(7:30 Length)
- Begin each lesson by reading 1 Corinthians 10:31. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
- Discuss the second principle: “Participation in sports must be informed by the knowledge of God.” CJ Mahaney says, “beholding must precede playing.” How does this principle help an athlete to glorify God? How can an athlete become more informed theologically?
- Someone has said “the most owned book in history is the Bible, but it’s also the least read book as well.” Do you agree or disagree?
- Read the following John Owen quote and discuss. You might want to only read a portion of the quote if your time is limited. After reading the quote, ask the group “How does this quote by a puritan relate to you?
Word definition: “Puritan” – A member of a group of English Protestants who in the 16th and 17th centuries advocated religious discipline along with simplification of the ceremonies and creeds of the Church of England.
‘Because he is—that is, infinitely glorious, good, wise, holy, powerful, righteous, self-subsisting, self-sufficient, all-sufficient Being, the fountain, cause, and author of life and being to all things, and of all that is good in every kind, the first cause, last end, and absolute sovereign Lord of all, the rest and all-satisfactory reward of all other beings—therefore he is to be adored and worshipped. Hence are we in our hearts, minds, and souls, to admire, adore, and love him. His praises are we to celebrate. In him we are to trust and fear, and so to resign ourselves and all our concerns unto his will and disposal to regard him with all the acts of our minds and persons, answerable to the holy properties and excellencies of his nature. This is to glorify him as God.”
- The Bible teaches “As a man thinks within himself, so he is.” Proverb 23:7. How does this verse relate our thinking to our behavior? How does this apply to sports?
- How can “beholding the glory of God” before you play impact your performance? How does reminding ourselves of the gospel affect our athletic performance?