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We get sport from the inside.
Our resources are specially designed for Christians active in competitive sport. Find what you need here, put it into practice, and watch God at work.
A fortnightly podcast helping sportspeople connect their sport and their faith.
Key resources, answering the big questions for Christians who play or coach in competitive and elite sport.
Free resources, helping you put on events to reach sportspeople near you.
As sportspeople, our relationship with sport and exercise shapes how we live. Training, competing and socialising with sports friends might well take up the bulk of your time, but have you ever stopped to think about your relationship with exercise itself?
‘To perform at a high level in my sport I can’t regularly attend church.’ Is this you? Or someone you know? Sunday sport, midweek training and other commitments often pose problems for sportspeople seeking to follow Christ so here’s three reasons why church is so precious for sportspeople.
Your value, your worth does not lie in what you have done, or what you will do, on and off the sports field. You are loved with the love seen by Jesus dying for you on the cross. Your achievements don’t define who you are. This Easter, remember He performed, so you don’t have to.
Every September forty trialists line up at Oxford University Boat Club for their shot at ticking off one of rowing’s hottest bucket list items – victory at The Boat Race. This year one of those hopefuls was Chris Rimmer, a Vicar in training at Wycliffe Hall.
I was so well prepped during my pregnancy that I could take labour in my stride. I mean, of course it was one of the hardest things I could ever do, but my fitness, strength and mental resilience got me through... That is the story I want to be able to tell you. I guess that’s what I imagined my story would be. Maybe it’s yours. But it’s not mine. That’s not my story.
Whether it’s putting kit on in a certain order, always getting changed in the same place or having to enter the pitch last - sport is full of quirky routines. So why is it that sport is full of superstition? Can we look at the make-up of the world to find out? Does the Bible have any answers for us?
Free resources, helping you put on events to reach sportspeople near you.
Two time Olympian Adam Pengilly shares his Winter Olympic story
What is the Christian competitor to do when they are being sent to countries accused of human rights abuses?
What does it mean to have your identity in Christ? How does this change the way we play sport?
This Christmas lets celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world, and lets share this good news of great joy in the world of sport!
Racism in cricket has caused sports headlines to jump from the back pages to the front in recent weeks, as the state of the game comes under intense, and necessary scrutiny. How can we respond rightly?
As Cyrille Regis stepped onto the turf at Wembley on the 23rd of February 1982 he was blazing a trail that transcended football. He became only the third black player to wear the three lions on his chest during a time when racism in football was rife and unchallenged. His bravery in the face of horrendous opposition and his flare on the pitch inspired a generation of black players.
At 19 years of age Jake threw in the towel. He gave up competing as a fighter, but this wasn’t the only life change that occurred during his late teens. Follow his story of discovering his gift as a young martial artist, becoming North American and European Champion in Muay Thai, and the compatibility of combat sports with faith in Christ.
It's a problem we all face if we're involved in sport - the inevitable failures and injury that come with the competition. How can we deal with them as Christians? What comfort does God offer in these times of extreme disappointment?
It’s the biggest match of your lives. It’s the match you’ve been building up to for years, the nation since 1966. But it’s a match that doesn't define you.
Is the Bible the place to find motivation for sporting pursuit and thus sporting greatness? Am I really able to do “ALL THINGS” with the strength of God as my enabler?
How on earth does a Christian navigate the hot topic of referees and officials? What does this look like at the top end of sport when everything is on the line?
Amateur sport in the UK is back after 12 months of stop-start seasons. In this podcast series opener we chat with Ian Lancaster about what we've missed and why and catch up with a couple of sports players about what it's like being back now.
It's been a year like no other. Watch as we reflect on a year of lockdowns and online quizzes.
It’s not always easy to be a woman in sport. But do you know what? It’s worth it.
Last year Lancs took his first steps to discovering the virtual pulls and mysterious pushes of Strava. Nearly 12 months on, what’s the verdict? Strava - friend or foe?
For long years I could not conceive of conceiving because of what it would mean for my body and my sport. But, my body, don’t you see that something wonderful is happening to you?
