Eight Ways to Worship On the Field of Competition
Worship by Competing Sacrificially
· Tell us about some of the things you sacrifice for your life in sport.
· For what or for whom do you make these sacrifices?
· What do you think you learn or gain from the process of competing sacrificially?
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
· To what and to whom do you give your bodies in training and in competition?
· Is that similar to or different from giving them to God as mentioned here? Why?
· What about training and competition is sacrificial? How so?
· When does that sacrifice feel like it is the very stuff of life, a living sacrifice?
· When do you get a sense that your sacrificial lifestyle sets you apart from most other people around you?
· Why would God find such sacrifice to be acceptable and an act of true worship?
· What are some of the world’s behaviors and customs that are out of step with God’s way?
· By contrast, how would a new and transformed person compete and thereby worship on the field of competition?
· How would worshiping in our sporting lives help us learn God’s will?
· What would be good, pleasing, and perfect about knowing God’s will for you?
· Let’s list some direct results from competing sacrificially, thus worshiping God in the activity of sport:
o God accepts our ________________, which is living and holy.
o We truly ______________ God as we compete.
o God transforms us into _______ ________.
o God changes the way we ______________.
o We learn God’s _______, which is _________ and _________ and ________.
· Summary - Worship by competing sacrificially and you can expect that you will be transformed in your thinking and will discover God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Worship by being Disciplined
· On a 1 – 10 scale, (1 being poor and 10 being excellent), how disciplined would you say you are regarding your life in sport?
· On a 1 – 10 scale, (1 being little and 10 being absolutely), how important is winning to your sporting experience?
· What are the most valuable rewards you have received in your sporting life? Where are they today?
· What are some rewards from your life in sport that do not gather dust or get lost in the closet?
I Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT)
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
· How is competitive sport different from recreation?
· Do you prefer competition to recreation? Why or why not?
· Does the competitive nature of sport bring out the best or the worst part of your nature? Tell us about it.
· The implied goal of running a race is to win; is that the only acceptable outcome of a race? Why or why not?
· How is the daily routine of a competitor described here?
· Is this descriptive of your approach to sport?
· What do champions receive as rewards of winning in competition? Make a list.
· What is the nature of most of these rewards?
· What are some of the more enduring and even eternal rewards of competing in relationship with Christ?
· Summary – Worship by competing in a disciplined, self-controlled way. In doing so you will win both short-term and long-term rewards for your effort.
Worship by Doing, Loving, and Walking
· What are some things that are required of everyone in your team? Let’s make a list.
· Who determines and communicates the expectations?
· How does a competitor demonstrate humility on the field of competition?
Micah 6:8 (NLT)
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
· When and how would the Lord have told these people what is good and what He requires?
· How well do you think people come through on God’s expectations? Why?
· Who sets the standards for doing what is right for you and your teammates?
· What would it look like for a sportsperson to love mercy?
· How could such love be expressed during training or competition?
· What would be the opposite of loving mercy?
· Tell us about a person you know who walks humbly.
· Why would Micah use the verb “walk”? Why not “live” or “exist”?
· Why is humility important for walking with God?
· What would happen if we walked arrogantly with God?
· Summary – Worship by doing what is right, by loving mercy, and by walking humbly with the Lord Jesus as you train and compete. This is good and exactly what the Lord requires of us.
Worship Through Your Speech and Actions
· Which do you think has greater effect upon your teammates and coaches, how you speak or how you act? Tell us why.
· When you compete, how conscious are you of those you represent? Whom do you represent?
· How do you express your thankfulness for the opportunities you have to compete in sport? To whom do you express them?
Colossians 3:17 (NLT)
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
· In what ways, helpful or harmful, do competitors speak on the field of competition?
· What are some of the best behaviors in sporting environments and what are some of the worst behaviors?
· How well do your actions and speech represent the Lord Jesus in your sporting life? Give yourself a letter grade, A through F and tell us why.
· How would an attitude of thankfulness and the regular practice of expressing it affect a competitor’s speech and actions?
· Let’s list some of the gifts and attributes we have been given by God.
· Let’s read our lists aloud and give thanks to God the Father for each other’s gifts.
· Summary – Worship the Lord Jesus by representing Him well in your speech and actions, giving thanks to God the Father for your opportunity to serve Him in sport.
