What do you think?
Rate this book
Spiritual Game Plan: Competing with Joy and Godliness
A book for anyone who enjoys sports. Discover how the gospel transforms our thinking, our playing, and our watching.Millions of us love 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 sport 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 your sports even more as you let God shape your perspective; and see how he can use your sports to grow and shape you as his follower.
Includes lots of stories from sportspeople from elite to everyday, as well as chapters for specific areas of sporting life, such as sports on Sundays. In addition to teaching for players, there is advice for parents, coaches, and fans.
This is a great gift for Christians who love sports.
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 sport 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 your sports even more as you let God shape your perspective; and see how he can use your sports to grow and shape you as his follower.
Includes lots of stories from sportspeople from elite to everyday, as well as chapters for specific areas of sporting life, such as sports on Sundays. In addition to teaching for players, there is advice for parents, coaches, and fans.
This is a great gift for Christians who love sports.
160 pages
Published April 1, 2025
7 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 25, 2025
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.
Chapter 4 was especially moving to me. It emphasizes that our identity must be found in Christ, not in our sport. Success or failure on the field doesn’t affect the love we receive from our Heavenly Father. In him, we have nothing to prove.
Playing Fields Are Mission Fields
I was also inspired by how service and love can be shown through sports. Christians are called to be different in how they play, relate, and compete. The simple yet powerful model of “pray, play, say” stood out as a helpful way to integrate faith into sports naturally and intentionally.
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.
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.
Chapter 4 was especially moving to me. It emphasizes that our identity must be found in Christ, not in our sport. Success or failure on the field doesn’t affect the love we receive from our Heavenly Father. In him, we have nothing to prove.
Playing Fields Are Mission Fields
I was also inspired by how service and love can be shown through sports. Christians are called to be different in how they play, relate, and compete. The simple yet powerful model of “pray, play, say” stood out as a helpful way to integrate faith into sports naturally and intentionally.
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.
June 13, 2025
4.5 stars, rounded up.
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.
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.
April 15, 2025
I loved this book. It is very short and approachable, but I was impressed by its insights on being a Christian athlete. Often times we have a tendency to divide the sacred and the secular but shouldn't as all of creation is both given to us by God and meant for us to participate with and enjoy with Him. Much has been written on that, and this book follows in that tradition, focusing on the role of athletics as a source of joy and creativity that are good for us. It does acknowledge that, just like any good thing, it can easily be turned into an idol when it becomes our object of ultimate importance, but sports are not something that we need to be think of as a lesser vocation. If you are a Christian athlete, have children that compete, or just love sports in general, I definitely recommend this book. It was refreshing.
December 22, 2025
It all my years of sport and being an Athletic Director for the past 9+ years - this is the best book on the subject from a Christian worldview. I thought the authors did a tremendous job being true to the Scriptures in fleshing out a number of subjects including competition, parenting, playing, idolatry, coaching, etc.
I’ll probably be getting this book for all my coaches come next falls “All coaches” meeting.
Grateful for this resource as a Christian.
I’ll probably be getting this book for all my coaches come next falls “All coaches” meeting.
Grateful for this resource as a Christian.
October 30, 2025
very well written and easy to read. actually really helps me frame my sport particularly my conduct, not jusgt paryer life
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews