Ministry at the Final Four and Moldova / Ukraine

During the recent NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four and its accompanying NABC Convention in New Orleans, three sports ministries serving the basketball coaching community each had a booth in the exhibition hall and they collaborated to host several ministry events. Athletes in Action, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Nations of Coaches worked together on the events which included a meeting for coaches’ wives on Thursday evening, a Coaches Edge event on Friday afternoon, a Sunday morning worship service, and then a Coaches and Spouses marriage luncheon on Sunday afternoon.

One of our colleagues, Coach Terry Murphy of FCA Ukraine, was hoping to be in attendance, but was in Moldova. His changes were all abruptly changed on Thursday 24 February when Russia began shelling Ukraine and then invaded the nation. Coach Terry sent me a message one day saying, “We’re headed to the bomb shelter right now. I’ll talk with you tomorrow.” I was just hoping there would be a tomorrow. In a couple of days he, his wife, and mother were on the way to the Ukraine/Moldova border. He sent me a message as they were into their 25th hour at the border, a process that eventually took 30 hours to complete.

As I have been sending Psalms to my Ukrainian friends daily by WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, Coach Terry and I were in touch daily. Along the way we discussed the possibility of his coming to New Orleans for the Final Four. This is the place to look for coaching jobs, and as he’s planning to return to the USA to find a job, it would be perfect timing. However…war.

Coach Terry said he had decided to stay in Moldova to help relief supplies get into Ukraine and to help Ukrainians get out. I was stunned by his selfless attitude, sacrificial love for these people, and his courage to stay and serve. He and others load up vans with relief materials, drive them hours to the Ukrainian border, meet Ukrainians with their vans, transfer the materials, then the Ukrainians drive double digit hours to embattled and largely destroyed Ukrainian cities. I am very proud to know Coach Terry Murphy.

During the Final Four weekend in New Orleans, I was pleased to have Coach Terry join us via Zoom. At the Coaches Edge (4:00 pm New Orleans time, 1:00 am Moldova time) Terry joined us to hear the speakers, and he participated in a discussion at my table with four young basketball coaches. On Sunday morning, Terry and his wife Ruth joined us for worship with my phone propped up against a hand sanitizer dispenser at the rear of the room. They persisted through my repeated and frequent loss of internet connection. I am very proud to know Coach Terry and Ruth Murphy. Ruth has been a part of this season’s Nations of Coaches Wives Bible Studies. She joined each meeting via Zoom from Kyiv, Ukraine.

The persistence through internet issues, the early morning Coaches Edge attendance, and the regular participation in Coaches’ Wives Bible studies speaks to their devotion to Christ, their hunger for fellowship, and their dedication to coaching as a life calling. I pray that Coach Terry and Ruth Murphy serve as a challenge to us, in our relative safety and security. May we each and all strive to serve as selflessly and to love as extravagantly as they do.

Register soon and Call for Papers - 3rd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity

Registration is open for the Third Global Congress on Sport and Christianity in Cambridge, England. It will be held 18-21 August. This will be an outstanding event as it is the only global intersection of the academic and practitioner communities of ministry in sport. Below is a link for registration (booking).

 Book now for The Third Global Congress on Sport and Christianity (3GCSC) at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, Thu 18 Aug 2022 6:00 PM - Sun 21 Aug 2022 1:30 PM (tickettailor.com)

 In addition, you may be someone who has a paper or presentation to offer at the congress. The event’s leadership is really keen for people to speak about their ministries - and especially the challenges of leadership from a practitioner viewpoint - and to find out how academics can better serve the needs of those on the ground. The link below opens to information on how to submit an abstract for submission of a paper or presentation.

 Call for papers: Global Congress on Sport and Christianity - Ridley Hall (cam.ac.uk)

 Thanks. I hope to see you in Cambridge. 

