Week One The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat I. Introductions A. What is your name? B. What is a highlight of your competitive experience? C. What do you hope to get from this class? II. Why Theology of Competition? Sports Ministry is full of competitive opportunities. Story of Basketball Fellow Christian player pushes Bob into the wall, as he is about to make the winning lay-up. What would you say to Bob? What would you say to the player who pushed him? Story of Christian College Baseball Team - set play to break the rules. What would you say to this player who came to you for advice? What would you say to the coach? Sports Outreach Leaders lack resources in addressing these opportunities. Take the survey at the end of Section 1 in your notes. Turn it in to the instructor. 1
Therefore, Sports Outreach Leaders end up without much confidence and with lots of different approaches in these opportunities. Opportunities + Lack of Resources/Leaders = BIG PROBLEM Research shows Christian athletes are different Before the game, after the game but not Before The Game During the Game After The Game Solution III. What will we do in this class? Course Description This is a six week examining a biblical worldview of competition. Course Mission For students to begin the process of constructing a biblical worldview for competition and sport and communicating that worldview to others Course Objectives At the end of the class, students would be able to: 1) Understand the importance and dynamics of an integrated worldview specifically in regard to competition. 2) Identify the worldly worldview of competition and it expressions along with the biblical worldview of competition and its expressions 3) Lay aside the worldly expressions of competition and give themselves in their sports environments to competing with a biblical worldview 4) See the importance of these concepts and multiply them in their local churches this would include a) Defending the biblical view of competition b) Giving a concise answer to the questions 2
i) Does God care who wins? ii) Does God control who wins? iii) Should I want to win? 5) Take this integrated worldview of competition beyond the arena of sports and apply it to any area of life transforming the world to the glory of God. Course Requirements 1. Class participation 2. Reading a. Designed for Dignity: Chapters 1 & 2 (Richard Pratt) b. Heaven is a place on Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters (Michael Wittmer) c. A book espousing the cultural view of winning you recommend 3. Projects: a. Develop a questionnaire on competition. Survey 25 people. Write a 1 page summary (Times New Roman 12pt, double spaced) of your observations from this survey. Give an oral report to the class. b. Develop a three-session curriculum for imparting these principles to participants in your sports ministry present this to the class. c. Develop a strategy for meeting with a coach/parent/player who has a flawed view of competition that would include specific goals and interview questions for addressing someone. Meet with five people and go through this interview. Write up the results of those meetings. Suggested Reading 1. Christ and Culture (Richard Niebuhr) 2. Business for the Glory of God (Wayne Grudem) 3. Engaging God s World: A Christian Vision of Faith, Learning, and Living (Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.) 4. The Good of Affluence: Seeking God in a Culture of Wealth (John Schneider) Contacts Bob Schindler bschindler@csosports.org 704-806-0559 IV. What are the challenges in studying the Theology of Competition? The solution to the competition problem lies much deeper than just changing people s behavior. We need transformed. 3
The process for this transformation begins with understanding - Creation - Fall - Redemption - Consummation Creation Fall Redemption Sin Jr 2:13 Repentance If we are going to change the way we think and then act, we have to first determine how we think now and then place alongside those a different set of thoughts. Most people haven t thought through how they compete and why they compete that way. This different set of thoughts could be called a biblical worldview. To bring about this change, these truths must penetrate deep within our hearts. V. Worldview The Lens through which we look at the World Definition - A worldview is like a set of lenses which taint our vision or alter the way we perceive the world around us. 1 1 From the website Biblical Worldview - http://www.christianworldview.net/ 4
A Worldview is a set of beliefs we have, whether we know it or not, that determine our viewof and for the world. 2 Another word for our worldview is our for life. Examples - Riding on a subway with disruptive children and their father o What caused the irritability of the other passengers? o What changed their irritability? - A player shows up for practice late, with only part of his equipment o What is your reaction? o Why do you react that way? In a broader sense, there are five ultimate questions that form our worldview they are - Origin: Where did everything come from? - Identity: Who am I? - Meaning: Why am I here? 2 Bryan College, Engage Our World. 5
- Morality: How should I live? - Destiny: What happens when I die? There are two additional questions - Knowledge How do I know what I know? - Building Blocks Where do I begin to answer these questions? A worldview is a person's set of answers, assumptions about the basic makeup and nature of the world and universe. Here are some truths about this subject of worldview - - Everybody has a worldview. o Most people don t know or fully understand the worldview they hold they operate by it without having really dissected it. o Within that worldview, all people, even mature Christians, have a misunderstanding of a Christian/biblical worldview (some more than others). In fact, Christians are often poor worldview thinkers. o In college I went from being a Catholic to being non-denominational to being a Christian, but now I just want to believe in a higher power. That s a good way to live. Eva Longoria, actress, Rolling Stone, May 5, 2005 - Every cultural expression including competition communicates a worldview. o I think I m trying to find, I don t know, maybe God or universal truth. I think movies and all of literature are the one thing that helps us communicate the human condition, and it makes us feel less alone. Tim McCanlies, wirter and director of Secondhand Lions o Think about the following movies - What view of competition do each of the following movies communicate? Hoosiers The Natural The Rookie 6
The Miracle Rudy - Everybody borrows from the building blocks around him or her. - Everybody needs to have his or her worldview changed. o John 1:9 o Colossians 2:1-10 o Romans 12:1-3 o 2Corinthians 10:2-5 VI. Worldview The Big Three Naturalism Transcendentalism Theism Origin Natural processes Fragmented from the One Created by God Identity Animal with a God or god either way, Special creation conscience rooted in fact that came from One. 7
Meaning? self-determined Self-determined Determined by God Morality?/none - Any way I want As I decide to unite with the One As God directs Destiny Annihilism Reincarnation or Eternity with or Enlightenment without God Knowledge Five senses Enlightenment Revelation Assignment 1) If you are not familiar with the concept of worldview or the basic tenants of the three major worldviews outlined naturalism, transcendentalism, and theism do some basic research on the web to further acquaint yourself. 2) With your partner fill out the following chart on Competition Origin - Where did competition come from? Identity Who are My opponents? My teammates? The officials? Who am I? Meaning Why do we compete? Morality How should I compete? Naturalism Transcendentalism Theism 8
3) Pick at least two of your favorite sports movies and analyze how those movies answer those questions. Which worldview do they primarily portray for competition? 4) Take the questionnaire and send to the instructor. 5) Start to look at a) The various ways that people approach competition b) How you act and feel when you compete your approach c) What you think about competition the source of your approach d) Available resources to guide people in their approach to competition 6) Read the Christianity Today article 7) Read Genesis 1&2 look for the following a) What can you learn about God b) What can you learn about mankind 8) Purchase Heaven is a Place on Earth by Michael Wittmer 9