PPS 09 Internal 2:Layout 1

PRAY
PLAY
SAY...
THE YOUTH WAY PART 2
10 STUDY SESSIONS
IN THE BOOK OF JAMES
DESIGNED TO HELP YOU REPRESENT JESUS
IN YOUR WORLD OF SPORT
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
PRAY PLAY SAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
UNDERSTANDING YOUR PRAY PLAY SAY BOOK . . . . . . . . . . . 9
INTRODUCING JAMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
STUDY 1 NEW BIRTH LEADS TO REAL FAITH . . . . . . . . . . 13
STUDY 2 A CALL TO PERSEVERE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
STUDY 3 A PUSH TO SPEAK WITH GOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
STUDY 4 A WARNING AGAINST TEMPTATION . . . . . . . . . . . 29
STUDY 5 BE A DOER NOT JUST A LISTENER . . . . . . . . . . 35
STUDY 6 FOUL MOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
STUDY 7 SUPREME WISDOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
STUDY 8 THE HUMBLE HEART . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
STUDY 9 WASTED WORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
STUDY 10 POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE PRAYER . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
APPENDIX 1 WHATS LIFE ALL ABOUT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
APPENDIX 2 WHATS THE BIG DEAL ABOUT JESUS . . . . . 71
APPENDIX 3 HOW DO I BECOME A CHRISTIAN . . . . . . . . 75
APPENDIX 4 YOUR STORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
INTRODUCTION
Christians in Sport exists for one big reason – “to reach the world of sport
with the good news of Jesus.” It’s that simple. We believe that the good
news about Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and kingship is the best news in
the world and people involved in the world of sport need to hear about it and
respond to it.
You might be a Christian already reading this, great – we hope we can help
you. You might be someone who is unsure about what Christians believe –
we hope we can help you understand what a Christian believes so that you
It’s easier to talk a good game than to play one, right?
It is the same for many of us in our walk with Jesus. Sometimes we talk a
good game, but often our lives fall dismally short of what we say. I want to
be different! I want to be a player who talks a good game and plays a good
game, in my sport and in my faith in Jesus.
At a time when the world is in desperate need of hearing and seeing the
truth lived out, it is time to stand tall for Jesus; to live for Him, to play for
Him, to speak of Him: to be ultimate Pray Play Sayers!
too will respond to what Jesus has done for you (turn to Appendixes 2-3 for
more on that).
That’s why we’re going to study the book of James. James is so concerned
that we don’t just say we’re Christians we really live like them. He talks
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IS THE MOST EXCITING FULFILLING
SATISFYING LIFE TO LIVE.. GUARANTEED READ ON.. “That player’s all talk,” - ever heard that expression? It is usually aimed at
the player who talks about their ability or performance but their actions
never quite match up to their words.
I had a friend at university, he made us all giggle because of his sport chat.
We knew immediately that our friend was ‘all talk’, and when it came down
about having a real faith, one that is all about actions and not just about
words. Real faith is a faith in action. But grasp this: only Jesus living in you
has the power to help you live for Him. On your own, with your best efforts
you will fail – we’ll have a closer look at this later.
It is time to let our light shine before friends – that they may see our
actions and hear our words and may be drawn to the hope of a real faith
in Jesus. It is time to get real! Rise up you living legends. It is time!
to playing it so happened that he seemed to be injured 90% of the time.
We’re still good mates and he smiles when we talk about those days. Looking
back now he realises he was ‘all talk’.
6
7
PRAY PLAY SAY
Question) How do we try and reach the world of sport with the good news
UNDERSTANDING
YOUR PRAY PLAY
SAY BOOK
of Jesus?
Answer)
Every Christian involved in sport trying to make a difference to
their friends.
We want to help you to
PRAY –
Play Say (or PPS for short). These 10 sessions are designed for you to either
work through on your own, with a friend, or in a small group.
PRAY PLAY SAY in your sport:
for your friends in sport who have not yet responded to the good
news of Jesus
PLAY –
SAY –
We are going to work through the book of James as a framework to Pray
(Leaders of groups can find a study guide booklet available on the website:
www.christiansinsport.org.uk)
Each study is designed to last 30-40 minutes and the rough guideline below
in a way that points friends to the good news of Jesus
will help you split your time:
something of the good news of Jesus
To go with the catchphrase we have three visual signs.
AIM OF STUDY
The cartoon characters below demonstrate what these are:
GET READY
What we want the session to achieve.
(5-10 mins)
Introducing the theme to get you started.
GET SET
(15-25 mins)
Getting into God’s word to learn what He has to say.
GO GO GO
(10-15 mins)
Time to take action in your sport.
PRAY
PLAY
SAY
hands together
as though
saying prayers
fist clenched in joy –
thrilled to
be playing sport
hand coming away from
the mouth as though
delivering a speech
The sign is being used all over the country by
Pray
(5 mins)
Always finish by praying for your friends.
PRAY PLAY SAYERS to
each other before competing in their sport. Great scenes – Get amongst it!
8
9
HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE A FEW TIPS
INTRODUCING
JAMES
Christians believe that the Bible is the spoken word of God written down by
human authors all inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is how God intends to speak
to us today! There are two general ways in which we communicate today;
talk to someone (internet, phone, face to face), or you write to someone
(internet, text, letter).
God wants to communicate to us. He has spoken and now we have His
written word to help us understand more about Him, His character and His
rescue plan in the good news of Jesus.
But the Bible can be difficult to understand. The following three questions
are a good guide to follow when you are trying to understand the Bible:
•
•
•
These 10 studies are all based in the book of James found in the New
Testament of the Bible (written after the life of Jesus). We will use this base
as a springboard to examine other parts of the Bible too.
