I discussed this question at a coaches training recently along with the troubling 
conclusions from recent research of the complete lack of impact that Christianity had on the 100 Division III athletes during their play.
After the training, a tall young woman approached me. She told me her own story that verified the results of this research. Here is what she said:
I played D2 Volleyball at a “Methodist” school. We would ALWAYS say the Lord’s Prayer before the game as a team, I personally would pray for strength and safety as well before the game. If we won we would thank the Lord for the win—— But never once did we pray DURING the game. I found that every interesting and actually had never realized it until Bob made me think about it! There is no reason why we shouldn’t ask God for strength and endurance DURING a game! We should also give him thanks after a game (even if we lost) for him giving us the strength to do our best! Glory should be given to God before, during, and after all games win or lose!
The thing I found so challenging is that she never even thought about this until she sat there that day.
With that in mind, let me ask you a few questions:
– If you coach or play sports, do you have an integrated view of your sports and Christianity that transcends all three – before, during and after the sports are played?
– If you are in sports ministry, do you teach your coaches and participants to have an integrated view of sports and Christianity that extends to all three arenas – before, after and during our play?
God calls us to do “whatever we do” to “do it all for the glory of God!”
That means – before, during and after we play!!!