Excellent Ministry in a War Zone

Since the early days of the COVID-19 lockdown in early 2020, I have been serving with some Russian speaking sports chaplains in Eurasia in monthly Zoom discussions about various facets of this ministry. Many of those people are from Ukraine, and recent events have certainly strained their lives. I was both surprised and thrilled when my colleague from Kyiv, Pavel Tian (Pasha), sent me WhatsApp message asking to schedule a meeting in mid-March. My first thought was, “Your nation is at war and being invaded by its neighbor. You are a refugee in Germany at the moment. How can you even think about hosting a meeting?” After gathering myself, I replied, “Outstanding! What shall we have as our topic?” Pasha wrote, “Ministry in times of crisis, difficult circumstances, and the importance of serving.” I wrote, “Perfect.”

On 25 May I prepared a few discussion questions to guide our time together and after greeting our friends, we launched into our Zoom meeting. Joining Pasha and me that day was a collection of amazing people. Our interpreter (best ever) was in the FCA offices in Kansas City, Missouri, one chaplain was in Donetsk, Ukraine (a war zone since 2014), another was in the foothills of the Carpathian mountains in western Ukraine, Pasha (our host) was in Germany, Carl Dambman of Athletes in Action (pioneer of sports ministry in Eurasia for over 40 years) was in Seattle, Washington, and I was in my home office in Carbondale, Illinois.

Our discussion followed this series of questions:

1. How are you serving coaches and players in these trying days?
2. Who is serving you well in this season of life? How are they doing it?
3. What are some ways we can serve our friends, family, coaches, and players in the coming days?

To that final question, my friend and colleague, Andrew Chernenkov of Rivne, Ukraine listed these four simple and brilliant ways of service.

1. Empathize (feel what those you are serving feel).
2. Listen (not just waiting to respond, but intently listen).
3. Help them physically (do what needs to be done, with them).
4. Provide spiritual service (prayer, sharing the gospel, etc.).

Andrew is chaplain to a rugby club, and though displaced due to the war has been in touch with coaches and players of the club by phone. One of the players who had joined the Ukrainian Army was killed in the war. The rugby club coach called Andrew to inform him and to seek his guidance for what he should say at the funeral. Andrew’s love for the player, for the coach, and faithful service of the team made room for all four points of his ways to serve in this painful and grievous season of life.

Andrew’s concise list is most prescient in light of his nation being a war zone, but it also serves us for whom life is a little less perilous. Let’s all commit ourselves to this these imperatives: Empathize, Listen, Help them physically, and Provide spiritual service. These activities are always proper for sports chaplains or character coaches, in times of peace, and in time of war.

End of Season Review with the Head Coach

The end of a sport’s season provides unique challenges and opportunities for ministry with coaches and competitors. There is the obvious finality that comes with the end of players’ careers, the disappointment of goals they failed to achieve, or even the emptiness in the hearts of champions who realize their achievements’ thrills last very briefly and are often followed by emptiness and despair.

The pressure and intensity players feel is even greater for their coaches. For most of them this is a career or a calling, much more than a job. Should they fail to achieve as expected, they stand to be privately criticized, publicly shamed, or fired from their positions.

All of these factors lead to both challenges and opportunities for us who serve them.

For many years of service in sport, one of my best strategies for development of ministry has been to hold an evaluation meeting with the head coach being served. Following are some suggested questions for such a meeting. I would strongly suggest getting an appointment for 15-30 minutes in a place you’re not likely to be interrupted for this meeting.

Ask questions like:

• Coach, with what about our service this season were you pleased?
• What could we do better in serving your team?
• Is there anything you would like us to add to our service?
• Is there anything we should discontinue?
• Would you like to have me serve your team next season?
• What are some ways we could serve you, your staff, and your team in the off-season?
• May I take you and your staff to lunch to say, “thank you”?

I hope these questions and the discussions deepen your relationships with coaches, players, and teams.

Five Commitments of a Godly Man Study Series

A few weeks ago I sent a note with the report from Nations of Coaches Character Coach, Billy Dunn at Lehigh University. In the note he mentioned a series of studies he had been leading title, "The Five Commitments of a Godly Man." Billy sent me a copy of the study and it is below. I hope it serves you well.

