Christians in Sport Autumn 2016 Prayer Diary

PRAYER DIARY September December 2016

WELCOME to the prayer diary 1 Corinthians 12 gives us the most brilliant picture of the church being like the body of Christ. Each one of us playing different parts, all valued and all vital. Christians in Sport is also a body made up of many parts, and we are delighted and ever so thankful for those who play their part in prayer.

As we sit and look back at previous prayer diaries we can see so many answers to prayer, prayers that you prayed and our faithful God has answered. It’s so incredible that our Heavenly Father delights to hear our prayers and answer them, always at work for your good, our good as an organisation and His glory!

Please continue to pray for the work, and also let us know how we can be praying for you too.

We love to hear from you at the office. Also, do share this resource with others who love Jesus, sport and prayer to give them the opportunity to pray too. It’s our greatest need. Thank you for playing your part in the team.

Partner Relations Team Our mission To reach the world of sport for Christ.

Our visions Christians everywhere living out their faith in sports clubs and teams.

Churches everywhere engaging with their local sports communities.

Sportspeople everywhere having the opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus.

CONTENTS 1 Co Each fortnight, there is a different area of Christians in Sport’s work to pray for rinthians 12 gives us the

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Global Mission 11 - 24 Sept

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Thanksgiving 25 Sept - 8 Oct

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Students 9 - 22 Oct

10-11 Elite Sport 23 Oct - 5 Nov 12-13 The Local Church 6 - 19 Nov 14-15 Youth 20 Nov - 3 Dec 16-17 Our Leaders and Staff 4 - 17 Dec 18-19 The Big Prayers 18 - 31 Dec

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GLOBAL MISSION

11 - 24 Sept

Christians in Sport is part of a global sports movement. This fortnight, pray for all that is happening internationally through indigenous-led sports mission.

Sun 11th ReadySetGO. Pray for teams in a number of countries planning their launches of ReadySetGO, a new global curriculum for sports ministry. Latvia, Serbia and Norway all have conferences coming up.

Mon 12th ReadySetGO Multiply. Give thanks for ReadySetGO Multiply which took place in May. 217 people from 32 countries came together to be trained in the ReadySetGO curriculum. Reports already coming in tell of how national teams have grown from one person to five, how liberated people feel with teaching it and how sports mission has been delivered across the continent this summer.

Tues 13th Sports camps. A survey of all participants who came to the global launch of ReadySetGO in November shows that sports camps is the third highest used strategy across the world. Pray for the global team thinking strategically about camps. In Europe alone, there were 134 camps this summer.

Wed 14th European Sports Mission. Give thanks for ReadySetGO Plus in July. Twenty three people from seven European countries took part in the month-long school. Two weeks were spent in Italy being trained for a further two weeks of missions in Macedonia, Portugal and Jersey.

Thurs 15th European Sports Mission. Pray for the 23 ReadySetGO Plus leaders that their time spent abroad would not only have opened their eyes to the wider sports mission field but developed them as gospel-centred disciple makers where God has placed them.

Fri 16th Macedonia. We have supported our good friends out in Macedonia for many years in their work with the Roma Gypsy community and orphanages as well as amongst sports clubs. This year they ran their first ever sports camp, supported by the ReadySetGO Plus team. Please pray that the young people who attended the camp would respond to the gospel.

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Sat 17th Jersey. Pray for Jack Newton as he starts as an Intern working alongside Nick Ferraby with a specific focus of reaching out to Jersey Rugby Club.

Sun 18th Sports Plus. Give thanks for the second Sports Plus Jersey camp in July. It is great to see young people and local leaders so enthused to bring sport and faith together. Pray many will get involved as the monthly Sports Plus Xtra starts up again.

Mon 19th European Christian Sports Union. Pray as the ECSU Strategy Team meet in October to develop Acceleration Teams to help different GO strategies flourish across Europe. Some 35 leaders will meet in Vienna to help resource those on the ground.