Whilst all competitive sport outside some elite contexts has been put on hold again, the new government restrictions allow us to exercise with one other person. How can you make the most of this opportunity?
Watch Danno speak from Luke 2 and an interview with top level hockey player Wiz Chambers about her sport and faith.
At Christmas we celebrate the starting line, a line in time, it's where the divine became human, where God made himself visible and invites us back to him.
Preparation and waiting. The majority of sport is spent in these two states. This time of advent for the Christian sportsperson is no different. So what does it look like to prepare well this Christmas time?
Hampo speaks at November's Big Sports Quiz from Mark 10:45
Allen speaks at the Big Sports Quiz from Psalm 103.
Greg speaks on John 3:36 at the Big Online Sports Quiz in September.
As recreational cricket returns, Rob reflects on why he loves to play cricket and be part of a team, as the only Christian in his club.
We sat down with Stephen Liggins, author of a new book 'The Good Sporting Life' about why he wrote the book and some of the major themes he pulls out.
Graduating from university and heading into the world of work can prove one of the biggest challenges life throws up, even more so now.
Danno is interviewed by Pete Nicholas about elite sport, identity and mental health. This includes a Q+A.
Danno sits down with Bruce Dyer and Bobby Hassell as we speak about racism in professional football and the proactive steps Barnsley Football Club have taken to address the issue.
Danno looks at a few verses from the Bible to see what it has to say in chaotic times.
Lancs speaks at the Big Online Sports Quiz from the book of Matthew.
How is the gospel good news for those in sport suffering with mental health concerns?
Lancs speaks at the Big Online Sports Quiz from John 20 about Thomas and an unbelievable moment he had with Jesus. How will you respond to Jesus?
Danno speaks to Sky Sports News about sport, mental health and the Christian faith
With the uncertainty that Covid-19 has brought us sports people it’s inevitable that we’ve asked questions of our life, our faith and of our God.
Danno speaks from 1 Peter 3:18 at the second Big Online Sports Quiz.
Resources to help you speak of Jesus
Resources to help you stay in the lives of your sports mates
Resources to help you pray for the world of sport
Join us as we hear from three sportspeople about how they're doing in isolation as Christians in the world of sport.
Blogs, podcasts and videos unpacking the issues for sportspeople living during the pandemic.
We chat with Dave and Owen about some ideas for continuing to reach the world of sport for Christ at this time
For athletes for whom sport is their livelihood, how are they to cope in the midst of all the coronavirus confusion and the inability to predict what tomorrow might bring?
Former rugby professional Peter Browne and badminton player Lisa Elliott join us to discuss pride as a sportsperson.
Craig, a hockey player from Cambridge, has gone to Club La Santa eight times in the last decade. He chatted to Christians in Sport to tell us about these amazing Lanzarote sports trips and the opportunity they provide.
Mike Harris chats with Libby, a university footballer, about why she's made made a habit of making food and inviting her teammates to come and hear about Jesus.
Dialogue Dinners are simply evenings where you get your sports mates round for some food and chat about Jesus. This series has blogs, guides and podcasts to help you think through the why and how of doing one yourself.
Last night the news hit of the death of US Basketball legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in California. The Christian faith is realistic and it makes sense of the world we live in. And at the heart of the Christian faith is an understanding of life’s frailty.
Can I be competitive and a Christian? Is competition wrong? What about wanting to win? Do you lose your competitive edge as a Christian? We’ve been asked all these questions and more so Graham Daniels is in to help us get under the skin of some of them.
Dave and Mike speak about the amazing story of what God did in one rugby club through a series of Bible studies which went viral in the team.
As a New Year rolls around again, we go back to the 18th century for some inspiration.
Graham Daniels and Jonny Reid look at why Christians in Sport exists - to reach the world of sport for Jesus, and what encouragement Jesus gives as we go and do it!
It’s the biggest match of your lives - the Rugby World Cup Final. It’s the match you’ve been building up to for years, if not decades. But it’s a match that must not define you.
Kipchoge's amazing sub two-hour marathon was an amazing feat and one which cannot help but let our minds wander to Hebrews 12 and the call to "run the race."
