Onward Christian Athletes - Part 4

Partners in Ministry,

This is the fourth in a series of five articles related to the recently released book, “Onward Christian Athletes – Turning Ballparks into Pulpits and Players into Preachers.” It is written by Tom Krattenmaker and published by Rowman and Littlefield. I have read and re-read the book in order to learn what I can from its pages. I would recommend that you buy a copy and read it yourself. This week’s notes will deal with chapters 7 and 8.

Chapter 7 – For God, Country, and the Republican Party: The Conservative Politics of Jesus’ Pro Sports Warriors
Chapter 8 – Domesticated Christianity: The Political Acquiescence of African American Christians in Sports

In these two chapters the author writes almost exclusively about political issues and the alignment he sees between Evangelical Christian sports people and Conservative Republican politics. He speaks in politically correct tones about the issue of homosexuality in the sports world as raised by Nebraska Football Coach Ron Brown in “Sharing the Victory” magazine. While many of us deal with the issue in private ways, Coach Brown is one of the very few to address it in a public forum, thus drawing the author’s scrutiny and enflaming some opinions.

Like most who claim political correctness as the central tenet of their secular faith, the author calls for tolerance toward every opinion and every lifestyle. Evangelical Christians tend to value love over tolerance and such love leads us to challenge and correct certain behaviors which God condemns and are often harmful to those practicing them. Tolerance is too easy, too benign and too indifferent given Christ’s command to love Him and to love each other.

The author again sees direct correlation between the matters which Evangelical Sports Ministries report and the results which best motivate their donors. Again I would say that in many cases he is right. We often report matters which are incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to measure. For example – if the potential donor is most concerned about salvations among sports people, the author believes that sports ministries will report, and by inference embellish, their ministry’s results in evangelistic presentations. His indictment is that we simply market our ministries to donors by telling them what they want to hear. We must be clear in our motives and reflect Christ-honoring integrity in how we report the results of our ministry. I have personally been uncomfortable for years in reporting numbers “reached,” a terribly vague statistic. It’s one thing to report how many people checked a box re: making a decision to trust Christ and it’s quite another to report how many committed their lives to Jesus. That may be better reported after years of observing of a transformed life.

The author quotes John White (former Athletes In Action staffer) and his estimate that 90% of AIA and Fellowship of Christian Athletes staff people favor the Republican Party. While John is intelligent and insightful, this is purely his opinion with no basis in fact and quoting him just to make a point is presumptuous of the author.

The author goes on to list, by name, a number of sports ministry leaders, who have direct ties to political issues and to people who represent political causes. He points to these causes being exclusively associated with the Conservative wing of the Republican Party. He also lists foundations and other donors who generously support both sports ministries and political causes. What the author sees as nefarious association or even conspiracy, the sports ministries see as alignment of values between themselves and the donors.

The author strongly indicts prominent Christian African American sports figures for abandoning their brothers and sisters as they choose to represent Christ Jesus in public rather than to appeal for issues like racial equality in the sports world and beyond. He implies that these players and coaches have sold out in their adoption of the Conservative Christian political agenda. In his chapter heading, “Domesticated Christianity: The Political Acquiescence of African American Christians in Sports” he stops just short of calling these people house n------s. I was offended at his assertions because I know a number of the people he mentions, some listed by name, and have observed their character and convictions.

The author claims that sports ministries have failed to adequately address racism within and without the world of sport. I would say that he is right. Especially if one measures as the author does, by what is discussed in the public arena. Many of us work on this issue in our own local ministries, in our communities and in concert with others around the country. These efforts seldom make the newspapers or television broadcasts because we are not seeking the media spotlight. Consequently, most of those outside the sports community, like the author don’t know it’s even happening. I personally prefer this more direct and humble way to the self-serving, media driven way which is the province of the author.

In one section the author quotes a university professor’s indictment of white Pentecostal preachers and what he referred to as “Word Churches.” The author mistakenly thinks that “Word Church” refers to all churches who hold tightly to the authority of Scripture. That phrase actually refers to a narrow section of Evangelical Christianity which believes that our words have creative power similar to that with which Christ spoke all of Creation into existence. The author’s ignorance of Christian culture is obvious here and it assaults the credibility of his argument.

The author strongly condemns Coach Tony Dungy (formerly of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts) for speaking at an Indiana Family Rally. He says that his presence alone was an endorsement of all that the organization believes. A number of the issues of import to the author were on the wrong side of a politically correct world view and he implies that Coach Dungy was either inattentive to the issues, foolish for his being there or simply a puppet of the politically powerful.

Finally, the author says that many African American coaches and players have eschewed their blackness in order to gain the favor of powerful white men. He says that they have been domesticated by adopting the values and politics of the Evangelical Christians. He is accusing them of abandoning their race in the pursuit of fame, riches and social standing. By joining “The Lord’s side,” as described by Coach Dungy, the author says they have in effect left their brothers’ side. If find this assertion utterly repulsive and insulting to the African American men and women I have known and with whom I have worked.

In summary, I found it difficult and even distasteful to review these two chapters. However, we must have the courage and wisdom to hear our detractors and to learn from their observations, even if sometimes misunderstanding or poorly informed. Let’s resolve to consider these matters, to evaluate and to either adjust or affirm our ways to most accurately reflect the ways of the Lord we love. Let’s not be pushed around by the capricious ways of the general culture or its barking dog, mass media.