It is very important we ask some big questions of the book before we get
involved in the details of the chapters and verses. This helps us to get an
What does it say Here we are trying to work out what the author
understanding of the situation at the time the book was written and so helps
is actually saying. There might be a few tricky words for us to work out.
us grasp why the author (directed by God) felt the need to write such urgent
What does it mean We need to work hard at understanding the
words. (Check out p10 for a few pointers on how to study the Bible.)
real meaning of the words, phrases and emphases that were written for
From an early age you’re taught to ask good questions. You can’t go far
those people at that time.
wrong with the ‘who, what, when, why’ questions.
What does it mean for me Once we have asked the first two
questions then we can ask ‘so what does that mean to me and my life?’
Who wrote it?
Q) Our biggest clue comes in chapter 1:1. Who is James?
The temptation is to always jump straight to the third question because we
are eager to see what God has to say to us today. Only when we have
answered the first two questions correctly will we be able to see how it helps
us today.
We must let the Bible speak to us instead of going to it with our own ideas
of what we want to hear. God has intended there to be one meaning in the
words we read, one central truth, yet it can be worked out in our lives in
many different ways.
We don’t know for sure which James this is. As far as we know there are
four references to four different guys called James in the New Testament.
This James had to be a fairly big figure to write a letter under his own name
to the Christian church. Clever scholarly guys think it’s either one of the
disciples:
1)
James the son of Zebedee
(one of Jesus’ right-hand men – Mark 9:2, Mark 10:35)
or
2) James the brother of Jesus
(Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3).
All references quoted from the Bible are taken from the New
No-one is perfectly sure but our best guess is that this was the brother of
International Version (NIV). It would help you a great deal if you were
Jesus. The most important thing is that James is a servant of God. He
able to get your hands on one every time you do a study.
recognises Jesus as Lord and is now acting on His behalf as His servant in
writing this letter.
10
11
Who was it written to?
Q) Check out verse 1 again. Who do you think he is referring to in
our language?
James is a general letter to the scattered Christians across the region. It’s
most likely that his focus is geared mainly towards Jews who have become
Christians (there are many references to the law – James 2:8-13).
STUDY 1
NEW BIRTH LEADS
TO REAL FAITH
James 1:17-18, 2:14-26
What is the aim?
These Christians are being battered with different trials and persecutions
(chapter 1:2-4) but James doesn’t want them feeling sorry for themselves.
AIM OF STUDY
He urges them to live up to the faith that they talk about. James is all about
To understand that we must be ‘born again’ before we
can start to really live.
giving life advice – encouraging, rebuking and challenging the Christians to
continue in real faith: a faith in action.
When was it written?
It was written sometime after the death of Jesus and before the death
of James in AD62 (Jesus’ brother James was killed because of his faith);
GET READY
so somewhere in between AD 40 and AD62. That’s 10-30 years after
Jesus died.
What was your earliest childhood memory?
Why was it written?
To help these Christians live out a faith in action.
James will help us too if we listen to his book, understand it and apply it to
our lives and sport.
What was your earliest memory of playing sport?
Look out for three key things that make this book of James unique as we
study it together:
1) James is interested in dealing with the practical ways of a living faith.
2) James is a clear, to the point, no waffle, straight forward kind of guy.
3) James paints some great pictures to help us understand his teaching
(look out for the mirror, the flower, the forest fire, the ships rudder and
Do you remember the day you were born?
What part did you play in your birth?
the waves in the sea).
12
GET READY CONTINUED
13
TIMEOUT
What is your understanding of the term ‘born again’?
‘New birth’ is essential. Without new birth the Bible tells us that we are
“dead in our sins” (Ephesians 2:1). Jesus speaks to a church teacher called
Nicodemus about being born again: “No-one can see the kingdom of God
unless he is born again.” (John 3:3)
And it is God who gives this gift of new life. (Have a look at Appendix 1.) Like
James wants us to grasp the importance of new birth – the need of
being ‘born again’. But before we move on it would be helpful to spend
5 minutes reading through the introduction to James on page 11-12.
a mother who gives birth to her child, so God gives new birth to His people
which leads to new life. A new-born baby has nothing to do with its birth; the
mother does all the work. So it’s the same in new birth for the Christian God does all the work. There is nothing that a person has to do or achieve
to become a Christian; they simply need to believe in the words of the Bible
because that is where James (see 1:18) tells us new birth is given. Those
GET SET
who believe are then called ‘first-fruits’ which means God’s display or
centrepiece of His rescue plan for all creation.
Read James 1:17-18
The term ‘new birth’ is a strange one. Over the years many people have
made fun of Christians who say they have been given ‘new birth’ or have
Who is the ‘He’ in verse 18? How do you know?
been ‘born again’. Read more about the story of Nicodemus in John 3 and
look for at his response to the phrase ‘born again’.
Who are the ‘us’ in verse 18? How do you know?
What does He freely chose to give ‘us’?
Have you been given new birth?
Do you believe in the truth about Jesus?
Have you understood the words of the Bible and
asked God to forgive you? This is a huge personal
question – only YOU can answer it.
How does He give us this ‘good and perfect gift’ of new birth
from verse 17?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to the above you have new life!
If you couldn’t answer ‘yes’ have a look at Appendix 2 for a simple step by
Try and sum up in your own words what the four questions
above reveal.
step guide to what a Christian believes.
New birth comes about in many different ways for different people. It may
be a specific moment or a gradual period over which you understood and
believed. The way is not important but having new birth is – without it you
are still dead!
14
15
Read James 2:14 and 2:26
When new birth takes place it doesn’t mean that now you’ll never
Now James moves into talking about what real faith looks like after new
birth has taken place.
struggle with some of the thoughts, words or actions that you
experienced before; it means that you’ve been given a new heart to
What is the mark of real faith?
enable you to overcome them.
In which areas of your sport do you still need to activate
‘faith in action’ to be different for Jesus? Be specific!
In James 2:26 what term does James give to somebody who has
not been born again, or a faith that is not backed up by actions?
Real faith comes from new birth. It is marked by deeds and actions done as
Imagine if we put this study into action. Imagine if we were Pray Play
a result of trusting in this new birth.
