Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States
Beyond an occasional sports-inspired sermon illustration, sports are generally regarded as having little relevance to the Christian faith. More often, they are viewed as a welcome and safe reprieve from politics and religion. Quietly, however, as they avoid the discerning eye of the church, sports are slowly overtaking families and overwhelming parents. Under the labels "elite," "select," and "travel," a new experience of sports has taken root in American culture demanding financial burdens, time commitments, and heightened pressures never before seen. Community leaders from various public sectors have criticized many recent trends in youth sports, but, alas, where has the church been? This new "elite" expression of youth sports is quickly building an intimidating front against the church. As church attendance declines, "elite" youth sports participation is on the rise. This book ventures into the challenging, controversial, and powerful world of youth sports. Young people participate in sports more than just about any other activity, and the church has neglected its role in providing a voice of discernment for what participating in sports should look like. Christians are desperately in need of a manifesto for helping them wrestle with the complex, exciting, and often exhausting world of youth sports.
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Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States
Beyond an occasional sports-inspired sermon illustration, sports are generally regarded as having little relevance to the Christian faith. More often, they are viewed as a welcome and safe reprieve from politics and religion. Quietly, however, as they avoid the discerning eye of the church, sports are slowly overtaking families and overwhelming parents. Under the labels "elite," "select," and "travel," a new experience of sports has taken root in American culture demanding financial burdens, time commitments, and heightened pressures never before seen. Community leaders from various public sectors have criticized many recent trends in youth sports, but, alas, where has the church been? This new "elite" expression of youth sports is quickly building an intimidating front against the church. As church attendance declines, "elite" youth sports participation is on the rise. This book ventures into the challenging, controversial, and powerful world of youth sports. Young people participate in sports more than just about any other activity, and the church has neglected its role in providing a voice of discernment for what participating in sports should look like. Christians are desperately in need of a manifesto for helping them wrestle with the complex, exciting, and often exhausting world of youth sports.
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Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States

Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States

by Adam D. Metz
Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States

Elite?: A Christian Manifesto for Youth Sports in the United States

by Adam D. Metz

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Overview

Beyond an occasional sports-inspired sermon illustration, sports are generally regarded as having little relevance to the Christian faith. More often, they are viewed as a welcome and safe reprieve from politics and religion. Quietly, however, as they avoid the discerning eye of the church, sports are slowly overtaking families and overwhelming parents. Under the labels "elite," "select," and "travel," a new experience of sports has taken root in American culture demanding financial burdens, time commitments, and heightened pressures never before seen. Community leaders from various public sectors have criticized many recent trends in youth sports, but, alas, where has the church been? This new "elite" expression of youth sports is quickly building an intimidating front against the church. As church attendance declines, "elite" youth sports participation is on the rise. This book ventures into the challenging, controversial, and powerful world of youth sports. Young people participate in sports more than just about any other activity, and the church has neglected its role in providing a voice of discernment for what participating in sports should look like. Christians are desperately in need of a manifesto for helping them wrestle with the complex, exciting, and often exhausting world of youth sports.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781532603808
Publisher: Cascade Books
Publication date: 10/23/2018
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 212
File size: 1 MB

About the Author

Adam D. Metz has ministered for the Alum Creek Church in Columbus, OH since 2003. He has degrees from Lipscomb University and Fuller Seminary. His doctoral research explored the relationship between Christianity and sports. Adam has presented on the topic of youth sports at academic and youth ministry conferences while receiving firsthand training as a high school football official and volunteer coach for several of his children's sports teams.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Chapter 1 Just a Game 1

Part 1 A Theology of Sports

Chapter 2 Playing Games A Theology for Sports 17

Chapter 3 There Can Be Only One A Theology of Competition 33

Chapter 4 Sports as a Spiritual Power 57

Part 2 The Youth-Sports Industrial Complex

Chapter 5 Children at Play The Power of Youth Sports 79

Chapter 6 From Playgrounds to Hallowed Grounds: The Industrialization of Youth Sports 91

Chapter 7 Youth Sports and Sports Ministries 108

Part 3 Ministering to the Youth Sports Industrial Complex

Chapter 8 Finding the Prophetic Voice of the Church in Youth Sports 125

Chapter 9 "I Want to Be Like Mike": Spiritual and Identity Formation in Young People 142

Chapter 10 Youth Sports as Missional Frontier 157

Chapter 11 Redeeming Youth Sports 171

Epilogue 183

Bibliography 185

Scripture Index 195

Name/Subject Index 197

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