Chapel - (Insert team name) are Selfless

Chapel talk - (Insert team name) are Selfless.

Introduction: Today's contest will require selfless character to be exhibited by each and all of us.

Prayer.

Jesus demonstrated the strongest possible example of being selfless. (Read John 15:13 aloud.)

• On the very night He was betrayed, mere hours before He was killed, Jesus said these words, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."
• In that moment He challenged His team to act selflessly.
• He said the greatest form of love a man can demonstrate is to lay down his life for his friends.

I would similarly challenge you each and all today.

• Compete selflessly.
• This is not for you. It's for your teammates.
• This is not for you. It's for your teammates like (name a selfless player).
• This is not for you. It's for your teammates like (name a selfless player).

Let's compete selflessly, laying down our ambitions, our personal goals, our individualism, our very lives for our teammates in our best effort of the season.

Prayer.

Chapel - Perseverance

Chapel talk - Perseverance.

Introduction: (Insert sport) is full of adversity and requires great perseverance.

• Who among you has endured an injury this season?
• Who has missed a game due to an injury this year?
• Who has undergone surgery during your sporting career?
• Who has missed a big family event due to your life in sport?

The apostle James spoke of adversity and perseverance in his letter at chapter 1, verse 12. (Read James 1:12 aloud.)

• The man is blessed because he persevered under trial; not in spite of the adversity, because of it.
• Once approved, he receives the crown of life. Who wears a crown? A king, a man of honor, dignity, and respect. Better than a crown of gold and jewels, this is a crown of life.
• Those who love God have His promise to wear that crown whey they persevere under trial. I know some men like this. They are men of honor, dignity, and respect.

These same truths speak to you of (insert team name and sport).

• You are blessed because this sport is a tough process.
• It is hard, physical work.
• It is a demanding learning process.
• It is filled with adversity of all kinds.
• You are blessed because you are persevering through adversity. Those who quit or avoid it know nothing of this blessedness.
• Once you are approved, you will wear a crown.
• The crown of life is for those who persevere for a lifetime.
• The (conference name) crown is for those who persevere for a season.
• When kings wake up in the morning, they are men of honor, dignity, and respect, even before putting on the crown.
• When you wake up tomorrow and walk onto the field of competition, you are men of honor, dignity, and respect.
• Just as the Lord Jesus promises the crown of life to those who love him, the (conference) promises the championship trophy to the season's winners.

As game time approaches:

• Compete as the blessed men you are.
• Wear your crowns of honor, dignity, and respect. That is the true stuff of life.
• Win the crown, the championship, and the trophy.

Prayer.

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Passionate

Chapel talk - (Insert team name) are Passionate.

Introduction: Today's game will be etched in the memories of some of your teammates as it could be the last of their careers. Let's compete with great passion and thereby create the best of memories for them.

Prayer.

Let's consider what it will take to lead our team to a passionate and memorable performance. (Read Hebrews 10:24-25 aloud.) The writer of this letter to the Hebrews knew how to motivate people to passionate performance. He said:

• Consider (think about each one of your teammates).
• How to provoke (strong and passionate verb) to love and good deeds.
• Stay together when life is tough.
• Encourage each other.
• Encourage even more.

Today - create some lifetime memories through passionate competition.

• Consider how..
• To provoke, to passionately encourage each other...
• Stay together...
• Encourage passionately.
• Encourage more.

Today, (Insert team name and sport) will compete with great passion.

Pray.

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Selfless

Chapel talk - (Insert team name) are Selfless.

Introduction:

Today's focus in on being a selfless player and we have two examples in the room today.

• Player _____ was willing to change positions to help his team succeed. He was selfless.
• Player _____ played a position that is less than glamorous. Everything about him, his position, and his attitude was selfless.

The book of John records a remarkably selfless act by Jesus at chapter 13, verses 1-5. (Read John 13:1-5 aloud.)

• In the last 24 hours of His life on earth, Jesus was selfless toward His team.
• He demonstrated His love for His teammates, even the one who would betray Him in a couple of hours, and the one who would deny even knowing Him in a couple more.
• He dropped the privilege and position He properly held, acted like the lowest servant, and washed dirty, smelly, men's feet.
• This is what a selfless man, the greatest of all men looks like.

May I challenge you to be similarly selfless today?

• Compete selflessly today.
• Demonstrate your love for the team and your teammates.
• Drop the privilege and position you think you are owed and serve your team. Step strongly into the spot where you are needed.
• That is what a selfless (insert team name and sport) player does.

Compete like selfless champions today.

Prayer.

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Resilient

Chapel talk - (Insert team name) are Resilient.

Introduction;

Share the story of a resilient person, a resilient player or coach on this team, of your own story of resilience.

This is what a resilient person looks like.

Prayer.

Proverbs 24:15-16 also shows us a picture of a resilient person. (Read Proverbs 24:15-16 aloud.)

• Don't mess with a good man.
• You may knock him down, but...
• He will keep getting back up.
• Lesser people will just give up.

As we compete today, expect a strong battle. I would warn our opponents:

• Don't mess with the (insert team name).
• You may make some big plays, but...
• We will keep coming at you.
• Lesser people would quit.
• We are resilient.

(Insert team name and sport) are resilient.

Prayer.

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Relentless

Chapel talk - (Insert team name) are Relentless.

Prayer.

Introduction:

Select a player(s) who have demonstrated being relentless.

• Have the player to stand.
• Invite his/her coaches and to describe situations in which he/she have been relentless.
• Wrap up and ask the player(s) to be seated.

Today we'll hear about a relentless warrior and how he inspired others. (Read I Samuel 14:6-7 aloud.)

• Jonathan was the son of King Saul and an outstanding soldier.
• Listen to Jonathan's conversation with his armor bearer.
• Jonathan outlined his plan clearly and directly.
• He believed his success was beyond his individual efforts.
• The armor bearer is inspired by Jonathan's courage and trust. He says, "Do all that is in your heart. I am with you, according to your desire." In other words, "Let's take 'em on!"
• They defeated twenty of their enemies.

Relentless (insert team name and sport) are just the same. Be that kind of competitors today:

• Communicate directly and clearly.
• Believe that your success is beyond your individual efforts. Trust your teammates.
• Inspire your teammates to competitive excellence with courage and trust.
• Be relentless.

Compete relentlessly today.

Prayer.

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Resilient

Chapel - (Insert team name) are Resilient.

Prayer.

Introduction: today's game, like every game, will test our resilience. Will we have what it takes to bounce back after a momentary set back? Can we respond well to a momentum shift?

The attitude demonstrated in James chapter 1, verses 2-4 is a key part of resilience. (Read James 1:2-4 aloud.) James wrote to his teammates as they faced life and death struggles. He shared three big ideas:

1. Consider it joy when adversity comes.
2. Strongly dealing with adversity produces endurance.
3. Endurance results in completion, fully developing our character.

For (insert team name and sport) today:

1. Greet the arrival of adversity as an ally. Don't fear it; embrace it.
2. Strongly deal with the adversity and watch your team develop endurance.
3. Help your team's character development by enduring adversity resiliently.

Prayer.