A book for anyone who enjoys sports. Discover how the gospel transforms our thinking, our playing, and our watching.
Millions of us love sports—playing, supporting, watching. But have you ever thought about how your love for sports connects with your love for Jesus?
Some of us feel a bit guilty for loving sports so much, especially when there are so many other ways in which we could be using our time to serve God. Others see it simply as a great way to share the gospel (while having fun). And many of us have never really thought about it at all!
This book will show you what the Bible says. You’ll discover a more liberating approach than feeling a bit guilty, a deeper approach than seeing sports as only an evangelistic opportunity, and a better approach than not linking your faith and your love of sports at all.
Starting with asking why God created sports in the first place, Spiritual Game Plan explores how the gospel impacts and transforms the way we think and play. You'll discover how to enjoy sports even more as you let God shape your perspective, and you'll see how he can use your sports to grow and shape you as his follower.
Includes lots of stories from elite to everyday athletes, as well as chapters on specific topics such as sports on Sundays. In addition to teaching for athletes, there is advice for parents, coaches, and fans.
A great gift for Christians who love sports as well as a useful resource for sports ministries, including summer camps and Christian teams.
Introduction
| Age range: | 14+ |
|---|---|
| Contributors | Graham Daniels, Jonny Reid |
| ISBN | 9781802543070 |
| Format | Paperback |
| First published | April 2025 |
| Dimensions | 5.1" x 7.8" x 0.5" |
| Weight | 6.35 oz |
| Language | English |
| Pages | 160 |
| Publisher | The Good Book Company |
This is an amazing book. Spiritual Game Plan is the most important work to date connecting the most followed name—Jesus—the most read book—the Bible—and the most-participated-in passion in history—sports! It is easy and relatable and will enable you to understand the purpose for which sport was created, offering you as a healthy perspective on what sport could and should mean to you. It is so motivating to know how sports lead us and those we care for to know, be like, and be with Jesus!
Graham is someone I trust and someone who has had a great impact on my life and the lives of many others. I’ve spoken to him on many occasions when I’ve had to make difficult decisions in my career. He makes time for people, and I think that’s because of his faith.
A spectacularly well-rounded book on faith and sports: grounded in creation, centered on the gospel, and aimed at practical discipleship. Daniels and Reid have written a thoughtful and accessible book that will inspire many to play for the glory of God. I highly commend it to athletes, coaches, fans, or anyone interested in the intersection of faith and sports.
I am not athletically gifted in the slightest, but this book piqued my interest, because I had never before seen a Christian living book that focused on sports. There are plenty of Christian books that use sports as a metaphor, or which share inspiring stories about Christian athletes, but this one focuses on what it means for Christians to play sports to the glory of God. The authors, Graham Daniels and Jonny Reid, reflect on how sports fit into a Christian understanding of creation, the fall, and redemption, and they address common questions and issues that Christians face when playing sports.
As the authors express, many athletes never receive any guidance for how they can glorify God in their sports-related jobs or passions, beyond receiving a stamp of approval from the church if they use sports as a mission field. This book takes a much broader look at the value of sports and competition, and shares wise advice for dealing with common pitfalls. There is also a thoughtful and nuanced chapter about the question of sports schedules that conflict with Sunday morning worship.
"Spiritual Game Plan" is thought-provoking and inspiring. This book is a quick, easy read, and it is full of helpful insights and encouragement for athletes at all levels. All throughout, the authors include quotes and stories from professional athletes, and I appreciated the range of different sports represented, as well as the balanced representation of male and female athletes. This book will be beneficial for other professional athletes, and for adults and teens who enjoy pursuing sports as a passion. This book will also benefit parents and coaches.
I received a free copy from the publisher, and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
In Spiritual Game Plan, Graham Daniels and Jonny Reid show how to compete with both joy and godliness.
The book begins by laying out four reasons why God created sports: Creation, Community, Delight, and Glory. However, these good gifts are twisted by sin. We often use sports to glorify ourselves rather than God, seek ultimate joy in sports instead of in Him, elevate ourselves above others, and use our creativity for self-serving purposes.
How Christ Saves Sports
Christ changes everything about how we view and play sports. Through Him, we can become satisfied, humble, and servant-hearted athletes. The gospel reshapes not only how we perform but also why we play, offering deeper purpose and freeing us from the pressure of self-glorification.
Playing Fields Are Mission Fields
For sports fans, the book reminds us that both arenas and living rooms are gospel spaces. Whether playing or watching, we can use these moments to witness. The playing field becomes a mission field when we invite others into our lives and share the hope we have in Christ.
Gospel-Centered Sports
Parents have a unique role in pointing their children to Jesus through sports involvement. Coaches, too, are in a strategic position to speak to their players’ competence, character, and conviction in a way that deeply shapes lives.
Filled with quotes from professional athletes, this book carries both credibility and clarity. It’s an excellent guide for parents, coaches, and youth pastors—perfect for those who love both God and the game.
I received a media copy of Spiritual Game Plan and this is my honest review.
We are definitely a sports loving family so I was excited to see what this book was all about. Written by Daniels, a professional soccer player from England, it was encouraging to hear his perspective on sports and God.
The book is structured with an introduction and ten chapters. In the Introduction, Daniels says it well when comparing the perspectives among Christians on sports:
- Sports are a waste of time and are not the proper "christian" thing to do with our time.
- Sports are a vehicle for evangelism so it's ok if done with that purpose.
- Sports are awesome and there's never been a thought on whether they connect with faith.
Daniels and Reid do a wonderful job of presenting sports as created and gifted by God for us to enjoy and use for the Gospel while on this earth. They do touch on the negatives that can come to fruition from sports. But with any God-given, amoral thing, our sin is what distorts it.
I appreciated the last four chapters where the authors spoke specifically to fans, parents, coaches and the hot-button issue of sports on Sundays. I was curious how they would approach the sports on Sundays topic but thankfully they handled it well, presenting the issue as a personal conscience issue with each individual family.
The personal experiences from Daniels life were very eye opening and encouraging for any sports player and parent.
I received a copy of this book from The Good Book Company in exchange for an honest review.
