Youth Sport - your say

Hey. I'm Claire and I'm a competitive gymnast. Competitive gymnastics takes up a lot of time, and now with starting high school I don't see how I can do both. I don't love gymnastics like I use to, and I just don't know if its for me anymore. I know there's more out there than just gymnastics, and I would really like to try new things. I just don't know how I can quit something I've been doing since I was 7. I ask the Lord to help me in my decision and I would really like to know your advice on what I should do. Also, if there are any bible verses that could help me during this hard time, I would really appreciate it. Thanks. Claire

Hey Claire,

Great question, thanks!! – I think God has given you different gifts and abilities to be used by Him. One of those magnificent gifts is to be a gymnast and he asks you to use that gift for Him. That does not mean however that this gift is any better or more important than any other. The giver of all good things bestows gift after gift on us and says ‘now go and use them for me’.

You have to make hard decisions in life. Often, human nature tells us to duck out of things if the going gets tough but it also might be time for you to use other gifts and passions. Either way the most important things is that you continue to trust in Jesus and represent Him well whatever you do!!

Philippians 4v6-7 should be helpful during your decision making!! Go for it!!

Ian

I play basketball and football and I am a strong Christian it seems like everyone is doing something though I live on the Isle of Wight and not much happens in the way of Christian teams or youth camps help!?!?! - Louise

Hey Louise,
Great to hear that you’re a strong Christian representing Jesus in your sport on the Isle of Wight – top girl!
It is hard when you think you’re on your own doing it – know that you’re not!! There are over 700 young people all over the UK who are representing Jesus in their Sport. Make sure you sign up on the youth pages of the website to receive the weekly youth update!!
Do you know any other young Christian sports players? Could you start a group to encourage each other?
What about coming across to the mainland next summer to a Sports Plus camp??

Swearing!!!I hate swearing but it seems to be impulse when on a football pitch to swear. Unfortunately its no different with me. I don't swear anywhere else really, but i want to make my football my mission and i can't do that if im effing and blinding. Can you suggest anyway that i could quelch that?? Im definitely improving but i would like to stop completely!! Thanks Tom.

Tom – The things that we say are the outward expression of the things going on inside the heart. Sport often brings the best and the worst out of people and in the heat of the moment you’ll find all sorts of the things come out – don’t worry you’re not alone!!

A key verse that is crucial to what we’re all about can be found in Colossians 4v6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” Once Christ starts a work of new life in your heart it is the Holy Spirit’s job to make you more like Jesus. Pray before you play sport that Jesus would be honoured through the way that you speak on the pitch and don’t loose heart when you mess up!!

Hey, im a 16 year old Christian, the only one in my football team and have been getting a bit of stick for it from some of the lads. I love my team to bits, they're great guys and I never have reluctancy to pray for them and the Lord's promised me that my skipper, Luke, one day will do great work for him but I don't know how to crack them. If i asked them to church they'd laugh at me, I say I pray for them and they laugh at me. How can i get through to them? Many thanks to Lancs, Wellsy and Josh for the football at firm foundations by the way, I can't wait now to work for the Lord in my sport again. (and the netball girls, that was fun too) Tom

Great to see your passion for your mates and especially Luke.
I can guarantee that for the rest of your days, you’ll be frustrated because friends don’t see what you and I and so many other guys know as the truth. You simply have to do your job well – That’s why we use the pray, play, say framework. Continue to pray for your friends, play in a way that points people to Christ and when those opportunities arise make sure you know what to say to them about the truth. Then let God do his job – all results belong to him. Ian

I came across this verse a few weeks ago and thought it would be very useful for inclusion in this section of the website. Over the past few weeks this verse has been very benifical in things that I didn't know that I would find the answer to, helping me through decisions in my sport: "Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next". (1 Timothy 4:12) Keep up the good work! :-) "What you are is God's gift to you, what you make of yourself is your gift to God." "WORK FOR THE LORD. THE PAY ISN'T MUCH, BUT THE RETIREMENT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!" Ryan

My team hasn't been doing so well this season, but we have good potential. I need a verse to get my team motivated, one about intensity. Can you help? Kelly

It is hard plucking a bible verse out of the air and relating it to your circumstances, even though there are so many!

I guess my comment would be to help the team understand the great God behind the bible, that the bible is all about him and not primarily about our individual situations.

I am a 8th grader. I play basketball in a small 1 A School. On the back of all our shirts we want to put some bible verses. I am looking for a good one that will go great with basketball. If anyone has any ideas it would be very appreciated...thanks lots GOD BLESS Anna

What about Colossians 3 v 2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things”

I am doing a short testimony this Sunday about me representing Jesus in my sports but I need a quote to say that God want me to have this gift and I can't find any. Would you be able to give me a quote. Louise

A great verse to use is Romans 12 v1
Here Paul tells the Christians that in light of God’s great mercy through the death of Jesus on the cross our response should be to offer our whole selves to him at all times. That means when we play our sport we can offer those gifts back to God and this is counted as worship.

Another verse is Gen 1v27
We are made in God’s image to rule over the earth and cultivate it – and what he saw was very good!!
God created all things good – yet all things are marred because of sin.
He created man with the ability to laugh, walk , talk, run, kick a ball, throw a ball, hit a ball – Now that ability is God given and should be used wisely giving it back to him in thankfulness.

Do hope that your testimony goes well.
Ian PS sorry you didn't give us your email address and so we couldn't reply directly

Hi, I'm 16 and play sport regularly both in and out of school. As a Christian, I love representing Christ is everything that I do. However, there are so many times when I feel like I'm out there on my own. I'm the only Christian in my family, in my school year and in my sports teams. What should I do ? Are there any Bible verses that will inspire me to keep going for it, even when it's tough ? Please Help !! Thanks so much ! Rachel

Rachel

I just want to say well done to Rachel, I'm 16 and I play hockey, all my family are non Christians the best thing to do is keep praying I will be praying for you and your growth to live for Christ and stand out from the crowd and state that you have given your life to God.

