Thanks for your prayers!

Thank you to everyone who prayed for our work in Indianapolis last week. We were privileged to gather a great team of men and women from India, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and from the USA they came in from Missouri, Michigan, North Carolina, Indiana, and Illinois. We worked long hours and experienced a tremendous amount of unity as we collaborated on a basic, introductory training course for sports chaplains that will be delivered in six one hour sessions. I am forever indebted to this excellent set of men and women for their excellent contributions and their loving partnership.

We received tremendous contributions from these organizations as well:

Traders Point Christian Church – Indianapolis, IN – our hosts

Sports Chaplaincy Australia

Sports Chaplains Network - USA

Sports Chaplaincy New Zealand

Sport for Life – Sweden

Sports Chaplaincy United Kingdom

RBC Ministries and www.sport.org – USA

The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

The training will be comprised of a pdf to download which has the strong content of the training, an approximately five minute video to watch that will illustrate the main points of the session, and on screen instructions for the trainee. We worked hard to keep the language very basic as we believe most of our trainees will be second language English speakers. We also aim to keep the documents brief and the video short in duration, being mindful that not everyone on the planet has high speed Internet. We aimed to be user friendly for our friends who are working at old school, dial up Internet speeds.

As we outlined last week, the training consists of these primary categories to be delivered in one hour sessions:

1.   Introduction / Profile of Sportspeople

2.   A Biblical Foundation for Sport Chaplain Ministry

3.   Profile of a Sport Chaplain / Code of Conduct for Sport Chaplains

4.   A Sport Chaplain’s Relationships

5.   Serving as a Sport Chaplain in Critical Incidents and Crises

6.   A Sport Chaplain’s Strategies, Methods, Resources, and a Process for Beginning

A little bit of final editing will be done over the next few weeks to gain continuity of format, page design, etc. and to check spelling, grammar, and other items of detail. We aim to do this with excellence.

I will be presenting the content of our work during the InSport meetings of our Sports Ministry network during meetings in Orlando, FL in November. Once it is finalized, approved, and then loaded onto the website, I will be sure to inform you of the address. We would then be thrilled to have you include it in your training, to link to it from your web site, and to use it in other ways that benefit the growth of this sort of ministry around the world. 

Please join us in Prayer

Please join me in prayer for the very important meetings that will take place in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA next week. From Monday through Friday, a number of men and women from all around the world will be gathered at Traders Point Christian Church to gather, assemble, simplify, and prepare a set of training materials that will set a global standard for the most basic training for people to serve as Sport Chaplains.

This training material will be hosted on-line with a set of instructions (on pdf) to read, some on screen information to lead the process, and a video for each section which informs, inspires, and illustrates the written material.

A general outline for the materials is below. Please pray that we may present something that is worthy of Christ Jesus, is respectful of a wide spectrum of sport and cultural distinctions, and is easily understood from anywhere on the planet. Thanks.

Six one hour sessions of training material in these categories:

1.   Introduction / Profile of Sportspeople

2.   A Biblical Foundation for Sport Chaplain Ministry

3.   Profile of a Sport Chaplain / Code of Conduct for Sport Chaplains

4.   A Sport Chaplain’s Relationships, Attitudes, and Presence

5.   Serving as a Sport Chaplain in Critical Incidents and Crises

6.   A Sport Chaplain’s Strategies, Methods, Resources, and a Process for Beginning 

Ministry in European Athletics (Track and Field)

Stuart Weir of Verité Sport in the United Kingdom has a unique way of serving sportspeople as a chaplain. He works in the twin roles of sports journalist and sports chaplain in the world of athletics (track and field for us Yanks). Last week Stuart sent me a note that I thought had insight worth sharing with you. I hope it is of value to you and to those you serve.

Roger

The longer I do this ministry in Track and Field - with no official role of status but with:

1. Opportunity to lead 8 Bible Studies at events this year;

2. Literally 100s of conversations

3. Unofficial recognition and encouragement by British Athletics...

The more I recognize the importance of knowing when to be there and when to leave.  Much of my work involves sitting in hotel receptions (lobbies).  Knowing when to leave, when I have stopped ministering and have become a pain - ie athletes feel they have to talk to me to entertain me, is very important.

