Rock Bmx Ministry
A Ministry reaching young and old alike through Bmx Freestyle Trick riding. A great outreach and tool to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Based in N Ireland, this Ministry is to bring Glory to God and to share Gods love. Contact details
Email martintuson@gmail.com
Mob 07725 015710
The Soul of Football Book by Mark Chester
Cloning Jamie Carragher
Lionel Messi’s mistakes
It’s all Wayne Rooney’s fault
Find out more about The Soul of Football http://ow.ly/GnSSz
Read a sample chapter http://bit.ly/1EZitOK
“This book gets beyond the surface of football, and reminds us that we need to get beyond the surface of life, too.”
Revd John K. Boyers, Chaplain, Manchester United
Buy a copy of ‘The Soul of Football’ on BRFonline http://www.brfonline.org.uk/9781841016542/
BRF, 15 The Chambers, Vineyard, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3FE, England
Dir: 07967 688 610 Fax: 01865 319701
Passion for Sport exists to introduce sports fans to Jesus through media. All around the world millions of people follow a team or sport passionately without ever taking part. We know Liverpool fans in The Gambia, Arsenal fans in Kenya, Manchester United fans in Japan and even Cornwall, who have never been to watch their team play. But that doesn’t reduce their passion or make them any less a fan. Here at Passion for Sport we too are passionate about sport. We love it. Football, rugby, cricket, athletics, motor sport – you name it. We are even more passionate about Jesus and are passionate about introducing sports fans to him.
We produce two weekly radio programmes featuring news, stories and interviews with sportsmen and women, many of whom are followers of Jesus who talk about their sport and faith. Planet Sport is a 15-minute, multi-sport show heard on 50 stations in 16 countries. Our analysts include former professional sportsmen including Brazilian Alex Ribeiro (Formula 1) and Tu Nu’uali’itia who played in two Rugby World Cups for Samoa, scoring a try against eventual winners South Africa in the 1995 quarter finals. You can listen free on demand on line at www.planetsport.tv and via a phone app, search “Planet Sport” for both iPhone and Android devices. Planet Sport Football Africa features news of football in Africa and African players around the world and is heard on over 30 stations in Africa. This too is available free on demand at www.planetsport.tv.
We also report from major sporting events for our two radio programmes and provide a reporting service for Christian radio stations. In 2008 we served over 1000 stations worldwide in six languages from the Olympic Games in Beijing.
We have an extensive online library of sports players’ testimonies. Check out the Resources page on our supporters’ site at www.passionforsport.com to hear sports stars talking about their sport and faith. Interviews include Henry Olonga (cricket, Zimbabwe), Julian Speroni (football, Crystal Palace FC) and Nick Farr-Jones (rugby union, captain of Australia’s 1991 Rugby World Cup winning side). We are also developing the www.planetsport.tv site for sports fans with pages focussing on different sport. With background information, a brief history of the game, funny quotes, images and short testimonies in both print and audio this is a great resource to direct sports you know to, to help introduce them to Jesus: http://www.planetsport.tv/sports.html
For more information visit the two websites: www.passionforsport.com and www.planetsport.tv.
RE: Sports Chaplaincy at the University of Gloucestershire
You may be aware that in recent years the University of Gloucestershire has introduced a suite of ‘distance learning’ postgraduate modules and courses in sports chaplaincy comprising the following pathways: Postgraduate Certificate in Sports Chaplaincy, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Chaplaincy, and MA in Sports Chaplaincy.
The fourth cohort of students are now entering their final months of study and the University is beginning to recruit for the 2015-2016 academic year. For those who may be interested in applying for any of the above course pathways (to begin September/October 2015) please note that the closing date for applications is Friday 31st August 2015.
To apply, please go to the course web site (see link below) and click on the tab in the right hand margin headed ‘Apply Now’: http://www.glos.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/scc/pages/sport-and-christian-outreach-sports-chaplaincy-postgraduate-certificate-postgraduate-diploma-ma.aspx
There are a number of tuition-fee bursaries available for the 2015-2016 academic year and these will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.
If you experience any difficulties with the applications process and/or would like to chat further about the various courses that we have on offer, then please feel free to contact me directly either by e-mail (aparker@glos.ac.uk) or by telephone (07920 210333).
Professor Andrew Parker, Faculty of Applied Sciences
University of Gloucestershire
Oxstalls Campus, Oxstalls Lane, Gloucester GL2 9HW
Tel: +44 (0) 1242 715387
E-mail: aparker@glos.ac.uk
Here at Cross The Line, we are a bunch of faith driven ’20-something’ writers, reporting hot off the press football news making Jesus known!
Our website includes a number of features, including generic football articles as well as a “faith and football” section where we give our readers a chance to read football stories with a different light. We look to combine the latest football news with the Christian faith; giving you a chance to relate everyday stories in the world of football with Christian beliefs.
We also have a podcast where Ollie Baines leads the latest discussion on all things faith and football. More recently, we have added a “player interview” feature, where Cross The Line chats to a number of professional Christian footballers. Plus we offer a testimonies section where people can send in their stories of how they experienced God through football. We would love for you to get involved –
please Follow us on Twitter @crossthelinex_
please Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cross-The-Line/319850071508603?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
or, email us at crosstheline321@gmail.com
Engage 2015 is a cross denominational campaign set up to help UK churches serve the rugby community during the World Cup event in October 2015. We have no official status within Rugby World Cup 2015.
Our aim is to help UK’s churches demonstrate God’s love by serving the World Cup 2015, and the rugby community during it, to the fullest possible extent.
Our approach is that Engage 2015 should be centrally resourced and locally delivered. Thus, our role is to;
Provide churches with inspiration, information and resources
To build relationships between the church & the rugby community
The World Cup – the third largest international sports event – comes to the UK during September/October 2015.
It will involve:
This presents every church with another great opportunity to serve the event and share God’s love.
It happened during the London 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Jubilee.
Now we can do it again
Offering during the world cup:
For more information, please email info@engage2015.co.uk
Website: www.engage2015.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Engage2015
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Engage2015
Athletic Inspiration
Enigma Sports and Verite Sport have teamed up to produce a calendar called Athletic Inspiration. The calendar features twelve Christian sportspeople with a spectacular action photo supported by a second smaller photo and an inspirational quotation or Bible verse from the athlete each month.
Available at £6.50 plus P&P. Order at: http://enigma-sports.com/store/
Sports Clothing from www.inyerfaith.co.uk
Spread the word and let others initiate conversations through what you are wearing.
eg. “Going the extra mile”, “Feed the 5K”, “Which Way?” & others.
Procedures to purchase Sports slogan branded clothing on line are below. There are options to choose standard cotton garments or sporty 100% polyester items. Sweats, T-shirts, Vests etc are available.
The logos can be put on the front and back if required.
Add in your Church or team name or logo as required.
Ordering procedure:
10. Click on the back view of the item if you would like a design on the back too. This doubles the promotion! Click on the same or a different design.
11. Click on Add to Cart and follow the instructions to pay for the item/s
If you have any problems please
i) Make contact with InYerFaith directly on 08451 800 831
ii) Contact Mark Blythe (UK Sports Ministries Website Co-ordinator) if the problem isn’t resolved
In light of the dramatic increase in academic research activity and practical initiatives on the topic of sports and Christianity over the last decade, the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at York St John University (YSJU), York, UK are hosting an Inaugural Global Congress on Sports and Christianity (IGCSC), 24-28th August, 2016. The Bible Society and YSJU are collaborating in the development and delivery of this global event.
Keynote Speakers include academics, practitioners, clergy and athletes, for example: Professors Stanley Hauerwas, Shirl Hoffman, Michael Novak, Graham Daniels (Director of Christians in Sport), Bishop James Jones and Anne-Wafula Strike MBE (paralympian).
York St John University campus is at the heart of the beautiful and historic city of York (see http://www.visityork.org/ ).
A part of the congress is a sport-themed service in York Minster, one of Europe’s finest cathedrals (see http://www.yorkminster.org/home.html ). The Bishop of Leeds. Nick Baines will be delivering a sport-themed sermon.