Sayers who really acted upon our words. Imagine the effect it could
have on our friends!
GO GO GO
So new birth leads to real faith – ‘faith in action’
What do you think ‘faith in action’ looks like in the way you
play your sport?
Pray
• Firstly praise God for new birth (or ask God
that He would give you new birth so that
you may have faith).
What was your motivation in sport before you were given
new birth?
• Secondly, ask God that He would help you
not just to say the right things but to do
the right things in sport; to have a ‘faith in
action’.
• Thirdly, pray for 3 friends who you play
sport with who don’t yet have new birth.
How do you think your motivation to play sport has changed
as a result of new birth?
TopTip Summary
new birth is God’s work given through His
word which leads to ‘faith in action’.
16
GO GO GO CONTINUED
17
STUDY 2
PLAY
A CALL TO PERSEVERE
James 1:2-4, 12
AIM OF STUDY
• To understand that ‘faith in action’ never gives up
even when it’s tough to be a Christian.
• To help you live ‘faith in action’ during the tough
times.
GET READY
What has been your toughest time in sport?
How did you feel when you were going through it?
Did you give up or did you continue?
Sport brings about many physical, mental and emotional challenges.
It often demands that we give our whole selves in dedication to it and
this can mean some really tough times.
19
GET SET
Read - James 1:2-4, 12
What has been your toughest time as a Christian?
GO GO GO
Below are four scenarios which look at 4 major trials that every
sportsperson goes through at some stage in their career. Fill in the
grid below to examine what it looks like to embrace tough times as a
How does James say you should respond to trials of every kind?
Does this surprise you?
Christian in sport:
SCENARIO
Why does James say that facing trials is a good thing for the
Christian?
What other words might you use instead of the word ‘persevere’?
Have a look at verse 12 – what do you think the phrase ‘crown of
life’ refers to?
What has
your attitude
been?
What should
your ‘faith in
action’
attitude be?
What will help
you during
these times in
the future?
(using James 1:2-4,12)
LOSING
You play in a
tough game,
there are
10 minutes to
go and you’re
4-0 down.
INJURY
You are going
for your best
time in regional
trials. In the
warm up you
fall and break
your arm.
DROPPED
So, when you face tough times James says be joyful because it is through
these times that ‘real faith in action’ is developed – faith which really stands
the test of time.
20
A big semi-final
game is coming
up. All season
you’ve competed
for your place on
the team with
another player.
They get the nod
instead of you.
GO GO GO CONTINUED
21
SCENARIO
What has
your attitude
been?
What should
your ‘faith in
action’
attitude be?
What will help
you during
these times in
the future?
(using James 1:2-4,12)
STUDY 3
PRAY
A PUSH TO SPEAK
WITH GOD
TRAINING
James 1:5-8, 4:1-3
At the weekend
you lost a big
game. The
coach has called
you all in for
extra training –
some of your
friends are
crying off and
want you to
skip training
with them.
AIM OF STUDY
To understand the right motivation to pray and to act
upon it in prayer.
GET READY
Be honest – when was the last time you prayed?
Pray
What do you think prayer is?
• That God would help you persevere in your
tough times.
• For your 3 friends who are not trusting in
Jesus, that they would see something of
Jesus in your attitude to your tough times
in sport.
Let’s get straight into the action today and read James 1:5-8
and 4:1-3. What do you think James is pushing these
Christians to pray for themselves?
TopTip Summary know that tough times make you trust in God
so rejoice in them and persevere to the end.
22
23
GET SET
What causes these fights and squabbles?
When we talk about the Pray section of Pray Play Say we usually talk about
praying for friends who are not Christians. In this study we are going to look
at what we should pray for ourselves in order to have ‘faith in action.’
What could be done to prevent this fighting?
Prayer = talking to God
PART 1 - Read James 1:5-8
What do you think James means when he uses the word wisdom?
Like the Christians that James writes to, when it comes to friends, we all
have things that we struggle with. Take some time out to rank the
following common four struggles in order of which ones you struggle with
Does God always give wisdom to the one who asks for it?
Explain why (v6-7)
the most (1) to the least (4).
Jealous of
friends
possessions
Who does James use the picture of a ‘wave of the sea’ for?
What does this picture describe?
Sum up Part 1 for a friend who asks you how you should pray.
Jealous of
friends sporting
ability
Jealous of how
good your Christian
friends are
Jealous of
the way your
friends look
PART 2 - Read James 4:1-3
In these verses it seems like there are some Christians who are fighting and
squabbling amongst themselves.
24
GET SET CONTINUED
GET SET CONTINUED
25
Use verse 3 to describe how prayers that ask God for things will
be answered by Him.
GO GO GO
Make a prayer diary for each week based upon two areas:
How would you advise these Christians to live out their ‘faith in
action’ in this area? What word do you think is key to getting it right?
1) Yourself: wisdom, faith and right motives
2) For friends who are Christians and friends who are not Christians
Write down a few things that you should pray for in each area:
YOU
FRIENDS
MON
How might Luke 10v27-28 help you answer?
TUES
WED
TIMEOUT
James pushes these Christians to ask God for His wisdom which will be
THURS
FRI
freely given. God’s wisdom is to be able to make decisions about life that
please God and to grow in maturity as a Christian. There seems to be only
SAT
two ways in which this wisdom will not be received:
1) If a person doesn’t believe
2) If wisdom is asked for with the wrong motives
SUN
When do you find it hard to believe that God will answer
your prayers?
God always answers our prayers. If we don’t get the answer we’re
looking for it doesn’t mean that God hasn’t answered it, it means that
God answers in His way and He knows best. His answer will always be
“yes” or “no” or “not yet – be patient”.
26
27
STUDY 4
Pray
Pray now that God would help you to:
• pray believing
• pray with the right motives
• get His wisdom for making good life
decisions
Pray for your 3 friends in whatever stage
PLAY
A WARNING AGAINST
TEMPTATION
James 1:13-17
AIM OF STUDY
To warn against giving into the big temptations there
are in the world of sport and help to overcome them.
they are at when it comes to believing in God.
