Character Coach / Sports Chaplain Blog

Through what lens do you view sport? I’m not asking how good your seats are for viewing sport at the arena or stadium, rather when you’re thinking about sport is your perspective one from the seats, through a television camera, from the luxury box at the stadium or from the sideline at field/court level? The answer to this question has powerful implications for how one does ministry with people of sport.   If one sees sport through the sports fan’s lens he tends to see the players and coaches as celebrities, valuing the spectacle and seeing sport like other forms entertainment. While he seems loyal to the team; paying for expensive seats, wearing team gear and cheering loudly, his experience is as the consumer of the event. The implications for ministry are that celebrities and entertainers often seem rather distant and even unapproachable to fans. That makes for surface level ministry, at best. It also lends itself to using the Christian player as a part of “the show” at Church ...

During the fall of 2009, I made a presentation to the Sport Chaplains Roundtable in Lansing, Michigan (USA) re: the use of technology in Sports Ministry. An outline of that presentation with some comments follows. I hope it is of value to you as you consider what technologies to employ and the values that shape how you use them. Using Technology in Sports Ministry • What to do? Which technologies can enhance our effectiveness in ministry with sportspeople? • What should I NOT do? What is there about such technologies which could actually harm our ministries? • How to do it? What are some values which should guide how we approach technological advances? o Email – many of us use email all the time, but it’s used less and less by people under 30 years of age. o SMS Text Messages – many people now prefer this mode of communication over all others. o facebook – there are many ways to use this wisely and many more to use it foolishly. o Twitter – what of value can be expressed in 140...

Below is the final 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.   • Prayer points of emphasis – o Prayer is modeled in the Bible study. o Prayer is offered by the chaplain and players at chapel. o Prayer takes place in a prayer circle at the conclusion of chapel. o Prayer is done in the locker room before taking the field. o Prayers are said on the sideline with players as they request it. • Bible study points of emphasis – “Teaching the Scripture has always been what I have stuck to and has kept the men coming over the years. I cannot emphasize that enough.” o Once a week meetings are best.  Coaches Study  Players Study  Couples Study  Game Day Chapel o Verse by verse studies work very well. Walt’s Tuesday study, now in its 30th year, is on its third trip through the entire Bible. o Walt uses inductive Bible study...

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. Strategies, Methods and Resources – • I asked Walt about the most effective strategies, methods and resources he has used in his almost forty years of ministry and he listed these: o Serving people o Chapels o Prayer o Bible studies o Devotionals Chapel service points of emphasis – o Arrange the time and location as directed by the head coach or manager. o Prepare guest speakers  Don’t act like a fan.  Don’t bring guests with you.  Don’t talk about yourself. They don’t need to hear your high school sport stories.  Bring a Biblical message. Remember, this is their weekly worship service.  Be very time conscious. Stick with the time allotted to you.  Former players and coaches are often the best because they understand the c...