The attached Pdf. Brochure and website provide further information on the congress: http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/health–life-sciences/faculty-of-hls/faculty-events/igcsc.aspx
If you are interested in receiving further information about this event, email the congress convener, Dr Nick J. Watson (igcsc2016@yorksj.ac.uk ), who will add you to an email-contact list.
Walking Football is possibly the fastest growing form of football in the UK at the moment and probably the slowest too! As the title suggests it is exactly the same as normal footy except it’s a free kick if players run.
This is ideal for folks who dont have the fitness for running or want overly competitive football and yet they love the game. Guys join for the same reason as everyone else – fun, friendship, banter and exercise.
It’s hard not to run in the early stages, especially when a pass is just out of reach and rolls into touch! Quotes “It is amazing, a far greater workout than I expected but great fun”, “I hadn’t kicked a ball for 30 years and I love it”, “I’m 70 and loving every minute”!
For individuals: contact your local County FA to see where Walking Football Sessions are in your area. There are more starting all the time and if County FAs receive enquiries they are more likely to start them up.
For Church groups: Consider setting a group up yourself. For support contact Ambassadors Football who have years of experience helping Churches use football to reach their communities.
www.ambassadorsfootball.org
Tel: 01204 363606
The Salvation Army are trying to pull together our biggest ever team of runners in next year’s Virgin Money London Marathon as we will be celebrating our 150th Anniversary in 2015.
We have a number of charity places that people can apply for, but we are also hoping that we will be joined by some of the runners who receive a place in the ballot.
All funds raised from London Marathon sponsorship will benefit The Salvation Army’s work with the homeless.
Runners who are part of Team Sally will receive:
We are also hoping to be able to offer a limited amount of highly discounted accommodation to our runners who live outside the capital.
Please see here for more information and an application form: http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/London-Marathon
Are you a Christian involved in sport?
Do you play, coach or officiate?
Are you keen to reach your community through sport?
Clubhouse is an evening for you and others from across your city who are passionate about reaching the world of sport for Christ.
PLAYERS & ATHLETES // COACHES // OFFICIALS
CHURCH LEADERS & WORKERS // PARENTS // TEACHERS
YOUTH (16+) // STUDENTS // ADULTS
To checkout the locations and dates visit:
christiansinsport.org.uk/clubhouse
The Beautiful Game
Is a small booklet from New Life Publishing that includes testimonies from Keiran Richardson, Christian Benteke, Linvoy Primus, Kaka, Joel Ward, Daniel Sturridge and lots more.
It is a great resource to hand out to your team or local community. For more information or to order please go to http://www.newlifepublishing.co.uk/wp/product/tbg/
An 11-a-side football competition for guys 35+.
For Church based teams across the country.
CUP HISTORY
Winners 2009 Yarm Vineyard Church, North Yorkshire
Winners 2010 Goldhill Baptist Church, Bucks
Winners 2011 & 2014 Stoneleigh Baptist Church, Surrey
Winners 2012 Molesey Community Church, Surrey
Winners 2013 New Life Croydon
Winners 2015 Cornerstone, Gloucs
For more details contact Mark Blythe on mark@mccfc.org.uk
Oasis Hub Waterloo – Youth Development Worker
FIXED TERM – ONE YEAR
Full-time – 40 hours per week including Saturdays
Salary: Grade F £23,036 inclusive of London allowance, per annum
We are looking to appoint an ambitious, driven and motivated individual to manage one of Oasis Hub Waterloo’s leading youth development projects, Hub Athletic. Hub Athletic is a youth development football project, working with young people and young adults.
For full details and an application form, please contact
Oasis, 1 Kennington Road, London SE1 7QP
Tel: 020 7921 4200 Email:recruitment@oasisuk.org
See attachment below for more details
Kings Volunteer is part of the Kings Foundation, a UK charity that believes that all children are loved and valued by God and that by helping children to reach their potential through sport and activity, we are doing God’s work. Kings Volunteer aims to equip, enable and inspire local volunteers to provide opportunities for disadvantaged children and young people to be active, have fun and learn together. With a focus on benefitting disadvantaged and marginalized children and working through local partners, Kings Volunteer provides the training, resources and encouragement to enable organizations, churches and individuals to use sport and activity to enrich the lives of children and young people.
We understand that not all children will grow up to be sports stars, but we believe that all children can enjoy the benefits of participating in sport and activity. In addition, the Kings Volunteer approach can be a great vehicle for integrating health, education and Christian faith messages – bringing children, families and communities together and promoting an environment where children feel valued and encouraged to reach their potential.
The Kings Volunteer approach has three key components:
The Community we build: With local volunteers and partners using the Base Packs in over 10 countries, across a wide range of contexts (from Uganda to Romania to Pakistan), we love to keep in touch with everyone – encouraging an exchange of ideas and promoting an international network of support.
The Base Pack is a great tool to enhance church outreach initiatives and also provides a very practical way for churches to support the work of other local actors. The possibilities are endless and the wonderful thing about the KV approach is that it is so flexible: it gives you the tools to design a programme that meets the needs of the local communities that you serve; integrating themes which are appropriate and relevant to the lives of the children and families that live there.
For more information please contact us at info@kingsvolunteer.org.
It seems that we can gamble on just about every sport these days and not just the final result of the games any more. Many high profile sportsmen have fallen to the temptation of gambling and become addicted and others have even taken bribes to allow others to cheat whilst gambling.
Checkout GAMserve to see what help is available.
www.gamserve.org.uk
Our mission is to provoke CHANGE that will benefit anyone that might be vulnerable to gambling addiction, no matter what their spiritual beliefs may be.
Gambling addiction can be devastating for the gambler, their families and the victims of gambling related crime.
GAMserve is not a campaign against gambling, it is a call to action for Christian’s everywhere to recognise that gambling addiction is a hidden problem that they and society must not ignore.
Golf – “Early Birdies” A simple regular outreach activity
Justyn Jackson – Chichester Baptist Church
The Aim: Our church is very much into organising regular events which we call “alternative gatherings”. These range from sports events, country walks, craft, old peoples homes and mountain biking. All are an attempt to engage with people who either cannot or prefer not to go to church.
The Brief: I needed a golf format that was not too long, not too expensive and preferably where we could start and finish at the same time.
A Solution: Shotgun start the back nine holes early on a Sunday morning. This means that all groups start on a different hole at the same predetermined time and therefore all finish at about the same time. Last week for example we had 12 players which I divided into 4 groups of 3. We met at 6.45 am and one group walked to hole 10, one to hole 18, one to hole 16 and one to hole 15. At 7 am each group teed off. Traditionally a shotgun (hence the term shotgun start) or a hooter would sound to announce the start, but we don’t have a gun licence and it’s a bit early on a Sunday morning for loud noises! Once a group that started on the 15th, 16th or 18th hole finishes the 18th, they simply walk to the 10th hole and continue until all of the holes 10 -18 have been completed.
Club Benefit: I approached my golf club with the idea and they realised that it was a win win situation. Empty course or people playing and paying? They charge us £15 for 9 holes, but suggest you negotiate what is appropriate for each course. We tee off at 7am and are usually all done by 9.30am, this means that those who want to go on to church may do so.
Winners: We produce an order of merit table showing the ongoing scores and present a monthly trophy for the winner.
Attendees: Over 40 people have expressed a strong interest and we regularly attract about 10-12 players.
Message: We give a short thought for the day at the end at the prize giving. Everyone knows it is a Church run activity and it is a great way to meet new people on their turf whilst having fun.
Summary: We think the format works well, despite being early, and could be one that others could take to their local clubs.
