Sport, faith, and friendship: Evangelism for the everyday parent

Every Sunday morning, thousands of parents gather on the sidelines of children’s sports fields across the country. Some stand quietly with their coffee; others make small talk while the game unfolds. Earlier in the week, many are already at swimming pools before sunrise, watching through glass panels or sitting in cafés while their children train. For those in more competitive or elite pathways, weekends are spent travelling to competitions – families packed into cars, clocking up hours together, waiting and watching.

In Jesus’ final command to his disciples – often called the Great Commission – he told them to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). The word Jesus used was ethne, meaning people groups or cultures. While we don’t want to push the idea too far, your child’s sporting network can be thought of as a kind of people group: a shared culture, a community with its own rhythms, pressures, and language. One parent, Ian, put it like this: “Sport gives us this incredible context to share life and the good news of Jesus with other parents in the most normal and natural way.”

The sidelines are more than just a place to wait—they’re a mission field

We’ve already explored how our primary role as Christian parents is to lead our children toward God and keep him central—even in their sport. But what about the other parents, the coaches, the teammates? What about our witness in this unique space? Will we be those who go to the people around us?

If your answer is “yes” but you’re unsure how to begin, Paul’s letter to the Colossians offers a helpful and practical framework. It’s simple and memorable: Pray, Play (or Watch), and Say.