Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Nebraska Basketball Chapel
It is Tuesday the 30th of December and this is the much anticipated second opportunity to correct your Bible grade over Christmas break. I have a unique opportunity today. Coach Trent (who some of you know and some of you do not know) has asked me to fill in for him today (he's out of town) and speak at the Nebraska Men's Basketball Chapel before their game today. He has sent me an outline of some of the topics they have been discussing and I am know what I am going to talk about, but I would like to offer you the opportunity to give your suggestions. If you were me and you had one shot to speak to the Christians on the Nebraska Men's basketball team what would you share with them? Remember, these guys play on a big "stage." Lots of little kids really look up to them and we all know how crazy adults can get about Husker sports. They play in a situation where winning is everything and most programs will at least "stretch" the rules to win. In your opinion, what can I, as a Christian coach, offer to these athletes?
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Cool!~! Okay.....WEll you could talk about how they could keep their Godly attitude and be humble in the game while everyone else around them isn't. They may not be a celeberaty in the Worlds eyes if this is how they do it, but in God's heart they will be. When people find out that you are a Christian, they really do watch you closely. If they see a b-ball player who says he's a Christian, but is yelling at everyone,getting mad,and being all in himself, not playing God's way.....they aren't setting a good example, for the nonbelievers who are looking up to them or even the beleivers. I would just encourage them to do it's God way 24/7 no matter wut other may think ,say, or do. (also wut you have taught us in basketball) When you really do give all the glory and praise to God, and let him help you through the game, I've learned it goes so much better. :) Mr.Earl I know you will !~PREACH IT~!, and God's word will shine through you. We R praying for you! I think this is a cool blog! Addison Stewart
wow... i really liked all of the videos you shared with us on Ron Brown. It made me think and ask if i was playing for a win or playing for God. He said that a loss is just a loss but if you give your best for God with all you've got, it's a win in God's eyes. I agree with Addy too, just setting an example for others to follow. Someone may be a great basketball player, but sometimes we don't want to cheer them on if we know what their attitude is like. It does make a difference what they do off the court too. They may be able to fake it in a game but off the court it's a whole different thing. I'm glad you have this opportunity to share God with others!!
ok, I would talk them about dedicating yourself to the spot you love. when one of there friends says to them " would you like to come to a party with us"? what would you say? If you were truly dedicate to basketball you would miss that party and you would go to the gym and work hard for what you love. one other thing i would talk to them about would be how to love you team and not think that it is all all about them selves. when you don't work as a team you aren't a team. Another thing you could talk about is that its Gods way. When you are playing on the court even in life, academics, all the time you should be thanking God for were you have gotten today. I could talk longer but i don't no if it will all fit so thats really all i got to say. But good luck talking to them!!!! :)
k.. well i would talk about jesus's sacrifice. Not only the fact that he died on the cross, but the fact that he gave up all the heavenly riches to come down to a sinfull earth. If jesus gave that sacrifice in life, we sould be able to make that sacrifice in our sports. play all out 100% on the court of field, because jesus gave that much in life. its like what u said all last year in basketball. total release performance. if u do that the fans and coaches would notice that ur different. and they want to find out y. that would be a good tesomony of your faith.
I would talk to them about how you should always be playing to glorify the Lord and not playing to impress your coach or parents or whatever. I would also talk to them about always working hard in what they do and doing it whole heartedly. And i would talk to them about not getting mad at others when they make mistakes because everyone makes mistakes.
k well
i guess i would talk about their attidudes affect the little kids who look up to them and all of the fans cheering in the crowd.
u alwys talk to us about our style while playing anything and how our attitudes affect the people around us heavily.
and talk to them about how they can make a difference in the community like how they can go to the local homes like City Impact and talk to the people their and maybe even play ball with some of the kids their.
just spending a couple of hours talking to the less fortunate and sharing the gospel even with some of them.
hmmmm... I guess I would talk about how winning isn't every thing. I know who you said that they love to win the games because alot of people are looking up to them and so they are counted on to win the games. But there is alot more to the games then winning... They should have fun doing it and do it for the glory of God. One great example would be from the movie Facing the Giants. In the movie the team gave God glory to their wins and loses. They would pray to God and thank him for all the new challenges in the game, so they can improve the way the play. And the best part of that is when they lost a game, they never blamed God or cured his name.
