A Bootcamp Story of Redemption

Written by: Aubrey Coleman

CEDE SPORTS is privileged to partner with Connection Pointe Christian Church in Brownsburg, Indiana. Their Fitness Director, Christie Wickline, recently told us about a man named Josh and his incredible story of redemption. Struggling from a broken engagement and an alcohol addiction, he had truly come to the end of himself.

Searching for help, he got involved in Fitness Bootcamp where he got connected to a Care Pastor from the church. The pastor suggested several steps to help Josh with his situation including attending AA and starting counseling. Josh bravely took each of those steps and continued to listen to sermons, all to help him work through the challenges he faced. Eventually, Josh gave his life to Christ. While attending Boot Camp and taking in the encouragement and community, Josh decided he wanted to be baptized.

Although anxious about being in front of everyone, he stepped out of his comfort zone to declare his new life in Jesus in August of last year. It’s been a long journey for Josh. However, God has done a great work, placing the right people in his life to encourage him, point him to Jesus, and help him overcome battles. He continues to grow into who God has called him to be. What a testimony of God’s grace!

Should You Pray Before a Game?

Written by COO, Bob Schindler

Should you pray before a game? That may seem like a silly question for sports, rec, and fitness ministers to consider. However, it is a question I would like you to consider in light of an experience I had several years ago.

I was playing in an adult softball league of a sports ministry in Charlotte. This softball league was outreach-oriented and the leader and the ministry partnered with CEDE SPORTS for coaching, connecting, and resourcing. At this point in the league, the umpires set the ministry tone for each game. They would gather the two teams on the baselines before the game, review the rules, and pray.

In this particular situation, after gathering the teams, the umpire mentioned a couple of personal prayer requests regarding his extended family and some medical issues they were facing. He also brought up another medical concern of a friend of his child. He asked for other prayer requests, to which some players took his lead and asked for prayer about other medical concerns in family or friends.

Then, he asked us to bow our heads while he prayed, never mentioning the game we were about to play. Remember, this is an outreach league. Half of the players were not Christians. As he prayed, I opened my eyes to see what the non-Christian players on my team were doing. I wasn’t surprised to find them with their eyes open, looking around, not connecting to what was happening.

Soon after this experience, I met with the ministry head to discuss what I heard and saw. We talked about the role of the umpire and ideally what the leader envisioned would happen in fulfilling that role. What the leader envisioned wasn’t the experience I witnessed. The leader hoped the umpires would reinforce the league's mission and then pray about what was about to take place – the softball games. We even talked about what kind of prayers that might include.

Prayers where the umpires would:

• Thank God for the opportunity to play

• Thank God for the gifts and talents to use in the play and the joy we experience in doing so

• Acknowledging to God the brokenness in all of us in experiencing frustration and anger instead of joy from our play

• Acknowledging the source of that frustration - from our efforts to establish our identity from our performance on the field

• Asking God to give us the freedom to acknowledge that to him and change us so that we would experience more joy and less frustration and anger, regardless of the results.

Should you pray before games? I would say, “Yes, but pray in a way that is gospel-centered, where the prayers are about the games before us and our need for the gospel in those games.” Otherwise, we are in danger of praying in a way that reinforces the compartmentalized view of sports where we inject God into our sports, rec, and fitness rather than our sports, rec, and fitness integrated into the gospel.

History of Reach Gathering: CEDE SPORTS Involvement

Written by Jenny Young

In 2013, the three Foundational Partners of REACH – CEDE, CSRM, and UW Sports Ministry – sensed God’s call to come together in collaboration to serve sports, rec, and fitness ministers in local churches and inspire, affirm, connect, and equip them to further this movement.  They knew there would be obstacles and challenges to such a venture, but believed that gathering sports, rec and fitness ministers could be used by God to bring about such an impact.  From the beginning, they felt led to begin something that was so much more than a conference but was a part of this movement - a movement where theology, philosophy and methodology would spread by the power of the Holy Spirit toward the redemption of people and sports, rec and fitness.  

First of all, REACH is not the movement.  REACH is part of a movement. This is important.  We are just a part of what God is doing.  He is the Author of this movement.  We desire to cooperate with His efforts.  

This movement is made of a certain people - Sports, Rec, & Fitness (SR&F) leaders in local churches. REACH desires to catalyze the movement of God in their becoming more gospel-centered and more reproductive of disciple-makers.  At REACH, we inspire, we affirm, we equip and we connect SR&F leaders toward this end.  The Foundational Partners set the sails and then look to the Spirit to provide the wind.

The first REACH was in 2014 at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC. Since then, local churches have been added to the Foundational Partners. In 2019,  Work Teams were added to the Leadership from the participants who would lead the gathering in planning and implementation to where there are now over 30 people involved in the leadership of REACH. 

