Christian Madman

We live in a society today where being a Christian is more like an image rather than a way of life. We so often care about what others see. Because of this we have a tendency to just blend in with everyone else. I was listening to a sermon by Paul Washer today and he brought up a great point that got me thinking about the Christian Athlete. He quoted the movie Rocky when the trainer tells Rocky that he did the worst thing a boxer could do, “He became civilized.” We too often as Christians become civilized. We tend to just blend in with culture and all of its sin. For those truly following Christ this shouldn’t be the case. My guess is that the Apostle Paul, John the Baptist, and even Jesus Himself were viewed as “madmen” at times because they were counter culture.

The same goes as a Christian athlete. We far too often compete like any other person in athletics. If we are truly “Doing Sports God’s Way,” then this shouldn’t be the case. It should be evident by any fan, teammate, or coach that a Christian is playing as one possessed; possessed by the Holy Spirit. With the type of intensity that a Christian athlete displays, people should be able to tell that the Christian athlete is competing as a “madman” for Christ. By “madman”, I simply mean that they should be so driven to honor Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that they wouldn’t stop at any amount of pain, failure, embarrassment or anything else that makes the worldly athlete give up. Are you competing as a Christian madman? Are you committed to following Christ to the point that you don’t necessarily fit into the cultural norm? If not, repent and turn to the gospel. God doesn’t only enjoy watching us live and compete for Him, but He commands us to.

Brian Conklin
Omaha-Metro FCA