Pray that God would one-day move in their
hearts and give them new birth.
GET READY
Top Tip Summary
if you pray believing that God will answer
and pray with the right motivation; you’re living out ‘faith in action’.
Can you think of a time that you have been tempted to cheat
in your sport?
Did you cheat or not?
GET SET
(spend only 10 minutes here)
Before we go any further have a read of James 1v18. We need to be
constantly reminded that our new birth comes from God and therefore if
we have faith in Him we have become new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This means we have been given new hearts – the old hearts have gone. But
even new creations can be tempted to sin and tempted back to our old ways.
28
GET SET CONTINUED
29
James is saying that there are stages of temptation that we face. But the
Read James 1:13-17
Christian who has been given new birth has got the power, through a ‘faith in
Where does the original temptation come from?
action’, to overcome these temptations at every stage. The fifth stage, by God’s
goodness, is never reached for the Christian who has a real ‘faith in action’.
If the devil deceives, what is the opposite work of God?
What does this look like in your sport?
James then describes 5 different stages of temptations to sin in verse 1415. This will be quite personal to you so it would be better to work through
this section on your own.
What do you think each stage of temptation means and what it
looks like in your sport?:
GO GO GO
TEMPTATION
What does it mean?
Example in your sport?
Think about a few areas in your sport where you are tempted to sin
1)
and pushed to follow the crowd. This could be during the build up (your
“Dragged away”
attitude) whilst playing (how you treat others, cheating), or after your
sport (gossiping, drinking, sexual issues etc).
Draw up a battle plan against your area and the stages of temptation:
2)
this is war – we need to fight against the ugly enemy of temptation
“Enticed”
however hard this may be. For each stage write what you will put in
place, to be ready for when your temptations come along in your sport.
1) “Dragged away”
3)
- we need a strong mind in knowing right and wrong.
“Conceived”
Battle Plan – how are you going to exercise the mind when
temptation comes?
4)
“Gives birth
to sin”
5)
“Full grown, gives
birth to death”
30
GET SET CONTINUED
GO GO GO CONTINUED
31
2) “Enticed”
- we need our emotions to be excited about God and not sin.
Battle Plan – how will you keep your emotions excited about
God above sin?
That is the place where many of our friends are at today. That is why
we must play in a way that shows them life and a ‘faith in action’.
This is also why we pray at the end of each study for them.
Pray
Spend some extra time today praying
3) “Conceived” - we need our will to say “no” to giving into sin.
that you will overcome those times of
Battle Plan – how will you learn to say “no” when
temptation comes?
temptation:
• For a strong mind
• For God to be at the centre of emotions
• For those times when it seems so hard to
say ‘no’
Don’t forget to also pray for your 3 friends
who don’t yet know Jesus. Pray that God
4) “Gives birth to sin”
would give them new birth which leads to a
- at the point when the thoughts, words or actions actually happen.
‘faith in action’.
Battle Plan – how will you stop at this point before stage 5?
Top Tip Summary
the fight against temptation surrounding
sport starts in the mind, moving to the emotions, and then the action.
A battle plan is needed. Are you ready?
Remember: for the Christian who has a ‘faith in action’, God by His
goodness and grace does not allow the fifth stage to take place.
What do you think is the result for the person who enters into
the fifth stage of temptation “Full grown, gives birth to death”?
32
33
STUDY 5
TIMEOUT
IN GODS WORD BE
A DOER NOT JUST
A LISTENER
James 1:22-25
AIM OF STUDY
• To help you understand that the Bible is living and
active so follow it.
• To help you follow what it says and act upon it.
GET READY
LETS PLAY A GAME
Read through the sentence below once, close your book and then try
and do what it says:
“Stand up, high 5 a friend, say to them ‘I hope your Pray
Play Saying is going well,’ give them the Pray Play Say sign,
wink at them, give them a thumbs up and then sit down”
How many of the 7 actions were you able to remember?
Now read through the sentence and work out how to remember the
sequence of events so that you’re able to perfect it. How many times
did it take you to get it right?
In this study James is not saying that it is how long we study the Bible
for that makes a difference. The difference is made in the response, the
actual doing. This actual doing is only a result of faith in God’s word.
35
GET SET
NOTE
The
word
‘intently’
means
‘carefully,
thoroughly
and
continuously’ and the phrase ‘perfect law which gives freedom’
Read James 1:22-25
should be understood as the work of Jesus on the cross,
Summarise these verses in no more than 10 words. What is the
main point?
How does James’ illustration of the man with the mirror help us
unpack this theme? Fill out the grid in the way that the wise and
the foolish man would react (verses 23-25).
LOOKING IN THE
MIRROR
fulfilling all the requirements of the law.
Using these two phrases describe how and what the wise man
should be doing.
What is the result for the person who listens to the word and
lives by it? (v25)
LOOKING IN THE
WORD
The foolish man
(v23-24)
GO GO GO
Write your plan out for reading your Bible by filling in the
following boxes:
The wise man
(v25)
What do you do if you look in the mirror and see you have food
all over your face?
How does it follow if you look into God’s word and see that your life
doesn’t match up to God’s standards? What would you want to do?
When is the best time for
you to read your Bible?
What are you reading at
the moment?
What do you want to read
in the future?
What help do you need to
understand the Bible better?
36
GET SET CONTINUED
37
STUDY 6
SAY FOUL MOUTH
Pray
• That God would give you a passion and
James 1:26, 3:3-12
commitment to look into His word
• For your 3 friends: That they may be
challenged by the truth of the bible
AIM OF STUDY
To understand the enormous effect our words can
have and to become wise sayers of the truth.
Top Tip Summary
even all the best Bible study in the world is
useless if you don’t do what it says. Do not be merely listeners of God’s
word but go and do!
