FOOTBALL NOT JUST A GAME! As you stand with a lump in your throat singing the National Anthem with your team As you sit on the edge of your seat as your striker takes a penalty As you shout Olé, spurring your team on As you are overcome by emotion as your team lifts up the cup You will agree with Bill Shankly that there is nothing more important... Some people believe football is a matter of life and death... It is much, much more important than that. - Bill Shankly This Bible that you are holding was borne out of our passion for the game of football. Its aim is to build a bridge between your love for the game and God s love for you. God loves us and our world much more passionately than fans can ever love football. Fans paint their faces in their team colours and proudly wear their team kit to show their commitment. In the same way God has given us a concrete sign of His love for us. In Jesus, God showed His love and commitment to us and the world we live in. 1 soccer 20131218.indd 1 2013/12/18 02:50:29 PM
FOOTBALL NOT JUST A GAME! Today God uses Christian footballers to touch the lives of millions of people around the world who watch and play the beautiful game. As Lúcio says: Anyone who thinks that he has everything, but doesn t have Jesus, doesn t have anything. I think the person who has everything is the one who has Jesus. He has happiness and peace. With Jesus in your heart you need have no fear. Kaká testifi es with the same passion and grace that he displays on the football fi eld: Nothing compares with the peace of knowing and serving Christ. I have been named best football player in the world. This was a great honour for me. But the greatest honour is serving Jesus Christ, because He gives me hope. This Bible acknowledges and celebrates our love and passion for football. It hopes to show that the 90 minutes on the pitch are about more than just football. This Bible draws on the many lessons the game offers for life and faith. It shares the passion God has for our lives so that you, the player and fan, may experience the same peace and joy that Lúcio and Kaká have experienced. CONTENTS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 The hand of God Players on God s team Jesus, the Player with the X-Factor How to join God s winning team Game plan for life! Playing as a team The Manager says... Motivational talk Part of God s winning team: Our new kit Dealing with our fouls and misconduct Green cards: How to get back into the game Playing God s winning game: Soul training Living our commitment to God s winning team Everyone makes mistakes and experiences failure Is winning everything? Goal! 30 day training programme with Jesus 3 5 10 14 20 31 35 39 41 44 47 51 53 56 58 59 2 soccer 20131218.indd 2 2013/12/18 02:50:31 PM
1 Gallo Images/Getty Images One of the most (in)famous moments in World Cup football history changed the outcome of the 1986 quarter-final between Argentina and England. Six minutes into the second half, Peter Stilton, the English goalkeeper, came out of his goal to clear the ball. At 1.85 metres, Stilton was the favourite to beat Diego Maradona (1.65 metres) to the ball. Unexpectedly, the Argentine captain reached the ball fi rst, and scored with the outside of his left fi st. The referee did not see the foul and allowed the goal. At the press conference after the game, Maradona claimed that the goal was scored un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otropoco con la mano de Dios. A little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God. A PHRASE WAS COINED: The hand of God Today, years after Maradonna s famous World Cup winning goal, people still say it was unfair that one team won and the other lost because of that incident. 3 soccer 20131218.indd 3 2013/12/18 02:50:34 PM
When the Bible speaks of God s hand it conveys something of His caring and gracious nature. God extends His hand to include everyone, unlike Maradonna s action that only favoured his own team. The Bible teaches the following about God s gracious and compassionate hand: Humble yourselves, therefore, under God s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. - 1 Peter 5:6 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; and no one can snatch them out of my Father s hand. - John 10:29 The apostle Peter was overwhelmed by how powerful God is. He knew we can only accomplish great things through God. Our response should be to humble ourselves under God s mighty hand. Jesus teaches us that we are safe because we are held in the Father s hand. For we are God s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10 God s hand is soft, gentle and gracious. He always looks at us with soft, kind eyes filled with grace. 4 soccer 20131218.indd 4 2013/12/18 02:50:37 PM
