God's Team at Ephesus

During my annual study retreat I wrote a verse by verse, inductive study of the Epistle to the Ephesians as viewed through the lens of sports teams. The first session of 12 is below. If you would like a copy of the study, simply email me at lipe@earthlink.net and I’ll send you a pdf copy.

 

God’s Team at Ephesus

An inductive study of Paul’s Epistle to

the Ephesians through the lens of sport teams.

Session 1- Your Position on God’s Team

1) Read Ephesians chapter 1, verses 1-14 aloud and pray together.

2) How does the author describe himself and those to whom he’s writing in verses 1 and 2?

3) Where was Ephesus and what kind of a city was it?

4) According to verses 3 and 4 how did we gain our positions on God’s team?

5) What is the difference between being chosen for this team versus our choosing to join God’s team?

6) What was the timing and purpose for which we were chosen?

7) From what you read in verses 5 and 6, what has God’s grace accomplished in us?

8) Verses 7 through 10 describe further accomplishments of God’s grace in us. Let’s make a list of what has been done.

9) In verses 7 through11, we hear details of our inheritance.

a. From whom does a person receive an inheritance?

b. On what basis is it received?

c. Who were “the first to hope in Christ” mentioned here?

d. Who are the people he addresses as “you also” in verse 13?

e. What is the common result of both groups having heard and believed the gospel?

f. How is the Holy Spirit a pledge of our inheritance?

10) Thoughts for contemplation and application:

a. How does knowing God chose you for His team affect your sense of belonging to Him?

b. Which of the accomplishments of God’s grace listed in verses 7 through 10 do you sense most strongly in your life? Which seem most remote to you?

c. How can we best reflect our position on God’s team and our inheritance this week?



Innovative Ministry at the Olympic Games

Throughout these Olympic Games, my friend and colleague from the UK, Stuart Weir has been sending daily devotional readings to a wide number of competitors in his network from the UK and beyond. These have been heartily received and many are forwarded to other competitors, coaches and friends. I was privileged to contribute to this project with 22 submissions which Stuart tailored to fit his format. One such installment is below.

 

Let’s consider new and innovative ways to deliver the hope of the Gospel in the language of sport. Please check out Stuart’s ministry at this web site: http://www.veritesport.org

 

Help

And so, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place. Acts 26:22

 

Have you ever had a sense that God was helping you as you competed? Do you remember having healed from an injury more quickly than normal? Have you obtained help from God? Have you told anyone about it?

 

Here is Paul in chains before the people who could free him or could send him on to Rome and ultimate death. What does He talk about? He speaks of how God has helped him and how Jesus is the fulfillment of everything spoken by the prophets and Moses. Has your relationship with Christ so changed your life that it consumes your conversation with both great and small?

 

Let's join Paul in speaking of the times in which we've sensed the Lord's help. Times of recovery from injury, grief from a friend's death, hope in the midst of despair, displays of power when you feel weak.

 

As you pray and prepare today, ask the Lord for His help. He is ever present. Ask Him also for the opportunity to speak of Him to both the great and the small. He will be honored by your witness, as He was by Paul's.

 

Written by Roger Lipe; used by permission

 

J Stuart Weir

Executive Director

Verite Sport

19 The Glebe

Cumnor

Oxford

OX2 9QA

Tel +44 (0) 1865 864265

Mobile +44 (0) 7710 800539

http://www.veritesport.org



Sports Chaplains at the Olympic Games

This week’s notes feature info from our friends and colleagues of Christians in Sport in the United Kingdom. http://www.christiansinsport.org.uk Please continue to pray for the chaplains serving at the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London.

 

Andrew Wingfield Digby's Olympic prayer update :

 

Andrew Wingfield Digby, Vicar at St Andrew's Church Oxford and founder of Christians in Sport, reports back from the Olympic Park, where he and his team of international Christian chaplains are serving at the 2012 Games.

 

The team, working 8 hour ‘shifts’ in the village, will be on hand to encourage and pray with those in the village, lead Bible studies, cope with any pastoral crises and hold daily services and prayer meetings in the chapel. They will also have approved resources to give to enquirers.

