They think it's all over

These words at the end of a famous World Cup victory by England in 1966 have become part of sporting folklore.
I heard them vividly myself in a very unusual environment, sitting on the sands of Montego Bay in Jamaica in the midst of a Convention ministry and rejoicing at England's victory on that epic day. No doubt many will be hoping for a similar end to the 1998 World Cup in France. But how can a Christian minister allow himself to be caught up in soccer fever?
Undoubtedly the most memorable football pitch moment for myself was in 1985 at my rival Sheffield football ground, Bramall Lane, when Billy Graham visited us and thousands of people came to faith. Some months later I was privileged to be a guest speaker at a Football Association celebration in Sheffield. The local Secretary, a Christian, wanted me to make some impact for the gospel and I was able, alongside my footballing memories, to point out that a soccer pitch could have no better use than being the place where people came to faith. I had a similar privilege of writing a page in the Christmas edition of the Sheffield Wednesday programme. In it, I was able to point out that my zeal for my favourite team's ongoing progress paled by comparison with my desire to see people find a living faith in Jesus. One of the values of a sporting interest is that it gives a way into many people's lives. As a local pastor, this has been a tremendous value over the years.

Praying for the team

Memories flood into the mind. I recollect the great moment when I was able to give a copy of the Gideon New Testament to every member of the Sheffield Wednesday team hours before they went out to do battle in a semi-final at Aston Villa football ground. To my joy, I was allowed to pray with the team just a few hours before the game. My theology did not allow me to pray for Sheffield Wednesday to win and so I muttered some fairly ambivalent prayer about the better team winning. Clearly my prayers were not answered since we lost to Everton on that occasion! At a Gideon Conference some years earlier, I had been escaping in order to watch my football team only to be met by a member of the delegation at the door, who observed on my admission that I was off to a football match that he too distributed tracts on such occasions. I had to hold my head down in abject humiliation and admit that I had no tracts on my person, I was simply going for relaxation.
Strangely, football was not one of the more popular games with Christians. I was brought up with the strange idea that cricket had a semi-spiritual nature to it and taught you great discipline. I confess that I have not found that to be true, although in fact cricket is my greater love. I often tell the story of my conversion experience stemming largely from being given the life story of C.T. Studd as a Bible Class prize. The thought of an England cricketer giving up in the game in order to be a missionary was a very powerful influence on my life. I have always organised cricket teams in the churches in which I have ministered as a very real link with men of all ages, and my son is doing the same with his footballing skill and enthusiasm.

Munich and Hillsborough

There have been occasions in the world of football when I have found powerful illustrative matter. I remember as a young curate being asked by my Youth Club to preach a sermon on suffering because of the Munich disaster and the sudden death of their Manchester United heroes. Even more vividly, I was present at the Hillsborough disaster. It had a tremendous effect on me, reminding me of the transience of life and the urgency of spreading the gospel, at the sight of young people being suddenly cast into eternity when watching their heroes play football.
I have for some time been involved in a small way with Christians in Sport and believe that they represent a very important ministry. Of course, there are problems for any Christian who is involved in football support. Not least in these days, there is the whole issue of Sunday play. From time to time, I have even engaged in debate with folk from Christians in Sport who seem not to hold that with the seriousness which I do. It is hard to encourage young lads to put Sunday School before playing football for their local team if, at the same time, we support Sunday play at other levels. I acknowledge the great difficulty for sportsmen and women at this level, but I do believe we are in danger of a compromise which will spoil our witness.

Fever-pitch feelings

There are other problems. I can recollect taking my son in early days to watch Sheffield Wednesday and warning him about the language, only to be gently rebuked by the reminder that the language at school was even more choice. There is the feelings situation, where very easily you get carried away with emotions of anger and resentment. Every person who wants to understand the soccer supporter should read the book Fever Pitch. It does not use good Christian language, but it certainly portrays the often irrational feelings that are aroused in a fervent supporter. I am able to report that at least my spirituality can help me to get on an even keel by 5.00pm after a match. There is a witness is our being able to get enthused and to be downcast with our team and yet to have a right balance. Sometimes in a match, I can look at the crowds and just remember the thousands who are lost without Christ and who desperately need heroes and some place of 'worship'.

Shankly and priorities

In spite of the famous words of Bill Shankly that football 'is not a matter of life and death, it is much more important than that', it is in fact only a game and that is true of every sport. I do get increasingly unhappy about the over-commercialisation and the foolish wage bills. The incessant media coverage can take away something of the uniqueness of supporting your local team. It is extraordinary how many people have to be supporters of Manchester United because they always seem to win and something of the commitment to the local team with their ups and downs is lost. When any sport becomes much more than a game, it is in danger. Christians must have their right priorities. Whether it is sport or music or art, it must all come a very poor second to growth in the Christian life and to evangelistic witness.
Of course, I hope that England win the World Cup and I shall be keeping my eye on it with the qualification that my cricketing blood always tells me that the summer months should be reserved for the noble game. There is a right kind of enthusiasm for your country in sport, on the assumption that it does not degenerate into militant nationalism. Just before writing these random comments, I had an illustration of the British attitude to sport. My wife and I were held up at the Chinese border with our passports being carefully examined alongside two or three other British citizens. I discovered a young fellow who was reading an English newspaper and had to find out the latest Test Match scores in the West Indies. There we were in that bizarre environment discussing very seriously the merits and even more demerits of our English cricket team. There is something to be applauded about that attitude and, as a sport-loving Christian, I never apologise for my love for cricket and football. I doubt whether either of these sports has helped me to be a better Christian but they have certainly provided me with some valuable hours of relaxation, some great memories, some wonderful anecdotes and perhaps made me a little more human than I might otherwise have been.

Thoughts on the matter of Christians and sport

Praying for the team

Munich and Hillsborough

Fever-pitch feelings

Shankly and priorities

Philip Hacking

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