Welcome & Vision | 5 Mins
Welcome everyone and particularly any newcomers this week.
Remind each other of the vision of CIS and the purpose of the weekly group meeting. (Consider using CIS videos and resources to keep this fresh each week).
Remind those graduating to fill in this form using a non-university email address so Christians in Sport can stay in touch with them after they leave university.
Prayer & Evangelism | 10 Mins
In pairs look back on your week of sport and discuss how last week’s group meeting helped you. Follow up with anything people asked for prayer about.
In pairs share prayer points for the week of sport ahead and spend time praying for each other.
Some weeks pray more widely for other clubs and teams in your university which are not represented in the group. Alternatively, you can also use the CIS prayer diary to pray for the whole mission of CIS.
You might also want to use this slot to discuss and plan your evangelistic event for the term and pray specifically about it.
Reach the world of sport for Christ | 20 Mins
Intro
As we continue to reach the world of university sport for Christ this session will encourage us to keep persevering in evangelism, even when conversations feel fruitless.
Read
Matthew 9:36-10:1
Reflect
What from these verses encourages you to keep going in Jesus’ mission, even when it’s tough?
Explain
Jesus shows us three key reasons to persevere in this passage.
His compassion gives us strength. When Jesus saw the crowds, he saw them as harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Often, we hesitate to share the gospel, worrying people won’t be interested. But Jesus sees beyond appearances - he knows their spiritual need and has deep compassion for them. When we struggle to care, we can trust his heart and ask him to renew our love for others.
His sovereignty assures us. Evangelism is not about our ability - it is God’s work. Jesus calls it a harvest, and He is the lord of the harvest. If we rely on our own skills, discouragement will follow. But Jesus is the one who draws people to himself. Instead of feeling pressure, we can trust that he is at work, even when results are unseen.
His approach gives us confidence. Jesus’ method is simple - he uses ordinary people to share his message. We don’t need perfect words or impressive strategies. We simply live among people, speak about Jesus, and trust that, in our weakness, he is strong.
The Lord of compassion, the Lord of the harvest, knows exactly what he’s doing. So, you and I are to go and share the Good News, confident that in our great weakness, he is strong. In our lack of compassion, he is compassionate, and in our inability to save anyone, he will reap a great harvest.
Discuss
How do these truths help you persevere in your evangelism?
Which of these do you need most reminding of today?
How do these verses encourage you to pray for your sports mates?
Pray
Thank God for His compassion, and that the world of sport is His harvest field.
Pray that God would raise up workers for His harvest field, starting with you.
Notices | 5 Mins
Update everyone on the key messages for the week. These might include:
Promoting your evangelistic event for the term
Reminding people about carol services and other events the group can make use of.
Resources to share
Encourage group members to sign up for Back Pages Online to stay up to date with the latest videos, blogs, stories, podcasts and prayer content from Christians in Sport.
