Witnessing

Witnessing

Let me start out by saying how humbled I am.  This blog passed the 300 views mark this week and I am just humbled that people not only read once but continue to come back for what I have to say. I hope that what I am writing down helps and helps you with raising your athlete(s).

Even though my hope is that parents and childrens ministry workers will come to this blog to see how they can help their child(ren) grow closer to Christ through sports and sports analogies.  I am going to take a break from that and speak about another way we can use sports for the glory of God.

It is in our interaction with parents/coaches/other observers. What better opportunity do you as a parent have to show and/or talk about your faith. If you are a childrens ministry person reading this.  Instead of fighting sports all the time, let's work on equipping parents who may be interested in using these ideas and reaching out while involved with sports.

Show your faith - Even if other parents don't already know that you are a Christ follower you have the opportunity to show how somebody should act when they believe that Jesus is Lord of their life. How you act on the sideline will effect how you are able to witness. My boss here calls it guidelines for the sidelines.  How you act will impact the people around you at games.  If you are encouraging the children, if you are showing mercy to the officials, and if you are acting well to your own child then parents will see that.  Basically I'm saying be different.

The culture of adults in youth sports is not a healthy one.

When I officiate games the kids are great, it's the parents that are the worst.  When I watch a child get yelled at by a coach for making a mistake. When I see parents that are pushing their children, not for the childs sake, but because they are living vicariously through their child.  When these things happen it makes me realize how much of an impact a biblical parent could have on those people around them.  Even if in watching you, a parent realizes just how much they put their own desires on their child and backs off of that a little bit, then I say what a wonderful day!

Most of all showing your faith will open opportunities to witness.  If other observers see how you are different they will be interested in what makes you different.  It may open doors for discussion.

Talk about your faith - I'm not saying you should go to every parent, child, coach, or ref and give them a five point sermon.  I am just saying don't back down when an opportunity arises.  When asked how you think the ref is doing (because he's awful) you can say something about how you see him missing calls but I need to show him mercy because you have been shown mercy for much worse things.  When told how great your child is doing you can say something about how as long as he does his best as if he's doing it for the Lord then you are happy. 

You don't have to share the gospel all the time. Sharing a biblical worldview may impact somebody more than you ever know.

In all of this I challenge you to be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in you. There may come a time where somebody asks you why you feel like mercy should be given, or why it is so important for your child to glorify God.  This is a door that you should be able to open and invite somebody into. 

The biggest thing you can do is to know your testimony and have a way to present the gospel.  If you do not have these things ready in any way please e-mail me at drew@uwsportsministry.org and we can work on how to make this a possibility. 

Remember I'm not saying to come up with a five point sermon, just be ready to give an answer for why you are different and then be different! Let following Christ be your witness!