Contact: For more information contact Justyn Jackson – Chichester Baptist Church Email: justynjackson@nhs.net
London Marathon report from St Anne’s Church, Limehouse
On marathon day, we opened up the crypt for “tea, toilets and timeout” for marathon spectators. About a hundred people came through the doors in a three hour period – mainly to use the loos, and we were able to give out invitation cards to Easter services and copies of a tract by “A Passion for Life”. The strengths of the event were that it gave congregation members opportunities to be involved in first contact evangelism (giving out tracts, engaging people in conversation, being prepared to stay around for lunch and create a “buzz” about the crypt) and what we were offering (particularly toilets) genuinely served the marathon spectators. The main weakness of the event was that the majority of people coming into the church were not local (although some were) and opportunities for gospel conversations were fairly limited. I think it would be worth doing a similar event next year.
Andy Jelfs, Parish Worker
St Anne’s Church, Limehouse, London
Faith and Fitness
We are a small christian sports group who meet every Thursday at Seymour Leisure Centre, London W1K 5TJ from 7-9:30 pm. We study 5 verses and discuss 5 questions in a spin studio and then head out to go running or play racket sports including badminton, table tennis and squash finishing with a prayer and food at the local pub. Join us! All abilities and people welcome!
Facebook# https://www.facebook.com/groups/FaithFitnessFellowship.FFF/
Twitter# https://twitter.com/FaithFitnessFF
Instagram# http://instagram.com/faithandfitnesslondon
Love God? Love football? Then don’t miss the exciting football magazine from New Life Publishing that’s perfect for football outreach.Packed with interviews and testimonies from current and ex-footballers including big names like Kaka, Ferdinand, Defoe, Hernandez, Sturridge and many more, The Beautiful Game is a magazine not to be missed.The Beautiful Game is a great evangelistic resource that can be given to football fans of all ages.
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Check out our great new site to find out more about The Beautiful Game and other inspiring Christian titles. Simply click this link: www.newlifepublishing.co.uk email: info@newlife.co.uk
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South Manchester & Cheshire Christian Football League
Check out the league website for more information and contact details:
WEC has found this opportunity next winter to: work in North India as a Skiing or Winter Sport Instructor
Become part of a small team in the mountains of India. To give a new education academy (kindergarten) a boost, a one month winter holiday camp is planned between December 2014 and January 2015. This camp includes winter sport activities, but also art and English. Children will not have had any winter sport options before. Some equipment will be needed to organise activities. This requires very basic instructions and games.
Willingness to live simply; able to adjust to a pioneer setting which means being able to cope with a very flexible program; good spoken English, skill in interacting with children; basic skiing instruction knowledge; ability to organise children activities; kindergarten or primary school teacher (not essential).
Minimum commitment 1 month.
This position is non-salaried, as all WEC personnel look to God to provide their personal needs.
WEC ref: 7176
more opportunities: wecinternational.org.uk/jobs
Enquiries to wecinternational.org.uk/contact
Football – Screenings
Watching big football matches presents churches with an opportunity to reach out to the local community and particularly to men.
If you plan to have a big screen event at church then these are the key
things you need to know.
• The church needs a TV licence
• No admission charge is allowed however you can ask for donations
for food etc.
If this is all too much and you are not aiming at a big crowd here are a
couple of alternatives.
• Invite some men to your home to watch the match and share
refreshments!
• Team up with a local pub which will be showing the match and provide
free food or snacks.
COACHING4CHRIST TRAINING ACADEMY in Ireland
Check out the pdf below or make direct contact with Alan Dundas
Coaching4Christ, 16 The Diamond, Ahoghill, County Antrim
Tel: 028 25878780
Email: alanc4c@me.com
** Checkout the pdf below **
If you are new to what Sports Ministry is, just starting out on the journey or needing some fresh ideas and stimulus, then take a look at the free resources and information available on the ‘World Sport Ministries’ website. Follow the link below:
Sports Tracts – for a selection of sports tracts follow the following link
Christians in Sport are now offering a special 2014 Tour de France version of the popular Sports Quiz. For more details and to obtain a copy contact Rachel Kitchen
Office : 01869 255 630
Website : www.christiansinsport.org.uk
Email : rachel.kitchen@christiansinsport.org.uk
Life to the full:
A 4-minute short film with a message relevant to every single sports player on earth – Jesus doesn’t offer success nor fame nor power nor wealth nor happiness. Jesus comes to offer life and life to the full.
The London Churches Football Tournament has just celebrated it’s 10th year and this year it has grown into a 2 day tournament.
It’s a football tournament designed for Church Based teams to come and have fun, play football and hear the Gospel message.
It is a 6-s-side tournament played on 3G astroturf indoors at the amazing London Soccerdome facility by the O2 in Greenwich.
Youths U10, U12, U14, U16 played on Saturday 3rd May, 2014
and the Men & Women played on Bank Holiday Monday 5th May, 2014
To obtain details about the 2015 competition contact Steve Read from Ambassadors Football via sread@ambassadorsfootball.org
The 17th National Church Golf Cup is launched
In 2015 Christian Vision for Men (CVM) are joining with the Christian Golf Society (CGS) again to encourage more Churches than ever before to stage outreach Golf days in 2015.
The incentive for the winner of each Church’s Golf day is to represent them at a grand finals day to battle it out for the prestigious title of National Church Golf Champions. The final will be in August but Churches must register asap to reserve a place for their winners. Visit www.christiangolfsociety.org.uk to register online or print off a form.
Cup Co-ordinator Mark Blythe says: “Golf is a great sport for outreach, it’s a simple way to spend quality time with not-yet-believing friends. Church Golf Days could be just a four-ball or a big event with a meal and speaker, we are called to do something and it doesn’t matter how large or small.”
Tips for first time organisers are available and Churches who already stage events can just register and send their winners to the grand final. Contact Mark Blythe if you have any questions on mark@mccfc.org.uk
Who will follow Walsall Community Church the 2014 Winners.
Banners Gate Community Church from the West Midlands (below) were the 2013 Champions
“Thank God For Football” DVD by Peter Lupson
This DVD tells the story of how many of England’s top clubs were started by Churches, yes really.
Also available in book form contact author Peter Lupson for purchase details:
Peter Lupson Email: lupsonp@yahoo.co.uk
Christian Skaters UK
We exist to inspire, serve and encourage everyone in the skate/scooter/BMX/Rollerblader/Scooter community to find and follow Jesus
We aim to do this through forming local support groups around the UK, organise innovative mission trips, we also aim to train and equip individuals who are living in these skate park and street communities.
We want to network between local churches and ministries and use our combined resources to produce high quality Christian run skate events.
Finally we want to share good practice and promote quality resources to help reach out and disciple skateboarders, scooter riders, and rollerbladers.
Headed by Phil Williams.
Email: info@christianskaters.co.uk
Website: www.christianskaters.co.uk
Many Churches have running groups that participate in the free weekly 5km parkruns that happen all across the country.
Churchrun – a how to guide to setting up a church based running club
Chiltern Church Runners – a working example
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Can you take church out to people?
Taps into an external organised event (parkrun – free timed 5k run every Saturday) with its own infrastructure, you can contribute to the running by adding volunteers – but you do not have to organise from scratch. We, and you, can be supporters of parkrun as well as users of it. All you need are a few ‘runners’.
There are three simple steps;
In some ways it is that easy. Each runner can link themselves to the club, club membership is retroactive – so all your ‘old’ runs are credited to the club.
The idea is to be visible and offer a gentle (but clear) invitation – ‘we are here, ask about us if you want’.
You are advertising via t-shirts, club name in results list, and weblink to your running page on the church website. We have advertised the Christmas services on the parkrun website – one regular at our parkrun commented we had ‘earned the right’ to do so, as ‘it’s not as if we had just come along’, we were 9 months in to attending. You could do similar things, in due course.
Over 40% of our runners do not come to Chiltern, we call them ‘associate runners’ and it is my belief that nearly all of those people do not come to church at all. We also run other events, we have run under the Church name in events all over England. People will come and run in the name of a church, who would not necessarily want to come to church. I would note we have chosen to give them free t-shirts as a thank you for ‘advertising’ us.
