Below is another installment from an interview with Walt Enoch, long-time sports chaplain to professional athletes and coaches in St. Louis, Missouri – USA. I pray that his insights are of value to your ministry.
Attitude –
• I asked Walt about some necessary character traits and attitudes for a sports chaplain to develop and he listed these:
o A servant’s heart
o No favoritism (treat everyone the same)
o A reliance upon Scripture
o Be invisible to outsiders.
o Know your place and stay in it.
o See yourself as a guest of the club.
o Be mindful of who you are working for, God, and serve Him.
• I asked about some attitudes to avoid:
o Don’t ever think of “using” players only serving them.
o Using the players for personal gain, rather than serving them.
o Using one’s relationship with the team to raise his profile.
o Being too forward in approaching players.
o Do not act like a fan.
o Don’t ask them for contributions. Ever.
o Don’t become involved in their finances.
o Don’t refer financial services to the players unless the player asks you for your opinion. Don’t serve as the agent for a financial manager, especially one who approaches you.
o Don’t get entangled in dealing with sports memorabilia, photos, autographs and such.
o Don’t talk with them about their on-field performance. They have coaches for that.
FCA Sports Chaplain Principles and Best Practices
for serving Professional Sportspeople
Walt Enoch – as told to Roger Lipe on November 24, 2009
Walt Enoch began serving professional athletes in 1970 when only the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs had chapel leaders. He was already serving the St. Louis Cardinals when Baseball Chapel began its ministry. Walt also served the St. Louis Football Cardinals before their move to Arizona and has served the St. Louis Rams since they arrived in town. For two years he had a ministry with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues. For many years he worked to oversee all of the baseball chapel leaders in the Cardinals minor league cities.
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