The 5 Commitments of a Godly Man

A question that I often face (both personally and in ministry) is this:

How do I become a Godly man? Where do I start? What does it look like? The pursuit of godliness was framed incredibly well by Timothy in the NT:

“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
I Timothy 4:8

His message: Train yourself in "godliness." This requires rigorous self- "discipline." However, Timothy should direct his "discipline" at the development of spiritual, rather than physical, strength. Physical self-discipline ("bodily exercise") has value but

Godly character takes a lifetime to build and a moment to destroy. We are always growing. Always striving. Always learning and the walk to be a Godly man is one step in front of the other…one day at a time.

The temptations we face, plus the pressures we experience, can lure us to deep regret without the discipline of strong character and trusting God to help us do what we cannot do on our own. God helps us, but He expects us to do our part too.

The framework for Becoming a Godly Man.

Study #1
Step Up
Be a man of action. Do not retreat and do not accept neutral. Be the man who believes that this is their time and moment. We live in a world where the need for men to step up in more important than ever. Some will retreat and some will stay neutral but a man pursuing God will STEP UP.

“I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.” – Ezekiel 22:30

The world we live in is faced with a culture that has moved far from God. These are the days where we need more so than ever, for men to step up and be an example of Christ. Don’t wait for someone else to do it, don’t rely on your parents’ faith and commitment…

This is your time.

Study #2
Be A Voice
Silence in the midst of sin is a sin. Be courageous. Fear God, not man. Speak the truth in love.
Words really do matter. Jesus himself says, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:36–37).

Men of God learn to trade careless words for thoughtful ones. While many today speak, text, and tweet whatever they think or feel without a second thought, these men weigh the serious weight of what they say. They speak as if God is listening, because he is.

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. – Proverbs 31:8-9

But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence. – 1 Peter 3:15

Study #3
Guard your heart.
The character that will sustain you for a lifetime of leadership starts with God. The world will pull you in one direction, God draws you back to Himself, and makes the path clear.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Proverbs 4:23-27

Godly character, patterned after Jesus example for us, does not hold perfection over our heads; instead, it places grace and ability in our hearts.

The character that will sustain you for a lifetime of leadership starts with God. The world will pull you in one direction, God draws you back to Himself, and makes the path clear.

“Now behold, I have made you today as a fortified city and as a pillar of iron and as walls of bronze against the whole land, to the kings of Judah, to its princes, to its priests, and to the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 1:18-19

Study #4
Faith Travels- Be Proactive
The practice of pre-making important lifestyle decisions (Being Proactive) can radically alter the trajectory and outcomes of your life. If you wait until you’re at the moment of decision, when the pressure is on and perhaps your discipline or willpower is low, it almost always results in a less than ideal outcome and regret kicks in.

You can pre-make decisions about:
Your budget
How you treat people
Your physical health and regular exercise
How you demonstrate generosity
Your prayer life
Church
What role your faith will

What 3-5 lifestyle decisions can you pre-make so that when you come to them daily, weekly, or monthly, you waste no time deliberating toward success or failure, you just do the smart thing? The practice of pre-making important lifestyle decisions can radically alter the trajectory and outcomes of your life.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:58

STUDY 4.5
Salvation
After the fourth study I actually took time to share the Gospel message with players and basically said that it is impossible to strive to become something that you do not know. You cannot become a trust man of God unless you know God and when you know God you never walk alone…

Romans 3:23
Romans 5:8
Romans 6:23
Romans 10:9-10

Study #5
Stay Humble
One of the great challenges that many of us face in sports is the challenge to stay humble. Most kids dream of the opportunity to play College basketball and you have been given this gift and opportunity and it can be VERY easy to allow pride to take root in our lives. We must fight this and avoid the ways that pride can took a foothold in life.
Be ok with apologizing. Accept responsivity when you make a mistake. Be quick to offer the accolades to your teammates. Be quick to listen. Live with the conviction that your skills are a gift from God and steward them well.