Worship by Persevering
· Tell us about one of the most consistently painful parts of your life in sport.
· How would you describe your attitude toward the appearance of that issue?
· How would you rate your perseverance level (individually or your team) on a 1 – 10 scale? (1 being super soft and 10 being tough as nails)
James 1:2-4 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
· What sorts of troubles come your way as you train and compete in sport? Let’s make a list.
· How often are those troubles greeted as an opportunity for great joy?
o Every single time?
o Half the time?
o Never?
o Why?
· How does having our faith tested produce growth of endurance? Tell us a story of your experience with this process.
· In whom have you seen fully developed endurance of this sort? Tell us about him or her.
· What would it look like for a competitor to be perfect, complete, needing nothing?
· When do you have a sense that your endurance is growing due to having persevered through troubles? Is there a particular situation or portion of the season in which you sense it?
· Summary – Worship by joyfully enduring troubles of all sorts. Your perseverance will result in your being perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Worship by Competing Wisely
· How do people make comparisons between competitors or teams in your sport?
· What do you think about the comparisons made between competitors now in a sport and those who competed thirty or forty years ago? Why?
· What are the comparisons that you are happy to make with others?
· Which comparisons would you rather not entertain? Why?
II Corinthians 10:12, 17-18 (NLT)
Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.
· What are the situations in your sport that lead to comparisons between competitors or teams?
· What is lost and what is gained in making such comparisons?
· What would lead people to desire to be seen as “wonderful” or “important”?
· How valuable is the result of “comparing themselves with each other and themselves as the standard of measurement”?
· What is the ignorance of such comparisons?
· About what would one boast in the Lord Jesus? Why is that superior to making comparisons with others?
· How do you hear people in sport commending themselves? What do they say?
· For what would the Lord commend a person? How would a competitor receive such a commendation?
· Summary – Worship by competing wisely, not making foolish comparisons with others, but by recognizing the Lord Jesus as the only reason for boasting. Seek His commendation rather than that of yourself or others.
Worship by Loving Extravagantly
· What are the arguments you hear from your teammates about the most important parts of your sport? (Offense vs. Defense. Training vs. Practice. Sprints vs. Distance. Strength vs. Agility. Jumpers vs. Throwers. Pitching vs. Hitting. Guards vs. Bigs…)
· Who are the most and the least loveable people around your life in sport? Let’s carefully and graciously make a list.
Mark 12:28-31 (NLT)
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
· Why would teachers of religious law debate about the importance of commandments?
· Why do sportspeople debate about issues in sport?
· How many commandments do you suppose the teacher had in mind when he asked his question about which was most important?
· Why would he ask such a question?
· Why would Jesus say, “you must love the LORD your God,” and not just “love God”?
· Why would Jesus insist that we love God will all (100%) of our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
· Why would He mention those four particular facets of human nature?
· Is loving one’s neighbor secondary to loving God 100%? Why or why not?
· In your sporting life, who is your neighbor? Let’s make a list.
· How would a competitor act lovingly toward his or her neighbor?
· A healthy love of oneself leads to what kinds of attitudes, actions and daily practices?
· How easy do you find it to love your neighbors in sport with those same attitudes, actions, and daily practices?
· Summary – Worship the LORD God by loving Him extravagantly, 100%, and by loving those with whom you interact on the field of competition, teammates, coaches, opponents, officials, and even fans, in the same extravagant way.
Worship by Serving Selflessly
· Tell us something about the people around your sporting life who serve the competitors well?
· How well do you and your teammates serve others? Give yourself a letter grade, A through F, and tell us why.
Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
· On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate your willingness related to training, conditioning, and practice? (1 being grumbling and 10 being excited)
· Let’s make a list of the elements of your daily routine in training and competition. This is the “whatever you do” stuff.
· How conscious are you of for whom you are doing these things? Who are they?
o Yourself
o Family
o Coaches
o Teammates
o Community
o University
o The LORD God
o Others?
· How would your daily routine be affected by making a conscious dedication of it to the Lord Jesus?
· How would a competitor go about making such a conscious dedication?
· Who are the people you can serve, as selflessly as you would the Lord Jesus, in your daily sporting life? What will you do to serve them at first opportunity?
· Summary – Worship the Lord Jesus by serving Him selflessly as you train and compete.
