How to Share Your Faith Using Super Bowl XL
You'd have to be comatose to miss the hype surrounding Super Bowl XL this week. When the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks face off in Detroit on February 5th , 2006 somewhere around 100 million people will be watching (at least part of the game or just for the commercials)!
Whether you're a football fan or not, any event with such a huge audience should grab our attention and encourage us to consider how we might use this particular cultural phenomenon to share our faith with our friends. And just like the pros on the field Sunday afternoon, we should come to the big event prepared! These guys don't just show up for the big game. They've put in years of drill work, honing their skills and conditioning their bodies to peak performance. They've studied the coach's playbook. They've learned how to rely on their teammates' strengths. In other words, they've prepared for the coming game and their coaches have a strategic game plan developed that includes well-thought out offensive and defensive plays, chosen for this specific coming opportunity. They know what they're up against and have laid they're plans accordingly!
In the same way, as followers of Jesus, we should be continually honing our skills that will help us share the Gospel effectively - doing the prep work necessary that allows us to provide a clear, concise and complete explanation of the GOSPEL Journey. Do you have a game plan that will help you reach out to particular individuals that God has placed in your life? Have you thought and prayed through how to best use your Christian teammates' strengths to help you reach your friends? This could include inviting friends out to youth group or asking your youth pastor to join you and an unreached friend for lunch sometime.
In 1 Cor. 9:24 Paul tells us,
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize."
In other words, prepare hard, play smart and strive to win in the things that matter - the things that are of eternal signifigance!
And just like the pros on the field Super Bowl Sunday, those who enter the arena with passion will likely see greater results from their efforts. When we believe in what we're doing with all our hearts - it shows in our lives and it shows in our character. As you look for opportunities to share your faith, do it with authenticity and passion, out of a life that overflows with compassion for those who need to have Jesus in their lives.
Here are some starting questions to ask your friends that might help you get the conversation moving in a spiritually significant direction:
- Why do you think the Super Bowl generates such hoopla in our culture?
- Do you think it should?
- Why or why not?
- How do you personally keep things in their proper perspective?
- What kind of 'values grid' do run your decisions through to figure out whether something is really important and worth your maximum effort?
- Share about what you value.
- What is it about sports and teams that generate such enthusiasm? People like to be part of something that's bigger than they are - what are you involved in that's bigger than just you?
- Share about your involvement with your youth group or in a particular service project that has given you a sense of being part of larger goal and purpose - if you've ever been on a Dare 2 Share Food Drive, collecting TONS of canned food for the homeless - share about that!
- How important is playing the game with passion?
- Do you think these guys play the game more for the money or the love of the game?
- Are you motivated more by money or by something you feel passionate about?
- What is it in your life that you're passionate about?