This week we talk about socials. Sport is massively social as we hang out with people and get to know them on and off the pitch. We chat with three university students about living as a Christian on a night out.
Distance runner Gill Bland reflects on her experience of individual sport and faith, and how she has grown in courage evangelising to fellow runners.
Graham Daniels and Jonny Reid look at a very simple question - What does the bible actually have to say about sport?
Rugby coach Lois Newcombe shares why she loves to coach and the amazing opportunities it brings to share the gospel
How can we, as Christians in sport, make the most of the new opportunity joining a club provides? Jesus’ great commission in Matthew 28 to make disciples remains the same, but the place we are doing that, our club, has changed.
In the build up to The Open, the handful of Christian members at Royal Portrush Golf Club jumped at the opportunity for an evangelistic event and so committed to hosting a sports quiz.
With the Women's World Cup, the Netball World Cup and loads more women's sporting events on this summer, there's a huge buzz around women's sport. In all this excitement, is this a bandwagon Christians should be jumping on? Well, it could be argued that the Bible gives us the best foundation for celebrating and encouraging women in sport.
It’s been a rollercoaster to reach the final of the World Cup for England, with pressure from all sides. Pressure isn’t unique to Morgan’s squad - it’s universal across competitive sport, so how are Christians to respond in these clutch moments?
On Sunday evening Tiger Woods won the Masters for the fifth time and his 15th major. Even as remarkable as that statement is it doesn’t come close to capturing the full significance of what happened and is possibly the greatest comeback in sporting history.
What does it look like to fully integrate our faith and sport as we seek to encourage sportspeople to believe in Jesus?
Because of what Jesus has done, we can understand our sport differently.
Prayer is an essential feature of the Christian life and it is something we quickly turn to in times of trouble or when in need of guidance. So why do we often struggle to pray consistently?
Being committed to prayer is something many of us find challenging. At the same time, we know that prayer is important. So why do we often struggle to pray consistently?
We must tell our team mates and friends the truth about eternity.
Some of us change so much when we compete that we worry that we shouldn’t compete at all. How can we compete in a godly way in our sport?
The Bible is clear what our role is when it comes to pointing sportspeople to Jesus, regardless of whether we know it (or not), we’re good at it (or not) or like it (or not). Once we get it, there’s no place to hide.
It’s good to look for every opportunity to speak of Jesus with our sports friends, and inviting them to events where a speaker will proclaim the gospel message can provide you with a good starting point to begin conversations.
If you are a Christian, you’ll know that nothing is more important than our sports friends hearing the amazing news of the gospel and responding to it - eternity is at stake. But how can you go about doing this?
What does your behaviour in your sports club say about who you now are in Christ?
How do I be different amidst the culture of drinking, of sex, in the chat of the changing room? How do I get involved with the sports club and yet be distinctive? How can I be fully committed and yet remain faithful to Christ?
We may think it's obvious for team mates to work out that we're Christians just by observing our behaviour. But how can they know unless we or someone else tells them that we follow Jesus and why we do so?
One of the reasons we don’t share the gospel may be because we don’t really know it! Here's a helpful framework to help you explain it to a sports mate.
You’ve been praying for months, you’ve talked about everything in life other than this, but as you walk along to training you just can’t find the right way to start a conversation about Jesus.
Most of us find it easy to initiate a conversation about sport, but the prospect of speaking to a sports friend about Jesus can be daunting.
At the end of a long season, it's only natural to want to rest our legs and enjoy a bit of a break - after all, our bodies need to recuperate. However, the temptation is also there to take a break from sharing our faith with our sports friends.
When a sports friend who says that they want to become a Christian, it's like that wonderful moment of a baby's first steps. There is something quite remarkable, breathtaking, and yet serious as we help a sportsperson take the first steps in becoming a Christian.
For players, parents and pastors, the issue of whether you should play sport on a Sunday is a difficult one.
Ever find it hard to explain the Christian faith to your sports friends? Ever find it hard to help them see the brilliance of the gospel message? Ever wish you could get someone better to explain it to them?
We are on the pitch as a player and yet again the decision goes against our team. We start to get caught up in the general chorus of complaint. What do we do as Christians?
