"I love the sense of satisfaction that I get when I’ve done a swimming workout or race, and know that I gave my whole being and heart to God in every moment of the swim. It’s the best worship I can offer him."
Recreation and the local church
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Frances Clemens, Robert Tully, Edward Crill, Brethren Publishing House, Elgin, Illinois, 1956
The first thing to note is how remarkable, and ahead of their time, the authors were to be reflecting on sport in the local church in 1956. The book has 21 chapters - covering music, drama, camping etc. This review concentrates on the chapter about sport.The authors regret the growing trend towards “Spectatoritis”, wher
e people seemed more interested in watching sport, live or on television, than participating in sport themselves.
Churches are encouraged to participate in and organise sports events and the authors set down a number of guideposts to follow:
1 Encourage balance between participation and spectating;
2 Stress skill values rather than combative elements, encouraging good sportsmanship at every turn;
3 Encouraging church members to participate in community or church sports programmes;
4 Aim for high standards of conduct in all events.
Churches are encouraged to provide sports facilities for the community such as a gymnasium tennis courts etc. And also to organise a positive church-centred sports programme. They also suggest forming church teams to play in community leagues and for the church to recognise the athletes in the church and to take an interest in what they're doing.
Very wisely they identify the danger of church-centred sports becoming an end in itself and not serving the purposes of the church. At the same time they argue for “a wholesome attitude towards the physical activities of life as part of the Christian faith” and assert that the church must “open its eyes to the possibilities that recreation can offer in building a truly Christian fellowship”.