Tues 20th ECSU Migrant Pack. The pack (migrantsports.eu) is a condensed version of the ReadySetGO book to help churches reach out to local migrant communities. It uses the medium of sport to help integrate these people groups into their new surroundings. Pray that many churches would use the pack to engage with migrants in their areas.

Wed 21st Mission partners. Through the global sports mission network we have friends living out their faith in countries where there is great risk or at great personal cost. Pray against complacency from us in the UK and and for these brothers and sisters.

Today’s events: Sports Quiz, University of South Wales (Treforest Campus) Thurs 22nd Translators. Pray for teams translating the ReadySetGO material and videos. These are all unpaid groups and individuals, using their free time to do this as they see the necessity of having resources in their own language.

Fri 23rd The Gathering. Every two years the ECSU holds a networking conference called ‘The Gathering’. The June 2017 event will be in Austria.

With numbers growing each time, we long to see more people attending to be encouraged and taught as many are carrying out sports mission alone.

Sat 24th Training. Give thanks for the training in the ‘Bible and sport’ and ‘how to share the gospel effectively’ delivered to leaders from across Eurasia in July. Pray for those trained as they seek to make disciples in some very challenging situations.

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THANKSGIVING

25 Sept - 8 Oct

Since all our blessings flow from God, we have much to be grateful for. This fortnight, let us praise and thank God for all he has been doing in the world of sport.

Sun 25th Young Christian sportspeople. Thank God for all those young people around the UK who have resolved to pray, play, say in their sports teams and clubs and share Jesus with their teammates and opponents.

Mon 26th Elite athletes we support. Praise God for the gifts and skills He has given to the almost 200 people we support in the world of elite support.

Thank God for the regular Bible studies, one to ones and gatherings that take place to encourage Christians in the mission field where our Heavenly Father has placed them.

Tue 27th Partner churches. Thank our Heavenly Father for churches across the UK who have embraced the opportunity to reach the world of sport for Christ. Praise Him for the number of guest events and regular meetings that are taking place to enable this mission.

Wed 28th New staff. Praise God for those who have joined the Christians in Sport staff team over the summer. They are Ed Mezzetti, Nick Harrison, Sarah Gales (all UK) and Allen McCluggage (Northern Ireland). Thank God for the funding He has provided for this and for the skills He has given them to serve Him. Thu 29th The Academy. Thank God for his faithfulness over the 11 years the gap-year scheme has taken place. Thank Him for the 127 teenagers who have been trained for a lifetime of sports mission over that period and for the staff who have been involved in mentoring them.

Fri 30th Interns. Praise our Heavenly Father for the four new Interns Jack, Jen, Jos and Dave, who have joined the Christians in Sport staff team this September. Thank Him for their willingness to serve and the opportunities they will have to grow in faith and love in the coming year.

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Sat 1st Oct Sports Mission Pack. Thank God for all the churches and groups that have downloaded and used the Sports Mission Pack. Praise Him for the many resources on it and the way they have helped many Christian sportspeople share their faith.

Today’s events: Evangelistic sports tournament, Hyde Park, London (2-5pm) Sun 2nd Schools work. Thank God for the opportunities to speak to young sportspeople through assemblies, RE lessons, quizzes. Pray or the witness of chaplains and teachers.

Mon 3rd Online resources. Praise God for the wealth of resources available on the Christians in Sport website and elsewhere to help sportspeople share their faith in Jesus. Thank the Lord for the opportunities to share these on social media.

Tue 4th Global Congress on Sports and Christianity.

Thank God for the academic conference, held at York St John University at the end of August. Praise Him for the research shared and those studying in this field.

Wed 5th ReadySetGO. Praise God for how this resource for sharing the gospel in the world of sport is bearing fruit across the globe. Thank Him for the thousands of leaders who are being trained in sports mission and for the resulting opportunities to proclaim Jesus.