This may be too late to respond, but I'll still do it anyway. You could talk about a number of different things, but i think a really important thing to talk about in these situations is how it's not weather you win or loose, its if you played and gave all your best effort to God. All you have to do is give all you got to God and it doesnt matter how the score turns out. Never play for just a good score, play for God.
Well, I guess one thing you could talk about is "Why are you playing basketball? for God's glory, or for your, personal, glory?" At that level I'm sure its harder then ever to really focus on playing so that you can give God glory with how you play, instead of just playing because you love the game, you enjoy the game, or you are good at the game.
I know personally that when I really get into a sport it is super difficult for me to play for God's glory and not my personal "glory."
Anyway good luck speaking at the chapel thingy, and have fun with it.
~~Shrimps~~
well i think this is really late but o well... i would have talked about how winning isnt everything also and how if u loose a game its not the end of the world. i know some people who, when they lose a game they are sooooo hard on themselves. i would also have talked about playin for God. how they shoulnt play for anything/anyone but God. i went to the NE game tonight and they were REALLY good!! man i wish i could dunk like them. anyways... a really good characteristic about them was that they didnt yell at each other in anger, but they were talking to each other in a encouraging way and building each other up as a TEAM. i also would have talked about how to build each other up and not tear each other down. and its not all about them. they are a team, its team effort not just one person. and its ok if u get beet, if u use all your skills and play your hardest and for God. ya and thats wat i would say!! i think it would be awesome to have that opportunity!!!!
play your hardest to the best of your ability. give an example to the kids that are wacthing you and to give a good name to nebraska. the parts about God and playing to the best of your ability are all equally important and some of them might need it. wow it's really hard to think about what to talk about because im not the one talking. wow.
Well I would probly ask them what they think when they hear tons of people cheering for them and what they're prospective is on what they're playing for,God,themselves,relationships, or other things.
I would tell them that you are being watched, you aren't just playing some old pickup game, people,like you said mr.earl, are watching you, when you get a foul called on you and you don't like it, the reaction you have is what is going to affect other people, just like what we learned in CP, that one movie where the 2 guys said that they weren't influenced by the culture or the things around them, yet they were wearing their hats cockeyed and had fuzzy little beards on the chins, it is just like that in a way, some little kid, we'll say joe the plummers kid is watching a nebraska game and the players get in a fight, what kinda of a message does that send, not a good one, so, mr.earl, i would tell the boys to think before you act, don't just blow up with a call or a play, except it and go
Seppy3
I would talk about how to handle their anger/frustration. Some people get made during the game at the refs, but , I tend to get more mad at practice when I can't do something. Either way it is not a good thing and they should try to find the best way to get calmed down. Some people tell you that it is just a game but to me that thought can just provoke me further. What works best for me is to remember who you are playing for and what attitude is acceptable with God in mind
I would just say to really maintain a good attitude, and if there's a bad call or something, just to keep your cool. With a whole bunch of people watching, a wrong move that way could really effect the way people look at you, and to do the same with what the scoreboard says. If a whole bunch of people are watching you and they know that you claim to be a Christian, and your attitude is wrong, just to think about that.
well, i think that one of the biggest things that is a problem with big time players is that a whole lot of them are bad role models and get in trouble. Bob Knight says that when all of the kids watch the college and NBA players, that the biggest problem is that most people aren't good role models. they need to be a good role model if they say that they are a Christian period. THey also need to use good language and not always vent at the refs.
We should always give 100 percent in everything we do, not wether we win or lose you still need to give it your all and humble yourself even in the toughest of circumstances. Think of what Jesus gave up to come and save and the sacrifice he gave for a sinful earth. Happy New Years!!