GET READY
How many words do you think the average human being
utters each day?
Check it out on the web – it’s a massive amount of words!
In your sport can you remember a time when someone said
words to you that really hurt?
We speak so many words each day and some of those words can be
very hurtful. James wants these Christians to know how hurtful
words can be so that they do something about it.
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GET SET
Do you think he makes a good case against the tongue in warning
these Christians about its damaging potential (see especially v8)?
Read James 1:26 and James 3:3-12
Write out James 1v26 in your own words – What is James really
saying about the tongue?
What is James trying to get these Christians to see and understand?
In James 3v3-12 he paints some vivid pictures that illustrate the
tongue in different ways. Work through each picture to see what
James is trying to teach us about the tongue.
PICTURE
WHAT DOES IT TEACH US
ABOUT THE TONGUE
GO GO GO
Are there times when your tongue is out of control? List the
places where and the certain people in sport with whom you
are most likely to lose control over your tongue:
PLACES
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GET SET CONTINUED
PEOPLE
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If the tongue can do so much damage, (like a forest fire) imagine how
much good it could do. Go to Appendix 4 and work through ways of using
your tongue to spread the good news of Jesus through your testimony.
STUDY 7
PLAY
SUPREME WISDOM
James 3:13-18
AIM OF STUDY
Pray
To work out the difference between heavenly wisdom
and earthly wisdom and act upon it.
• Ask God to help you have control over
your tongue during those hard times.
• Pray for your 3 friends who don’t know
Jesus – that they may be drawn to Jesus
as they notice a change in the way you
talk to them.
GET READY
Try and answer the following riddle:
WHAT CAN GO UP A CHIMNEY DOWN
BUT CANT GO DOWN A CHIMNEY UP
Are you wise enough to crack it?
Top Tip Summary
One spark can set a whole forest on fire.
The tongue can have similar devastation effects for good or for bad. Keep
it in check!
We often think that the word ‘wisdom’ refers to some kind of
mysteriously deep knowledge hidden in riddles only revealed to older
people. James has different ideas! He makes some straight forward
comparisons between what the wisdom of God looks like against the
wisdom of the earth.
GET SET
Read James 3:13-18
In what way does James suggest wisdom can be seen in a person?
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GET SET CONTINUED
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Make a list of the characteristics of the two kinds of wisdom, with verse
reference, and write down what you think each one means:
Characteristics
of heavenly
wisdom
Meaning
Characteristics
of earthly
wisdom
GO GO GO
Meaning
If you are a Christian a battle is going on in your heart all the time.
Sometimes the earthly wisdom seems as though it is winning and
other times the heavenly wisdom shines through stronger. It is the
spirit’s job in you to help the heavenly wisdom win those battles more
and more – Let Christ rule in your hearts.
What is the one big area of the earthly wisdom that you still
struggle with in your sport? What is it and why do you think
it is still an issue?
How do the characteristics of selfish ambition and envy
sometimes display themselves in the way you play your sport?
How would you be able to tell apart the person who has heavenly
wisdom from the person who has earthly wisdom?
Take the list of characteristics of heavenly wisdom in v17 and
explain what these would look like at different testing times
in your sport.
Characteristics of
heavenly wisdom
e.g. deeds done in humility
James outlines the comparisons of heavenly wisdom to earthly wisdom. We
Lived out in my sport
Playing my sport not to show off or to
impress others but trying to play for God;
my Audience of One
must grasp that heavenly wisdom comes from God. It is not something that
we can earn or work towards, it is a gift, given to us in new birth (James
1:18) and exercised as we mature in real faith. Heavenly wisdom is displayed
in the person who puts their faith into action.
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GO GO GO CONTINUED
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Characteristics of
heavenly wisdom
Lived out in my sport
Pray
• That God would continue to help you live
out heavenly wisdom.
• That your audience would be God alone
and no-one else.
• For your 3 friends that God would act in
their lives to give them new birth and
heavenly wisdom.
TopTip Summary
wisdom is demonstrated in actions coming
out of a heart that is right before God.
We need to remember that heavenly wisdom is God’s gift given to us
at new birth. If you have been given new birth, now you can exercise
wisdom through living out a ‘faith in action’. The heavenly wisdom is
not something that you can develop on your own. Neither is it
something that is only given to older mature Christians – it is yours
through a living and real faith. Many of the characteristics above are
listed down in Galatians 5:22-23 They are known as the “fruits of the
spirit.” This is because the Spirit’s job inside you is to make you more
like Jesus each day. It is the Spirit who bears the good fruit in you –
who enables you to live out these wonderful characteristics.
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STUDY 8
PLAY
THE HUMBLE HEART
James 4:4-10
AIM OF STUDY
To have humble hearts when we play our sport.
GET READY
These are the dictionary definitions for ‘proud’ and ‘humble’ – two
opposite words:
proud = haughty, arrogant, feeling highly honoured.
humble = showing a low estimate of one’s own importance, modest, lowly.
Have a look at these famous sportspeople. Write next to them what you
think are their proud characteristics and their humble characteristics:
Tiger Woods
Paula Radcliffe
Cristiano Ronaldo
Serena Williams
Didier Drogba
Some are easier to spot than others, and some display proud and
humble characteristics at different times. James explains that only
the person who humbles them-self before God has true humility. Why
is this so important? - Lets work it through.
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GET SET
If we let the spirit of God rule in our hearts what should we do? (v7-8)
Read James 4:4-10
In the middle of his letter, James seems to really turn the screw on these
Christians. His language demands that they inspect their motives and their
actions in every department of life.
James begins this small section by using the phrase “you adulterous
List all the things that James urges these Christians to do against
their proud hearts from v9-10.
people.” The term adultery is usually used when someone has been
unfaithful to the promises they have made to their partner in marriage.
Who have these people been faithful to?
James is not saying that we have to be boring, depressed Christians who go
about with long faces. He simply wants us to have a right and sorrowful
response to the sin and pride in our hearts.