Don’t want the expense of t shirts for all your runners? A new club has just used a ‘bib’ – print the name of your club twice on a sheet of A4 in large font (say Holy Trinity Church Wallington, for example) – reduce this down to 2 rectangles just under A5 size. Laminate and then cut in half, hole punch carefully in corners – you can now use safety pins to attach this club ‘bib’ it’s cheap, waterproof, and reusable. You can swith to t’s later, or not if you want.
What does success look like? People coming to church would be great, but making people more open to faith and less negative about church/faith is also a worthy goal. Certainly reducing people’s already negative views of church was as far as I believe one post race pub chat with two associate runners was ever going to go. Also we are growing, more church attendees are coming, and having the opportunity to ‘fly the flag’ for Chiltern in a way they otherwise would not. If you can get numbers, it certainly helps!
To make it work at least one person should be passionate, or at least enthusiastic about the activity. However it should be accessible to a broad range of people. On that note it can be valuable to recruit ‘non runners’, one lady in her fifties who had the bravery to come has lead to at least half a dozen more believing they can do it – she now has over 20 parkruns. The ‘non runner’ has become a runner.
Those that really cannot run have also contributed, prayer, childcare provision, and volunteering have supported our ministry – don’t turn anyone away if you can help it.
Getting people to do something new in their Christian life is good, getting non Christians involved is good, but also getting Christians to make something they already do part of their Christian life is good as well. You can certainly ‘run for Jesus’, you can be dazzled by the beauty of God’s creation on a run, you can worship, you can support your fellows, you can ponder, you can connect, and (trust me on this one) you really can pray – sometimes for the end of the race!
I don’t think you can rush it, or be heavy handed about it if it is to work. That does not mean you cannot be open, an event report we wrote on ‘faith or ability’, got picked up on a parkrun facebook page and is still referenced there.
In summary
The church after all (cliché time) is not the building, it’s the people. When two of our ‘associate members’ chat with a church member who is also a runner, or when one of the fitness group members who use the building decide to run for us they are meeting ‘church’, and in fact they end up meeting quite a lot of us! Make connections.
My point is almost not to run outreach events that ask people to come to a church building, but to harness events like parkrun where people already reach out to those beyond the church and connect those events back, gently, to the people of the church as people of the church.
Questions and queries?
Just contact us on runners@chilternchurch.org.uk
Check out the list below and make contact with the people in the area near you if you would like to meet up with Christian runners and outreach groups.
Please email the website administrator Mark Blythe if you would like to be added to this list – mark@mccfc.org.uk
1. Location: Croydon. Lloyd parkrun, Croydon, Surrey www.parkrun.org.uk/lloyd/
Church: Selsdon Baptist Church Runners www.selsdonbaptist.org.uk/sbcrunners.htm
Contact: Micky Wheeler micky@thewheelers.eclipse.co.uk or Julian Black julian_black@talk21.com
2. Location: Hampton Court/Teddington Surrey. Bushy parkrun www.parkrun.org.uk/bushy/
Church: Molesey Community Church & others
Contact: Mark Blythe mark@mccfc.org.uk
3. Location: Croydon/Sutton. Roundshaw Downs parkrun www.parkrun.org.uk/roundshaw/
Church: Chiltern Church
Contact: Tim Gray runners@chilternchurch.org.uk.
4. Location: Cheam, Surrey. Nonsuch parkrun www.parkrun.org.uk/nonsuch/
Church: The Church of the Good Shepherd, Carshalton, Surrey www.goodshepherdcarshalton.org/good-shepherd-runners/
Contact: Jason Hudson jasondhudson@hotmail.com
Similar to More Than Gold for the London Olympics an organisation has been set up to initiate the churches response to the 2015 Rugby World Cup under the banner of Engage 2015. The plan is to launch Engage 2015 in early 2014, and more details will be available shortly.
But before that we are looking to mobilise prayer. Therefore on 18th September – exactly 2 years prior to the opening ceremony – we are planning a Global Prayer Wave. Further details of this can be found in the attached document. ENGAGE 2015 PRAYER WAVE
You are invited to be involved in this prayer initiative. Also if you know of others, both in the UK and around the world, who you think would be interested, please feel free to pass on this information, thank you.
David Chawner
The name of our league is “The Sheffield and District Fair Play League”
To play in the league your pitch has to be within a 12 mile radius of Ponds Forge Sheffield, ie S1 postcode area
The League website is www.sdfpl.co.uk
Email sdfpl@sdfpl.co.uk
The league was started in 1998, with 8 teams from 7 churches.
This is probably the longest running Church football league in the country, now in it’s 39th season. The SACFL covers mainly south west of London and Surrey. Teams come from the A23 west as far out as Camberley and Guildford. Richmond, Chessington, Molesey, Woking, Staines, Wimbledon, Cheam, Surbiton, Morden, Sunninghill are the main areas.
For the 2015-16 season there are 3 Divisions. Two Divisions are open age adult leagues (ie 16+) and there is a Veterans League for the over 35s.
New teams and players are always welcome. Check out the league website www.sacfl.co.uk and please make contact with the League Secretary with any questions on sacfl-leaguesecretary@hotmail.co.uk
parkrun 5km running event with Christian Runners
At Roundshaw Downs parkrun Croydon/Sutton.
This was the second inter church mob match between Chiltern Church, Good Shepherd and Selsdon Baptist Runners. A picnic was enjoyed after the race which was also on the anniversary of Roundshaw parkrun. For further info, contact Tim Gray – runners@chilternchurch.org.uk.
For further info on the parkrun go to http://www.parkrun.org.uk/roundshaw/ Parkruns are FREE, well organised and 5km for people of all standards – we hope to see you there – all welcome.
What is Snowboarders and Skiers For Christ UK (SFC UK)?
SFC UK is a grassroots organisation that exists to bridge the snowriding culture to Jesus, partnering with the local Church. SFC’s vision is to be the light of Jesus to the snowriding culture.
The preconceived view of a skier or snowboarder is a white, middle class individual and goes away to the Alps for maybe one or two weeks a year, however, this is not the case for those who immerse themselves in the culture. There is a massive and ever growing scene in the 6 UK snowdomes and many dryslopes and Scottish mountains where people ride every week and the emphasis is on freestyle but there is also a core of riders who leave these shores each winter to do a season abroad. Those involved in SFC UK want to find their identity in Jesus, to engage those within their culture through genuine, loving relationships and to do selfless acts for others as they share the Gospel message
What does SFC UK do?
The first thing to know is that, “SFC is a VALUES-BASED organisation opposed to a PROGRAMS-BASED organisation,” meaning that SFC looks different in every place because each group responds to the needs of their own unique communities. Each location is not a cookie-cutter or franchise-modeled group.
Rather, SFC encourages its leaders to know and live SFC’s B.R.I.D.G.E. values, and dream big and serve in a way that will most effectively BE THE LIGHT OF JESUS to the shredders in their area.
So we define SFC by our VALUES as opposed to what events we do, and for that reason, the national office has taken on the effort to provide values-based TOOLS and RESOURCES to help our leaders create more effective events and opportunities to BE A LIGHT ON THE HILL.
For more detail of SFC UK, our BRIDGE values and up to date events please visit our website www.sfc-uk.org
Andy Brumby SFC UK National Coordinator
There has never been a time when so much is being written about sport and Christianity. 2012 saw the publication of three major books:
Sports and Christianity (Historical and Contemporary Perspectives), Nick J Watson and Andrew Parker, New York, Routledge, 2012
Catholic perspectives on sports (From medieval to modern times), Patrick Kelly, New York / Mahwah, NJ Paulist Press, 2012
Sport and Christianity (A sign of the times in the light of faith), Edited by Kevin Lixey, L.C., Christoph Hubenthal, Dietmar Mieth, and Norbert Muller Washington, D.C. The Catholic University of America Press, 2012
As well as those there were two journals which devoted an entire issue to sport:
Studies in Christian Ethics, Volume 25, Number 1, February 2012
Practical Theology, Volume 5.2, 2012.
