I love sports at all levels, but I would resent how they impacted my ministry for a long time. Whether it was the NFL messing with attendance at our youth nights or a teen choosing to opt-out of Confirmation for a lacrosse tournament, I had a hard time seeing how sports were anything but an obstacle to knowing Christ.
Over time I adjusted to the culture, but my attitude towards youth sports changed when I became my son’s little league baseball coach. I stopped seeing youth sports as an obstacle and more of an opportunity to evangelize and catechize the kids and their parents. During that season, the bonds created between parents and the team were priceless.
I’ve come to believe that the local church does itself a disservice by fighting the sports culture. And because sports consume so much of our communities attention, it’s critical to take a moment and learn what they are doing right. For example, youth sports:
The purpose of youth sports is multifold. You learn how to work with others under pressure but with an element of fun. Each player develops skills to get to the next level. Parents and kids learn to share and deal with failure, success, and pressure. Does your ministry offer those things for your young people? If not, we have to answer the question, “What is the purpose of my ministry, and does it yield clear results?”
You would be pretty upset as a parent or a kid if all the coach did line up the team on the bench to review the game’s history, statistics, and rules. While all of that is necessary, the team still needs to take the field and test out what they learn.
Parishes have to recognize that in addition to small groups, they need to incorporate opportunities where kids, teens, and adults can test out what they learn is critical. In addition to the regular programs, everyone should be invited to serve, share their witness and play out what they’ve been learning over the year. Being in the Church means being an active participant.
I’m not saying you have to start making the kids come three times a week to faith formation, although maybe you could get there one day. But if a parish expects to build momentum by only offering faith growing opportunities every other week or once a month, they are missing the point.
Young people need consistency in opportunities and communication. Leaders should be contacting parents during the week like a coach reaches out to their players. Kids and teens enrolled in faith formation should also serve in the parish on Sundays or in outreach projects during the week. The more you meet, the stronger the bonds you’ll form.
Think about how many parents drop their kids off at faith formation and then drive away until it’s over versus the parents that bust out the folding chair to watch their kids practice. We’re not talking about a game; we’re talking about practice!
At an early age, different recreational leagues require parents to be present, and over time it builds a culture. While parents come to watch their kids, they start to form a community with other parents. The coach is accessible, and the parents get to see their child develop.
Imagine inviting parents to sit in on your formation experiences for kids from time to time. Yes, you would have to figure out all that child protection paperwork, but it would be worth it. Parents who see how their kids are growing will take more interest and are easier to interact with when there is a need.
While there is a lot we can learn from the youth sports world, it’s not the perfect paradigm. Not every league is organized, and there will be times when you have a coach who is a disaster. But, the reality is that many sports leagues are run by busy parents who want the best for their kids. The teams are like small groups where a community is formed. Instead of dismissing sports, parishes should embrace them by:
If you are struggling to form a community and impact young people sit down with those who coach and organize youth sports to gain their insight. Learn from what they do to build up trust and form a community amongst parents and the kids. Consider coaches allies, and it will help you gain access to the community.
You can eliminate the shame that kids and their parents feel for picking sports over religion. And while I don’t want people to like sports over religion, I don’t want them to feel guilty for pursuing something that brings them joy. Parishes can bless the games that kids play by:
When people see the Church blessing what they do, it’ll communicate, “We care about what you love.” While it might not increase their attendance, it shows them that the Church loves them.
This past Lent, we started incorporating more gameplay into our youth and children’s ministry programs. The fruit is palpable because we all crave to move and act. Parishes that experiment with different forms of catechesis outside of the classroom will have more success because they are creating an experience that can hit all the senses.
A culture of play is more than just games. Play culture means installing hands-on activities like service, art, drama, and fun. Incorporating the opportunity to move around shows younger generations that Church is not just about sitting still but enjoying creation to its fullest.
I understand that not everyone loves sports, but that’s not an excuse to villanize or ignore them. You can argue that the culture is obsessed, and I would agree, but that’s even more the reason to put yourself in the mission field and use the language of the game to draw people closer to Christ. So as you plan out your parish programs, answer the question, “How do we embrace the games that so many people love?”