You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:5-7

Report from College Basketball (USA)

 Last week I received the report of a remarkable movement in a men’s college basketball program served by one of my Nations of Coaches colleagues. I asked him to send me more details and he sent me several paragraphs. I’d like to share them with you. We don’t often receive reports like this one. Please give it a read and be encouraged. I have omitted the names of the character coach and the university so as to not overexpose them.

Serving as a character coach for a Division 1 Men’s Basketball program brings me some of the greatest joys of my ministry career and it also brings some of the greatest moments of trust in the Lord. I count it an honor each day to be able to serve the ........... Men’s team and so grateful for the vision Nations of Coaches has to place men and women in these roles.

God has been at work in our program over the past 4 years and this investment has started to pay off in deep spiritual ways. We hosted the men’s and women’s team to dinner and a Christmas message where we showed the Peanuts Christmas segment where Linus drops his “security” blanket and declares in Luke 2…FEAR NOT. This was a voluntary event and God was good to us as all of the players from both teams came with the exception of one. (I think the total was 29 players plus most of the coaches and their families). I thought this might be the mountaintop of our year only to once again, see God work.

I lead a weekly Bible study/chapel time for our players, coaches and staff and it was been well attended this entire year. I was teaching in a series called “Character Traits of a Godly Man” and we had finished four of the five teachings and God laid on my heart that I should delay the fifth message and simply share with the guys the salvation message and frame it around the idea that you can’t “become” what you do not know. I also shared with them that Liverpool (English Premier League soccer team) has a famous saying that when you are fan you NEVER WALK ALONE”. While this is a great way to describe the Liverpool soccer experience, only Jesus can make that promise and deliver on it.

 

At the conclusion of our study in a conference room in Worcester, MA God moved in great ways and seven of our players made a decision to follow Christ and make Him the Lord of their lives. It was powerful. It was one of the great moments of my entire ministry career and in a humble way these seven young men crossed the line of faith. The important work of follow up and discipleship now begins and I have not lost the BIG smile on my face to see God work in such powerful ways. These moments are precious and you could sense that God was working in that room in ways that only God could orchestrate and your investment into Nations of Coaches give those of us with teams this incredible opportunity to point players, coaches and staff to Jesus.

 

Character Coach Profiles

Last week I visited a couple of veteran Nations of Coaches Character Coaches at their universities. I observed these men and their ministries for just a little while, but I was able to get a glimpse of why each of them is so effective in serving their coaches, players, and support staffs. A brief profile of each one is below. I will not list names or universities so that we don’t create a culture of celebrity or encourage foolish comparisons.

Character Coach A – he has been serving at this university for nine years, now with his second coaching staff. The transition from one staff to the next was neither automatic nor easy. It did not, however, take long for the head coach to see the character coach’s gifts and skills. As I talked with the character coach, knowing the nature of the head coach, I saw why he was quickly found to be of great value. The character coach is a tremendous complement to the head coach. The head coach is very driven and intense, but his character coach is incredibly relational and projects no agenda at all. The players love him, therefore the coaches love him. It’s a perfect fit.

Character Coach B – he has also been serving at his university for nine years, all with the same staff. I watched a team meeting with video review, and a practice on one afternoon. Both were very good and during the practice I was able to chat with the character coach. I asked him, “What is the most important key to your service as a character coach?” He said, “Building relationships.” That’s it. Simple. He said further, “Don’t pretend, be genuine, cultivate vulnerability.” The next day I watched shootaround, more video review, a scouting report review, a character moment, and the pregame meal. During a conversation over the pregame meal, I heard the character coach say, “I affirm people. I affirm who they are, what they do well, how they’re gifted, who God has made them to be. I affirm them.”

Bottom line – It’s all about relationships. Both of these veteran character coaches are committed to building relationships and that’s why they are very good in their roles. One is serving well because he is very different from the head coach. The other is serving well because he is perfectly aligned with the head coach’s stated values and goals. Both are excellent because building genuine, vulnerable relationships is at the center of how they serve. Let’s follow their examples and be great at building relationships. Let’s affirm people. Let’s not pretend. Let’s be genuine. Let’s watch the Lord do His great work in all those we serve.