Just a thought

Stuart

J Stuart Weir

19 The Glebe

Cumnor

Oxford

OX2 9QA

+44 1865 864265

Mob +44 7710 800539

www.veritesport.org

More Prayer in Sport

It’s been a month since I first wrote about the lack of models for prayer that we have offered the people of sport. Rather than just bemoan this fact, I have begun to write some such prayers about various matters, situations, and issues in sport which I have prayed and believe we need to present models for prayer. Please send along your comments, suggestions, and editing remarks. A few new prayers are below for your review or even to pass along to those you serve.

Prayer for off-season training:

Father,

The season seems like it is so distant that my flesh tempts me with idle thoughts of leisure.

My heart longs to compete and my body needs to train.

Please fuel my entire being with energy, passion, and strength for this session of training.

Fill my mind with visions of victory, my soul with the rhythm of powerful movement, and my heart with worshipful, exhilarating expression of Your worth.

I pray in Jesus' strong name,

Amen.

Prayer for an injured teammate:

Father,

My teammate is injured and I confess my shock, fear, and utter helplessness.

Please minimize his pain, heal his body, and restore him to compete again.

Please be very near to him in these moments of alienation and fear.

I commit my teammate; body, mind, and spirit, to Your lovingkindness.

Amen.

Half-time prayer:

Father,

Half of this day's competition in (sport) is complete.

Thank you for carrying my teammates and me through it.

I confess the sin that was revealed in it and I seek to do better in the next half.

Please enable my coaches and teammates to adjust well, to be refreshed, and to experience another half of (sport) in Your honor, surrounded

by Your presence.

Amen.

Prayer during time outs:

Father,

As competition has paused, my heart will rest, my mind will refresh, and my spirit will be renewed.

I return to compete powerfully, to serve selflessly, and to lead fearlessly.

Amen.

Post-game prayer:

Father,

Thank you for today's competition.

Thank you for energizing my effort, renewing my mind, inhabiting my spirit, and receiving my effort as an act of worship.

I confess the sin You revealed as I competed.

I release the results, my performance, and tonight's rest and recovery to Your gracious care.

Amen.

Prayer for renewed strength:

Almighty Father,

My legs feel rubbery and my back is sore.

My arms hang down and my shoulders slump.

Please infuse me with Your strength.

Please restore power to my body, mind, and spirit.

You are the strength of my life and my portion forever.

I commit all that I am and all that I have to You.

In Jesus' strong name I pray,

Amen.

Prayer for approaching a stressful moment:

Wise and Gracious Father,

Thank you for the way that (sport) tests all that I am.

These next hours will stress all that I profess to believe and to practice.

Please renew my heart to strongly serve You and Your purposes at every moment.

I commit this day, its competition, its stress, and its results to You.

I rest in Your peace and stride ahead in Your confidence.

Amen.

Prayer to process a poor play or a disappointing performance:

Father,

I am not pleased with my most recent performance in (sport).

I confess the sin and weakness that was exposed by my reaction to failure.

I affirm the security of heart the and peace of mind afforded by Your love, grace, and mercy.

I am presently and eternally reminded that my identity is found in relationship with You.

I commit myself to continuing development as a competitor and as a follower of Christ.

In Jesus' strong name I pray.

Amen.

Prayer after a satisfying performance:

Father in Heaven,

Thank You for this most satisfying experience in (sport).

I know I was surrounded Your presence throughout the contest

I am pleased with the results, but find more satisfaction in the whole process.

I sense Your hand in the preparation and in the competition..

Thank You for my rich and fulfilling life in (sport).

Amen.

Prayer after a bitter defeat:

Father,

Losing like this is painful and leaves a bitter taste in our mouths.

Failures like this threaten to rob us of the joy and satisfaction we love about (sport).

Please restore my heart, my body, and my mind.

Help us learn from this defeat and return to compete again.

Please return to us the passion for and fulfillment of our lives in (sport).

Amen.

Prayer for one's coaches:

Father,

Thank you for providing wise, skilled, and inspirational coaches for our team.

I respect their authority, trust their judgment, and affirm their leadership.

May they coach strongly, lead compassionately, and compete courageously.

May my teammates and I exemplify loyalty, passion, and teamwork as we follow our coaches.

I pray in Jesus' strong name.

Amen.