In addition two major books are expected to be published later this year or early next year:
The Games People Play: theology, religion and sport, Robert Ellis, Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock,
Brief Theology of Sport, Lincoln Harvey, London: SCM Press, forthcoming
See reviews of the top three at http://www.veritesport.org
Run for the World R4TW – an initiative of OM SportsLink
Supporting Local & Global Transformational Sports Community Projects
www.r4tw.org www.omsportslink.org/
What is R4TW? – R4TW brings people together in a fun, healthy way using a passion for sport to change lives. We encourage and support groups all over the world and in the UK to organise and run 5k events all on the same day. This year we have set ourselves the challenge of running around the world in a day. We are going for an event in each of the 24 time zones racking up 40,000km (the circumference of the earth) so we are literally running around the world in one day.
There are 4 main benefits
R elationships – Bringing communities, churches, other agencies and businesses together
4 undraising – in 2012 we raised $40,000 for sports ministries – groups can use this to raise money for their projects
T ogetherness – It’s good to feel part of something big, participating together with communities all across the world
W ellness – It’s great to use this event to promote healthy, fun activity
Where is R4TW? Since 2007 we have seen thousands of people take part in 20 nations. There is a growing number of runs all over the world—from Ukraine to USA and Nepal to The Netherlands.
R4TW Projects – Many lives have been transformed over the years. A typical project is ‘Just One Ball’ in Zambia where soccer is used to teach young men how to take responsibility and be better fathers. Let’s make more stories!
This global event really can help sports ministries so how do we help organize an event?
Contact: graham.sandersfield@om.org
CIS appoint_Andy_Reed_to_manage_Olympic_Legacy
Click above to see the release PDF
Christians in Sport have appointed Andy Reed to manage the Olympic Legacy.
“Transformed” by Linvoy Primus (Portsmouth, Charlton, Barnet, Reading)
Linvoy Primus was 26 when he moved to Portsmouth FC, a club struggling in the second tier of English football. He had previously been playing out his career in the lower leagues for Charlton, Barnet and Reading, with his footballing and personal life unfulfilled as he struggled with a crippling lack of self belief that had been fuelled by rejection,
mistrust and disillusionment.
Linvoy’s fortunes were to be changed in a remarkable way when he decided to commit to Christianity. This book tells the story of how he believes his faith in God transformed his life and performances such that he played a key role in Portsmouth’s triumphant ascent to the top level of the English game and went on to become a top Premiership footballer, scooping a host of awards from the fans along the way.
Off the field he has become a popular figure in the community with his tireless work for the disadvantaged youngsters through his charity ‘Faith and Football’, and he also tells the stories of his own fascinating overseas missions to help vulnerable children in Nigeria and India.
This is a compelling story of Linvoy’s own remarkable conversion and his subsequent life as a Christian footballer in the Premiership. This enjoyable and readable book, which will also appeal to non-football lovers, is highly recommended.
The book can be ordered from the following address:
Faith and Football, Pompey Study Centre, Unit 2, Anson Road, Portsmouth PO4 8TB
Orders, with the name and address included, should be accompanied by a cheque made payable to ‘Faith and Football’ for £9.99
Quote:
“If you love football then you will really enjoy reading about the real life of a professional footballer at the highest level. The way players are treated by clubs, the insecurities around having contracts extended or ended, being told you can leave to go to another club when you don’t really want to – maybe it’s not all as glamorous as it seems from the outside? But then there is the playing against Rooney, Ronaldo and in the best stadiums in the country in front of thousands. Linvoy explains his feelings through all those situations and also shares how he came to faith and how this helped him throughout his professional career. It’s a great read.” – Mark Blythe
Linvoy Primus Promotions [www.linvoyprimus.com]
If you are looking for a present for someone, why not a sports book. The long awaited Cumnor Hill Sports Book awards lists have been released.
Katie Taylor’s My Olympic Dream is a brilliant strong Christian testimony.
See full list at http://www.veritesport.org/
Inner City Sports Outreach Frampton 2012
Check out the pdf above to see how Laura has made a massive impact working in inner city London before and during the London 2012 Olympics.
CIS 19000 Attend 2012 Sports Quiz
Check out the pdf above to see the massive impact that Sports Quizzes had around the country in 2012. Brilliant work by the ministry ‘Christians in Sport’.
Contact CIS for info on how to obtain their latest Multi-media Sports Quiz. They may even come and run the event for you for free!
Tel 01869 255630
Ex Premier League Footballer Linvoy Primus is now available to share his story.
Contact:
Linvoy Primus Promotions [info@linvoyprimus.com]
Chiltern Church Runners
Based in Sutton, South London, we are set up around parkrun (a 5km free event of which there are many around the country), our home run is at Roundshaw parkrun, but we also have regular runners at Banstead, and sometimes Nonsuch. Our membership is about 80% from our Church, and 20% ‘associate’ runners, non Church members who lend us their support.
We also run together on fortnightly Sunday night training runs, and enter local running events (Perch 10k, Sports Relief, SLH Informals, Beddington 10k and Hogsmill 5 for example).
We seek to be a visible, friendly presence, mixing a local Church community with the local running community in a gentle way. See what we look like on YouTube courtesy of a video of an event that features us quite heavily – just search Roundshaw parkrun.
We also seek to encourage other Churches to become involved at parkrun – to be ‘churchrunners’. The Selsdon Baptist Church Runners have set up at Lloyd parkrun, Croydon and the Good Shepherd Runners are at Nonsuch parkrun, Sutton following similar models to us. See also our ‘churchrun’ document in the Resources section
Contact us via runners@chilternchurch.org.uk
How to set up a Park Run Club
Churchrun – a how to guide to setting up a church based running club
Chiltern Church Runners – a working example
Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Can you take church out to people?
Taps into an external organised event (parkrun – free timed 5k run every Saturday) with its own infrastructure, you can contribute to the running by adding volunteers – but you do not have to organise from scratch. We, and you, can be supporters of parkrun as well as users of it. All you need are a few ‘runners’.
There are three simple steps;
In some ways it is that easy. Each runner can link themselves to the club, club membership is retroactive – so all your ‘old’ runs are credited to the club.
The idea is to be visible and offer a gentle (but clear) invitation – ‘we are here, ask about us if you want’.
You are advertising via t-shirts, club name in results list, and weblink to your running page on the church website. Most recently we have advertised the Christmas services on the parkrun website – one regular at our parkrun commented we had ‘earned the right’ to do so, as ‘it’s not as if we had just come along’, we were 9 months in to attending. You could do similar things, in due course.
Over 20% of our runners do not come to Chiltern, we call them ‘associate runners’ and it is my belief that nearly all of those people do not come to church at all. We also run other events, we have run under the Church name in events all over England. People will come and run in the name of a church, who would not necessarily want to come to church. I would note we have chosen to give them free t-shirts as a thank you for ‘advertising’ us.
What does success look like? People coming to church would be great, but making people more open to faith and less negative about church/faith is also a worthy goal. Certainly reducing people’s already negative views of church was as far as I believe one post race pub chat with two associate runners was ever going to go. Also we are growing, more church attendees are coming, and having the opportunity to ‘fly the flag’ for Chiltern in a way they otherwise would not. If you can get numbers, it certainly helps!
To make it work at least one person should be passionate, or at least enthusiastic about the activity. However it should be accessible to a broad range of people. On that note it can be valuable to recruit ‘non runners’, one lady in her fifties who had the bravery to come has lead to at least half a dozen more believing they can do it – she now has over 20 parkruns. The ‘non runner’ has become a runner.
Those that really cannot run have also contributed, prayer, childcare provision, and volunteering have supported our ministry – don’t turn anyone away if you can help it.
Getting people to do something new in their Christian life is good, getting non Christians involved is good, but also getting Christians to make something they already do part of their Christian life is good as well. You can certainly ‘run for Jesus’, you can be dazzled by the beauty of God’s creation on a run, you can worship, you can support your fellows, you can ponder, you can connect, and (trust me on this one) you really can pray – sometimes for the end of the race!