Thu 6th Christian sportspeople. Thank God for the 10,000-plus Christians in sport we currently know of who are seeking to share the gospel in their clubs and teams. Praise Him for new contacts made over the summer and the chance to share our vision across the country.

Fri 7th Olympics and Paralympics. Give thanks to God for the festival of sport we have enjoyed at Rio 2016. Praise Him for all the Christian athletes and officials involved and for chaplains who were able to support them.

Sat 8th Romanian sports camp. Praise God for this summer’s sports camp in Romania, featuring football, handball and basketball, which was run exclusively by local leaders for the first time this year.

Thank our Heavenly Father for the service of Manu and her team.

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STUDENTS

9 - 22 Oct

This fortnight, we look ahead to an exciting term for the student work and praise the Lord for the marvellous things He has done in the world of university sport.

Sun 9th Freshers. Pray for Christian students who have headed to university or college for the first time this autumn. Pray that they would get stuck into sports clubs straight away, and be bold for Jesus especially during the initiation ceremonies that often take place.

Mon 10th Churches. Pray that Christian students heading to university or college for the first time will quickly settle into church. Pray too that older students and other church members would look out for them.

Tue 11th Boldness in the first term. Pray that students would be bold in sharing their faith in their sports clubs and teams. Pray they would be intentional in inviting sportspeople to church and evangelistic events.

Wed 12th Reading the Bible. Pray that students would be bold in asking friends to read the Bible with them. Pray that through this sportspeople will discover Jesus for themselves and long to follow Him. Thu 13th New Christians in sport students. Praise God for the new contacts we have made through University Groups across the country. Pray that these students would understand how their sport can be our true and proper worship to God and that it is a mission field He has placed them in to be His witnesses.

Fri 14th University Group leaders. Praise our Heavenly Father for the 50 University Group leaders who have commited to serve the mission of Christ in their universities this academic year. Pray they would lead by example and inspire their fellow group members to make bold steps in their personal evangelism as they look to reach the world of sport for Christ together.

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Sat 15th Clubhouse Xtra. Pray for our student training conferences taking place in England and Northern Ireland in January. Pray that God will free up diaries and provide funds so that many students will sign up and therefore be equipped to make disciples in the world of university sport.

Sun 16th Clubhouse Xtra. Pray for those preparing for and delivering talks, training sessions and seminars at our student training conferences in January would prepare well, being motivated by a passion for the lost world of sport.

Mon 17th Partnerships with the local church. Pray that Christians in Sport would continue to serve the local church specifically in the area of evangelism to sport students. Pray for further partnerships to be developed with student churches in many university cities.

Tue 18th Injury. Please pray for students who have suffered serious injuries this season. Pray that the gospel will comfort them in their situations but continue to motivate them to stay committed to their university sports friends even when they are unable to train, play or compete alongside them.

Wed 19th Final-year students. Pray for students in their final year of study. Pray that they would make the most of the gospel opportunities that playing or competing in university sport brings before they graduate next summer.

Thu 20th European Sports Mission. Pray for the students from across Europe who attended ReadySetGO Plus in July. Pray that God would use them to make a huge impact in the world of university sport following the training and experience they received in the summer.

Fri 21st Dialogue Dinners. Praise God for the 24 Dialogue Dinners we know of which took place last year. Pray that many students this year will be bold in asking their sports friends over for a meal in order to share the gospel through a testimony or short talk.

Sat 22nd Graduates. Pray for Christian sportspeople who graduated this summer. Pray that they would stay strong in their faith and continue to live out the mission of making disciples in the world of sport.

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ELITE SPORT

23 Oct - 5 Nov

Heavy training and competitions take Christian athletes away from home for long periods of time, meaning regular church life is tough to maintain.

Please join us in praying for these Christian athletes.

Sun 23rd Athletes and coaches experiencing success.

Pray that the Lord would help them deal with the attention that follows. For those for whom success did not satisfy, may the Lord reveal Himself to them.

For believers, may He protect them from pride.

