I hosted a small gathering of guys willing to think through the implications football last week. It was interesting coming to terms with the fact that football is so significant for so many, shaping so many people’s identity (the thought of changing allegiances was unthinkable!). I’ve included the questions we talked through. Some of them might sound a bit cheesy – but provoked some interesting reactions!

I watched the film, Fever Pitch, as preparation. Highly recommended for blokes into football!


Here are the questions. What would you have said?

By the way, it struck me that there doesn't seem to be a good book tackling some of these issues (pun intended!)

Getting the Tackles In

Wearing the right kit:
1. What team do you support? Why? What’s the story that lies behind your support? Why does it seem to matter to many that they still have a team to support? It’s obviously not just about men, but why does this seem to apply to men more than women?

2. Would Jesus support any team? If not, why not? If so, who and why?

The Perfect Pass
1. Where do you see beauty in the beautiful game? What mars the beauty?

2. Why does football produce so much adulation and disappointment? Why does it never feel like it’s ‘just a game’? Do our reactions tell us anything about ourselves?

Oi ref, are you blind?
1. John Charles, great footballer of the 1950s accidentally flattened the opposing centre-half as he charged towards the goal. One to one with the keeper, he kicked the ball into touch and went to help his opponent. What would the headlines be if that happened now? What would your reaction be? Why?

2. Why do we find it hard to accept that people make mistakes? What does grace look like in footballing terms?


‘You only sing when you’re winning’
Football is ‘war without guns’. Do we need an enemy to live healthy lives? Do we need a sense of battle? Do we project this into supporting our teams? What’s your battle?


The bung
How do you react to the amounts of cash that surrounds football? Is it immoral? Would you ever get to the place where you wouldn’t be interested in watching because of the amounts of money involved?


Abide with me
Can you pray that God will help you or your team win a game? Does it work?

Full time
What does football teach us about ourselves, God, faith and discipleship?

Just finished reading a new book, ‘The gospel according to Bruce Springsteen’ by Jeffrey Symynkywicz. It’s a straightforward album by album examination of the ways that the singer has expressed faith, or at times his lack of faith. All his albums have wrestled with the meaning of grace and salvation. In more recent days these themes have come to the forefront. His album ‘Magic’ begins with a roaring question ‘Is there anybody alive out there?’ A really heartfelt cry from many.

Seemed to link in with a quote from Joseph Campbell, a scholar of mythology, who commented, ‘I don’t think people are really seeking the meaning of life. I think we’re seeking an experience of being alive’. Might change how we think about communicating the mysterious wonder of faith if we took this seriously. We don’t need mathematical equations proving the point of it all, as much as we need models of people who are fully alive.

‘The gospel according to BS’ ends with this paragraph:
‘The essence of Springsteen’s good news is not just that there is a power which moves through human history transcending differences, liberating that which lies captive, and healing all wounds. His even better news is that this divine power lives and moves through indisputably common, fallible, imperfect people like us. Through the words and music of Bruce Springsteen may our ears be opened to the Spirit’s song all about us, may our eyes be opened to the Spirit’s gifts deep within us, and may our hands and hearts be opened to do the Spirit’s work here in the midst of this confusing, conflicted, mysterious, amazing world.’ Amen

Mid July saw a team of 12 of us from church go with Habitat for Humanity to Uganda as part of their house-building exercise.

Came back with all sorts of thoughts knocking around my head:

It was good to go and labour for the teams of builders there. Hauling sacks of cement, shifting sand around and carrying bricks from one area to another loses its attraction after a while (about 30 mins!) but does give you the feeling of getting fitter. Loads of people walking by the site just stopped and watched the site of these middle-aged men and women doing heavy work. Mind you, we did look odd.

It was interesting to be in church and for it to begin with the same choruses we would use and to realise that this is the globalisation of worship!

It was heartening to hear the woman who told of us her pride in Uganda and in God who has provided them with all that they need: cassava (a root vegetable), potatoes, and maize. It was also challenging.

It was moving to hear of an 18 year old’s hope that there would be a new generation of non-corrupt officials.

It was odd going to the supermarket in Kampala and hearing a soundtrack of Christian choruses being played over the tannoy.

It was unnerving driving through Kampala on Friday night past teeming markets and horrendous traffic jams.

It was good to be home.

No doubt the photos will be up soon

The link I had used on a previous blog doesn't seem to be working.

Try this one - hopefully it will be more successful: http://charismamag.com/articles/index.php?id=17378


The article is from the www.charisma.org site and can be found by typing Lakeland Florida in to the search box. there are some thoughtful blogs on the forum sites as well.

Lots of noise coming fron Florida about a revival being led by the minstry of Todd Bentley. It's followed by the usual excessive claims of this being the last move before the return of Christ and those thinking it's all demonic. Rarely is life that simple.
I found this reflection by the editor of Charisma magazine helpful. For those who have not come across Charisma, the magazine reports on, and teaches about, all things charismatic. In other words, it's normally on the side of the 'manifestations' people. That's why I thought the article by the editor was helpful.

The article is at this address. http://www.newchristian.org.uk/charisma.html

You may may find it helpful.

The rest of us will have to wait and see what happens next.