At REACH, there are typically two main sessions and a wide variety of track sessions designed to affirm, inspire, and equip these leaders. There is also “Wrestling at REACH”  where a current issue in sports, rec, and fitness is brought up and “wrestled” with through panel presenters, table discussions, and audience participation.  Finally, at REACH, there are lots of activities to connect these leaders with each other.  

This is why the Foundational Partners think of REACH as more than a conference.  It is a chance to be with Jesus and to be with teammates. Teammates doing sports, rec, and fitness in local churches.  Teammates who are a part of a team, looking to Jesus and then to each other - for inspiration, affirmation, equipping and connecting - so that they may each play their part in the movement Jesus is authoring in the world today.

God continues to blow wind in the lives of men and women SR&F leaders through being part of this movement. 

REACH will be happening for the 9th year next month - April 16-17 in Charlotte, NC. CEDE SPORTS will be there as a Foundational Partner and Sponsor. To learn more about this year’s REACH you can go here - https://www.reachgathering.org 

What others are saying about REACH:

"The REACHgatherings are a time to connect with others around the globe who have similar passions to use the platform of sport to reach the world for Christ! It is a time to learn, a time to share resources, a time to be refreshed spiritually and emotionally. I always leave with great ideas, energized by being with old friends in ministry and excited to have a handful of new friends to add to my network of fellow sports ministers." 

Vickie Byler, REACH Participant 

“REACH is about being a part of a movement using SR&F ministry to point people on a journey with Jesus..being encouraged, equipped, inspired and locking arms with brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing the same challenges and celebrating the same joys in sports and recreation ministry." 

Chris Phillips, Past REACH Participant

Integration vs. Injection

Written by: Bob Schindler

When you think of Christianity and sports, which of these two words come to mind?

Historically, as in many other areas, injection is actually our practice. We inject some Christianity into our sports. We do this by:

• Praying before and after our games about things that have nothing to do with sports

• Saying the Lord’s prayer before and after games with no thought as to how it applies to our sports

• Putting bible verses on the walls of our gyms that either don’t apply to sports, rec, or fitness or are used out of context to try to make them fit

• Sharing devotionals with players and parents that have nothing to do with sports, rec, or fitness

• Sharing sports stories when applying a Scriptural passage that really don’t connect

• Sharing with participants from one’s devotional life before or after a sports, rec, and fitness event that has nothing to do with that event

This injection leads our players, coaches, and spectators wondering if sports, rec, and fitness and Christianity really connect and adds to the already very prevalent compartmentalization of our lives and Christianity. God has in mind the integration of sports, rec, and fitness and Christianity rather than the injection. He wants this integration to involve not just sports, rec, and fitness but every area of our lives.

In fact, we might say sanctification, the process of transformation God is authoring in his sons and daughters, is the progressive integration of different aspects of our lives into the gospel. Consider how you are doing at this integration in your ministry?

Does God Care Who Wins the Super bowl?

By CEDE SPORTS Staff, Baird Yasenchok

The Super Bowl is right around the corner and the teams are set: the 49ers vs the Chiefs.  The advertisers are lined up: 30 second slots sold out months earlier than expected.  Usher is ready to take the stage at halftime: claiming: “One performance. 30 Years in the making”. The teams, their fans, and plenty of A-listers will descend on Las Vegas in the coming days.  

For CBS, no second of the night will go unaccounted for.  For the fans, the day could not carry more anticipation.  And for the players? Well, they have been dreaming about this chance since the day they first put on pads and stepped on a field in youth sports.  Nothing is grander, louder, or brighter than the Allegiant Stadium lights on the night of February 11th.  

Back home, behind the television screens, you can find a wide range of viewers. Some people tune in to the game for the commercials.  Some for the free concert, with a side of sport. Some for the love of the game, even if they don’t belong to one of the competing fanbases.  While others are watching every down and cheering or groaning as the game progresses. They have studied up, knowing the predictions, the weak spots, and the secret weapons on the field.  Watching with rapt attention as the seconds tick away.  They are fully invested.  They feel it in their bones. 

These fans care who wins the game.  The players and coaches obviously care who wins.  For them, so much attention is on the outcome of this game.  But what about the rest of us: does your neighbor care who wins? Your boss? Your pastor? Does your 4th grade math teacher care who wins? What about the lady you met last week at the post office? Your barista from this morning? Does God care who wins the Super Bowl? 

Sure, we are asking about the biggest stage of football, but does the answer change if it is a Pop Warner league instead?  Does His care change if we are the ones playing or if we are simply spectating? Does he care who wins the high school conference match or the olympic trials? Is he paying attention to your first round of golf or does he only start noticing once your handicap goes down? What about who wins the board game during family game night?   