I don’t think you can rush it, or be heavy handed about it if it is to work. That does not mean you cannot be open, an event report we wrote on ‘faith or ability’, got picked up on a parkrun facebook page and is still referenced there.
In summary
The church after all (cliché time) is not the building, it’s the people. When two of our ‘associate members’ chat with a church member who is also a runner, or when one of the fitness group members who use the building decide to run for us they are meeting ‘church’, and in fact they end up meeting quite a lot of us! Make connections.
My point is almost not to run outreach events that ask people to come to a church building, but to harness events like parkrun where people already reach out to those beyond the church and connect those events back, gently, to the people of the church as people of the church.
Questions and queries?
Just contact us on runners@chilternchurch.org.uk
Taekwondo Power Programme training
Check out the pdf above for details of this training event
Ensuring effective safeguarding during Sports Activities
Note from Sports Ministries UK: There are few, if any, issues that should be of more concern to sports clubs than the protection and welfare of the children in their care. To do a good job in this area is essential for all sports clubs – especially for those which have a distinctively Christian character. We are fortunate that CCPAS has developed expertise in helping sports clubs make sure that they are doing a good job and that they are meeting all the relevant requirements. CCPAS is a Christian organisation, with much experience of advising churches and organisations including sports groups and clubs. It is fully aware of all the latest child protection legislation and regulations.
The attachment below has been written by Simon Bass, Chief Executive Officer at CCPAS. If you require any further information about child protection, or would like help developing policies and procedures for your sports ministry, then please contact CCPAS on 0845 120 4550 or info@ccpas.co.uk. For more information about CCPAS, see www.ccpas.co.uk.
I’m sure there must be thousands of Christian Sports Players out there? Indeed many have visited the Sports Ministry stands at CRE and Conferences to ask if there’s a Christian group for their particular sport. If you are one of them and cant find a sports ministry already established for your sport then why don’t you consider setting up a network to encourage each other? You could compare stories, meet up at events and maybe discuss how you could share with your other sports friends the Good News of Jesus? Do Jesus and sport excite you, then maybe this is the calling you have been waiting for?
I am happy to put you in contact with others who contact me if this is of interest.
Put “Christian Sports Players” in the subject line and please email me advising which sport you are into at mark@mccfc.org.uk and we can set the ball rolling. Let’s grow sports ministry in the UK bigger than ever before, exciting times…. Mark Blythe, UK Sports Ministry Website Administrator
I’m sure there must be plenty of Christian Rugby Players out there? Indeed some have visited the Sports Ministry stands at CRE and other Conferences to ask if there’s a Christian rugby group. If you are one of them why don’t you consider setting up a network to encourage each other? You could compare stories, meet up at matches and maybe discuss how you could share with your other rugby loving friends the Good News of Jesus? Do Jesus and rugby excite you, then maybe this is the calling you have been waiting for?
I am happy to put you in contact with others who contact me if this is of interest.
Put “Christian Rugby Players” in the subject line and please email me at mark@mccfc.org.uk and we can set the ball rolling. The Rugby World Cup is on it’s way to our shores, let’s grow rugby sports ministry in the UK bigger than ever before, exciting times…. Mark Blythe, UK Sports Ministry Website Administrator
I’m sure there must be plenty of Christian Triathlete’s out there? Indeed some have visited the Sports Ministry stands at CRE and other Conferences to ask if there’s a Christian Triathlete’s group. If you are one of them why don’t you consider setting up a network to encourage each other? You could compare stories, meet up at events and maybe discuss how you could share with your other triathlete friends the Good News of Jesus? Do Jesus and triathlons excite you, then maybe this is the calling you have been waiting for?
I am happy to put you in contact with others who contact me if this is of interest.
Put “Christian Triathletes” in the subject line and please email me at mark@mccfc.org.uk and we can set the ball rolling. Let’s use the Brownlee Brother’s Olympic success and the increased interest in triathlons, let’s grow triathlon sports ministry in the UK bigger than ever before, exciting times…. Mark Blythe, UK Sports Ministry Website Administrator
Do you run? Are you a Christian? Well this may be just for you. Christian Runners is a national club, no joining fee, all you do is buy a T-Shirt and run with it on.
The vision is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ around our country in local and national running races. To encourage Christians to share what they believe.
If you have any questions please email:
run@christianrunners.co.uk
I’m sure there must be plenty of Christian Men and Ladies that play Basketball? If you are one of them why don’t you consider setting up a network to encourage each other? You could compare stories, meet up at events and maybe discuss how you could share with your other basketballing friends the Good News of Jesus? Do Jesus and basketball excite you, then maybe this is the calling you have been waiting for?
I am happy to put you in contact with others who contact me if this is of interest.
Put “Christian Basketballers” in the subject line and email me at mark@mccfc.org.uk and we can set the ball rolling. It’s post Olympic year, let’s grow sports ministry in the UK bigger than ever before, exciting times…. Mark Blythe, UK Sports Ministry Website Administrator
I’m sure there must be plenty of Christian Ladies that play Netball? If you are one of them why don’t you consider setting up a network to encourage each other? You could compare stories, meet up at events and maybe discuss how you could share with your other netballing friends the Good News of Jesus? Do Jesus and netball excite you, then maybe this is the calling you have been waiting for?
I am happy to put you in contact with others who contact me if this is of interest.
Put “Christian Netballers” in the subject line and email me at mark@mccfc.org.uk and we can set the ball rolling. It’s post Olympic year, let’s grow sports ministry in the UK bigger than ever before, such exciting times…. Mark Blythe, UK Sports Ministry Website Administrator
The Inspirational William McGregor, by Peter Lupson and John Lerwill, Birmingham, A & J L Solutions, 2011
The book whose subtitle is Father of The Football League and all football leagues, tells the story of the contribution to the development of Association Football of William McGregor (1846-1911).
Review by Stuart Weir (Verite Sport):
McGregor was a Scot who came to Birmingham where he opened a drapery business. Amazingly he had no background in football but was soon arranging the opening hours of his shop to fit kick-off times!
He became a committee member at Aston Villa and eventually the chairman. As Villa chairman he wrote a letter to other top clubs, noting: “Every year it is becoming more and more difficult for football clubs of any standing to meet their friendly engagements and even arrange friendly matches. The consequence is that at the last moment, through Cup-tie interference, clubs are compelled to take on teams who will not attract the public”.
He then proposed that “ten or twelve of the most prominent clubs in England combine to arrange home and away fixtures each season…This combination might be known as the Association Football Union”.
The first games in the new Football League took place on 8 Sepember 1888. He became the first chairman of the Football League.
McGregor was a committed Christian, involved in the Congregational Church in Wheeler Street for over 40 years. At his funeral service the Reverend W. G. Percival, said that he had always found McGregor to be “a man of absolutely unblemished personal character, and one who had always been a kind and generous supporter of the work of the church.” The best thing about him “was not so much the genial, kindly, honest sportsman, but it was the Christian behind it all.”
One example of his integrity was his stand against sham-amateurism which led to the introduction of professional football in a legal and above-board way.
We owe a great debt to the authors for researching and publishing the story of this fine Christian pioneer of the Football League.
Note: Peter Lupson has also written Thank God for Football and
Ambassadors Football stage training days for folks interested in learning more about Football Ministry. We would also love experienced football ministry practitioners to come and share their secrets and mistakes with others so we can all learn from each other!
For more info contact Steve Read on sread@ambassadorsfootball.org
The last training day was at the Soccerdome by the O2 in London. Six different football ministries based in the UK shared their experiences and knowledge and the feedback was very positive. Dan Owen from Ambassadors Football shared about the new Community Cage Franchise project that helps Churches connect with local youths especially; Chris Roe, Crystal Palace Chaplain shared some insights into Chaplaincy in the professional game; Tom Rutter from Kick London taught on youth academies; Steve Miles from Christians in Sport shared about supporting Professionals in the game with their faith; Mark Blythe shared 20 years of experience running Church teams and leagues; Linvoy Primus shared about playing in the Premier League for Portsmouth and how he is now called to share the Gospel; James Jaggard of 90+ Ministries spoke about the academy work in the north west and putting football coaches into local schools and churches and highly qualified John Squires of Ambassadors took a coaching session on the pitch with delegates joining in as they wanted to. An amazing day of football ministry.