Worship by Competing Sacrificially
· Tell us about some of the things you sacrifice for your life in sport.
· For what or for whom do you make these sacrifices?
· What do you think you learn or gain from the process of competing sacrificially?
Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
· To what and to whom do you give your bodies in training and in competition?
· Is that similar to or different from giving them to God as mentioned here? Why?
· What about training and competition is sacrificial? How so?
· When does that sacrifice feel like it is the very stuff of life, a living sacrifice?
· When do you get a sense that your sacrificial lifestyle sets you apart from most other people around you?
· Why would God find such sacrifice to be acceptable and an act of true worship?
· What are some of the world’s behaviors and customs that are out of step with God’s way?
· By contrast, how would a new and transformed person compete and thereby worship on the field of competition?
· How would worshiping in our sporting lives help us learn God’s will?
· What would be good, pleasing, and perfect about knowing God’s will for you?
· Let’s list some direct results from competing sacrificially, thus worshiping God in the activity of sport:
o God accepts our ________________, which is living and holy.
o We truly ______________ God as we compete.
o God transforms us into _______ ________.
o God changes the way we ______________.
o We learn God’s _______, which is _________ and _________ and ________.
· Summary - Worship by competing sacrificially and you can expect that you will be transformed in your thinking and will discover God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.
Worship by being Disciplined
· On a 1 – 10 scale, (1 being poor and 10 being excellent), how disciplined would you say you are regarding your life in sport?
· On a 1 – 10 scale, (1 being little and 10 being absolutely), how important is winning to your sporting experience?
· What are the most valuable rewards you have received in your sporting life? Where are they today?
· What are some rewards from your life in sport that do not gather dust or get lost in the closet?
I Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT)
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.
· How is competitive sport different from recreation?
· Do you prefer competition to recreation? Why or why not?
· Does the competitive nature of sport bring out the best or the worst part of your nature? Tell us about it.
· The implied goal of running a race is to win; is that the only acceptable outcome of a race? Why or why not?
· How is the daily routine of a competitor described here?
· Is this descriptive of your approach to sport?
· What do champions receive as rewards of winning in competition? Make a list.
· What is the nature of most of these rewards?
· What are some of the more enduring and even eternal rewards of competing in relationship with Christ?
· Summary – Worship by competing in a disciplined, self-controlled way. In doing so you will win both short-term and long-term rewards for your effort.
Worship by Doing, Loving, and Walking
· What are some things that are required of everyone in your team? Let’s make a list.
· Who determines and communicates the expectations?
· How does a competitor demonstrate humility on the field of competition?
Micah 6:8 (NLT)
No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God.
· When and how would the Lord have told these people what is good and what He requires?
· How well do you think people come through on God’s expectations? Why?
· Who sets the standards for doing what is right for you and your teammates?
· What would it look like for a sportsperson to love mercy?
· How could such love be expressed during training or competition?
· What would be the opposite of loving mercy?
· Tell us about a person you know who walks humbly.
· Why would Micah use the verb “walk”? Why not “live” or “exist”?
· Why is humility important for walking with God?
· What would happen if we walked arrogantly with God?
· Summary – Worship by doing what is right, by loving mercy, and by walking humbly with the Lord Jesus as you train and compete. This is good and exactly what the Lord requires of us.
Worship Through Your Speech and Actions
· Which do you think has greater effect upon your teammates and coaches, how you speak or how you act? Tell us why.
· When you compete, how conscious are you of those you represent? Whom do you represent?
· How do you express your thankfulness for the opportunities you have to compete in sport? To whom do you express them?
Colossians 3:17 (NLT)
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
· In what ways, helpful or harmful, do competitors speak on the field of competition?
· What are some of the best behaviors in sporting environments and what are some of the worst behaviors?
· How well do your actions and speech represent the Lord Jesus in your sporting life? Give yourself a letter grade, A through F and tell us why.
· How would an attitude of thankfulness and the regular practice of expressing it affect a competitor’s speech and actions?
· Let’s list some of the gifts and attributes we have been given by God.
· Let’s read our lists aloud and give thanks to God the Father for each other’s gifts.
· Summary – Worship the Lord Jesus by representing Him well in your speech and actions, giving thanks to God the Father for your opportunity to serve Him in sport.