Players on 2 NWANKO CHRISTIAN KANU Born 1 August 1976 Nwanko Christian Kanu a striker for the Nigerian national team and more recently the English club Portsmouth, is the most highly-decorated African footballer. He has won more than ten awards, including an Olympic Gold medal, a UEFA Champions League medal, a UEFA Cup medal and two African Player of the Year awards. AKA PAPILLO THE KING Soon after returning from the 1996 Olympics, a medical examination revealed a serious heart defect. In November 1996 he underwent heart surgery, only returning to his club in April 1997. Kanu frequently mentions his Christian faith in interviews. He has often spoken about this difficult period in his career as a time when he prayed to God. Kanu s experience led to the founding of the Kanu Heart Foundation in 2000, an organisation that helps African children and young adults living with heart disease. Kanu is known throughout Africa for his humanitarian work. He is also a UNICEF ambassador. The most goals scored by one player in a single football match was 16. Nwanko Christian Kanu Stefan Stanis Dembicki French played for RC Lens December 1942. 5 soccer 20131218.indd 5 2013/12/18 02:50:38 PM
Players on RICARDO IZECSON DOS SANTOS LEITE Born 22 April 1982 Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, known worldwide as Kaká, is a Brazilian midfi elder who currently plays for the Brazilian national team and Real Madrid. Many consider him one of the best footballers of his generation. In 2007 he won both the Ballon d Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards. in 2003, he wore a T-shirt stating: I belong to Jesus in English, a language he does not speak. KNOWN AS KAKÁ Kaká s goal celebrations appear simple: He raises both hands and lifts his head to the sky as he runs away from the goal. But the signifi cance of these gestures is far greater than meets the eye. It tells the story of one of the world s most devoted Christian footballers who openly testifi es to his faith in Christ. Kaká actively uses his status as a professional athlete to promote his faith. He has made a habit of wearing T-shirts with a clear Christian message under his kit. When he scores a goal, he reveals the message to the crowd. After winning the Champions League Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite 6 soccer 20131218.indd 6 2013/12/18 02:50:39 PM
Kaká is open about his intentions. He is a member of Atletas de Cristo (Athletes of Christ). In his interview with them, he mixed the language of faith with the language of football: To those who already have Jesus: You have made the best choice and are in the best team. Go ahead. Do not give up. The fight is great, but we can only win being on Jesus side. To those who have not yet surrendered their lives to Jesus: What are you doing being outside of this team? Come to learn the Word of God, come to know who God really is. Kaká thanks God for his recovery from an almost paralysing accident in 2001 when he was 18. He is known for his humanitarian work and campaign against poverty. In 2004 he became the youngest Ambassador Against Hunger in the United Nations World Food Programme. WORLD CUP WINNERS BY COUNTRY Brazil 5 Italy 4 Germany (West) 3 Uruguay 2 Argentina 2 England 1 France 1 Spain 1 Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona) became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match in March 2012. A few weeks later, he broke César Rodríguez Álvarez s club record of 232 goals to become Barcelona s all-time leading goal scorer. By the end of 2012, Messi had achieved a record 91 goals in club and international games, breaking Gerd Müller s 1972 record of 85 goals in a single calendar year. Messi s final record in this astounding season came in January 2013, when he was named the FIFA Ballon d Or winner for the fourth time. lo Images/Getty Images 7 soccer 20131218.indd 7 2013/12/18 02:50:40 PM
Players on TIMOTHY MATTHEW HOWARD Born 6 March 1979 Tim Howard, goalkeeper for the US national team and the English club Everton, has played football since he was six. He told Athletes in Action a his remarkable story. At the age of ten, he was diagnosed with Tourette s Syndrome, a neurological disorder characterised by physical and verbal tics. In the midst of a life that seemed chaotic, he counted on the calm and stability his grandmother provided. Tim uses his position as a professional athlete to encourage others with Tourette s Syndrome. He is actively involved with Athletes in Action. GOALKEEPER Nana s sense of peace was so powerful because it came from her faith in the Lord. Through her, God revealed His love for me. It wasn t long before I was following in her footsteps. I wanted the same kind of faith and peace she had. Today Tim says: The most important thing in my life is Christ. He s more important to me than winning or losing or whether I m playing or not. Everything else is just a bonus. b Timothy Matthew Howard a http://www.cru.org/ministries-and-locations/ministries/athletes-in-action/tim-howard-testimony.htm b 2013 Michigan Live LLC. All rights reserved. 8 soccer 20131218.indd 8 2013/12/18 02:50:42 PM