Mon 24th Athletes and coaches experiencing disappointments. Ask God to help disappointed athletes deal with any negative attention that comes with failure. For those who are crushed because sport is their identity, may the Lord reveal Himself to them. For those who already know the Lord, may He remind them of who they are in Him. Tue 25th Doping in elite sport. Pray that drug testing systems throughout elite sport would achieve justice; that the innocent would not be unfairly tarnished and that the guilty would be held to account.

Wed 26th Retirement. For athletes who have retired following Rio 2016, ask that those who know Christ would know His ‘everlasting arms’ upholding them through what can be a painful and confusing time.

Thu 27th Christians in elite leadership roles. For Christians who hold positions of authority within elite sport, ask that they would lead with a servant heart and for God to give them great wisdom and strength to deal with any situation that comes their way.

Fri 28th Church family. For athletes across the UK, ask that they would feel well supported and cared for by their church families, even if they cannot attend regularly. Thank God for churches who go out of their way to disciple elite athletes.

Sat 29th Parents of Young Performance Athletes (YPAs). For the parents of 85 Christian young people we know of competing in elite sport, ask that they, their youth workers and church leaders may be wise in their decisions as they long to raise young athletes who know and love the Lord.

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Sun 30th Athletes competing away from home. Pray for athletes who are away competing and are missing home and anxious about imminent competition.

Pray that those who know the Lord have a positive influence on the atmosphere in their training camps.

Mon 31st Tennis, golf, cricket, rugby and Formula 1.

Pray that God would raise up followers of Jesus in the elite worlds of tennis, golf, cricket, rugby and Formula 1, where we know few. If you are particularly passionate about one of these sports, please commit to pray for this sport throughout the year.

Tue 1st Nov A Christian presence in track and field.

Thank God for the IAAF Diamond League series and for the athletes and coaches from many nations who have gathered at Bible studies hosted by Christians in Sport and our partners. Pray that this growing community would be an encouragement to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Wed 2nd Sportspeople seeking God’s Word. Thank God for the elite athletes who are actively exploring God’s Word with Christians in their squads, Christians in Sport staff workers and church leaders. Pray that God would show them the majesty of the gospel.

Thu 3rd A Christian presence within rowing. As international rowers return to training post Rio 2016, thank God for the strong Christian presence in these squads. Pray that this community would encourage each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today’s events: Northern Dioceses (CofE) Sports Ministry Day, York.

Fri 4th Disability sport. Thank God for the 11 athletes and management staff involved in elite disability sport we know of representing Christ, many of whom competed in the Rio 2016 Paralympics. We have been praying for God to open the doors to the world of disability sport over the last year and He has graciously done so. Pray for God to build a strong Christian presence in elite training squads and competitions in the coming months.

Sat 5th Professional footballers. As the world watches their performance and judges them by it, may they know they are God’s children - may their worth be in that and not in their performance.

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THE LOCAL CHURCH

6 - 19 Nov

The local church is the primary community for making disciples of Jesus and training sportspeople in godliness. Pray for churches as they disciple and reach out to sportspeople.

Sun 6th Sunday sport. Pray for churches as they respond to more and more matches taking place on Sundays. Pray they would find good solutions with sportspeople and parents of young sportspeople to enable them to be active members of their churches and clubs.

Mon 7th Evangelistic sports tournament. Pray for follow-up from the tournament in Hyde Park, London that was held on October 1. Pray that this will encourage Christian sportspeople in the capital to keep witnessing.

Tue 8th Co-mission Churches. Pray for the growing partnership with the network of Co-mission Churches in London. Thank God for the many new church plants that have started up across the city in recent years and the opportunity this offers for sports mission.

Wed 9th Newcastle. Praise God for churches in Newcastle who are eager and keen to see sports mission grow across the city. Pray that we might be able to gather people together in the autumn to think through how best to grow and multiply the work there.

Thu 10th Baptist Union. Give thanks that the Sports Mission Pack was promoted to churches and members across the Baptist Union this summer. Pray that many churches make good use of the resources and see how they can play their part in reaching the world of sport for Christ.