Lewis

Rachel,

It is thrilling to hear stories of young people who are striving hard to represent Jesus in their sport.

Know that you are not on your own!! At present we have 120 young people like you around the country who say they will represent Jesus in their sporting environment. They are on their own in their clubs yet a faith in Christ binds them together. It is tough being a Christian – especially when those around you are not, but press on! Hebrews 10-12 should be a great encouragement.

Make sure you sign up to represent Christ on the website so we can support you. If you are in the 6^th form consider the New Year conference and check out the ‘and the winner is’ bible studies which can help the Christian to represent Christ well.

Press on towards the prize that awaits you in Christ Jesus – the greatest prize of all.

Ian

I recently went to a football weekend which was coached by Christians. When I first went I didn't really believe in Jesus but during the Bible studies we had it changed my view of Jesus. Can this happen so quickly? Stephanie

At Christians in Sport we believe that God speaks today through the Bible. If the Bible is taught well and the real message is explained about Jesus – who he was and what he came to do, then it is God’s job to open eyes that are blind. I know for me, when I was a youngster my eyes were blinded to the truth. I kind of guessed that it was all good but didn’t really believe in Jesus. Yet in God’s time he enabled me to see who Jesus really was – God opened my blind eyes!!

There is a helpful passage in 2 Cor 4v 1-6. Paul talks about the role of God and the role of people in telling others. People must simply explain God’s word without distorting and deceiving and God will let his light shine in the heart of the listeners.

I truly hope that God has done that for you. Check out the rest of the website for helpful bible studies for you to do to keep finding out who the man Jesus really was.

I play rugby and I am one of two Christians on the team. I am only 15 almost 16 and when I go away with the team I find it hard not 2 go along with the drinking and swearing. I love God but I find it hard to stand up 4 him. Sarah

Sarah,

Great to hear that you are trying to represent Christ in your sports team.

The things you talk about are key issues and will be the real testers for young people now and even more as they grow up into adult sport.

The swearing issue I am sure most people struggle with – a good resource is ‘And the winner is’ available on the website. These studies help us realise that as God reigns more in my life then it is him who is able to transform me from within. It talks about how we can best represent Him with the help of God. We want young people to Pray for lost friends, Play in a way that honours God (both on and of the pitch) and Say something of the good news of Jesus.

How ever hard it is, you must stand up and be different and this shows most in drinking issues. I won't tell you what I think you should do. I realise the pressures are massive but I also know that it is a bigger privilege standing up for Christ. Work out how you will approach it, if you decide not to drink at all, remember it is only through God's strength you are able to pull it off. Depend upon Him!!

Go well Sarah,

Ian

I'm involved in a very competitive sport and before a big event I tend to work myself up about it and get so nervous. I hate it so much and it spoils the fun of participating, but I also know that it means I'm not putting God before everything, otherwise I wouldn't get so nervous. Are there any Bible verses I could read before an event such as this to help me? D

Dear D

Sport brings out so many different emotions in people. I guess I used to feel very much like yourself almost to the point where I nearly packed in playing sport altogether. The break through for me was when I understood exactly where my identity was and who I was playing for.

The Bible tells me that if I am a Christian I am a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come – 2 Cor 5v17. That means that whatever happens – win, lose or draw I am still a Christian. If I understand that, my identity is totally caught up in Christ so my audience should be for him alone. If I play for friends, coaches even parents I try hard to prove my worth and it forces me have a ‘win at all costs’ attitude. It is this added pressure that can often force us into a state of nervousness and we don’t enjoy our sport.

A verse from 1 Peter as He writes to people in extreme danger of persecution – Chapter 5 v7 ‘Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.’ I am sure that applies to us today too!

Have an audience of 1.

Hey, I play netball (and lots of it) and I'd so like to tell my team mates all about Christ, only I have no idea how to go about it because I play for the seniors now and I'm the baby of the team, it would just be so weird talking to the as equals even though I have great friendship with some of 'the girls'. Help! Emma

Dear Emma,

This is the big thing about representing Christ in our sport.

Christians in Sport’s strap line is – pray, play say. Taken from Col 4v2-6

Pray for lost friends – at the end of the day it is only God who can open blind eyes to the truth.

Play in a way that honours God – using His talents he has given you for His glory.

Say something of the good news of Jesus.

If you are doing the first 2, you can be assured that the opportunities for the 3^rd will happen, you won't have to try and make the opportunities yourself. You need to be sure of what you believe in and work hard at being able to communicate that. The Good Book Company produce some really good 2ways2live leaflets that explain the essence of the gospel. Check out their website http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/. If you are in the 6^th form, it would be great to see you at the New Year Conference where we have streams of evangelism training. Hope this helps.

Ian

I play football in an Academy and I am the only Christian. Last week I went away with them and found it really difficult to handle because most of them swear. I love playing football and know God has given me this special gift . My parents suggested I ask you for any advice on how to handle being in this sort of environment. Any thoughts greatly received !! I am 12 almost 13. Simon

Simon great to hear that you are a Christian and willing stand up for Christ in your football club – (sign up to represent Christ by the way!) As a young lad in that environment it can be the toughest situation ever, tough enough to push us very close to getting out of there. Stick with it – As you say God has given you a gift and has placed you in that environment to be a bright light to friends who are lost. The new book, available to buy off this website called ‘and the winner is’ would be perfect to get your teeth into and help you be a Christian in your football club – get it!!

Hope this season is a promising one – be a legend, don’t follow the crowd and stand up for Christ.