WAYNE SANDILANDS Born 23 August 1983 Wayne Sandilands is a South African footballer. He is goalkeeper for Bafana Bafana, the South African national team, and for Mamelodi Sundowns. Wayne shared his story with Moreletapark Media. c He achieved top honours as a goalkeeper throughout his childhood and teens. His parents were very supportive, providing all the GOALKEEPER extra training and skills development he needed. But when Wayne turned professional, he soon suffered disappointment. He wasn t used to not being selected and being the best in his team. Besides his struggles with disappointment and fear, Wayne realised that he did not share the joy he saw in some of his Christian friends. He realised that his motives were wrong. He was playing for his own glory, instead of giving the glory to God. Wayne now lives to glorify God in everything he does on and off the field. Whether he plays or not, Wayne s life is God s to use as He sees fit. God is his audience of One. c [stories] Wayne Sandilands, http://vimeo.com/47516078. You can watch his testimony on: Wayne Sandilands http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivi90nk_2sc 9 soccer 20131218.indd 9 2013/12/18 02:50:43 PM
3 JESUS Over the years, there have been footballers with the ability to change the direction of a game in the blink of an eye. Players such as Bobby Charlton, Pelé, Gerd Müller, Éric Cantona, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robin van Persie are all considered to have the so-called X-factor. 10 soccer 20131218.indd 10 2013/12/18 02:50:46 PM
JESUS Jesus Christ is the X-Factor on God s team. What makes Him such a special player on God s team? What are the qualities or skills that give Him the X-Factor? This is the story of Jesus Christ (the Player with the X-Factor ) A Child is born to a peasant woman in an obscure Middle Eastern village. He grows up in another tiny village of no reputation. He works as a carpenter until He is thirty. Then, for three years, He is a travelling preacher with an inspired message of unconditional love and grace. He never owns a home. He never writes a book. He never holds any offi ce. He never marries or has any children. He never goes to college. He never sets foot in a big city. He never travels two hundred miles from the place where He was born. All the credentials that usually accompany greatness are missing from His life. But the news about this Man of love and grace spreads like a raging fi re across the land. People from all walks of life crowd around Him, hanging on His lips. While He is still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turns against Him. His friends run away from Him. 11 soccer 20131218.indd 11 2013/12/18 02:50:49 PM
JESUS This is the story of Jesus Christ (the Player with the X-Factor ) continued... One of those closest to Him denies ever knowing Him. Another betrays Him for a mere 30 pieces of silver. d He is turned over to His enemies. He endures the mockery of a trial. He is nailed to a cross between two thieves. As He is dying, His executioners gamble for the only pieces of property He has on earth - His clothes. When He is dead, He is laid in a borrowed grave through the kindness of a friend. Amazingly, this remarkable story does not stop here. Three days after His gruesome death, this Man rises from the dead. His resurrection is the living proof that He is, as He claimed, the Saviour, the Son of God who became Man. Twenty long centuries have passed. But this Man remains the Prize of the human race. He has blazed a trail through the centuries and continues to change lives today. e d Worth almost nothing in any currency. e Adapted from Dr James Allan Francis, Arise Sir Knight!, fromthe Real Jesus and Other Sermons, Judson Press, Philadelphia,1926,http://www.holybible.com/resources/poems/ ps.php?sid=47 12 soccer 20131218.indd 12 2013/12/18 02:50:51 PM
This comment by James Allan Francis could serve as an introduction to Jesus Player Profi le: All the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life of Jesus Christ. Whatever you might believe, Jesus signifi cantly changed the course of history. God s Player with the X-factor changed the lives of people more than anyone else ever has or ever will. He wants to do the same for you. Someone once made the wise comment: I have learned that life isn t like a DVD player - you can t fast-forward the bad parts. But I have also learned that Jesus Christ is in every frame, and right now that s enough. Jesus is in every frame of the past, present and future of your life. No matter what the game of life throws at you, if you are on Jesus team He will teach you to play using a different, winning strategy. 13 soccer 20131218.indd 13 2013/12/18 02:50:54 PM