Fri 11th Scotland. Thank God for the more than 20 churches across Scotland who sent people to serve on the team at Sports Plus Perth in July. Praise our Heavenly Father for this partnership in the gospel and pray that this number of churches may increase further in years to come.

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Sat 12th Church of England. Pray for the Archbishop’s Sports Ambassador, Bishop Tony Porter, as he encourages churches to be involved in the world of sport from grassroots to elite level.

Pray this may lead to lasting fruit and many more sportspeople hearing the gospel.

Sun 13th Church leaders. Thank God for church leaders who play sport or compete in sport regularly.

Pray that they would live distinctive lives among their friends and teammates and encourage their congregations to be involved in sports mission.

Mon 14th Church groups. Praise God for churches where groups meet regularly to support each other in reaching the world of sport for Christ. Pray for real partnership in the gospel.

Tue 15th Sports Mission Pack. Thank God for all the churches who have used the resource this year. Thank Him for all the events that have been organised in churches and pray that they will help many reach out to their local sports clubs.

Wed 16th Jersey. Praise God for all the churches in Jersey that sent members to serve as leaders, coaches and support staff at Sports Plus this summer. Pray that we will see links strengthened with churches across the island.

Thur 17th Hamilton Road Baptist Church. Praise God for Christian sportspeople at Hamilton Road Baptist Church in Belfast and the many events they organise to reach the world of sport. Pray for more opportunities to witness in the city’s clubs.

Fri 18th Maidenhead. Thank God for the way churches in Maidenhead have got together to focus on reaching sportspeople for Christ in their area.

Pray for good teamwork, unity in the gospel and many people to hear of Jesus for the first time as a result.

Sat 19th Evangelism training. Pray for all those attending today’s training event at St Peter’s Church in Lincoln. Pray it will be a really encouraging and practical time for all, helping people better reach the world of sport for Christ.

Today’s events: Evangelism training at St Peter in Eastgate, Lincoln 13

YOUTH

20 Nov - 3 Dec

Let us pray with confidence for God’s will to be done amongst young Christians in sport within churches and schools, as well as for fruit from Sports Plus, our summer camps.

Sun 20th Sports Plus young people. Give thanks for the six Sports Plus camps that happened over the summer. There were around 600 young people that attended Sports Plus, pray that they might still be challenged by what they heard from John’s gospel during the week.

Today’s events: Graham Daniels speaking at guest service at Highfields Church, Cardiff Mon 21st Sports Plus leaders. Thank God for the leaders who gave up their time to serve at Sports Plus in different roles. There were around 300 leaders who served over the summer, without whom Sports Plus wouldn’t have happened.

Tue 22nd Sports Plus trainees. Praise God for the trainees who served at Sports Plus. Pray that Sports Plus would have been a valuable time of learning and training that would benefit them for future roles within the camps as well as their involvement in their local church.

Wed 23rd Sports Plus Bursary Fund. The Sports Plus Bursary Fund has enabled around 130 young people to attend Sports Plus this who would otherwise be unable to come. Thank God for those who have donated to the fund and enabled these young people to experience camp.

Thu 24th Sports Plus venues. Thank God for the schools we use for hosting Sports Plus. Pray for the ongoing relationship we have with the schools as we plan for Sports Plus 2017.

Fri 25th Sports Plus leaders training. Thank God for the time we had with Sports Plus leaders over the summer to share the vision and train them. Pray that they may look for opportunities to grow that vision amongst young sportspeople they have in their churches.

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Sat 26th Christian teachers. Thank God for the Christian teachers we know of within schools across the UK. Pray for them, that they may have opportunities to support any young Christian sportspeople in their school and share the good news of Jesus with young sportspeople who don’t yet know him.

Sun 27th Young Christians in sport. Pray for young Christians in sport across the UK. Pray that the Holy Spirit may give them the confidence to stand tall for Jesus in their sports clubs and have opportunities to share the hope that they have in Him with their friends and teammates.