Our yes or no answer has more implications than we first realize. It shapes how we view competition, training, the champions, the losers, and most importantly, God himself. 

 If you are interested in thinking more deeply about this question, let Bob Schindler’s book, Does God Care Who Wins?, lead you through scripture, culture, and personal reflection.  If you are a coach, sports minister, athlete, or fan, you should desire to parse through these ideas and know what weight your efforts hold in God’s eyes.  Whether you read it on your own or discuss it with your team, you are sure to walk away with a greater appreciation for your involvement in sports and God’s involvement in our lives. 

You can order your copy of the book on Amazon or directly from the publisher.  

I invite you to leave a comment with your Super Bowl prediction and of course, we would love to hear your thoughts on the book as you dive deeper into the question. Happy reading and happy viewing on Sunday!

Consider God's Will in Your Ideal Outcomes

Written by CEDE SPORTS Staff, Hudson Belk

What is God’s will for your ministry in 2024? One thing I was encouraged to do leading into 2024 was to consider my Ideal Outcomes for 2024. So, I sat down and prayerfully considered the question, “if God did more than I could think or imagine in our ministry, what might that be?”

Above all, the exercise led me to worship, prayer and repentance. Though the idea is probably not new to anyone, I still found it helpful. First, it set my sight on where we wanted to go as a ministry before we started working on getting there. But, to figure out where I wanted to go, the practice immediately makes me think theologically about the different “Wills” of God in Scripture at a basic level. First, I considered the “Prescriptive Will of God” (what God has commanded). God has called me in my ministry, out of love for Him and others, to be faithful in my obedience to Him and His commands (John 14:15; Romans 12:1-2).

This first caused me to align my thinking and desires with what God has clearly called me to in 2024. Though it seems obvious in ministry, I’m not sure we always start there. Start with what God has declared, prescribed and what we know pleases Him! As I thought about what pleases Him, I thought of our obedience and faithfulness to His commands/commissions, His not taking pleasure in the death of anyone (Ez 18:32), and of His pleasure in accomplishing His sovereign, redemptive purposes (Eph 1, Rom 9).

As I prayed and meditated on this, it enlarged and grew my heart and desires for what I longed for in our ministry and gave direction for how I may faithfully minister this year. It gave me a target to then evaluate our ministry practices. However, it also pushed me to consider God’s “Sovereign Will.” Many of my Ideal Outcomes may not come about this year. Honestly, there is grief in my heart already knowing that. However, the practice made me run to King Jesus and rest in God’s Sovereign rule and plan. I am sure 2024 will not look like the story I wrote out in my Ideal Outcomes.

Yet, this practice allows me to set my course on God’s Revealed Will and my heart can rest in God’s Hidden Will (Deut 29:29). For God is good, and He is indeed in control! To me, this whole practice reflected the life of a Christian; an opportunity to worship, to repent, to realign with God’s purposes, pursue obedience by faith and to rest in God sovereign will. I write this excited to passionately give myself to the ministry God has called me to, but doing so in dependence on Him, resting in God’s supervisor and provision of everything that happens.

May the Lord bless 2024 for His glory and our good!

Reading Scripture with Your Heart

Written by CEDE SPORTS STAFF, Jenny Young

As we reflect on the ways we've grown in our faith over the years, this one practice has changed my faith: Learning to read the scriptures with the heart. This practice has helped me by inviting the Spirit of God to be my guide while reading. This practice allows me to read with both mind and heart, which isn't something I've practiced in it's fullness. I am still growing in this practice of learning to listen, reflect, pray and respond in obedience to what I am reading in scripture.

I learned this practice from a women's small discipleship group with four other ladies from my church. We were reading through the New Testament for a year together and began with this approach of reading with the heart. For example, we would begin with an assigned reading for the week. On the first reading, I’d read it through to get the context and the message of the passage. Then I’d read it through a second time using a New Testament Bible we were given I'd marked it up by highlight any passage that began to speak to me or that I felt was important. Then I’d do a third reading of only the highlighted sections and see if there might had been a phrase or even a word that rose to the surface in my mind and heart. Usually it will be a very brief phrase or sentence. I’d then memorize that, live with it for the day/week, and allow it to form in my heart. We would then come the following week with what we had been reading and learning from with our heart to share with group.

I continue to learn this practice of reading with the heart. It has opened up a way of listening to hear from God (not what I want to get out of it) as I read, and changing me along the way. I’m reading with the heart; reading to be transformed by God’s Word, to submit to it, and to be taught by it. I saw this quote recently on reading with the heart, "we read the Bible with our minds to see the glory of God, and with our hearts to savor the glory of God."

We would love to hear from you on simple practices that have changed your faith.

