The next few weeks will feature a series of thoughts concerning the Sport in Ministry Map which was developed by Lowrie McCown and was detailed in “Focus on Sport in Ministry” by Lowrie McCown and Valerie J. Gin. (ISBN 193261100-2) For more information visit www.360sports.net and to acquire a copy, email Lowrie at lowrie@360sports.net. The more I have come to understand, to implement and to rely upon the insights of the Sport in Ministry Map, the more I have been effective with the various sorts of people we encounter in our ministry in sport.
Many in sports ministry either think that “one size fits all” and they apply the same ministry strategies and methods to sports fans as to elite competitors or they simply don’t understand the broad range of attitudes and mentalities which are held by their widely varying constituencies. The Sport in Ministry Map is a tool to help one understand and then to design ministry in sport which is best suited to a particular individual or group to be served.
Picture if you will a vertical line intersected at its center by a horizontal line (like a graph from algebra). Our vertical axis is a continuum related to the process of evangelism, coming to Christ and the process of discipleship, growing in Christ. We’ll assign numerical values to this axis from -10 at the bottom to +10 at the top with the point Zero marking the point of conversion, the moment when one commits his or her life to Christ Jesus. At each digit in upward movement, the person is moving toward knowing Jesus personally and then growing more deeply in relationship with Him. This is an adaptation of the Engel Scale of Spiritual Decision Making Process by Dr. James Engel and is explained in detail in “Changing the Mind of Missions” by James Engel and William Dyrness.
The horizontal axis is also a continuum related to one’s approach to sport. At the extreme left are those who aren’t even aware of sport at all. It’s simply not a part of their life experience. Just inside them, one notch to the right is the Spectator. Spectators occupy stadium seats, watch sport on the television and their approach to sport is purely second hand. They watch others who compete. Just to the right of the Spectator is the Novice. The Novice is simply new to the sport, whether he be a five year old playing soccer (football) for the first time or a thirty-five year old who just bought golf clubs yesterday. They are both new to the game. They have a different perspective than the Spectator, simply because they are actually engaged in playing the sport first hand. To the right of the Novice, just to the left of center, is the Leisure participant. This person could be involved in sport for a number of reasons including recreation, fitness, health benefits or even just for pure enjoyment. Let’s summarize this side of the horizontal continuum with the thought that for the Spectator, Novice and Leisure participant, their approach is Recreational in nature. Sport is not central to their lives and they do not identify themselves by their participation in sport.
As we continue to move across the horizontal continuum, just to the right of center is a mindset we’ll call Player. This person may not be any more skilled or highly performing as the Leisure participant, but his mentality is much different. He or she will spend much more mental energy in preparation for competition and much more time in reflection and analysis after the game is over. Competition is personal to them. To perform well is to feel better about himself and to perform poorly assaults her sense of well-being. Just to the Player’s right is a set of competitors we’ll call Elite. This person has all the qualities of the Player, but with added pressure and expectations. Often the added pressure is from within as Elite performers know they are more gifted and feel the responsibilities to their team to their coaches, parents and even to God. The Elite competitor finds himself making more sacrifices for his sport, shaping lifestyle choices and even relationships to support his sport performance. At the extreme right of the sport continuum is the High Profile participant in sport. This person has all the qualities of the Player and Elite performer, but has the added encumbrances of fame, loss of privacy, heightened scrutiny by fans and media and much more. The Player, Elite and High Profile competitors are in sport to achieve highly and not for recreation. Rather than seeking fun or fitness in sport, they’re seeking to perform at their best and to achieve all they can. These three approaches to sport identify themselves strongly by their performances in each practice, competition and over their careers.
The point to this article, simply an introduction to the Sport in Ministry Map, is to be sure we all see the differences in approach that people have toward sport and toward spiritual matters. One who is yet to trust Christ and in fact doesn’t even believe in spiritual matters at all will have a much different approach to life than will a person who is thirty years along in his life with Jesus. The same is true on the horizontal continuum as the spectator holding his television remote control while sitting in his easy chair has a much different approach to sport as does the elite competitor whose life is in turmoil as he’s scoring below average, is battling an injury and fears that his career may be near its end. The map helps us determine what sorts of ministry are most appropriate for each one, team or group related to both their spiritual condition and their approach to sport. One size does not fit all.
Please walk along with me as I try to unpack the riches I have found and continue to employ in ministry with the men and women of sport. I hope it is of value to you.
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