Mon 28th Church youth leaders. Pray for youth leaders in churches with young Christian sportspeople. Pray that they may be effective in supporting their young people to pray, play, say in their sports clubs and teams.

Tue 29th Young sportspeople. Pray that young sportspeople who don’t yet know Jesus would have opportunities to hear about Him and respond through the witness of friends or teammates who are Christians.

Wed 30th Coaches. Pray for Christian coaches of youth sports clubs. Pray that they may be distinct in the way they coach and that they may have opportunities to share Jesus with the young people they coach.

Thur 1st Dec Churches. Pray that churches may be intentional in looking to encourage and teach their young sportspeople to make disciples in the world of sport.

Fri 2nd Youth resources. Thank God for the resources that are available for young people including Bible studies, videos and blogs. Pray that they may be helpful in supporting young people to pray, play, say in their clubs and teams and for those on the staff team who are looking at ways to develop these resources.

Sat 3rd Youth sports clubs. Pray that there might be a Christian in every youth sports club across the UK, excited to live for Jesus and share Him with their friends and teammates.

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OUR LEADERS AND STAFF

4 - 17 Dec

From our Sports Plus leaders to the Board of Trustees, from youth leaders to church ministers passionate about sport; thank God for all the leaders helping to reach the world of sport for Christ.

Sun 4th Board of Trustees. Thank God for all those giving their time and expertise to serve in this way. Pray that they will have God’s wisdom for the decisions they make.

Mon 5th Staff team. Praise God for how He has enabled the staff team to grow in recent years. Pray that they would be good stewards of the funds donated, remain united in the gospel and support each other.

Tue 6th Regionally-based staff. Thank our Heavenly Father for the increasing number of staff based away from the Bicester head office. As more move out across the UK, may this better enable the vision of reaching the world of sport for Christ.

Wed 7th New staff. Pray for the new members of staff and Interns who have joined the team since the summer. Pray that they would be settling into their roles well and keep trusting in God’s provision for all their needs.

Thu 8th Sports leaders. Thank God for the Christians we know of working within sport National Governing Bodies (NGBs) and other organisations. Pray for them to be salt and light and seek opportunities to share their faith.

Fri 9th Church leaders. Praise God for church leaders committed to reaching the world of sport for Christ.

Pray for them as they support and encourage sportspeople in their congregations.

Sat 10th Speaking. Pray for all staff and supporters speaking about the work of Christians in Sport in the coming months. Pray they will convey the vision clearly and encourage more Christian sportspeople to get stuck into sports mission.

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Sun 11th Sports Plus. Thank God in particular for those who served for the first time as leaders, coaches and support staff at the six camps this summer. Pray they will have been encouraged by the experience and want to come back to serve again next year.

Mon 12th Advocates. Thank our Heavenly Father for supporters of Christians in Sport in churches across the country. Pray they may be great ambassadors for the work and encourage others to Pray Play Say in their sports clubs and teams.

Tue 13th Youth group leaders. Pray for leaders of groups of young sportspeople in churches and schools. Pray that the leaders would help the young people grow in faith and passion to reach their friends and teammates for Christ and that the groups would provide great encouragement and support for the young people.

Wed 14th Partners. Thank God for the partner organisations who work alongside Christians in Sport staff in supporting elite sportspeople. Pray for good collaboration, teamwork and partnership in the gospel as we seek to reach the world of sport for Christ together.

Thu 15th Sending out. Pray for all those who have been trained through the Academy and Internship programmes over the past year, that they would stay close to God and use all they have learnt to serve faithfully in churches, Christian unions and sports clubs.

Fri 16th European leaders. Thank God for all the leaders who have been trained by the ReadySetGO programme this year across Europe. Pray that they would be effective and passionate in applying and passing on this training as they seek to reach their local sportspeople with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Sat 17th Head office. Pray for Christians in Sport staff who are involved in logistics and planning.