A few passages to encourage you as you consider new spiritual disciplines and practices:

"that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." Eph. 1:17-18

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.

Building on New Foundation

Written by: Bob Schindler

The great preacher, Charles Spurgeon,  once said:

“I plead this day for those who cannot plead for themselves, namely, the great outlying masses of the heathen world.  Our existing pulpits are tolerably well supplied, but we need men who will build on new foundations.  Who will do this?”

Do you hear what he is saying?  (If you are like me, you may need to reread what he said to get it.)  He is pleading for men and women who will go beyond the people who are currently attending church and build on what Spurgeon calls “new foundations.”  In other words, these men and women will take the gospel beyond the walls of the existing church.

Sports is a great tool to do that very thing.  Sports can bridge the gap between the local church and the people of her communities.  Sports can be the bridge to connect believers and non-believers and provide the context for significant spiritual conversations around the issues of life and the gospel.

Like Spurgeon, will you plead with God to send out workers into His harvest through the tool of sports, to raise up men and that “will build on new foundations” through sports?  Will you even look for new ways to use sports to be such a bridge and be one of these “new foundations” builders?

When to Try Something New

Guest Post by Brian Jones

I thought since it was nearing Christmas I would remind us one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history where Flick got his tongue stuck to the flag pole in the movie A Christmas Story.

Flick: Are you kidding? Stick my tongue to that stupid pole? That’s dumb!

Schwartz: That’s ’cause you know it’ll stick!

Flick: You’re full of it!

Schwartz: Oh yeah?

Flick: Yeah!

Schwartz: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!

Ralphie as adult: [narrating] NOW it was serious. A double-dog-dare. What else was there but a “triple dare you”? And then, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.

Schwartz: I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!

I am approached all the time by friends, neighbors, church members, and even staff members with the newest greatest idea for sports ministry.  Things like a barbecue cookoff, scuba diving, and even a dog costume contest.  Now, these are great ideas but sometimes these great ideas don’t fit into the ministry.  And yet other times the idea might be okay and I’ll say to myself, “sounds good…maybe I’ll try it.”

So how do you know when to try new things or not?

I start by asking myself three basic questions that I hope can serve and help you, too, when put in a similar position:

1.  Will it bring glory to God?

2.  What is the outreach potential?

3.  Do I have adequate support from others?

Along the way I have made some tough decisions on trying new things or shutting down old things. But thinking through these few questions almost always gives me enough clarity to move forward one way or the other.

I’d like to conclude with a quote frequently used by Randy Pope, the pastor of Perimeter Church in Duluth, GA.   “Dare to attempt something so great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!”

"It's the hard that makes it great."

Guest post by Scott Tyson

“It’s the hard that makes it great.” (Jimmy Dugan, A League of Their Own)

Coaching at any level and in any sport is challenging. If it was easy, sports outreach ministry leaders would not be scrambling two days before practices officially begin to fill the 8-10 vacant coaching spots (at least that has been my experience at times in the past). If it was easy, it wouldn’t produce much of a reward. I often hear the following at the end of a 12-week season (coach comes up close and starts to whisper in an apologetic tone), “Scott, I think I got more out of this than the kids.”

I know you are not coaching out of selfish reasons. I know you are not trying live vicariously through your kids by being their coach (or are you?). I’m confident your motives are pure. The “organizer” of the league called and ask for help. Your primary goal is to help fulfill a need and spend some extra time with your children doing something that is fun (better than working in the nursery or leading a Bible study). Some of you may even be attempting to actually have a real impact on one or more of the families. Bottom line – you signed up to coach for the right reasons.

But, who wouldn’t want to feel the way many coaches feel at the end? If you truly understand the mission and vision… if you put in the extra effort… if you view your role as “more than just a coach”…  you will be rewarded. You will benefit in ways you never imagined. Many of you already know what I’m talking about. Many of you have experienced it for yourselves. You also know that coaching is not easy. It takes planning and preparation. It takes patience. It takes time. It takes you out of your comfort zone if you are all “in”. Just like our opponents during competition, it takes us to a whole new level we never thought possible (or even thought about). I’ve taken hundreds of swings during softball batting practice and have yet to hit a homerun over the fence. However, during games, I’ve hit more than one (4 — but who is counting) – and yes all came on the same field as batting practice. I even hit homeruns in back-to-back games once. Why? Because competition raises my game to a whole new level.

Coaches have a unique ability to reach players when no one else can. My hope is that you take your role as a coach seriously. That you look at yourself as more than just a coach. That you understand the opportunity you have to impact someone’s life on an eternal level. What could be more rewarding than that? Avoid trying to ease your way through coaching. Make it “hard.” In the end, your efforts will be rewarded.