Contact Steve for more information about the next event sread@ambassadorsfootball.org
See reviews of 200 sports and sports ministry books at
http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews
New books at http://www.veritesport.org/?page=Newreview
Click link for reviews
The three new sports books Stuart Weir would recommend most highly are
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=rugger&brid=198>Jonny
My Autobiography, Jonny Wilkinson, London, Headline, 2011
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=othersport&brid=190>Who was Hurricane Higgins?
Tony Francis, London, Hodder and Stoughton, 2011
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviewbytitle&byt=a&brid=185>A life too short
(The tragedy of Robert Enke, Ronald Reng, London, Yellow Jersey, 2011
My Olympic book recommendation is
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=OG&brid=183>The 100 greatest Olympians and Paralympians
Nick Callow, London, Carlton, 2011. ISBN 978-1-84732-701-7
If you are looking for books with a Christian angle
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviewbytitle&byt=s&brid=187>Sports Theology
(Playing Inside Out), Greg S. Smith, Indianapolis, Dog Ear Publishing, 2010
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviewbytitle&byt=b&brid=188>Beyond the Gold
Bryan Mason, Milton Keynes, Authentic, 2011.
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviewbytitle&byt=k&brid=194>Keeping faith in the team
The chaplain’s story, Stuart Wood, London, Darton. Longman and Todd, 2011
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=hist&brid=192>The Inspirational William McGregor
Peter Lupson and John Lerwill, Birmingham, A & J L Solutions, 2011
Stocking fillers – Books I Like!
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=spother&brid=193>Sport in “quotes”
Lewes, Ammonite Press, 2011
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=othersport&brid=196>Usain Bolt
The story of the World’s fastest man, Steven Downes, Sports Books, Cheltenham 2011
You must know someone who would like..
<http://www.veritesport.org/?page=bookreviews&brcat=cricx&brid=173> Duckworth Lewis: The Method and the men behind it
Frank Duckworth and Tony Lewis, Cheltenham, SportsBooks, 2011. ISBN
9781907534004
ALL BOOKS REVIEWED BY SPORTS MINISTRY SPECIALIST AND JOURNALIST STUART WEIR
SportsReach (www.sportsreach.org.uk) started as CSIL back in the late 80’s when the founder Graham Stamford was challenged to combine his two passions of football and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He got two teams together to play a game of football and at the end of the match shared the Good News of the Gospel with them.
In 1990 SportsReach was then founded and became a registered charity in 1997 (No. 1065723) and since that point the work has multiplied many times over. Our offices are at Carnforth, Lancashire and this is where our men’s football league, 5 aside league and ladies netball league are run from. We also have a ladies football team and a classics (veterans!!) football team. Each team is linked with a local Church and has Christian leaders who will share a Gospel message at each game.
During the spring and summer we organise soccer (7-14 years old) and netball (9-13 years old) schools around the UK. Always working alongside local Churches wherever we go, our aims are to give the children quality coaching and competitions as well as sharing the gospel.
As well as all this SportsReach takes football teams (both men’s and women’s) and coaching teams out into Europe as well as North America and Africa. In the Dachstein Valley in Austria, where SportsReach have been taking teams for 18 years we are known as ‘the joy people’. We always share about the reality of our faith in after game presentations as well as giving out Bibles and literature where appropriate.
SportsReach’s motto is ‘Reaching the world for Christ through sport’.
Medals & Trophies – Brilliant to make your events that extra bit special and remain in the memory every time the winners see their medals and trophies. For tournaments, festivals and fun events.
The items below were created for the 2012 games with unique centres. The same can be created for your event.
Medals
Special Gold, Silver & Bronze Medals with the More Than Gold logo in the centre and matching Gold, Silver & Bronze lanyards with the medals.
Trophies
Any questions do contact by email Mark Blythe mark@mccfc.org.uk
By post to: Mark Blythe, 1 Merton Way, West Molesey, Surrey KT8 1PG
Sportsforce international – serving Churches through sport
www.sportsforceinternational.org
The journey to faith through a Christian based football club.
Cheraser’s Journey is a fictional book, written by Paul Dakin, about a spiritual searcher who becomes a Christian through contact with a church based football club. It follows his journey to faith as he is challenged by the example he sees from his Christian team mates. But his own addictions and the difficulty he finds relating to Church culture means it is not an easy path. The book can be found at www.lulu.com or a direct link to the three available formats can be found at http://www.lulu.com/browse/search.php?fListingClass=0&fSearch=cheraser%27s+journey
Facebook page at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cherasers-Journey/163716623725421
Ambassadors in Sport Internships are one aspect of the training programme of AIS. Our desire is to position young people who love Jesus and love football in an environment where they can learn about and participate in football mission in the local community through the local church. AIS internships offer participants a great opportunity for cross-culture ministry and experience as each office delivers a similar curriculum but with a wide variety of practical experience.
By joining Ambassadors in Sport through the internship, there are many mission opportunities such as
Training: The AIS internship involves both practical training and classroom training. The practical training involves working with our experienced staff in the various sports mission projects through churches. Some of this experience might include
Classroom training takes place every Friday and involves such topics as
In addition, all interns will gain the FA Level 1 Certificate in coaching Football.
Tel: 07790 486 480 (ext. 203)
E-mail: js@ais-uk.org
Or visit: www.aisint.org
Ambassadors in Sport was established in Bolton, England in 1990 and now has offices throughout Africa, Asia, North and South America and Europe. The vision of AIS is ‘transformation through football outreach’ – transforming individual lives, communities and football culture itself with a Good News message. Our mission is to envision, train and mobilise the Church in serving the local community through a variety of strategic programmes (Football Academies, Teams and Tournaments, Schools work, Tours and more). Using a curriculum of ‘Football, Faith, Future’ the opportunity to engage footballers of all levels in a non-threatening environment is immense.
Sports Theology (Playing Inside Out), Greg S. Smith, Indianapolis, Dog Ear Publishing, 2010. ISBN: 978-160844-3-338
Review by Stuart Weir (Verite Sport Email:stuart@veritesport.org)
This is an outstanding book – one of the best I have read for years. It makes a serious contribution to understanding sport from a Christian perspective. It has 176 pages in ten chapters.
An early quote sets the scene: “Christian athletes have personal value, not from their own accomplishments, but because God loves them so much that he sacrificed his only Son”. The result is that “The Christian athlete is free from the need of temporal approval or the accolades from individual performance. Spiritually, these athletes are satisfied by God’s love and have plenty to give to the team”.
The author states: “The premise of this book is that Christianity can help athletic performance”. Don’t react negatively to that statement. It is as far as it can be from any sense of “God made me win”. What he is saying is rather that a Christian athlete who understands that his significance is not based on their performance in the game is free to compete without stress.
A good example of how he argues against any kind of performance driven identity is: “Athletes who allow their performance to ‘mean everything’ are setting themselves up to perform out of fear. Christian athletes, on the other hand, know that their value does not come from performance. They know that God loves them unconditionally and that their value is demonstrated by the sacrifice of Christ on their behalf. They perform to glorify their value, not earn it”. And again “Christian athletes are motivated to glorify God through performance; they are not forced (driven) to perform”.
In the UK there has been a concern among sports coaches that a player who becomes a Christian will lose his motivation. Smith nails that one too: “It would be a mistake to think that Christian athletes perform with less determination because they are pursuing spiritual fulfilment”.
He uses the example of a golfer standing over a three-foot put, arguing that a three-foot putt is mechanically no more difficult if it is to win a tournament than in a practice round. It is rather that the pressure of what it means makes it seem harder. This is where the Christian has an extra dimension: “The Christian athlete plays with a sense of peace and contentment that does not rely on the outcome of a putt or any other play or shot. They are complete and fulfilled through God’s love no matter the outcome”.
