A Church intramural sports league is a great way to engage young men and women in your church. Here are three advantages an intramural league offers over an inter-church sports league.
The Difference Between an Inter-Church & Intramural Sports League
Let’s be clear on the difference between an inter-church and intramural league.
In an inter-church league, you form a team—like basketball, softball, volleyball, etc.—from within your church and compete against teams from other churches in your community.
The league is a joint effort among participating churches and is led by representatives from each church.
An intramural league is formed by creating teams from within your congregation. It offers three advantages over an inter-church league.
A Church Intramural Sports League Engages More People
In an Inter-church league, you’ll engage 10 people on your basketball and volleyball team and around 15 for softball. And there’s competition on who makes the team roster and plays.
But in an intramural league, multiply 10 players per team times 4- 8 teams and you engage 40-80 people! So there’s room for everyone that wants to play.
The task of engaging that many people may even sound a bit daunting.
Competition releases the warrior side in men. Rather than discourage it, I plan for and even promote a competitive league environment. But it must be managed.
It’s difficult to exercise control over coaches and players from other churches in an inter-church league. But the players and coaches in an intramural league are your church members.
You recruit and direct the coaches, establish the direction and set expectations of behavior. And you’re the authority who enforces expectations and maintains accountability.
An Intramural Sports League Promotes Community
When different churches compete against one another, the “my church is better than your church” mentality is always present.
But in an intramural league, everyone is from the same church. You worship, pray, study, and serve together.
We also strategically plan fellowship opportunities during and at the end of the season to promote unity.
Even though you play hard, and perhaps, become a little testy in the heat of competition, it’s easier to let it go after the game because there is a greater sense of unity.
So now that you understand the advantages of an intramural sports league and the potential for engaging people in church life, why not start building your own intramural sports league?
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Want to build intramural sports leagues in your church?
I built an entire intramural sports league ministry that included basketball, volleyball, softball, golf, running, and aerobics classes that engaged several hundred people within our congregation qne reached into our local community. This book walks you through the entire process.
A reasonable approach to Christian faith. Is the Christian faith the complete opposite of intellectual reason? I don’t think so and here’s why.
A reasonable approach to Christian faith. They are more similar than you think.
Some claim that Christian faith and intellectual reason are mutually exclusive. But I think they actually work together.
Let me explain.
The argument that pits faith against reason generally goes like this: Christian faith is a subjective, religious experience that is based on little or no evidence.
Reason on the other hand, involves facts. And it logically follows the evidence to intelligently reach a conclusion.
In short, faith is subjective and reason is objective.
Now I will be the first to admit that faith is subjective in nature. There’s no getting away from it. But at the same time, an honest discussion of Christian faith must include the OBJECT of its faith—Jesus Christ.
A reasonable approach to Christian faith. Jesus Christ is the object of our faith.
When Christians talk about faith, they talk about faith in Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ is a historical figure. A real person. The things He said and did are recorded by eye witnesses. So the details around His birth, the miracles He performed, the claims He made, His death by Roman crucifixion, and the disappearance of His body from the grave are all confirmed facts. They are all evidence for you to consider.
It’s where reason comes in.
And there is all kind of literature for you to explore and reason through—Scriptural as well as non-religious, historical documents.
Anyone that is truly committed to intellectual integrity should at least understand what Christianity is about before dismissing it. Why not start with a general overview of its basic beliefs? You’ll find an easy to read explanation of them in the book, Christianity for the Average Joe.
Of course, no matter how convincing or unconvincing you consider the evidence, there won’t be enough proof either way.
You’ll have to make your decision based on faith. And so my definition.
Christian faith is the place you stand between what you know and believe.
There is a lot of information about Christianity for you to explore. A lot of evidence to reason through. But ultimately it comes down to faith. That’s where you’ll have to stand to make your final decision…to believe.
Yes…faith is subjective. And yes…it is an experience. One that leaves you forever changed.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
Enjoy Humorous Christian Books?
The whale image used for this blog is a cartoon illustration out of my book Family Stew. Each chapter begins with a professionally drawn, cartoon illustration. It’s a collection of stories from the days of our young family along with summary thoughts from a Christian perspective.
Individual responsibility: Building your part of the wall. We’ve become a nation of bailouts. And it bothers me. Because the willingness to work, accept individual responsibility and take personal initiative is what makes us distinct.
Take that away…expect the government to solve problems…and we become a docile herd of cattle awaiting care. On the up side, the herd offers a care free life. On the down side, it may lead to slaughter. Which means you’re putting your life at steak.
Okay. I admit. The world is full of complex social issues and there is no single answer. But there are answers and perhaps, some of them are straightforward. Here are some thoughts on the story in Nehemiah 3:15-5:13.
Individual responsibility: Building your part of the wall. The story background.
As a nation, the Jews were in exile. The wall around their great city, Jerusalem, had been torn down. A symbol of security and their once, proud heritage…gone.
The Prophet, Nehemiah sought to rally the nation. And he decided to accomplish this by repairing the wall around Jerusalem. A monumental task that would require massive resources, skill, and organization.
But how?
Individual responsibility: Building your part of the wall. When communities work together.
So who is in charge? That’s the first question we ask today. And the answer is usually someone else. Like the government. But that’s not what Nehemiah did. Instead, he encouraged homeowners and people in the neighborhood to take charge of rebuilding the wall section near their home!