What happens to the Christian who does what James urges in v10?
In what ways have they been unfaithful?
Explain what the difference is between being in the world of sport
but not of the world of sport.
GO GO GO
Very often we’re not too bothered by the wrong that we do or the
state of our proud hearts before God.
James is upset with these Christians. Have a look at verse 5. Here he is
saying that the spirit of God which lives in us and was given at new birth,
It’s time to get serious about the state of our hearts!
Work through the following areas of your sport and do a heart check
hates it when we follow the ways of this world.
in each area. Try and put down what your usual reaction is to each
What does the spirit of God in us want to do?
scenario – there will certainly be things here that we should be
sorry about.
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GET SET CONTINUED
GO GO GO CONTINUED
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What a joy to know that if we exercise ‘real faith’ God will lift us up.
Reaction to your
performance
(good and bad)
God is there and He does care!
Reaction when you
score a goal/win a race/
get a personal best time
Pray
Reaction to those
performing well
around you
• Say sorry for the areas of pride in your
heart and areas in which you do not trust
all things to God.
• Ask God to help you in these areas in the
The scenarios above are all focused on pride. The scenarios below are
future.
all focused on expectations and pressure. Do you struggle with one box
more than another? Again, try and put down what your usual reaction
• Pray for your three friends that need God
is to each scenario.
to give them new birth – that He would
give them His grace.
Pressure to perform
TopTip Summary
A heart which humbles itself before God and
resists the devil is a life that will be put right and lifted up by God.
Dealing with the
expectation of others
Dealing with pre-match
performance nerves
Have a look at verse 10 again. If you come before God with a
humble heart, depending on Him in all areas of your sport and
life, what is the final promise?
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STUDY 9
SAY
WASTED WORDS
James 4:11-17
AIM OF STUDY
To understand and act upon the knowledge that God
sees and hears everything and plans every part of
your life.
GET READY
Spend a moment to think about your best friend in sport.
Jot down a couple of points you really like about them.
Now jot down are couple of things that you dislike about them.
Complete change of subject - jot down the plans you have for
your summer holidays this year.
In this study we look at two areas in which we are all guilty of
getting wrong.
If you have attempted to answer the last two questions, James has a
message for you – ‘be careful using wasted words.’
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GET SET
Before we start, remember the thrust of James we looked at in Study 1
(James 1:18). New birth is given through a right response to God’s word
Now read James 4:13-17
Surely it’s good to make plans, right? From verse 14, what would
you say is the main problem?
which prompts us to live rightly – ‘faith in action’. James is trying to help us
live out that ‘faith in action’ as Christians who have been given new birth
from God.
Read James 4:11-12
What should the Christian do when making future plans?
What does the term ‘slander’ mean (v11)?
What words would we use today instead of ‘slander’?
Why do you think to ‘boast and brag’ in such things are classed
by James as evil (v16)?
If you do ‘slander’ your friend what does James say you are doing?
To speak against the law means to judge the law and when someone judges
the law they are not doing what it says.
Why is this wrong?
GO GO GO
James has two issues he is trying to address:
1) Judging, backstabbing and gossiping. This can happen in
our thoughts, face to face with a person, or behind their backs.
Who is the only one who can cast judgement?
2) Boasting and bragging.
GO GO GO CONTINUED
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Use the spider diagram below to highlight the ways in which
you regularly struggle in your sport in these areas. For each
struggle, try to write about who, where it happens and what
you talk about.
In v14 James uses the picture of a mist when he talks about
our lives– why is this illustration so good?
In the cloudy mist below write about a few things that you must hand
over to God about your sport and your future.
Judge/Backstab/
Gossip/Boasting/
Bragging
It is good to make plans and have ambitions about our sport, but
James points out that it is wrong to make them without recognition
to God, submission to Him, or if we boast and brag about them. God
can intervene at any time – His plans are always bigger than ours.
Pray
• that God would help you not to judge the
people involved in your world of sport.
• that God would be the boss of all your plans.
• pray for your 3 friends who don’t yet know
Jesus.
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GO GO GO CONTINUED
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Top Tip Summary
STUDY 10
Be careful of what you say about others and
PRAY
POWERFUL AND
EFFECTIVE PRAYER
in your attitude to how you make your life plans – be mindful of God’s
goodness to you!
James 5:13-20
AIM OF STUDY
To pray with real joy, understanding and belief in a
God who answers our prayers.
GET READY
Order the prayers below, being as honest as you can, using
the scale 1-6, (most time spent to least time spent) for:
1) The amount of time you spend praying for the listed things.
2) The amount of time you think you should pray for the listed things.
Scale = 1 being the most and 6 the least
I pray...
Time spent
praying...
Time which
should be
spent praying...
For friends in sport who are not
yet Christians
That God would help me play my
sport to glorify Him
That God would make my
opponents lose
That God would heal my injury
That God would help me
persevere in the tough times
That God would help me to score
a goal/get a fastest time?
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GET READY CONTINUED
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Using James 1:18, describe how a person can stand right before God.
Explain your answers to a friend/the group.
Perhaps you found some easy to order and others a bit more difficult
– how do the two columns differ?
James in this study gives us direction on what to ask God for and when
Using James 2:14, describe what a ‘faith in action’ looks like.
to do it.
GET SET
Read James 5:13-20
GO GO GO
List the times that James urges you to pray.
Because this session is all about praying lets get down to it now:
How will the type of prayers differ according to the
circumstances of life?
Pray
The greatest need in our friends lives is for
the forgiveness of their sins. Write out 3
Verse 15 speaks about sickness and the elders of the church praying for
healing and forgiveness. Look at the promise that if the prayer is offered in
prayers for your 3 friends based upon the
things you have learnt in the book of James.
‘faith’ God will act. We should be careful to understand that this means God
knows best and will act in His right way. A great habit to get into when
praying is acknowledging as Jesus did in Matthew 6:9-13: “your will be
done.” We must be careful to understand that God is more interested in
eternity than we are and His healing and forgiveness might be for eternity
and not for this life.
