"Lord, I don't ask that I should win, but please, please don't let me finish behind Akabusi."
Game Day for the Glory of God
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Stephen Altrogge, Crossway, 2008. ISBN 978-1-4335-0462-4 (120 pages)
The book states its purpose clearly: "There are two specific aims for this book. First, my desire is that God would use it to help us enjoy sports as a gift from him...second my prayer is that we may see sports as a means of growing in godliness". (Page 13-14).
The author makes many great points - that sport is a gift from God, that our talent comes from God, that we should seek to bring God glory through our involvement in sport rather than being concerned with our own glory and that as "Christians we are commanded to be like Jesus Christ in every facet of our lives, including the way we play sports". (Page 14)
He is right that "sports provide us with opportunities to grow in godliness. Few things allow us to grow in humility, conqueror our anger, discipline our bodies, persevere in the face of adversity and pursue excellence, all in the span of an hour or two". (Page 103)
I loved the statement "Worship is not simply the songs we sing on Sunday morning. Worship extends to every facet of our lives. Eating a steak or slurping a milkshake or, as Scripture says, 'whatever' we do can be a form of worship" (pages 18-19). However as the back cover of the book describes him as a 'worship leader' in his church - fancy the church employing someone to lead people as they eat steak or slurp milkshakes! On a more serious note, I have spent Sunday mornings clearing leaves of a football field. I saw that as worship (and witness); I wonder would the author.
Overall I was disappointed with the book. The stated purpose of the book as quoted above gives us the author's presupposition. Sport has only extrinsic value, as a vehicle for godliness. To me, that says that he sees God's gift of sport as conditional. It is only to be enjoyed if it leads to godliness. Why cannot sport be a gift of God's unconditional love, something to enrich our lives. Can I only listen to music if it makes me more godly - not as a relaxation?
Elsewhere the author states that God has given us sport to develop perseverance and endurance (Pages 43-45). Of course, sport can help us develop perseverance and endurance. Of course, we should aim to develop our holiness in sport, as in all of life. But to say that developing character is the ONLY purpose of sport seems wholly inadequate.
I see no evidence that the author sees any intrinsic value in sport. The way he sees sport as only there are to develop character is as offensive to me as is the view that sport is only of value as a tool for evangelism. It is questionable if he has ever understood sport as the performance-orientated player understands, experiences and values it.
The author contends that God is not impressed by sporting excellence (but only by humility) (Page 49) and that "the excellence of Tiger [Woods], however, is but the faintest whisper of God's excellence". (Page 37). Why should God not be impressed when a human being uses the talents that the creator has given him, to do something beautiful? I am more comfortable with the words attributed to Eric Liddell in the film Chariots of Fire, 'God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast and when I run, I feel his pleasure.'
The author writes "I absolutely love sports and enjoy them as a gift from God" (Page 96) but then through "death by a thousand qualifications" leads the reader to question if he really does love and enjoy sport:
- in the light of the eternity do they [sports]matter all that much?
- sports though not inherently wrong in any way can have a poisonous
influence on our children's walk with the Lord.
- as parents we must use discernment before allowing our children to play
sports. (Page 96)
I found the statement: "Often playing on a sports team means spending large chunks of time around non-Christians". (Page 96) Isn't that what Jesus did? There appears to be a complete failure to see the opportunity for mission, for being a witness to the world of sport. When he continues: "resulting in our children spending a significant amount of time with those who aren't following the Lord", it seems to suggest that Christians should live in a Christian ghetto. Perhaps it's a cultural difference between US and UK but in our culture "spending a significant amount of time with those who aren't following the Lord" - whether in school, in a sports club or in other youth activities - is normal.
When he states "perhaps they'll [our children] have an intense desire to play on the high school football team even though you don't want them to" (Page 89), I don't have any understanding why a parent should not want their children to play for the school team - particularly parents sufficiently interested in sport to read this book.
There is a confrontational style throughout the book that I am not comfortable with. At so many places sport and Christianity are presented as - either or. Why does it have to be one or other? For example of enjoying sport he writes "I've been deceived into thinking I can find satisfaction in something other than Jesus Christ". (Page 88). Am I really less godly, if I enjoy hitting a good golf shot or scoring a goal?
The confrontational style is at its strongest with reference to the church. The author states:
"Our children should understand this priority as well. They must understand that the church take priority over sports. It should be clear to them that fellowship with the Saints is more important than friendship with team-mates and that the preaching of God were is more significant than a pep-talk from their coach". (Page 97-98). In the UK much kids' sport takes place on Sunday. If the team plays on Sunday, you either play on Sunday or you don't play at all. That you are available on Saturday is irrelevant, if the team plays all its games on Sunday. I would not be comfortable with an approach that takes Christian kids out of sport and makes them see it as a choice between church and sport or worse Jesus and sport.
The author quotes C J Mahaney, "I fear that all too often our sons [or daughters] devote significant time to playing sports but with little growth in godliness". (Page 87). What an extraordinary statement! I don't see much growth in holiness from people who spend "significant time" eating, sleeping, going to work, even going to church. Perhaps we should stop all those activities too.
Overall a book which promised much but delivered little.