 

Sunday 29th July 2012

 

'The Chaplains have been hard at work in the Village this week making contacts and seeking those divine appointments e.g. I introduced myself by chance to a young athlete who trains with a friend who attends St Andrew's.

 

Several International Chaplains are holding Bible studies with believers in different national teams. We are also contacting the countries which have brought their own chaplain with them e.g. Poland and South Korea.

 

There is a steady stream of visitors to the multi faith centre, not least muslims as Ramadan has begun. I am preaching at the main Christian service today (Sunday 29th) at 8.30am, when a significant number of athletes and officials are expected. Lovely chat with Tom Daley's great rival in the diving - a lad from the US who is a believer.'

 

Sunday 22nd July 2012

 

'The International Chaplains have all arrived and are so grateful to St Andrew's Church for their financial support especially those from Africa, Latin America and India. Training and accreditation is complete and duties in the Village have begun. My first duty will be Monday 7am (23rd July). Please pray that we can serve the Games effectively, be faithful ambassadors for Christ and bring His love and compassion to the Village in an appropriate way.'

Sport Chaplains at the Olympic Games

Today marks the official beginning of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London with the Opening Ceremony this evening. Among the thousands of people in the Olympic Village throughout the event is a collection of our colleagues from around the globe. There are sports chaplains, carefully selected from a wide variety of ethnic, national and sport backgrounds, speaking many different languages and from both genders, who are officially recognized by the London Organizing Committee and provided uniforms and credentials. They work through the Olympic Village’s Religious Services Center and have already been in London for over a week. They will also stay beyond the Olympic Games to serve in the Paralympic Games.

 

Please pray for these, our colleagues and fellow-servants, as they serve our Lord and the people in sport in these days of exhilarating triumph, painful defeat and even crippling despair. Some of these people were themselves Olympic competitors in past years and are thereby uniquely qualified to speak to the hearts of competitors, coaches and support staff.

 

Solomon Gacece (Kenya)

Xavier Bharath (India)

Koffi ‘Magloire’ Pilabana (Togo)

Karen Zando (USA)

Silas Ngong (Cameroon)

Kjell Marksett (Norway)

Ashley Null (USA)

Nett Knox (Australia)

Ingrid Loya (Mexico)

Ross Georgiou (New Zealand)

Ruben Fernandez (Spain)

Madeline Manning Mims (USA)

Bettina Schellenberger (Germany)

Alex Ribeiro (Brazil)

Carl Dambman (Russia)

Cristobel Chamale (Guatamala)

Johnny Yiu (Hong Kong China)

Paul Kobylarz (USA)

Armenio Anjos (Portugal)

Redemptive Relationships

Below is the first of a twelve session discussion guide for groups regarding Jesus’ relationships with various individuals, groups and more from the Gospel of Mark. It is written to help sportspeople observe Jesus Christ’s interaction with these people and to thereby inform their relationships. If you would like a copy of the study, simply reply to this email and I’ll be pleased to send it to you directly. I hope it serves you well.

Redemptive Relationships

An inductive study of Jesus’ relationships with individuals,

groups and more from the Gospel of Mark.

Session 1


1) Read Mark chapter 1 aloud and pray together.


2) How would you describe the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth as seen in verses 1-11? What kind of a man does John seem to be?


3) In verses 9-12 a remarkable event unfolds.


a. What do you perceive about Jesus’ relationship with God the Father and The Holy Spirit?


b. How do they respond to Jesus’ baptism?


c. How does Satan respond to Jesus’ emergence upon the scene?


d. Why is it important that Jesus was tested in this way?


4) What ideas are central to Jesus’ message to those around His home town in verses 14 and 15?


a. How would people in your home town respond to you if you said similar things?


5) How does Jesus go about recruiting his first followers in verses 16-20?


a. How do they respond to Him?


b. How would you describe these men?


6) How did people in Capernaum respond to Jesus’ teaching in verses 21-28?


7) How does it seem that Jesus nurtures His relationship with God the Father? See verse 35.


a. Who goes looking for Jesus and interrupts His solitude?


b. How does Jesus respond to Simon’s interruption in verses 36-39?


8) How does Jesus treat this leper in verses 42-45?


a. How does the man respond to Jesus?


b. Why would Jesus give him this stern warning?


c. How well did the man comply with the warning?

