Community in Sport and Church Settings
Sports are something that has the power to bring a community together or the exact opposite of pushing people apart. We can look across the venue of sports teams in the United States and see many examples of how various sports teams have brought their city and community on the map by being successful at what they do. The Olympics are a great example of an event that includes sport to bring people together on a national standpoint and create great unity amongst countries of the world. But there is one personal example that I was able to be a part of that took place in an area where I least expected to be a participant at which was Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. This example pertains to LBC’s Division III, Men’s Basketball team of the 2015–2016 season and their accomplishments throughout the regular season with a record of 29–0. The Chargers success brought unity and community to the surrounding area and school in which I was able to witness and partake in and was a season that will not easily be forgotten. In the area of being a Christian school as well the affect this season had on the surrounding church community seemed to be profound as well as many members from churches around the area began attending games and supporting the players in their achievements. My point with this is that both sport and the church community can relate to one another and even be combined to make a great atmosphere that appeals to people of all backgrounds and beliefs. I believe that we as Christians today should look at this fact and at history to see that we have the chance to make a profound impact on our local communities at the present time. God gave us sport for a reason and with the impact it has had on so many people around the world I believe we should use this tool more often than not for God’s glory.
The book Christian Perspectives on Sociology describes community as being one of the most common words in our vocabulary that is used in many different ways on page 362. The book also states that it should come as no surprise that the term community has been one of the major concepts in the discipline of sociology. This also seems to be a major concept in the area of sport as well and I will discuss several examples of this. As I just touched on, the area of sport is a great venue where community seems to be at the very heart of the event. Not only does sport create an experience that is in many ways unforgettable but can help shape people and help them go through fundamental changes in their lives. Recently was the thirty-seven year anniversary of the incredible “Miracle on Ice” where a team of American amateur hockey players did the unthinkable. Playing with home-ice advantage, the 1980 United States Olympic team shocked the sports world at Lake Placid, New York with a 4–3 win over a Soviet Union team that had won every World Championship and Olympics tournament it had entered since 1954 (Conant: Miracle on Ice). The odds were heavily against this American team which was made up of college rivals and had an average age of 21. The Soviets, a heavy gold medal favorite, were pros who had played together for years and had beaten the Americans 10–3 in an exhibition just weeks before the Olympics. The Soviets played together professionally and were much older and much more experienced making the U.S. a huge underdog going in to the match. The U.S.A would fall behind 3–2 in the first two periods, but after a goal to tie the score, Mike Eruzione found the back of the net for the fourth and game-winning goal (Conant: Miracle on Ice). The event ended with a memorable conclusion when with seconds left to go in the game, broadcaster Al Michaels delivered the famous line “Do you believe in miracles?! Yes!” which helped give the game the nickname — Miracle on Ice
What the Miracle team did for Americans all across the nation included engulfed their spirits with hope and passion in a time when international relations were characterized by high tensions during the Cold War (Iowa State Daily). Considering the surrounding circumstances, the U.S.A.’s victory could be regarded as the single most important sports event of the 20th century. This victory built comradery and moral throughout the country and led to an increase in a social scale that resulted in widening the social interdependence while at the same time also the range of social control as Christian Perspectives on Sociology discusses on page 370. The upset not only impacted the urban communities but also the rural areas of the U.S. affecting what the book calls the ecological approach on page 370. This kind of victory in sport is most associated with the dimension of community called organizational patterns of a population which pertains to the social relationships of the people sharing a common territory (pg 374). Not only were Americans on edge and rooting for their country in the arena of the Olympics but also shared an interest and involvement through the United States international affairs as well. This example of the “Miracle on Ice” also fits in to the third dimension that Christian Perspectives on Sociology discusses page 375 which is that of the psychocultural dimension. This refers to the commonly held beliefs, values, goals, and sense of solidarity of a group or area of people and this is very much showcased by the Miracle earlier discussed.
Taking a step back from the arena of sport there is another area that builds community through various means. According to Christian Perspectives on Sociology, the word community is not found in most Bible concordances, dictionaries, or theological wordbooks, community has always been an important subject to Christians. Church is best way to create and strengthen community in my personal experience not only because it is a meeting place of the people of God but is also a place where social barriers are overcome and brings people together that would be separated outside of that venue. The book discusses a sense of love and oneness on page 378 and shows that members of a church community share joys, sorrows, burdens, and even resources together which helps form a bond that is called the body of Christ. I would say that those who have participated in and have observed local churches at work recognize that on the practical level the Christian community falls short of perfection but nevertheless is still a place where we can aspire to be what Christ calls us to be in His Word and that is most vital of all. This tension between what we are called to be doing in the church setting and what members are actually doing has been an issue that confronts Christian communities in every place and age of time but has been attempted to been solved in many ways. One view the book discusses on page 379 has been to focus on the responsibility of influencing as many people as possible for the rule of God is over all life. Another has been to emphasize the ordering of life to fit that of the local community surrounding the church which is described in the New Testament. Regardless of the approaches taken to this issue, there still should be no argument that being a part of a church community can be beneficial and life structuring for many people just like the area of sport can be for others.
To say the least the communities that are grown by sport or the church are both individually impactful and a great way to develop and give structure to people around the world. But combining the two is even a greater tactic of promoting community and reaching people groups and cultures all across the board. That is why institutions like youth groups and church leagues have such a successful impact on so many people especially here in America where these events appeal to both sides of the coin for various people groups. Even today the push for involving more sport oriented programs and times has risen in America’s ministry plans and I would say should be even more sought after as someone who comes from a sport and church background and has seen the benefits of these two involved together first hand.
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