Below is a brief article written by one of our
colleagues from the United Kingdom. This article by Rev. Jon Bergen was
published in the Brechin Advertiser. Rev. Bergen is one of the growing
number of sport chaplains affiliated with Sport Chaplaincy U. K. Please give
his thoughts a read. He does a great job of keeping sports results in the
proper perspective.
Published on the 07 October, 2013 06:34
Well, as much
as it feels like it might just want to be summer for a wee while longer it is
becoming obvious that fall is here.
The leaves are
changing, last week of school before the Tattie Holidays and I was away for my
Sports Chaplaincy UK conference.
It was, as
usual, a longish sort of journey down to North Hampton to meet up with 100 plus
sport chaplains to discuss and learn about a wide variety of issues dealing
with sport and how chaplaincy plays a part in many different parts of the lives
of those who love, play or both in the sports world.
I have had some
suggest that Christianity is not part of the sporting world and I suspect that
it isn’t on the day-to-day conscience of many that play or watch.
But I am also
reminded that the Apostle Paul loved sport and used several images of sport in
his letters to the various churches.
I am reminded
in a book by Peter Lupson, ‘Thank God For Football’, that much of the early
days of football was founded by churches/priests/ministers as a way to keep
young lads out of trouble. Sadly that connection has been a bit lost in these
more recent years.
A mate of mine
that was at the conference is also a minister in the Heathrow area and heads up
a group call Christians in football.
We had the
annual draw for the churches’ cup and trophy tournament schedule and we talked
about the various views of the guys playing for the over 100 teams involved and
the impact of chaplaincy and the Christian ethos in their lives.
It was also
good to just sit and chat at meals and breaks with other guys that love sport
and Jesus at the same time, and realise I am not a lone nutter out here in
Angus.
So, ok, back to
Paul as he writes about sport in the Epistles. He makes a case for doing things
with a goal
of greatness of effort.
I am reminded
often that God never called us to success but rather faithfulness and so to me
that involves doing our best and Paul says in Philippians 3:12-14: “Not that I have
already attained (achieved), or am already perfected; but I press on, that I
may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren,
I do not count myself to have apprehended (arrived); but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things
which are ahead, I press toward the goal
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
This speaks of
effort and endeavour not about result as such.
A win is
wonderful in sport. But I have since learning about proper football learned
that a draw can also be a great joy or disappointment.
In Ayr, BCFC
got a 2-2 draw that was almost as good as an outright win.
But last
Saturday’s 1-1 draw was a disappointment as there were chances missed and
effort not as good as the week before.
In order for
the team to come back in the coming weeks they will have to put the past into
the past and make the effort needed.
So it is with
our lives as well. We have to think beyond where we are and ‘press toward the
prize’.
Praying that
I’m pressing toward the right prize,
Rev. Jon Bergen
Brechin Baptist
Fellowship
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