Disappointment and sport so often go hand in hand. Poor performances, defeats, injuries, getting dropped, a failure to improve - every sportsperson has experienced one or all of these multiple times. But how are you to respond to such disappointment?
The challenge is simple, will you do it? Will you get to work and seek to make Jesus known in your sporting context?
The player who celebrates too early, or the team that holds a celebratory promotional shoot before then losing the final are subject to derision. All of us are quick to revel in the misplaced pride so often seen in sport.
All match he’d been nipping at your heels, deliberately stepping on your feet, pushing you, elbowing you. The referee doesn’t seem too bothered. But these constant niggling fouls have been getting to you. And this incident is the final straw.
Some types of questions can be asked of us and can make us feel uncomfortable or are hard to answer at times. With God’s help these questions need not, and should not, be avoided.
Sport can be a great place for developing friendships. You spend so much time together on and off the pitch, you experience the highs and the lows of a season together, and have a lot in common. Sometimes, however, it can be hard to foster these relationships.
With the season coming to an end, it’s time to rest and reflect on what has been. Yet a danger comes when we do the same with our faith and our willingness to share Jesus with our sports friends. How do we best approach the off-season as Christians?
It’s great when a sports friend wants to become a Christian, especially if this is off the back of reading the Bible with them. However, we want to make sure our sports friends are ready to take this commitment and fully understand what they are committing to.
The world of sport is vast, but the majority do not believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. How do we go and speak to them?
The pressure to perform in sport will have been felt by all of us at some point or other. Whether it is the pressure of a coach, a parent, the crowd. How do we handle pressure as Christians?
God’s Word is powerful, and it will do His work in the lives of sportspeople. Our best thoughts, ideas or opinions, though useful, are still those of ourselves, of humans. They cannot compare to the Word of God in either power or influence.
In the heat of competition, we can react negatively both in what we say and in how we act towards an official who has penalised us or - in our eyes - acted unjustly. How are we to understand a godly attitude towards sports officials?
When we have seen or experienced something exciting it’s natural to want to share it with others. Why, then, are we sometimes so hesitant to tell others the story of the greatest thing that has ever happened to us?
There will always be disappointment in sport. But how we navigate these as Christians in competitive sport is an important witness to our faith in Christ.
To make disciples of the vast world of sport is a huge challenge that can feel daunting and overwhelming. What’s our motivation for such a task?
In sport, coaches, parents and other teammates can encourage us to be proud. Sometimes this is for encouragement but at other times it is done deliberately to inflate our ego. But how should I view my sporting talents and achievements as a Christian?
Without opponents, our sport wouldn’t exist. But how do we love them as our neighbour rather than hate them as our enemy in opposition?
When sportspeople ask questions, we want to try and do more than simply answer them and move on. Often there is something behind their initial question, motivating it or hiding a deeper heart issue. How can we answer them well?
Our friends need to trust us if we are to expect them to explore questions of faith with us. In order to build this trust, alongside spending time with people, we need to be authentic in how we live our lives.
We love to share good news. So why do we sometimes find it hard to share the Good News of the gospel?
What stops you from praying for your sports friends?
For many of us, we struggle to stand out consistently for Jesus Christ in our sports club. Sometimes we lose sight of the spiritual/eternal implications of knowing Jesus. Why should we share the Good News about Him?
What is it that motivates you to stand out as a Christian competing in the world of sport?
A key question to ask whenever we reflect on a competitive situation is not ‘did I win or lose?’ but ‘did I glorify God in my attitude and actions?’ This is easier said than done, so how can we do it well?
What is our role and what is God's role in helping sportspeople come to know Jesus? Understanding your role is crucial as you look to speak and live for Jesus in your sport.
The commandment to ‘go and make disciples’ is daunting. It is important to grasp the difference between our role and God’s role in pointing people to Jesus and to leave Him with the results.
Although some of us may have had bad experiences of hearing the gospel explained in a public setting, in Romans 10 we see that God uses people to proclaim His word and He uses His proclaimed word to save people.
People watch our actions and often determine who or what we are by what they see. What does your behaviour in your sports club say about who you now are in Christ?