We should always give 100 percent in everything we do, not wether we win or lose you still need to give it your all and humble yourself even in the toughest of circumstances. Think of what Jesus gave up to come and save and the sacrifice he gave for a sinful earth. Happy New Years!!
well... i know this is a thing every one talks about and it is an obvious one to everyone. but every year i get better and better at it. It is playing for God not for men. Because when you play for men you mostlikly yell and you get really mad when you or somebody else is doing something wrong, and the little kids and teens mostly think that is the way i need to play and start yelling at themselfs and others. But when you play for God you have selfcontrol and you mostly you do better and the other kids in the stands notice something diffrent and want to know and that could lead into you telling them about Christ.
You could share with them that winning isn't everything but that glorifying God in what they do is the right way to play, and to be a good example infront of all their fans and that they should use every chance they get to share the Gospel with the people around them.
k well first of all I would talk about the way the game should be played whitch is for Christ then I would talk about the way there attitudes should be throughout the game and I would also talk about the emotion that comes along with basketball and that you can handle it with a simple prayer to God. I would do a small devotional to get them pumped for the game then I would pray and then ask for autographs j.k.
Wow congrats. I would just talk about playing to the best of your abilities and for God. The problem is some of those guys don't know God and don't fully know what it's like to "play for God", but I would tell them that anyway :). I would talk about using your team and not being a ball-hog.
I would ask what motivates them and tell them to be honest with themselves. Is it their fear of losing starting position? Is it the publicity? Is it Christ? Is it the hope of big money later on in the pro's? We all know what the answer should be, but I'd say about half the time I am not playing for the right reason. I'll get caught up in the game, and totally forget who I'm playing for.(I struggle with this a TON.)
I'd say a healthy way of playing would be that you could get so you could just forget who's watching you and just keep God in focus. If God is your main focus, you won't be needing to need to constantly be watching your language or over-celebration. For any sport. Not just basketball, but in all areas of life. If Christ is your focus, then you won't be flying off the handle at your parents when they tell you "No.", or saying something you shouldn't about someone else. Like Coach Earl likes to say, "Sports are a great training ground for all of life."
if i could talk to the nebraska players i would talk about how to glorify God through it all. if they went already christians that would be a litle problem because they dont no God.
I would talk about how everyone is watching them, everyone who is there and everyone who is watching TV, and if they look bad, or back talk to the refs, how many people wont like them. Just like Marcus Vick and, Michael Vick they were very popular and then michael got imto dog fighting and marcus was a jerk to other players on the field, like when he stomped on one of the other team mates face. Would you like to be hated by everyone in the USA or not. then i would leave them to think about it.
I guess i would start out by asking them if bball was their life. I was reading in my devos that something you love and do all the time should enhance your life, not be your life. Like if you spend so much time practicing for bball you don't have your special time with God. That bball can enhance their life and lives of others. When they play on the court people are watching them and if they don't yell at teamates, referees, or other players and keep their cool people will see something different. That way their honoring God and playing to the best of their ability.
i would talk to them about how god gave his one and only son. i would ask them would any of you give up your sons or daughters so that you could save the people of the world and have most of those people ignor what you sacrificed. would you watch your sons or daughters suffer for all of man kind and most of them make fun of him in his suffering. then i would ask them would you be willing to take it on yourself to help the world by giving up your own body and suffer greatly for people who would regect you. then i would ask them are you really playing for the glory of god and trying to show the world what jesus can do in someones life or are you playing for a dumb metal trophy and so for one year at tops you can be rememberd and then the next year go through it all again. whatever you do work at it with all of your heart as if working for the lord and not for men. if you are eating cearial do it well if your taking a shower do it the best that you can because you are a role model for a multitude of children and if your out there giving all of the glory to yourself and not thanking god for your talents and abilities what will you tell him when judgement day comes. would you rather say to him i gave all the glory to myself and never gave a rats hat about you or i hope that i gave you all the glory and i know i deserve to go through what jesus went through but whatever you do may it glorify you.
what i would mainly say is watch your actions. if little kids look up to you, you want the parents to know that they can let their kids watch you play basketball without worrying how you will react to a call. also i know the whole team is not christians but to those who are you could say play as if God was right in front of you and make the nonbelievers on the team notice how there is something different about you than everyone else when you play basketball. it is not just little kids who look up to but nonbelievers too.
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