But wait, you say. Where’s the government oversight? The professional engineers? Who’s checking the specifications? Handling inspections? And what about the unions?
It was a ridiculous idea even in that day and their enemies living in the surrounding areas laughed at and mocked them. But the Jews ignored it. They formed work groups based on common interests and geography that took responsibility for rebuilding different parts of the wall. And little by little, section by section, neighborhood by neighborhood, the wall went up.
It probably required extensive cooperation between neighbors and within the communities. Materials and supplies were sourced. Measurements between sections matched. Knowledge and tools shared. But each group took responsibility for rebuilding a particular section of the wall.
Individual responsibility: Building your part of the wall. When you do the work you reap the benefits.
And as progress continued the taunting enemies grew worried. They even considered a military attack to stop the construction. So the Jews buckled on their swords, posted sentries, and kept on working.
Nehemiah 6:15 records: “And the wall was completed in 52 days and the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.”
Okay, so couldn’t take all the credit. Because they were aided by God. And scripture if full of miracles when people exercise faith in God. But when God’s people take individual responsibility and collective action, amazing things can happen.
I think it illustrates an important principle: Great communities, organizations, and nations are not the result of a massive effort from the top down. But a groundswell of personal effort, community support, and enterprise from the bottom up.
Each of us taking individual responsibility for a section of the wall. United as one nation under God.
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
I read about influence because it’s important in my work as a freelance copywriter. And I understand how it applies to advertising, marketing communications, and public relations. But I was recently reminded it has a much broader application. It’s a lesson I will never forget.
My family and I attended the opening ceremony of a new conference building at the Indiana State Baptist Assembly. The event included dedicating a children’s resource/conference room in the name of my late mother-in-law, Diane Phillips. She died of cancer a few years ago after devoting her life to Children’s Ministry.
The room was breathtakingly beautiful. Its paneled walls a glossy, cherry stained wood that demonstrated expert craftsmanship. We learned that volunteers worked hundreds of hours to cut down, mill, and finish the wood from trees on the camps’ property.
After the award presentation, a woman from the state Baptist office approached us. She explained that she had never met Diane, but had observed the volunteers who worked on the room. The time they invested, the loyalty they demonstrated, and the loving way they labored in Diane’s honor convinced her that Diane was a remarkable woman who exerted a significant influence on others. And it would continue through the resource room that would assist ministry.
As I’ve reflected on what she said, I’ve wondered.
Does my influence mostly direct attention to myself as an authority in order to promote my business? Or does it extend significantly further towards something of greater, intrinsic worth?
Here’s what I’ve learned from the experience.
The path to significant influence is anchored in a significant source.
Diane was a recognized expert in Children’s ministry. She was a featured speaker at both the state and national level. The knowledge and insight she shared at conferences and seminars helped other pastors improve in Children’s Ministry. But the source of her influence was not from her own expertise or authority. But her commitment and passion to a greater cause—her faith in Jesus Christ.
Rather than draw attention to herself, she directed it towards her Savior and Lord. And her influence inspired in others a shared vision that went beyond her. So those volunteers who labored so loyally on that room were not just working to honor Diane. They were partners in ministry working to honor the God she served. Diane’s life on earth is over, but those she influenced carry on the vision she inspired in them. To me that’s pretty significant.
The path to significant influence is marked by lasting values.
Diane was unpretentious. But I’m certain she would have appreciated the practical nature of the conference/resource room that was dedicated in her honor. It represents a practical tool in a ministry that she valued. Because her commitment and passion was contagious, it influenced others by shaping in them similar values.
This is significant because…
The real impact of Diane’s life, of anyone’s life for that matter, is measured by the influence their values have another’s character. Very few physical achievements will make a positive impact beyond one generation. But positive values can influence and impact one generation after another. Consider the power of this value that has been handed down for 2,000 years:
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
Regardless of your religious convictions and beliefs about life after death, we share a universal reality. There’s only one thing of real significance that remains when you’re gone—people. That’s where your influence will have its most lasting effect.
The path to significant influence is most powerfully affected by personal presence.
Social media is big. And it’s a powerful tool for driving influence. But it pales in size next to your personal presence. Diane never wrote a book or a blog. Instead, she wove her influence into many lives through inter-personal communication and one on one interaction. The take away? Your most profound and lasting influence will be on those who are closest to you.
Why?
Because they know the real you. How you react when someone cuts you off in traffic…what you say when you smash your finger…the things you watch and read. You know…the person you are when you think nobody’s watching…BUT THEY ARE. The people closest to you validate your authenticity and even more…reflect it in their lives.
So write blogs, publish books, and impart wisdom and advice in snippets on social media. But keep in mind that none of it compares to the power of your presence. It’s caught more than taught by your real authenticity. And as your influence rubs off on others, it is demonstrated in their lives. And so on…and so on.
So anchor you influence in a significant source, mark it with lasting value, and engage not just with your words, but with your personal presence. It will add significance to your life now and for generations to come. That’s what Diane did with her life. It’s what I’d like to do with mine. How about you?
About Chip Tudor:
Chip Tudor is an author, blogger and professional writer. He publishes books, humorous Christian drama, and thought provoking blogs from a Christian worldview.This blog is originally published here.
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