How to Restore Our View of Sports

Sports have always had an impact on culture. They provide a healthy outlet for competition and bring diverse people groups together.

From the time of ancient Greece, we see widespread participation in sports with the original Olympic Games.  But in our modern culture, we’re losing the meaning behind sports.  At our universities in particular, many have come to conclude that life is nothing more than the result of blind, undirected forces.

A prominent Ivy League professor has said:

“Let me summarize my views loudly and clearly.  There are no gods, there are no purposes, there are no goal directed forces of any kind.  There is no life after death.  When I die, I am absolutely certain that I am going to be dead.  That’s the end of me.  There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning in life and no free will for human beings either.”

In an environment where life has no meaning, sports loses its meaning, too.  Therefore, instead of recognizing the objective value behind competition and excellence, we can ascribe to sports whatever value we want, and often that means lowering the bar.

Everyone is winner!  You did great if you just finished! What matters is you tried. These are all slogans about sport that we commonly hear nowadays.  While there may be value in these statements, it is often at the expense of the higher virtues of sport.

Even winning has lost its value in this environment.  Tom Brady, in an infamous CBS interview, said:

“Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, “Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think: God, it’s gotta be more than this. I mean this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be. I mean I’ve done it. I’m 27. And what else is there for me?”

How did we get here ?

The slide into mediocrity in sports corresponds to our society’s slide into a postmodern view of spiritual reality.  If there is no God, then there is no meaning.  Thus, the postmodernist says, we can come up with our own meaning to life.  What this really means is that we can choose to delude ourselves by pretending there is meaning to life  when we know full well that there isn’t.

Many college students are told to “do what they love” and that this will give their life meaning.  Tom Brady is also famous for saying, “If you like it, do it.” While there are some good aspects to choosing to participate in things that we genuinely enjoy, the practical effect of this is that our youth are taught to rely on their feelings and passions to determine their life direction.  When they encounter dry and difficult periods on a chosen path, who can blame them for wanting to give up or change course?  To trust in their whims and emotions is exactly what they have been taught!

How to restore our view of sports

Only Jesus has the possibility to restore our fallen view of sports.  As we saw before, our society desperately wants to promote the more affirming values of sport, but in the process denigrates excellence and competition.

Did you notice that even in the lesser values that you can still fail?  What if you don’t finish?  What if you don’t participate?  Only in a relationship with Jesus is there an environment in which to flourish.  No other philosophy or spirituality is available where you are unconditionally loved, yet challenged to the next level of commitment.  Jesus was, as they say, the perfect balance of “grace and truth” (John 1:17).

Offer

What will you do?  The greatest adventure in sports begins when we acknowledge our need for Jesus Christ to restore us into a right relationship with God so that our participation in sports might have eternal value.

No longer will you wonder, “Why am I putting in all this hard work?” because you will understand how your sport fits into your greater life purpose, and how God is going to use it for his glory.  By participating in Athletes in Action, you won’t just be attending a meeting, you’ll be investing in a dynamic relationship with the God who loves you, and also engaging with other athletes who are on the same journey.  Together, we’ll be pushing and encouraging one another to greater spiritual and athletic growth.

How to Get Involved

There are many angles of attack that EOU in Action uses to accomplish this:

• A weekly small group Bible Study –  This term (Fall 2017) we are studying the book of Romans.  During this time we intentionally dig into the scriptures to understand more about what Jesus has done and how this affects our lives.
• Difficult Topics – We take a more philosophical approach on select Tuesdays where we digest a presentation on hot button intellectual and moral issues that students are always thinking about.  Check the schedule on our Facebook Page because this only happens every other week.
• One-on-Ones – During pointed face to face time, either staff or student leaders will meet with you to help you discover more about God’s love for you and his mission for you, given your unique position as an athlete in the collegiate environment.  In one-on ones, you’ll really be challenged to start living and competing in the life God intends for you!’
• Retreats and Summer Projects – At select times during the year we go to off-site locations for more intense times of learning, serving, and practicing our sport. We partner with Athletes in Action and The Altitude Project to provide additional opportunities for student-athletes to learn how to glorify God in their sport.

Your Choice – (A) Worth it or (B) Worthless

What will your legacy be?  Will you always wonder whether your athletic pursuits were worth the cost, whether they were worth everything you gave up to achieve them?  Or will you understand how your sport fits in the context of an unconditionally loving Father who created you to display something about Himself through the lens of sport?  Will you compete for a prize or a placing that will eventually fade away and be forgotten, or will you compete for something that lasts, something that has eternal value?

“Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything.  However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away.” (1 Cor 9:25, HCSB)

Compete for something that will never fade away.

We want to help you in your athletic and spiritual journey. Let us help you get on the path to making a difference from God’s perspective.  Get in contact with an EOU In Action rep so you can begin to live out the purpose for which God created you.

Your Move

Yes, I am ready to Get Plugged In.

No, I need more information.