With the advent of tennis, golf, bowling, and other outdoor sports activities on television, millions of people are daily involving themselves in sports-centered recreation activities. Church Recreation Can Help fill a serious sports void in the lives of many children, youth, and adults by helping them learn how to play - not only the organized team sports, but also the individual games they can enjoy throughout life. "It is our duty to give every citizen - particularly our young girls and boys - the opportunity to learn the skills of 'lifetime' sports. We must give proper emphasis to teaching these sports, and thus equip all Americans to reap the physical and mental benefits of sports participation.

The Moral Benefit of Sports and Games.  "We must remember, too, the moral benefits of regular participation in sports. Young men and women will find outlets in these activities that they might otherwise seek in less desirable pursuits. They will meet other young men and young women in the proper atmosphere. They will learn how to lose, as well as how to win. Competing within the rules, against themselves or against friends, will toughen their moral fiber."

The Place of Sports in the Church can be readily seen as the church ministers to the total man. God's interest in us includes our wholeness (or completeness) as persons.  This means he expects our growth and development as individuals to be representative of our mental, social, spiritual, and physical needs.  A church appropriately using sports activities in its ministry will indirectly be contributing to the building of healthy minds and bodies.  "The Scriptures declare that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Therefore, it should be made strong, attractive, and worthy in every way."⁶

Physical and Moral Benefits Are Only Part of the Story of sports participation. The late Dr. William Menninger said the best-adjusted person very likely is one who plays a sport and takes it seriously.  He emphasized the value of instruction when taking up a sport and said that such play is highly beneficial in relief of tensions, anxieties, and emotional stresses.

In Urging All Communities to Develop Sound Sports and Recreation Programs, Menninger said: "An effective community recreation program is just as important to mental health as sanitation is to physical health."⁷

Christ Centered Influence.  If the focus and emphasis of a church-sponsored sports program are properly directed, the results will be positive, Christ-centered. It will encourage children, youth, and adults to identify themselves more boldly with the mission of their church.

"A Sports Program Can Reach and Hold People In The Church. It can help find and develop new leadership for other church responsibilities. It can provide an opportunity for weekday application of Christian principles talked about in Sunday School and church. "⁸

Offer a Variety of Sports Activities.  A church should give consideration to providing a variety of sports activities for its members to enjoy. These sports activities in the local church are usually categorized as team sports, such as soccer, flag football, softball, baseball, basketball, and volleyball; and lifetime sports, broken down into archery, bicycling, boating or sailing, golf, hiking; individual sports, including the activities of riflery, hunting and fishing, gymnastics, skating, skiing, bowling, and horseback riding; and dual sports, such as tennis, badminton, horseshoes, table tennis, handball or racquetball, and croquet.

The sports program of a church should provide opportunities for all ages and for both sexes to participate. "Boys, girls, men, and women participate in games, sports, and athletics primarily to have fun. The urge to play for enjoyment, satisfaction, accomplishment and fellowship accounts for the vast numbers in our population who engage in these activities."⁹

The Sports Program for the Unskilled Athlete.  A Church should also make provision for helping those persons who are lacking in athletic skills. "Many people won't go bowling with friends or family because of the lack of ability or skill. They have never tried it. They don't want to be embarrassed, and they know they won't enjoy bowling poorly. It's the same with racquet sports, water sports, winter sports, outdoor sports, or dozens of other individual games and activities, and all for basically the same reason ­what a person does poorly adds up to more frustration than fun.

For a complete list of the training tool available in Youth and Recreation go to
Youth and Recreation Helps