If we are to tell people about the gospel, we need to know what the gospel is and how to explain it clearly.
Your story, my story, His story.
How does what I read in the Bible fit together with how I play my sport?
How is playing my sport different as a Christian?
We are often caught between Sunday services and sporting events as, more and more, sport in our culture clashes with timings of church. How do we get the balance right?
We love to share good news. So why do we sometimes find it hard to share the Good News of the gospel?
How do we actually go about sharing our faith with our sports mates?
Why should we even think about sharing our faith with our sports friends?
Resources to help you explain why Jesus is good news for players and coaches
Key resources, answering the big questions for Christians who play or coach in competitive and elite sport.
Resources to help players and coaches grow in Christ as they compete
How should I view my sporting talents and achievements as a Christian?
How are we to understand a godly attitude towards sports officials?
It’s great when a sports friend wants to become a Christian, especially if this is off the back of reading the Bible with them. However, we want to make sure our sports friends are ready to take this commitment and fully understand what they are committing to.
God’s Word is powerful, and it will do His work in the lives of sportspeople. It is still today our greatest tool for bringing people to Christ in the world of sport.
How do we best approach the off-season as Christians?
We are often caught between Sunday services and sporting events as, more and more, sport in our culture clashes with timings of church. How do we get the balance right?
How do we handle pressure as a Christian?
There will always be disappointment in sport. Someone always loses - and that is not taking into account injury, being dropped, not improving, etc. But how we navigate these as Christians in competitive sport is an important witness to our faith in Christ.
To make disciples of the vast world of sport is a huge challenge that can feel daunting and overwhelming. What’s our motivation for such a task?
Competition is an important part of sport but how are we to view our opponents? Without opponents, our sport wouldn’t exist. But how do we ‘love’ them as our neighbour rather than hate them as our enemy in opposition?
A series of blogs looking at this hot issue in today's culture
The main questions Christian sportspeople have about their sport and their faith.
A short guide to help you put on a meal for your sports mates where you share something of Jesus
A series of blogs looking at a number of the top issues sportspeople face.
Psychology is a big deal in modern sport. From Steve Peters' now famous 'chimp paradox' to the in-house sports psychologists employed by many professional clubs. Now it is almost as common to have a therapist as it is a personal trainer. What are we to make of this from a Christian point of view?
How can I make the most of my sporting talent as a Christian? Can I strive to get to the top, while still following Jesus? `
Why does pressure have such an effect on us, how can we cope with it and does the Bible give us any pointers?
The Ashes is one of sport’s oldest rivalries. As a Christian, how should one respond when healthy sporting rivalry shifts to being characterised by conflict and bad blood?
You want to be part of the team on and off the field, but you know the alcohol might be flowing and getting drunk will be the name of the game. If you’re a follower of Jesus, how should you react?
There are few harder things to deal with in sport than injury. So how can we approach this perennial enemy as Christians in sport? What does the Bible say about injury?
It has to be one of the most coveted prizes in sport, let alone golf...but it's a prize that is only temporary.
We can all think of great sporting captains and leaders. But what should it look like when a follower of Jesus steps up to lead?
One of the best weekends you could ever have as a rugby player
Sport has a love-hate relationship with justice and fairness. On one hand it cannot function without it, but so much debate circles around the many unfair decisions and outcomes. So what does the Bible say about fairness?
The legendary American football coach Vince Lombardi once said “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to win is”. This might be overstated but have you ever had the nagging feeling that wanting to win is inherently ‘un-Christian’.
Should Christians be those who recite the old amateur mantra ‘It is not about the winning, but the taking part’? Does ‘turning the other cheek’ mean that we shouldn’t even want to win in the first place?
Turn to the back pages at the moment and it is difficult to get away from doping scandals. How as Christians should we think about these issues?
To see how someone can move from being a Christian who plays sport to being a Christian in sport, let’s see what the Bible says about sport.
The Bible says lots of things...but what, if anything, does it say about sport?
A short film explaining the gospel for sportspeople
A fortnightly podcast helping sportspeople connect their sport and their faith.
A video unpacking the phrase 'Pray Play Say' as taught through Colossians 4:2-6.
