‘Get off your couch for the sake of Christ’

Christians in Sport (CiS) is encouraging Christians to return to their sports clubs as lockdown measures ease across the UK.

Since March 2019 the majority of amateur sport has been under restrictions and since November 2020 all amateur sport clubs have been banned from training or competing together. With the stay-at-home order eased on 29 March, outdoor sports facilities have reopened and organised sports have been able to resume in England. Similar restrictions have been eased in other countries within the UK. Gyms and indoor sports facilities are all planned to open again in the next few months.

A CiS spokesperson says: ‘Despite restrictions, it has been wonderful to see how people have been able to keep walking, running and training on a one-to-one basis, and opportunities to spend time together online have been possible, including over 80,000 people joining in the 11 Big Online Quizzes put on with a clear gospel message. In the world of student sport, students have also had online missions, hosted dinners and social events, and put on specific evenings for their teammates to ask questions about Christianity.

‘Changes to all our lives over the last year have meant a reassessment of priorities and how we spend our time. In the world of sport and fitness this has led to a proliferation of individual training apps and platforms growing in popularity as people train from home, with one company, Peloton, seeing a 137% increase in subscribers this year alone. Whilst this new way of operating has been a major benefit for those trying to stay fit in the last year, and these apps do have some community functions, Christians in Sport is encouraging people to get back to their sports clubs and teams now that they can.

‘A new campaign we have launched is seeking to remind people of the reasons they love sport and that for those gifted to play sport, competing in it is an outworking of being created in the image of a creative and relational God. For the Christian sportsperson, sport can be an act of worship.

‘Including videos, blogs and podcasts, the campaign encourages people to return to their clubs and teams, or join for the first time, as Christians in Sport continue to seek to reach the world of sport for Christ. With over 151,000 sports clubs in the UK there are many opportunities for people to get involved, whether playing, coaching or administrating.’