Very little compares to representing your university sports club in a competition. The training in advance, the travel to the fixture, the stash, the rivalries and hopefully the right results! But how do you prepare yourself for them as a Christian? How can you get your head and your heart in the right place to use that sporting moment for the glory of God and for the spread of his gospel? Well, that’s where a Christians in Sport University group comes in.
Why does the group exist?
To help university sports people connect their sport and their faith and have confidence to live and speak for Jesus in their university sports club.
What can you expect?
A Christians in Sport group should hopefully be a welcoming environment for any sports person to come and meet likeminded people. The groups are led by students at your university who compete in a university sports club. Usually, the group meets in a comfortable environment like someone’s lounge or kitchen and starts by catching up over a coffee or even breakfast!
The meetings begin by taking time to pray for each other and particularly some of the friends you have in your university sports club, asking God to work their lives and give you opportunities to love them and share Jesus through your actions and words.
After praying the group will then have a short bible study together. We’ve put together 25 bible studieswhich pinpoint some unique challenges and opportunities you face as a Christian sports person. Our hope is that the studies can equip you as you train and compete in your sport each week and the discussions help you apply them to your specific university sports culture.
The meeting then finishes with another time of prayer and an opportunity to discuss ways you can continue to share the gospel with sports people at your university. This often includes planning an event like a sports quiz or a dodgeball tournament which you can invite your friends along to.
Why get involved?
Good chat, intentional prayer, practical help, and quality events.
Good chat
A chance to talk sport with people who get it and share in your passion for it. We hope the group meetings can complement the regular teaching and community you receive in your local church, whilst at the same time provide a place to talk very specifically about what it looks like to be a Christian sports person.
Intentional prayer
Many people comment on how helpful the group is for building a healthy pattern of prayer for their sports friends. We hope every group can continually rely on God in prayer as they seek to live for Jesus in their sports club. It is an exciting time seeing prayers answered and lives changed through God's goodness and grace!
Practical help
Alongside the bible studies, the group meetings give space for getting specific advice and help from people who understand your sport and have often been through what you’re facing. Sitting with a second year who can give tips on how best to approach a club social as a fresher or sitting with a final year who can give advice on how to balance studies, church and sport are some of the ways the group provides a brilliant network of Christians with a passion for Jesus and sport.
Quality events
An event can often be a great way of introducing your friend to Jesus. We want to help every group put on a sport specific event which will sound attractive to your sports friends and be an environment where they can feel welcomed and comfortable. This normally involves some sort of competition and a prize, (which sports person doesn’t enjoy that?!) and at some point during the event a short talk on the good news of Jesus in a way a sports person would understand.
So what’s stopping you?
Let us know what university you’re at by filling out the form and we would love to connect you with a Christians in Sport University group (or if there isn’t a current group at your university then with other Christian sports people we know in your town or city).
We want to reach the world of university sport for Christ, are you in?