4 GOD S TEAM How to join God s winning team In football, as in any other sport, winning is the objective: You can have the top stars to attract the attention, you can have the best stadium, you can have the best facilities, you can have the most beautiful project in terms of marketing and all these kind of things. But if you don t win... all the work these people are doing is forgotten. - José Mourinho scoring the most goals or even being the best team in the world. You are a winner (or a conqueror) because no matter what happens in your life you have the assurance that God s love and support will help you to overcome any diffi culty you encounter. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. - Romans 8:37 Being a part of God s Kingdom team makes you a different kind of winner. It is not about being the best player, Why, then, do people not automatically experience this abundant life? The reason is that we are all sinners. 14 soccer 20131218.indd 14 2013/12/18 02:50:59 PM
You never forget the first time you pull your team s jersey over your head. Wearing the team colours transforms you into a committed player or a loyal fan. The following colours will help you to become a player on God s winning team. Blue God loves you and He has a game plan for your life Nothing you can do can make God love you more - or less! God is good and beautiful: He wants everyone to share in His goodness and beauty. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. - John 1:12 Jesus promised: I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10 God wants you to live a full and meaningful life. 15 soccer 20131218.indd 15 2013/12/18 02:51:00 PM
GOD S TEAM How to join God s winning team In the Bible, red is associated with sin. The Bible teaches: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (of God s standard of perfection) - Romans 3:23 Red Jesus shed His blood for you The bad news is you are guilty and you need to be saved because you cannot save yourself. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23 The good news is that Jesus died and paid the penalty for your sins so that you can be saved. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8 He rose again to prove that He had triumphed over sin and death. Christ died for our sins... he was buried... he was raised on the third day... - 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 You are saved by believing in Jesus and accepting His free gift of Salvation. 16 soccer 20131218.indd 16 2013/12/18 02:51:05 PM
White is the colour of cleansing and Salvation If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9 After you accept Christ, the Bible says: The new creation has come: the old is gone, the new is here! - 2 Corinthians 5:17 In Christ you are completely forgiven and He makes you a new creation. Come now, let us settle the matter, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. - Isaiah 1:18 He washes away all your sins, so that you can stand before Him, whiter than snow. Jesus Christ s blood removes the stains of sin so that you are pure and clean. 17 soccer 20131218.indd 17 2013/12/18 02:51:07 PM
GOD S TEAM How to join God s winning team Jesus is in heaven. He promised: My Father s house has many rooms... I am going there to prepare a place for you. I will come back and take you to be with me... - John 14:1-3 His people will live with Him there forever. God is waiting with open arms to accept you onto His winning team. If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As the Scripture says, Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame. - Romans 10:9-11 Gold Is the colour of heaven our home stadium WHY NOT PRAY TO HIM: Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and that I need You. Please forgive me. I believe that You sent Jesus to die for me, and that He rose again. I now ask You, Jesus, to come into my life and change me into the person You created me to be. Please help me to live for You. Thank You for saving me. Amen. Is there anything preventing you from connecting with God right now? 18 soccer 20131218.indd 18 2013/12/18 02:51:12 PM
Plants need light, water and good soil in order to grow. In the same way, Christians need Jesus, His Spirit and His Word in order to grow spiritually. Green Is the colour of growth in our new life of faith in Christ Jesus says, I am the light of the world. - John 8:12 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. - John 7:37-39 The Word of God feeds and nourishes us. Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. - Deuteronomy 8:3 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever! Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18 Never forget who you are - or on whose team you play! 19 soccer 20131218.indd 19 2013/12/18 02:51:14 PM