Ask God for wisdom as we make changes to our IT and database in order to best serve the work of Christians in Sport.

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THE BIG PRAYERS 17 - 31 Dec

As we look ahead to a new year, please join us in praying for the long-term aims of different areas of the work.

Sun 18th Elite sport. Thank God for the Christians we know who are involved in elite sport. Pray that we would support them well and that they would become disciple makers in the sports where God has placed them.

Mon 19th Every sports club. We know of around 10,000 Christians in sports clubs and teams in the UK. Our dream is to see a Christian witness in every single one of the 150,000 registered sports clubs across the UK. Pray that this vision might one day become a reality.

Tue 20th The local church. In 2015, we worked in partnership with 1,239 churches to help them reach and disciple sportspeople. By 2018, God willing, we would love to be working with 3,000. Please pray for more opportunities.

Wed 21st Podcast. Thank God for the podcasts we have been able to record this year. Pray that they will be shared far and wide among elite athletes, and that they would encourage Christians and challenge many to consider what they make of Jesus.

Thu 22nd ReadySetGO. Praise God that the ReadySetGO sports mission training programme has been established in so many parts of the world. Pray that there might be opportunities for sports mission in every country on earth.

Fri 23rd Future plans. Pray for all those making decisions about future plans for Christians in Sport.

Pray that staff and the board would rely not on themselves, but on God. Sat 24th Multiplying the vision. We pray for the work of Christians in Sport to grow and be enabled through the support of our partners. Ask God that more and more individuals will be supported to Pray Play Say and would multiply the work within their church in a way that impacts sportspeople for eternity.

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Sun 25th Happy Christmas. Thank God for His amazing rescue plan in sending Jesus to die for us.

Pray for elite sportspeople trying to balance family, training and playing or competing commitments over the festive period that they keep the gospel in focus at all times.

Mon 26th Paralympic sport. Thank God for the sporting ability He has given to all those who competed in the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games in September. Pray for wisdom and humility as Christians in Sport develops a strategy to better support and equip Christian athletes in Paralympic sports.

Tue 27th Guest events. Praise God for all those who have heard the gospel at different guest events during the course of 2016. Pray for churches and individuals as they follow-up with the guests who came along and pray for the Christians in Sport staff members involved in planning new events to put on in future months.

Wed 28th Decentralisation. Since September, Christians in Sport have begun moving some of their the central staff team out from Bicester to increase the number of regional and city-based workers.

Pray that God would use this strategy to bring more of the 15.7 million adult sportspeople in the UK to Himself.

Thur 29th Heart for prayer. Ask God that churches everywhere would be moved to pray for their local sports communities; from a few lines in weekly services, to five-minute slots in monthly prayer meetings or running a specific sports prayer meeting.

Fri 30th Clubhouse Xtra. Pray for all those attending the two student conferences in England and Northern Ireland next week. Pray for fellowship, encouragement and two events packed full of students looking to reach the world of sport with the good news of Jesus Christ.

Sat 31st The year that is ending. Thank God for all He has done in the world of sport during 2016. Praise Him for any sportspeople you know who have been impacted by the gospel this year and resolve to keep committing your friends and teammates to Him in prayer during 2017.

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NOTES

NOTES

Download it online Visit christiansinsport.org.uk/pray to download a PDF of this prayer diary.

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Sign up to get it via email Register to receive prayer points via email bi-weekly at christiansinsport.org.uk/pray.

For the most recent news and stories visit the Christians in Sport website or find us on the following social media channels: @CIS_UK Christians in Sport ChristiansinSportUK Christians_in_Sport

CONTACT DETAILS Christians in Sport Frampton House Unit D1 Telford Road Industrial Estate Bicester Oxfordshire OX26 4LD info@christiansinsport.org.uk christiansinsport.org.uk 01869 255 630 Registered Charity number for England and Wales 1086570 Registered Charity number for Scotland SC045299 Registered Company number 4146081