This week I sent the manuscript for a new book
titled, Free to Compete – Reflections on Sport from a Christian Perspective,
to my publisher, Cross Training Publishing. I am excited about this project and
I hope it is of value to you and to others who serve men and women of sport
around the globe. (ISBN:
978-1-938254-15-4 paperback 176 pages)
This is
an excerpt from the Introduction:
“In
these weekly emails, now numbering over two hundred fifty, I have sought to
take a Biblical and objective approach to sport, to sports culture, to ministry
in sport, and to ministry with the men and women of sport. Some of it reads
like social commentary as I write about the culture of sport. Some of it reads
like analysis as I make observations about trends in sports ministry around the
world. Some of it reads like instruction as I reflect upon the most important
values in serving the people of sport. “
“I
aim to write with as broad a perspective as I am able. I am conscious of my
audience’s global nature, but confess that I am quite limited by my central USA
background and limited travel. I always seek to reflect the Lord Jesus’ view of
sport and the people who live, work, and experience life in it.”
Free
to Compete will soon be available directly from Cross Training Publishing (308)
293-3891 (www.crosstrainingpublishing.com)
in paperback and via Kindle ebook. (FCA staff may buy at a 40% discount and pay
via org transfer.) It will also be available through FCA Gear and retailers
like Barnes and Noble and Amazon as well.
Comments on Free to Compete
“Roger Lipe has a
unique ability to comment on sport with
a Christian frame of
reference. He takes Christ seriously and takes
sport seriously,
helping the readers to process their sports experience
in the light of the
Bible.”
J Stuart Weir
Executive Director -
Verite Sport (United Kingdom)
“Roger Lipe has an
exceptional gift for navigating the issues
commonly found in the
world of sport and skillfully connecting them
to the truth of
scripture in a clear, compelling way. His decades of
experience as a
minister to athletes and coaches has provided him
with the wisdom to
speak with authority into a sports culture that
desperately needs the
truth found in God’s unchanging word.”
Jeff Martin
Exec. Vice President
of Ministry Programs and Resources
Fellowship of
Christian Athletes (USA)
“Aussie athletes and
chaplains love Roger’s approach to personal
development in sport!
He nails it culturally when it comes to
God’s Word speaking
to the heart of real issues in Sports on identity,
character and life.
He’s a kind of Muhammad Ali of sports writers.
Graceful as a
butterfly, stings like a… His bold, honest and gracefilled
reflections help
sharpen anyone’s pursuit of excellence in faith
and sport – drawing
them closer to Jesus.”
Cameron Butler -
National Director
Sports
Chaplaincy Australia
Section I-Reflections on Life in Sport -
You are Free! 11
Sports Liars 13
“O Lord, Help Us Win
Today.” 17
Fear of Failure 21
Integrated or
Compartmentalized? 23
Notes on Team Travel
25
The Field of
Competition is Holy Ground 27
Reality Check 33
For Whom Are You
Playing? 35
Resignation 39
Developing Emerging
Sports Leaders 41
What is the Measure
of a Coach? 43
High Profile / High
Peril 47
Lessons From Tragedy
49
Taming the Tongue 51
Hyper-Average 55
True Identity 57
Which Culture is
Holier? 61
Amateurism vs.
Professionalism 65
Jesus as Good Luck
Charm 67
“I got fired
yesterday.” 69
What the Heart Loves,
the Will Chooses & the Mind Justifies
Introduction 71
Performance Enhancing
Drugs 73
The Win At All Costs
Ethic in Sport 77
Racism in Sport 81
Abuse of Players 85
How Faith Becomes
Divisive in a Sport Team 89
Integrity
Related to Coaches’ and Competitors’ Contracts 93
Section II-Reflections on Ministry in Sport-
A Biblical View of
Participation in Sport 99
Highly Committed, But
Irreligious 105
The Sport Chaplains’
Dirty Little Secret 107
Don’t Act Like a Fan
109
Through What Lens Do
You View Sport? 111
Ministry To or
Through Sportspeople? 113
Prominent or Obscure
117
Loyalty 119
Intuition 121
Time Management 123
Extravagant Love vs.
Benign Tolerance 125
Mentoring People in
Sport 127
What Can We Learn
From a Tattoo? 131
Coaching Staff
Transitions 133
Game Day Devotions
135
Economy of
Opportunity 137
Sports Ministry and
Celebrity Culture 139
The Richest Man I
Know 141
The Significance of
Sport Chaplains & Character Coaches 145
Service vs.
Superiority 147
Sport as Worship 149
Celebrity vs.
Obscurity 153
Guidelines for
Interaction with Coaches & Competitors 155
Misapplication of
Scripture in Sports Ministry 157
Sport Culture-Live in
It 161
Present vs. Prominent
163
Foolish Comparisons
165
Dynamic Ministry 167
Dan
Callahan vs. Cancer 169
More
comments:
“Roger Lipe is an
excellent communicator. He shares a heart of
compassion and truth
in such a way that you will be drawn to learn
more about the Savior
he serves and the Kingdom goals he inspires.
Each article is worth
the time to not only read for yourself, but to
share with others!”
Bill Houston
Director, Chaplains Roundtable
Ministry & Co-Host of Sports Spectrum Radio
Grand Rapids,
Michigan (USA)
“Roger Lipe’s vast
experience in sports ministry and his passion for
mentoring others
makes this compilation of articles invaluable to
men and women serving
Christ in the world of sport. Each entry will
cause you to rethink
and reevaluate your daily walk with Jesus and
how you minister to
others. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from
a seasoned leader in
sports ministry!”
Stephanie Zonars
Team Building Coach
(USA)
"To regularly
sit in a place of worship centered on the teachings of
Christ will produce a
quiet self-confidence to handle any and all pressures
of life, whether as
an athlete or in any other of life’s walks.”
Carl Erskine
Brooklyn
and Los Angeles Dodgers 1948–1959 (USA)
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