What are the results of a person whose prayers are righteous
before God? (v16)
PRAYER 1
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GET SET CONTINUED
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PRAYER 2
PRAYER 3
TopTip Summary A person who stands right before God, through
the work of Jesus giving new birth, can expect their prayers to be powerful
and effective.
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APPENDIX 1
WHATS LIFE ALL ABOUT
That surely has to be the best question in the world – ever!
Yet why is it the one big question most people seem to shirk away from?
The foolish man is the one who walks through life without addressing the big
issues – can there be any bigger issue than this question?! This one is the
daddy of them all!
So where do we start?
Christians believe that the Bible is God’s word written down for us to tell us
all we need to know about life. So let’s try and understand our life in relation
to what the Bible says in 4 main points:
1) Life is God’s idea
2) Life is given by God
3) Life is taken by God
4) Life has a meaning
1) Life is God’s idea
Genesis is the first book in the Bible. The first few chapters describe the
wonder of the creation of the earth. The first 5 words of the Bible are the
foundation for what every Christian believes – “In the beginning God
created…” That’s our starting point. God is the author and founder of
creation. These 5 words are loaded with information for us to begin to piece
together an answer for our big question:
• It suggests that God was there at the beginning of all things.
• It suggests that before anything was created, God was there. That means
that God existed before our framework of time, space, anything seen, or
anything that could be touched.
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• It suggests that God thought through the idea of creating life.
• It suggests that God therefore created absolutely everything as we know
it – breathtaking!!
If God is the life giver perhaps you might say ‘so He must be the death giver.’
Here we must understand that death was not created by God but it is a
result of something that went horribly wrong. It is God’s judgement against
mankind for turning their backs on Him. (See the Why Christianity pages of
Therefore life itself was, in the beginning God’s idea. Thought up by Him and
the website for more about this.) Man has brought death upon himself. So
created by Him. All of creation was orchestrated by God – He was the
God in His right judgement will take life when He see’s fit.
creator, the composer and the conductor all in one.
4) Life has a meaning
2) Life is given by God
Maybe you’re now thinking, “So what? God is the life giver and He takes life
Genesis 2:7 states:
away in His own time. What’s the point of living?”
“The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed
It’s a good question. It looks pretty bleak for man if one day we all face death
into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”
and after that the judgement of God. Is there any meaning to life?
It was God who formed man from the dust of the earth. Man became alive
There is a verse in the Bible found in the book of John chapter 10:
when God breathed His breath into him. Life was started in man by God’s
first breath and it was that life giving breath that transformed the bones,
flesh and skin into a living being that breathed, talked and walked. The Bible
therefore tells us that it was God who first breathed life into being. Life is
God’s idea and life is given by God.
“I have come that they may have life; and have it to the full” (v10). Here
a man called Jesus exclaims that He is the life giver and that He brings
fullness to life – a life even without death!
We have come to understand that God alone is the life giver and God alone
will take life away. So who is this man Jesus?
3) Life is taken by God
Life does have a meaning – the meaning is found in Jesus. There is hope for
Depending upon how you look at it, there is only one depressing fact that I the
mankind. Don’t just stop here at the half way house – read on, it could be the
writer know about you the reader. I won’t probably ever know your name, where
most important thing you do – go to Appendix 2.
you live, or what job you’ll end up doing but I do know this one thing – one day
you will die! That’s the only fact that I definitely know will happen to everyone
who reads this – death comes to us all. So in relation to our big question, how
important is it that we find out as much about death as possible?
In Genesis 3:19 we read this:
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to
the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you
will return.”
In another book of the Bible, called Hebrews, in chapter 9 verse 27 the
writer puts it simply:
“Man is destined to die once and after that to face judgement.”
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APPENDIX 2
WHATS THE BIG DEAL
ABOUT JESUS
I wonder who your sporting hero is?
Who would you most like to meet?
Mine by a distance is Paul Gascoigne – Gazza! What a great football player
he was!
It was thrilling to watch him in action – the dazzling skills, the pin point
accurate passing, and his energy around the pitch. It was exciting to watch
how he used the ball, his technique, balance and awareness of people
around him.
Yet where is he now?
Since he left football he has had a history of depression and health related
issues. Once everyone would have said, “Gazza is full of life,” yet now people
feel sorry for him. His time has come and gone. What a sad situation.
In 50 years time Gazza will have flourished and faded from most memories.
Everyone has their time and then it is over.
This is what the Bible says:
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4v14)
The Bible is quite clear – life is short and every person needs Jesus. That
includes Gazza, it includes me and it includes YOU!
Why Jesus?
At the beginning of time, God created all things good. He created mankind
and all his abilities, gifts and talents! God intended the abilities, gifts and
talents to be used for Him and He intended man to flourish forever in a
perfect relationship with Him.
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Look around the world: that is not the case – wrongdoing, violence, injustice
So why did God send Jesus?
and pain are just some of the symptoms of what the Bible calls the world’s
most deadly disease - ‘sin’.
God sent Jesus to take all our sin on Himself and die in our place, to take the
punishment that you and I deserve! You see, Jesus was free from any wrong
So What?
But ‘sin’ is far deeper than just wrong things; sin is the result of a rotten
doing. He was completely good, completely sin-less, the only person ever to
live a totally pure life. so only He could take the place of another.
heart. God created mankind to share all good things with Him. God created
The greatest substitution that ever took place! And it gets better…Through
mankind with skills and abilities so that they might be used in a way that
His death is the gateway to life!!
honoured the creator God. Yet mankind decided to do it alone, to selfishly
A book in the Bible written by a man called Peter holds a great verse to
take all the good things God has given, reject God and live for self. Sin
understand this:
simply means that man has gone his own way instead of God’s. Your heart
is selfish, it has become rotten, it has rejected God.
