Discuss

Can you imagine what it would be like if you couldn't hear at all during training or a competition? How would that impact your sport and your ability to compete?

We may still be affected by Covid-19 but the need for our teammates to hear the gospel is as desperate as ever. That hasn't been put on hold like everything else. What does it look like to bring a sportsperson to hear the gospel in your current circumstances in sport? This session will help us think about this in more detail.

• Who does verse 12 tell us the gospel is for?
• What does someone need to do to be saved according to verses 13-14?
• How do verses 14b-17 describe our role in enabling this to happen?
• Discuss what it would look like to have ‘beautiful feet’ (verse 15) in your University sports club.
• How would people describe your ’feet’ today in line with this passage?

Sum up

Although some of us may have had bad experiences of hearing the gospel explained in a public setting, here we see that God uses people to proclaim His word and He uses His proclaimed word to save people. Discuss how you can give your sports friends an opportunity to hear God’s message in an environment in which they will listen.

What does it look like to invite and bring sportspeople to hear the gospel?

As a group, discuss plans for the upcoming event. This could be either online (Big Online Quiz) or in person (Quiz, Dodgeball, Football tournament etc.) depending upon university and government guidelines in your region. Discuss how you would respond in these three scenarios:

PRE-EVENT - Your club Captain/Chairperson has given you a 30 second slot at training to announce the event. What you will say? What are the essentials to include?

You're posting in your club whatsapp group to invite people to the event - what will you write? How might you follow up the invite?

DURING EVENT - What questions could you ask post-talk to engage in a conversation with your guests? (Both online or in person)

You're on zoom... how could you enhance the likelihood of people listening to the talk?

POST EVENT – How might people react after the event? What is the best way you can follow up post event?

Sum up

Remember, the role we have to play in people hearing the Good News about Jesus. Although it can be daunting to ask our friends to come to a Christian event, nothing is more thrilling than seeing our sports friends engage with Jesus Christ!

What does this mean for us?

Who are you inviting to your next event at church or run by yourself? Who is going to hold you accountable for asking them? Pray with that person now for the courage to follow through on good intentions and for your sports friends to hear about Jesus and respond to Him in faith.

All Bible quotations are taken with permission from the NIV:
Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.