Worship by Persevering
· Tell us about one of the most consistently painful parts of your life in sport.
· How would you describe your attitude toward the appearance of that issue?
· How would you rate your perseverance level (individually or your team) on a 1 – 10 scale? (1 being super soft and 10 being tough as nails)
James 1:2-4 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
· What sorts of troubles come your way as you train and compete in sport? Let’s make a list.
· How often are those troubles greeted as an opportunity for great joy?
o Every single time?
o Half the time?
o Never?
o Why?
· How does having our faith tested produce growth of endurance? Tell us a story of your experience with this process.
· In whom have you seen fully developed endurance of this sort? Tell us about him or her.
· What would it look like for a competitor to be perfect, complete, needing nothing?
· When do you have a sense that your endurance is growing due to having persevered through troubles? Is there a particular situation or portion of the season in which you sense it?
· Summary – Worship by joyfully enduring troubles of all sorts. Your perseverance will result in your being perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Worship by Competing Wisely
· How do people make comparisons between competitors or teams in your sport?
· What do you think about the comparisons made between competitors now in a sport and those who competed thirty or forty years ago? Why?
· What are the comparisons that you are happy to make with others?
· Which comparisons would you rather not entertain? Why?
II Corinthians 10:12, 17-18 (NLT)
Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
As the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.
· What are the situations in your sport that lead to comparisons between competitors or teams?
· What is lost and what is gained in making such comparisons?
· What would lead people to desire to be seen as “wonderful” or “important”?
· How valuable is the result of “comparing themselves with each other and themselves as the standard of measurement”?
· What is the ignorance of such comparisons?
· About what would one boast in the Lord Jesus? Why is that superior to making comparisons with others?
· How do you hear people in sport commending themselves? What do they say?
· For what would the Lord commend a person? How would a competitor receive such a commendation?
· Summary – Worship by competing wisely, not making foolish comparisons with others, but by recognizing the Lord Jesus as the only reason for boasting. Seek His commendation rather than that of yourself or others.
Worship by Loving Extravagantly
· What are the arguments you hear from your teammates about the most important parts of your sport? (Offense vs. Defense. Training vs. Practice. Sprints vs. Distance. Strength vs. Agility. Jumpers vs. Throwers. Pitching vs. Hitting. Guards vs. Bigs…)
· Who are the most and the least loveable people around your life in sport? Let’s carefully and graciously make a list.
Mark 12:28-31 (NLT)
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
· Why would teachers of religious law debate about the importance of commandments?
· Why do sportspeople debate about issues in sport?
· How many commandments do you suppose the teacher had in mind when he asked his question about which was most important?
· Why would he ask such a question?
· Why would Jesus say, “you must love the LORD your God,” and not just “love God”?
· Why would Jesus insist that we love God will all (100%) of our heart, soul, mind, and strength?
· Why would He mention those four particular facets of human nature?
· Is loving one’s neighbor secondary to loving God 100%? Why or why not?
· In your sporting life, who is your neighbor? Let’s make a list.
· How would a competitor act lovingly toward his or her neighbor?
· A healthy love of oneself leads to what kinds of attitudes, actions and daily practices?
· How easy do you find it to love your neighbors in sport with those same attitudes, actions, and daily practices?
· Summary – Worship the LORD God by loving Him extravagantly, 100%, and by loving those with whom you interact on the field of competition, teammates, coaches, opponents, officials, and even fans, in the same extravagant way.
Worship by Serving Selflessly
· Tell us something about the people around your sporting life who serve the competitors well?
· How well do you and your teammates serve others? Give yourself a letter grade, A through F, and tell us why.
Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
· On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate your willingness related to training, conditioning, and practice? (1 being grumbling and 10 being excited)
· Let’s make a list of the elements of your daily routine in training and competition. This is the “whatever you do” stuff.
· How conscious are you of for whom you are doing these things? Who are they?
o Yourself
o Family
o Coaches
o Teammates
o Community
o University
o The LORD God
o Others?
· How would your daily routine be affected by making a conscious dedication of it to the Lord Jesus?
· How would a competitor go about making such a conscious dedication?
· Who are the people you can serve, as selflessly as you would the Lord Jesus, in your daily sporting life? What will you do to serve them at first opportunity?
· Summary – Worship the Lord Jesus by serving Him selflessly as you train and compete.
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