“For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to
bring you to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)
A book in the Bible called Romans puts this in a simple way:
After He died, He rose again, smashing open the grave and He lives today –
“There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no-one who
triumphant over death, so that I might always live and never die.
understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have
together become worthless; there is no-one who does good not even one.”
It is a great exchange – Jesus takes on my sin and gives me a new heart
(Romans 3:10-12)
which is now governed by the Holy Spirit helping me to live for Jesus. You
see, the good news of Jesus is all about what has been done for you, not
Understandably God, the giver of all good things, is right to demand a
what you do for Him. All you have to do is trust who Jesus is and what He
penalty for the wrong that has been done. There is a price to be paid – that
has done, and then respond by letting the Holy Spirit help you to live for Him.
price is death. Every man must die and face separation from God and His
goodness forever!!
Gazza flourished and now he is sadly fading. The Bible says he has a very
bleak future without Jesus. Yet even Gazza has the opportunity of life and
Is there any good news?
A pretty bleak picture! You and I must pay this price for our rejection of
God. Yet, this is where the fantastic news of Jesus kicks in. God loved His
creation so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ.
life in all its fullness if he believes in what Jesus has done for him.
Don’t flourish in life as a flower and then be blown away by the wind ready
to face your penalty. Think through the story of Jesus.
What Next?
The gospel of John in the Bible holds a key verse:
• Perhaps you want to find out more about this man Jesus. Why not have a
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
look at one of Christians in Sport youth resources – ‘The One and Only’ to
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
find out who Jesus was and what he came to do.
• Perhaps you are at the stage of wanting to find out what the next steps
are in becoming a Christian. Have a look at Appendix 3.
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APPENDIX 3
HOW DO I BECOME
A CHRISTIAN
It’s a question that is not often answered. And it’s a question that is quite
hard to answer –why? Let’s have a look.
Well, if you’ve read Appendix 2 – ‘What’s the big deal about Jesus?’ you’ll
find that the whole message of the Christian faith hangs on this one word ‘done’. Christians believe that Jesus has ‘done’ everything through His work
on the cross, that there is nothing that a person can do to get to God, other
than believe in what Jesus has done for them.
So when we come to ask the big question, “how do I become a Christian?”
in one way it’s easily answered – nothing, just believe in Jesus. What makes
a person a Christian is what they believe in.
If you believe that Jesus is God’s son and that He died for you and you want
to make Him the ruler of your life – you’re already a Christian.
However it’s often useful to work through a structure to help you. Be careful
to understand that it’s not in saying the prayer below that makes you a
Christian, it’s what goes on in the heart – do you really believe it?
Maybe you have come to a place where you know you need to turn to Jesus
– you are ready to admit your need of Him and trust in Him. Below is a guide
of making that step.
The ABC
A = Admit: say sorry to God for turning your back on Him and ask Him to
forgive you. Ask Jesus to rescue you and be your ruler in life.
B = Believe: believe that the claims and actions of Jesus are true. That He
died on the cross to take the penalty you deserve so that you may go free
and live a life for Him both now and into eternity.
A + B if truly followed through makes a person a Christian.
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C is our response to becoming a Christian.
APPENDIX 4
C = Count the Cost: to be a true disciple of Jesus is often hard. Jesus
asks us to be obedient to Him. Counting the cost and living a life for Him
YOUR STORY
should be our response in view of what He has done for us. And better still
- He promises to start a new work in our lives. He gives you a new heart and
is constantly changing and helping us to live legendary lives for Him.
We strongly advise that when you become a Christian you should tell another
Christian friend about your decision to follow Jesus and they will help you
WHAT is your testimony?
Your Story of what God has done and continues to do in your life.
work through 4 key areas to develop a real relationship with Jesus Christ:
1)
Read the Bible to understand more about:
a) Who God is.
b) How every man has rebelled against God.
c) God’s amazing rescue plan through the death and resurrection of
His son Jesus Christ.
d) How to follow Jesus as a Christian and what it means to live for Him.
WHY share your testimony?
• Purpose: so that people hear about Jesus and the real impact He has on
people’s lives.
• Privilege: it’s a joy to speak of what God has done for us (encouragement
for both the speaker and the listener). He has given us new birth and a
hope of heaven.
2)
Get involved with a local church youth group. It is here that you will be
discipled and will grow in your faith.
3) Start to talk to God in prayer. Try to arrange to meet with a friend to
pray with at least once a week. Check out the youth pages on the
Christians in Sport website for guidelines on how to pray.
4)
Tell other people about Jesus. This is a hard thing to do, yet if you
understand what Jesus has done for you, you will understand how
WHO should share their testimony?
• Everyone has a miracle to speak about! Every conversion is a transfer
from death to life however different the story may be:
• Paul’s dramatic conversion (Acts 22:1-21)
• Timothy’s Christian upbringing (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:15)
important it is to tell your friends about Him.
Testimony outline: 3 stages
Check out the youth pages on the Christians in Sport website
www.christiansinsport.org.uk for help on starting out as a Christian and
Before Jesus:
what you were without Him. Even if you grew up in a
Christian home, what did you not understand about
get in touch with us – We are here to help you represent Jesus in your sport.
Jesus?
Jesus Centred:
what was it that drew you to believe/how you became
a Christian/what that means?
Now with Jesus: how that affects your life now (outlook on life, through
tough times, ambitions, hopes etc).
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Tips
• Always be ready to tell your story (1 Peter 3:15).
• Practice it.
• Don’t use vague words or religious jargon – keep it simple!
• Make sure it’s a story about what Jesus has done in your life – Jesus is the
central character.
• May include verses of the Bible.
• Personal not preachy
- be you, be short and be honest. Try not to
waffle and don’t exaggerate!
• Include an aspect of challenge to the listener – throw the ball back in your
friend’s court.
Write out your testimony and practise giving it in 3 minutes:
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Design by Diane Bainbridge, Illustrations by Alex Webb-Peploe