,” and how does Jesus being Lord translate into determining one’s priorities of time, values and participation in sporting and church related activities.[2]  Part of the answer is found in understanding the biblical principles about the Sabbath and Lord’s Day.
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The next blog in this series will contemplate the Sabbath and Lord’s Day Principles in relationship to the Sports Outreach Movement
 
This blog is an excerpt from Dr. Linville's book yet to be released book – Sports Ministry Fundamentals.  All rights reserved.  For any reproduction right, including copying, computer reproduction, etc. contact:


Dr. Greg Linville at CSRM International C/O The World Outreach Center 5350 Broadmoor Circle N. w. Canton, Ohio – USA 44709 or glinville@csrm.org
 
Other blogs and articles on Local Church Sports, sports theology and ethics written by Dr. Greg Linville and other local church Sports, Rec & Fitness Ministers are archived at: www.csrm.org
 


[1] One of the most troubling realities of the 21st century church is the trend away from “The Lord’s Day” to the “Lord’s Hour” in which a growing majority of Christians only attend a one-hour worship service rather than participating in a full Lord’s Day set of spiritual formation activities including bible study, fellowship, outreach and more.  This trend has led to a most pervasive, stunted and shallow spirituality for the overwhelming majority of church attenders.

[2] I fully believe God is a Who, not a what, but I use “what” to communicate how easily it is to make something other than God the Lord of our lives…which for athletes and coaches too often becomes sport.