Displaying items by tag: Christians in sport

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen openly praised God following his team’s 2024 World Series victory over the New York Yankees, emphasising his deep Christian faith. In a post-game interview, Treinen described feeling 'overwhelming joy’: asked who he thought of during the final out, he simply replied, 'God’. His faith is evident on his social media, where he highlights his love for Jesus and shares his convictions. In 2023, Treinen spoke out against the Dodgers’ recognition of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a controversial group he views as disrespectful to Christianity. Despite the potential professional risks, he made clear that his loyalty to Christ and Christian values is more important than his career. Treinen, who has publicly shared his faith since at least 2016, continues to honour his commitment to God, reflecting his unwavering devotion through both his words and actions.

Cambridge United Football Club, inspired by Baptist minister and fan Simon Cragg, has introduced an official club carol titled 'United at Christmas' to connect football enthusiasts with the teachings of Jesus. This unique carol was a highlight of a 1,000-person carol service at Abbey Stadium, attended by players, staff, and fans. It was also featured at halftime during the club’s FA Cup match against Fleetwood. The lyrics of 'United at Christmas' use football-related imagery to convey themes of love, hope, and peace, and include references to the club's nickname and historical Christian narratives. Club director Graham Daniels, a former player and head of Christians in Sport, noted the growing openness to faith in football. He credits past Christian footballers like Gavin Peacock and Cyril Regis for setting strong examples of faith in the sport, leading to a cultural shift where being a devout Christian and a professional footballer is respected.

Badminton England recently launched a strategy aimed at making the game the most inclusive and accessible in the country. As part of the plan, it intends to open up 200 new spaces for playing badminton, including faith spaces like church halls. Lisa Elliott, a former professional badminton player now affiliated with Christians in Sport (CIS), commended the strategy while cautioning against pressuring players to attend church events. She suggested that this initiative could be a wonderful chance for churches to foster friendships, build relationships, and pray, with the hope that it may lead to meaningful connections in the future.  Christians in Sport, an organisation that assists athletes in living out and sharing their faith, collaborates with sportspeople like Elliott to integrate their beliefs with their sporting endeavours.

‘God’s love for me doesn’t depend on how I perform’, says British athlete Adam Pengilly. Christian boxer Katie Taylor said, 'I actually don't know how people get through difficult moments without God in their life'. See During the Commonwealth Games, Passion for Sport will be in Birmingham hosting a special outreach exhibition featuring stories of eight Christian athletes. Three are reigning Commonwealth champions, one is a netball captain, and four are former athletes with great testimonies. Each athlete’s story is heard via a QR code link displayed in the installation. There are also visual creations of key moments from personal journeys. Pray for the success of this outreach installation, may it inspire and immerse people of faith and none into the world of Christian athletes. For 25 years, Passion for Sport has been reporting from major sporting events aiming to introduce sports fans to Jesus through comments, discussions and interviews with top Christian athletes sharing their faith.

Some of the best golfers in the world are striving for more than a trophy or prize money. In each Professional Golf Association tournament are players whose Christian faith is being communicated to fans and co-competitors. A growing number of competitors are using the rising popularity of golf to share their faith with others. They are becoming more interested in speaking out about their faith  during post-event interviews. On 11th April the winner of the US Masters tournament, Scottie Scheffler, said ‘The reason why I play golf is I'm trying to glorify God’ (See) Scheffler has spoken often about the impact his faith has on his life. He is a regular at a Bible study held by professional golfers on tour, while it's understood he chose his caddie because he too was a committed Christian.

After both Manny Pacquiao and Oleksander Usyk declared their faith to the media, Britain's Tyson Fury praised God after retaining his heavyweight boxing world title in a classic fight with Deontay Wilder. ‘First of all, I would like to say thank you to my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Fury said.

‘Volleyball has taught me many valuable life lessons about integrity, hard work and perseverance, but my athletic experiences and lessons learned pale in comparison to my greatest passion, living a life committed to the person of Jesus Christ,’ said Jenny the daughter of 1960 decathlete gold-medal winner Rafer Johnson. Jenny grew up in the world of sports and joined a highly competitive UCLA college programme. ‘When I made it to the collegiate level I was just learning how to own my faith and what it means to have God in my sport, that they’re not separate things’ She had a Christian coach who encouraged her to keep up her Christian testimony. As she accepted the challenge, she got even better at volleyball and became the team captain. Her team won All-Tournament Team honours. Later, she and her partner won the silver medal at the beach volleyball world championships in Marseille.

One of the best rugby players in the world is set to have his contract terminated after posting a picture on social media with a warning to those who sin. Israel Folau, who has starred for Australia over the past six years, has often spoken about his Christian faith, regularly sharing Bible verses and messages on Twitter and Instagram. Last year he received much criticism for telling a follower that God's plan for gay people was hell unless they repent of their sins. His employer, Rugby Australia, had said his comments ‘did not reflect the views’ of the organisation, but added: ‘In his own words, Israel said that he did not intend to upset people intentionally or bring hurt to the game. We accept his position.’ His latest post lists a number of different sins, including homosexuality, and tells followers that ‘hell awaits’. Rugby Australia and his club NSW Warratahs have criticised his comments, and confirmed that they intend to sack him.

Stoke City F C’s new manager, Nathan Jones, has been praised by the Bishop of Stafford: ‘It's so impressive that Nathan is able to talk openly and honestly about his faith, and it's particularly great that he has found strength from this during times of adversity’. Jones, who regularly attends church and has Christian-themed tattoos, has described how God keeps him ‘grounded’ and helps him persevere against temptation: ‘Through hard times I've always had the stability of the Lord in my life.’ Billy Vunipola, regarded as one of England's best rugby players, has spoken about how his faith is helping him get back to fitness after suffering three broken arms in just over a year. For his interview with the Daily Telegraph, see