9) Thoughts for contemplation and application: How do these snapshots of Jesus’ relationships inform your relationships with;

a. Those who have preceded you, such as:


i. Big brothers and sisters?


ii. Veteran teammates?


iii. Alumni from your sport program?


b. God the Father and the Holy Spirit?


c. Jesus’ first followers among your teammates, family and circle of friends?


d. Satan and all who would interfere with God’s plan for your life?

Sport Chaplain Video Presentations

During the 2010 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sport Chaplains Conference in Kansas City, Missouri we were able to videotape a number of presentations and to post the videos on line. Below are links to each. The first five feature Dr. John Ashley Null outlining the Foundations of Sport Chaplaincy. The final two presentations are about wise use of technology in your ministry in sport and building community among your sports team. The last one being shared by Johnny Shelton from Virginia Tech University.

 

I pray these videos are of value to you, your ministry with sportspeople and your colleagues.

 

Foundations of Sport Chaplaincy - Parts 1 - 5, Dr. John Ashley Null:

http://vimeo.com/15621759  

http://vimeo.com/15621914  

http://vimeo.com/15622205  

 

http://vimeo.com/15622985  

 

http://vimeo.com/15623372  

 

Using Technology in Sports Ministry - Roger Lipe:

http://vimeo.com/14083097

Building Community in Your Team - Johnny Shelton:

http://vimeo.com/14330509

Write down your thoughts, please.

What is the value of writing down one’s thoughts? How does the process of writing shape one’s ministry? About what would one write if he or she was so inclined? Is there anything unique about writing to a particular audience? How does today’s technology affect the process? While I won’t pretend to answer all these questions today, they are all worthy of your thought and consideration for action.

 

In the big picture, translating one’s thoughts to print enables them to be shared much more broadly around the world and beyond even one’s lifetime. When we read our Bibles we’re thinking the thoughts of men from thousands of years ago. Suppose you’re the prophet Obadiah, the faithful and less flashy contemporary of Elijah. His book is one page. That’s one more page than you or I will secure in the Holy writ. Suppose you’re Philemon, the wealthy friend of the Apostle Paul from Colossae, a letter Paul penned to you is read by Jesus’ followers almost two millennia later. Many of the most profound works of literature across the ages have very humble origins.

 

Please take a stab at writing down your thoughts, talk outlines, ideas and ramblings. The process is helpful in the formation of ideas and could prove to be of tremendous value to your family, friends, coaches, competitors and all those whom you influence.

 

Below is the process I’ve used for years to both write devotional thoughts for people in sport and to form talks with such people. I hope it is of some value to you.

 

Devotion / Chapel Talk Writing Process Outline

 

1) Study and pray

    a. Devotional reading

    b. Personal study of Scripture

    c. Sport related books and periodicals

    d. See the sport related situations in Bible texts

        i. Game-day situations in competition

        ii. Player to player relationship dynamics

        iii. Player / coach relationship dynamics

        iv. Leadership issues

        v. Pain / injury / loss / isolation

        vi. Victory / passion / excitement / community

        vii. Teamwork vs. individualism

        viii. Work ethic / sacrifice

        ix. Respect for coaches, teammates, opponents, officials

        x. Personal development

    e. Identify particular texts and their sport related “front doors.”

    f. Simply outline scriptural applications of the scripture to the sport situations.

2) Write and pray

    a. Develop a question or a series of questions related to the “front door” which will help the reader to recall an experience from his/her life in sport.

    b. Within the opening paragraph, write a sentence which builds a bridge from the sport situation in the chosen text of scripture to the “front door” situation which it illustrates.

    c. In a new paragraph, insert the Bible text in quotes and then paraphrase it in sport vernacular if it seems necessary or helpful.

    d. In a new paragraph, insert the simple outline of application points directly to the sport situation.

    e. Summarize in a final paragraph including a suggestion for prayer.

3) Notes

    a. Write in light of your readers and their particular sport culture.

    b. Write with a clear understanding of the mode of delivery. (Will this be read privately, read out loud or delivered by a speaker?)

    c. Communicate respect and passion for the sport as well as for the scripture. Help them love God and compete greatly.