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Lesson OneBuilding Meaningful Relationships with Athletes3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson TwoMinistering to the Families of Athletes3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson ThreeHow to Administer Care in Times of Crisis – Part I3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FourHow to Administer Care in Times of Crisis – Part II3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson FiveHow to Administer Care in Times of Crisis – Part III3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SixMental Health and Today’s Athlete3 Activities1 Assessment
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Lesson SevenSports Ministry and Social Media3 Activities1 Assessment
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity1 Assessment
Participants 100
Discussion Questions
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Describe, in your own words, the importance of building meaningful relationships with the athletes you serve/plan to serve. How might your ministry look different without solid, meaningful relationships?
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24 Replies
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Building relationships with the athletes in the middle school and high school teams. As been a way for me to share about Jesus with them. I’m a youth leader at my church, going to the games just being present there being a witness. Is the reason why I truly believe many accepted coming to church coming to know Jesus. My ministry would be going through the motions if I didn’t take time to pour into the youth and their families. I have seen the Lord moved might in bold ways in the lives of these youth and their families. Many families have been so encouraged by someone from the church coming to the game meeting them where they are at. I remember a night a kid who I never met knew nothing about his faith background. He asked me if he can come to youth group. And a few weeks later I was praying over him to recommit his life to Jesus Christ! These relationships are seeds the Lord is planting! Without it we are just dry bones. We need to build relationships to connect people to Jesus Christ!
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Building meaningful relationships with my yoga clients is essential because true healing and transformation occur in a space of trust, connection, and support. By fostering genuine relationships, I create a safe and nurturing environment where clients feel seen, heard, and valued. This deepens their engagement in the practice, allowing for more profound physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. Without these relationships, my ministry would feel transactional rather than transformational, lacking the depth needed for real healing and personal breakthroughs. Instead of being a sanctuary for self-discovery and healing, it would become just another service, missing the heart-centered approach that makes somatic yoga therapy so powerful.
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Building meaningful relationships with athletes is really important because it helps create trust and support. When athletes feel valued and connected, they’re more likely to talk about their struggles and experiences. This allows us to help them better in their personal and spiritual lives.
If we don’t have solid relationships, our ministry could feel empty and not as helpful. Athletes might feel alone, and we might miss their needs. Without that connection, they might not pay attention to what we say or the support we offer. In the end, meaningful relationships turn our ministry into a journey together, making a community where athletes feel cared for and encouraged.
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It looks like connecting with them in different ways, caring for them and inviting them into community. It can look different without solid relationships because you won’t consistently be giving them something different than what the world has to offer.
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nobody cares what you know until they know that you care. care for them, build that trust. keep that trust be being consistent.
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Do any of the five “C’s” discussed in this lesson stand out to you as an opportunity for improvement in your ministry? What changes will you make to improve in this area of relationship-building? Be specific.
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14 Replies
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Community stands out to me. Because so many times I’m so focus on caring for them pouring out into them. That often times I let the need for them to come into a community of believers slip away. I feel that I need to always make sure the youth, and their families are being invited to come to church so they can come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Many have come to my church as a result of me being a light in their lives. But there are many who don’t know the Lord. Some youth come to church and their parents don’t come with them. In today’s world of so many things pulling us. We need to be a part of a community for us all to be lifting each other up. Sharpening each other to grow deeper into the Lord together!
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One of the five “C’s” discussed in this lesson that stands out as an opportunity for improvement in my ministry, and could be a valuable step toward stronger relationships is communication. Communication is an area for improvement, that I can focus on being more intentional with both verbal and non-verbal communication, ensuring that athletes feel heard and understood. This could mean setting aside time for more one-on-one conversations or being more proactive in asking about their lives outside of sports.
To improve in this area, I could set a goal to regularly check in with each athlete, not just about their performance, but about their personal struggles, joys, and spiritual questions. I might schedule short coffee chats or send encouraging messages during the week to demonstrate consistent care and presence. Additionally, learning and adapting my communication style to fit the athlete’s needs (e.g., text, in-person, etc.) could enhance relationship-building.
By being more intentional in communication, athletes are more likely to feel valued, deepening my ministry’s impact.
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Common ground. Something I work at naturally but probably didn’t realize the importance of it.
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The C that stands out to me the most is Community. I mostly leave this up to God to cultivate community with the people he calls. Creating a community is something new to me other than the notion of leading a congregation. However, again I believe that a minister should expect God to bring the people together as a community over time but their is nothing wrong in hoping and praying that a community of believers is formed.
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Common ground is my C. I think I would study each athlete by going to their games. Next, I would try to be available to meet a need. Then, I would make myself available after both practices and games to just listen and be a listening board. Then, I would find a way to share the Gospel with them.
