Part 6 – How Faith Becomes Divisive in a Sport Team
“The gospel is an offense to those who are perishing.” “The Lord knows those who are truly His.” “We are doing ministry the right way.” “Jesus came not to bring peace, but a sword.” “The real believers attend out study.” “The highly committed players go to our church.” “If he was a real Christian he’d be working with our ministry.” The mind justifies.
Books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and even television reports have recounted over the last several years the divisive nature of some Evangelical Christian ministries in the locker rooms of Major League Baseball, college and NFL Football, college and NBA Basketball and other sports. The division appears when one ministry seeks to elevate its work above another, when one set of players treat non-believing teammates as second class citizens, or when the ministries give extra privileges to those who attend chapels or Bible studies. Division is created when Christian players shun other believing teammates who are connected with “the other ministry.” Faith divides a team when the Christians imply that religious activity leads directly to greater success on the field of competition. Christians are divisive when they treat yet-to-believe teammates as outsiders. Christian ministries, chaplains and others are divisive when they manipulate players into making religious decisions. Sports ministries are divisive and often counterproductive when they use their relationships with the players and coaches to solicit them for donations. The will chooses.
It’s easy to identify the activities and attitudes which divide teammates and even highly committed Christians within a sports club. What is harder to discern is the source of the division. What lies at the heart of such division? I would contend that the issue is power and it is evidenced by a lust for influence, for followers and further a longing to earn God’s approval. If we’re seeking God’s approval and we believe that pleasing Him is ultimately shown by how many people we influence, how many we can get to our Bible study or how many times I we can share the gospel, we will do whatever it takes to earn His favor. Such misguided motives can easily lead us to attitudes and actions which become divisive as we drive headlong toward our “ministry goals.” If I have an insatiable hunger for ever expanding influence, a growing number of followers and the need to earn God’s favor; power is what my heart loves.
A Biblical example of this kind of divisive ministry is found in I Corinthians 3:1-6 where the Apostle Paul writes, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”
“The gospel is an offense to those who are perishing.” “The Lord knows those who are truly His.” “We are doing ministry the right way.” “Jesus came not to bring peace, but a sword.” “The real believers attend out study.” “The highly committed players go to our church.” “If he was a real Christian he’d be working with our ministry.” The mind justifies.
Books, magazines, newspapers, blogs, and even television reports have recounted over the last several years the divisive nature of some Evangelical Christian ministries in the locker rooms of Major League Baseball, college and NFL Football, college and NBA Basketball and other sports. The division appears when one ministry seeks to elevate its work above another, when one set of players treat non-believing teammates as second class citizens, or when the ministries give extra privileges to those who attend chapels or Bible studies. Division is created when Christian players shun other believing teammates who are connected with “the other ministry.” Faith divides a team when the Christians imply that religious activity leads directly to greater success on the field of competition. Christians are divisive when they treat yet-to-believe teammates as outsiders. Christian ministries, chaplains and others are divisive when they manipulate players into making religious decisions. Sports ministries are divisive and often counterproductive when they use their relationships with the players and coaches to solicit them for donations. The will chooses.
It’s easy to identify the activities and attitudes which divide teammates and even highly committed Christians within a sports club. What is harder to discern is the source of the division. What lies at the heart of such division? I would contend that the issue is power and it is evidenced by a lust for influence, for followers and further a longing to earn God’s approval. If we’re seeking God’s approval and we believe that pleasing Him is ultimately shown by how many people we influence, how many we can get to our Bible study or how many times I we can share the gospel, we will do whatever it takes to earn His favor. Such misguided motives can easily lead us to attitudes and actions which become divisive as we drive headlong toward our “ministry goals.” If I have an insatiable hunger for ever expanding influence, a growing number of followers and the need to earn God’s favor; power is what my heart loves.
A Biblical example of this kind of divisive ministry is found in I Corinthians 3:1-6 where the Apostle Paul writes, “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. 2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”
The infantile disciples in Corinth displayed their divisive hearts’ longing for power and influence as they chose to separate themselves and then justified their actions by invoking the names of their leaders. Sadly, many of us do this in the world of sport today and we justify ourselves by invoking the names of various sports ministries, churches or religious leaders. I’m sure the Apostle would correct us as he did these believers in Corinth. What is FCA? What is AIA? What is Champions for Christ? What is ___________ Church, ____________ Ministry or Pastor ____________? You fill in the blank with your “brand” of ministry. One plants, another waters, but God makes it grow.
A healthier attitude toward ministry in sport is found in Ephesians 4:4-7 where the Apostle writes, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” We must grow up a bit and recognize both the unity in Christ and the plurality of giftedness and distinctiveness He has apportioned to each of us. It is the heart which loves power that would squeeze unity into unanimity. The power hungry heart will squelch the diversity of Christ’s body by manipulating everyone into one narrow approved expression of faith.
Let’s take the minimal risk to allow others the freedom to wear Christ in the grace which He has apportioned. It’s not likely that everyone on my team will trust Christ. It’s not even guaranteed that all the Christian players will want to attend my Bible study. It’s not necessarily true that the most highly committed coaches will want my counsel or that they’ll confide in me for prayer. These realities must not move my power hungry heart to manipulate or to cause division. Let’s be the ones whose redeemed hearts are free to love all those we are called to serve and allow them the freedom to love and serve Christ regardless of their affiliations.
“What the heart loves, the will chooses and the mind justifies.” This statement was spoken by my friend and colleague in sports chaplaincy, John Ashley Null, in summary of the 16th century Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer's writings. Dr. Null has been translating Cranmer’s work from Medieval Latin shorthand into contemporary English.
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