We may be familiar with the concept of playing for an audience of one. Smith takes this a stage further as we are invited to understand that “Christian athletes do not just perform knowing that God is watching them; they perform with the Holy Spirit in them”.
To sum up the thesis of the book is that for the Christian athlete:
Winning is not about coming in first but rather is about competing as a representative of Christ:
Playing with the right sports theology allows athletes to see performance for what it really is and therefore allows them to play the game;
Sports theology enables athletes to understand that they are created in God’s image, which changes their view of themselves, performance and life.
This review does not do justice to the book. Get it and read it!
Football’s Challenges
I find football gives so many opportunities to show the Christian ethos, sadly these are often very hard to take and are often not black and white circumstances.
Recently we had just 5 minutes to go and were 1-2 down in a Southern Area Christian Football League Div 3 bottom of the table clash, it doesn’t get any lower in our area!
A defender on the line smacks a clearance at me a few yards out and the ball hits my hand and goes in, the Ref was close and saw it clearly strike my hand. He knew there’s no way I could react that fast and awarded the goal, it was ball to hand and in the Refs view not intentional! The oppo go ballistic……….
Laws of the game, a goal, the handball definitely wasn’t intentional.
Dilemma, What Would Jesus Do? What do my team want? What should I do? We are losing? Should the score at the time make any difference? It would be easier if we were 2-1 up not 2-1 down! What is the positive Christian witness?
Think I got it right, this time, asked the Ref to give a free kick. Situation defused, the oppo all thanked me, my guys stayed quiet! A positive Christian witness this time……… even though it should have been a goal. Received good feedback about discussions amongst the opposition after the game about the way we want to play and eventually my guys agreed.
PS I thought God would bless us with a late equaliser for doing this, but sadly he didn’t!?
What would you do? How would you feel if you were on the losing and then the winning teams and also if the goal had been allowed to stand then how? Football gives us some great discussion points and challenges!
By Mark Blythe, mark@mccfc.org.uk
Champions League September 2011 – Uproar and the Sports pages are filled with one incident.
Allegedly Tevez of Man City refused to go on as a sub with 20 miutes to go in a Champions League away tie. His Manager, Mancini, says he will never play for the club again!
The next day Tevez issues a statement saying there was a “misunderstanding”!
So what do you think? Should he be turfed out of the Country like some say and banned from playing anywhere?
Is that behaviour worse than some footballers who have been charged with GBH, been in jail and then welcomed back to football?
If you were his Manager how would you feel now? Would you try to understand the player’s reasons for his actions and consider forgiveness? Or would you stick firm and insist he leaves or rots in the reserves?
If you were Tevez how would you feel – that you had been wronged? What if you had been misunderstood, how would you want to act now? Would it be possible for you (Tevez) to play at City again? Discuss…
Football Ministry Book: Mark Blythe of Sportsforce has written a book about how to run a Church Football team, the pitfalls to avoid!
The book aims to help churches that run football teams for outreach. It is based on the experiences Mark Blythe has had heading up the Molesey Community Church football outreach for over 10 years. Every mistake has been made from forgetting water bottles in the summer, to leaving the kit behind, to not confirming a game and the opposition not being there having travelled to their pitch! To learn from these mistakes and more, pick up a copy from www.veriteshop.co.uk (or call 01903 241975) for just £10.
Sections on evangelism ideas and Football Association requirements are a must for all Christian team managers whether just starting out or an experienced football warrior for Christ.
Title “FOOTBALL 2 FOOTBALL MINISTRY 3″ ie Football is good but footy ministry is even better!
Contact Mark on mark@mccfc.org.uk
Beyond the Gold
What every Church needs to know about Sports Ministry.
Beyond the Gold contains a wealth of practical suggestions for ways in which the local church can effectively use sports ministry to share the good news of Jesus. Written by Bryan Mason.
Available online at www.morethangoldresources.org.uk
Heaps of really useful tips and experience and a snip at £7.99!
Christian Motor Racing TeamAlpha & Omega Christian Motorsport Team
Checkout www.alphaomega-cmt.org to see where the team are next competing and details of this ministry into the world of Motorsport.
Contact: Paul Harvey – 01379 678764 Email: paul_harvey@btinternet.com
Outreach Tournaments – A guideline
What? A sport or leisure tournament designed to be part of a church’s outreach strategy.
Why? To reach the local community for Christ by staging well organised fun events.
Where? The type of activity will often determine where the event will take place. Events like cards evenings, quizzes etc can be held on Church premises or in secular locations. Sometimes secular locations can be less threatening to non-believers.
When? Before approaching your chosen site owner for permission make two checks:
a) Make sure all your key personnel are available on your chosen date, there’s no point booking a date to then find that half your organising team are away on holiday!
b) Check that the date doesn’t clash with another major event. You may struggle to attract people to a sports quiz on the same night as an England International or if the local team is playing at home.
How? What we all want to know, how do we stage an outreach tournament? Firstly by setting up a team, we call them a Community Sports Team (CST). To prevent burn out and disaster we recommend joining forces with other people and other Churches – the success of the event is far more important than who is in charge! Checkout www.worldsportministries.org to see how to set up a CST and for further details about event management.
Evangelism? That word that excites some and strikes fear into others! Decide at the outset what the aims of your event are. Options include:
Evangelism Tips: Don’t go Gold without letting people know what they are coming to, ie warn them that there will be a Christian talk. Do the message before the end, create a break during the event otherwise folks will go home and not hear the Good News. Don’t make the message too long. Encourage the Speaker to participate in the activity so people get to know them before the talk.
Health & Safety – boring but essential! Ask around to see who is First Aid qualified at their work then invite them to be your 1st Aider at the event. For larger sporting events you may wish to book St Johns, the Red Cross or other First Aid businesses to be present – they usually need plenty of notice, ie over 6 months. Check age categories relevant to the activity ie Children should not play football against others 2 or more years older than them.
Scheduling: Ensure you finish at or before the published time. Build some gaps/catch up times into the schedule. Start the set up earlier than you think you need to and invite more helpers than you think you need. It’s good to be relaxed and ready when people turn up and they often arrive early!
Food: If appropriate including food in an event can break down barriers and create great opportunities to chat with people.
Support: The UK Sports Ministry organisations stage large and small tournaments all the time and they are available to support you. Check out www.uksportsministries.org and contact the sports ministry of your choice.
Actions: Define your reason for staging a tournament
Invite members of your and other local churches to form a Community Sports Team (CST) to arrange the event. Email cst@worldsportministries.org for info
Empower the team to run with an event of their choice
Ask the team to produce a budget straight away
Ensure the team and the event is covered with prayer support.
Contact Mark Blythe on mark@mccfc.org.uk with specific questions
All Souls Church in Langham Place London has an all year round sports ministry programme called SOLE Sports.
SOLE Sports has many regular sports as well as some annual trips, tournaments and special events. The sports currently on offer are:
| Badminton | Friday eve | Central London | badminton@allsouls.org |
| Basketball | Saturday AM | Central London | basketball@allsouls.org |
| Climbing | Once a month | Westway | climbing@allsouls.org |
| Football | Monday eve | Central London | football@allsouls.org |
| Pilates | Monday eve
Tues 12.30 |
Central London | pilates@allsouls.org |
| Running | Thursday eve | Pimlico | running@allsouls.org |
| Sailing | Sunday PM (summer) | Locations vary | sailing@allsouls.org |
| Ski/Snowboard | Once a year | Europe | sports@allsouls.org |
| Table Tennis | Friday eve | Central London | sports@allsouls.org |
| Tennis | Saturday AM | Regents Park | tennis@allsouls.org |
| Touch Rugby | Saturday AM | Regents Park / Wandsworth Common | touchrugby@allsouls.org |
For more information email play@solesports.org visit www.solesports.org and find us on facebook – SOLE Sports.
The Lighthouse House Agency represent a number of high profile Christian people who are great at sharing their Christian testimonies.
Visit www.lighthouseagency.co.uk
