Sport brings people together, keeps us fit and builds community. Around a third of all adults in this country play a sport regularly and many others spectate. Churches around the country are also finding that sports-themed events make a great setting for sharing their faith with their friends and neighbours. That is especially true in an Olympic Games Year (2024), or football World Cups (2026).
Christians in Sport (CiS) work with hundreds of churches to help run events including sports dinners, quizzes and live screenings of big games, as well as 5-a-side, dodgeball or netball tournaments. Every event is sport-themed, provides opportunities for Christians and non-Christians to meet and a simple presentation about the Christian faith.
Dave from CiS said, “We keep our talks very gospel centred and clearly understandable to the unbeliever. As the events are primarily aimed at sports people, we often use sports illustrations or analogies to bring colour to the gospel message and help the listener relate and apply it to their own lives. In the 2012 Olympic year, one especially memorable one was called ‘One Giant Leap’ in which we used Mike Powell’s long jump record (which still stands) to illustrate the giant gap that stands between God and humanity. It goes on to explain how Jesus jumped that gap and can bring us back into relationship with him. We’ve often pulled out the 8.95m using a tape measure and everyone’s jaws drop as they see just how far he went!”
CiS offer the following advice:
- Think about your audience, and pitch your event to their interests; take account of whether they are primarily sports fans or participants.
- Try booking a neutral venue, like a sports hall or ; i.e. somewhere non-Christians feel at home. Go and chat to the manager in-person.
- Contact CiS or Solas for help with speakers, talks, topics, quizzes and videos to use.
- Don’t hide that this is a Christian event!
- Invite friends in-person.
- Involve other local churches to widen the net.
- Have some follow-up planned for anyone who wants to know more about Christ (a course, event, a Bible-reading with teammates invitation etc)
- Go for it!
Pray: Lord, thank-you for the potential in sports outreach, help us to reach the sports loving men and women in our town with the gospel. Amen.
Previously: Launch Pad #33 Invite a Christian band to play in your community or home
