‘Sports Plus’ is the name of the residential sports camps run by Christians in Sport across the UK each summer. They have been running for nearly 25 years and have grown from one camp of just 30 young people to 700 young people attending six events in the four home nations.
Why do we think they work? Here are four simple reasons.
‘Serious sports action for serious sports-people’. This is the strapline for the camps. So for young people who play competitively in a club or a school team we aim, through qualified Christian coaches, to stretch them, help them improve technically and teach them to compete wholeheartedly. We believe that sport isn’t neutral ground – a place God isn’t too bothered about; rather we help the young people to see that God has given them gifts to play, to compete at the highest level they can and that sport can be a context in which to worship him. Paul in Romans 12 urges the Christians in light of the work of the gospel to ‘offer their bodies (entirety) as living sacrifices’. He goes on to pronounce that this is worship that matters to God. It’s gold to see young people grasp this for the first time!
Gospel truth front and centre. The gospel is God’s power to save. Sport doesn’t have this power. So, in the main meetings, team Bible studies and during water breaks in coaching sessions, we proclaim the good news of Jesus through teaching, Bible study and testimony. The key for Sports Plus is the context into which the good news is taught – the world of youth sport. Helping young people to see their need of rescue and helping those Christians grasp that the way of trusting Jesus for salvation is the way to growing as a follower of him at school and in their club and team.
Leaders trained to create an irresistable atmosphere. Leaders make or break Sports Plus! The role of the leader is pivotal to the experience of Sports Plus, therefore intentional time is spent training leaders in crucial things; Bible handling, delivering Bible studies and sharing life and the gospel with the young people. Sports Plus is built upon the shoulders of mature leaders and coaches coming back year after year; helping younger leaders get a pattern for godly leadership. Sports Plus also provides an opportunity for training those in the crucial 16–24-year-old window for a lifetime of skills and convictions.
Utter the phrase ‘Sports Plus’ across universities and churches and you might see eyes light up… ‘That’s where I became a Christian’ exclaims one. ‘Since going as a young person I now go back and serve as a leader,’ states another. The best leaders are often the ones who have experienced and have been deeply affected by Sports Plus as young people. They own it, believe in it and, with some training, naturally create a place of energy, care and gospel grace that is simply irresistible!
They serve the local church. A residential time away for young people provides a precious context – space to think clearly, time away from routine, making new friends – the list could go on. They are unique contexts and work when the local church views them as such. Sports Plus works well when young people and leaders are sent by a local church to receive nuanced teaching applied to sport, to be sent back to their church to serve and drive the vision to reach the world of sport locally in that town or city.
We’d love you to join us in praying for this summer’s camps and think about any young people you could invite in 2019.
