Don't Waste Your Sports

by C.J. Mahaney

Sports are a gift from God but we’ll waste this gift if we play for our own glory. So how do we play for God’s glory and not our own? This booklet for athletes, parents, and coaches provides a biblical worldview of sports so that we don’t waste this gift. “I had the opportunity to glorify God in my sports,” C.J. writes, “and I fumbled it. I wasted my sports. You have the opportunity, by the grace of God, not to waste yours.”

Genres: Sports, Christian Living, Audiobook, Christian Non Fiction, Parenting, Discipleship, Nonfiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2010

About the author

C.J. Mahaney leads Sovereign Grace Ministries in its mission to establish and support local churches. He spent 27 years pastoring Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

He currently co-hosts the Together for the Gospel conference with Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan and Albert Mohler and serves on the Council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, and on the boards of The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation.

Reviews

[Hannah Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot.
It was short but very informative.
Everything the author said he backed up with scripture which was amazing to see where he was coming from. He also used his younger self as an example of what he did wrong as an athlete and what he would have done differently to glorify God more in his sport.

Would definitely recommend if you play a sport or have a kid who plays a sport, there a whole section in the back for parents that I totally skipped because I’m not a parent 😂

Ok, goodbye 👋

[Brandi Breezee]

Mahaney gets it. Sports are a good gift from God to bring joy and to bring Him glory. But like all good gifts, they can be and are misused. He presents the gospel clearly and beautifully, he calls for a healthy and much needed heart check, and doesn’t condemn sports. He points out how he fumbled his opportunity in sports, but you don’t have to waste your sports. I was encouraged and convicted. Quick short read to read with your athletes. I’ll be reading it with mine.

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe not as in-depth as some other books but for what it is it is pretty amazing!

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 hour audiobook I’ve had on my phone for years. Good perspective on how to live out a Christ centered life in the context of athletics.

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a helpful tool for younger students and children but there isn't a whole lot of new insightful information in this little book. My favorite excerpt is:

"So what explanation is there for my passion to win?

At the time I would have said I was competitive.

What I didn't perceive then was my own passion to be admired."

[Thomas Berber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging little book on one of the most dominant idols of our age and how to redeem it by God's grace.

[Connor Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a culture where sports reign, Mahaney does an excellent job of calling athletes and parents to consider their priorities.

[Brandon Rathbun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing deep but a good quick look at what glorify God with your sport looks like.
Read it in 20 min

[Andy Manwiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this and neee this! Will be having my biys read it too!

[Jordan Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a fine book just wasn't what my expectations were. Essentially just expounds upon 1 Corinthians 10:31. While a very short book, it was more so a good reminder than insightful concepts.

[Ernie Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t Waste Your Sports by C.J. Mahaney is a booklet, not a book. If you play sports, watch sports, like sports, or have ever wondered how sports fit into theology and the Christian life, you should read this. Mahaney tackles the idea of sports from a biblical worldview and clearly explains how they fit and how they can be used to glorify and worship God, or not. Well worth the few bucks it will cost you to buy it and the time to read it.

[Rob Sumrall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our world is obsessed with sports.

My son plays competitive soccer. That means that we are on the road a lot!!! The various teams he pays for have afforded us the opportunity to build relationships with a number of young men and their families. By God's grace, we've seen a number of people trust Christ through those relationships. Still, we wrestle with priorities. "Should we go to this tournament? It will mean missing another Sunday?" "What about this training camp? It will mean missing Wednesday youth programming?"

I wish I had clear cut answers to those difficult priority questions. I don't. But C. J. Mahaney's book, Don't Waste Your Sports helps. This short booklet helps athletes think through how sports can feed the flesh and how Christians should respond to that temptation. Mahaney makes much of the idea that we should do everything to the glory of God.

Included in this booklet are helpful questions for both athletes and their parents.

We have been giving away copies of this booklet like breath mints. I don't think there is a student in our youth group that plays a sport that I haven't given a copy to. Our local FCAs are going to be using this book in the fall to disciple student athletes.

All in all, this is a necessary read for young (and old) athletes and their parents.

[Greg · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual C.J. Mahaney presents the gospel to us in an easy-to-understand and apply way that in no reduces the gospel, but shows us how to practically apply it to different areas of our lives - in this case sports/fitness training and the like.

Actually you could replace the work "Sports" with anything, "job", "sickness", "travel", "shopping" and so on, and the message will still fit because the underlying principles are Biblical and therefore universal.

There are some great tips in here for parents of sporting kids as well!

A very short book - but it says it all - I listened to the entire audiobook in one gym session!

This would also make a good discussion series for small groups and the like.


Don't Waste Your Sports - eBook
http://www.christianbook.com/dont-was...

Don't Waste Your Sports - Unabridged Audiobook [MP3Download]
http://www.christianbook.com/dont-was...

[Tim Baumgartner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short booklet demonstrates clear reasoning through some Scriptures (1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 2; etc.) as to how we can waste our sports. C.J. Mahaney gives examples from his own life (along with theoretical ones) as to how we can also prevent that from happening and glorify God through our sports.

It also provides two separate sections of helpful questions for both athletes and parents to ponder regarding these serious issues as our world becomes more and more focused on sports.

I think this book is a great introduction to this topic and accomplished what it set out to do. However, I hesitate to give it 5 stars due to my exposure and interest in the topic (wanting to get deeper still).

[Mark A Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people naturally associate worship with church, but Mahaney aptly points out that we are always worshipping someone or something—a truth often on full display in sports. He challenges athletes to view sports as an opportunity to glorify God rather than drawing attention to self. This tiny booklet, complete with discussion questions, is a quick read and a great starting point for athletes (whether amateur or professional) as well as parents of students in sports.

[Micah Lugg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This little booklet provides a great primer on how to play and watch sports to the glory of God. Many Christian families send their children headlong into sports without helping them think through how it should be played under the lordship of Jesus Christ. This booklet provides great help to parents, children, and athletes whatever their age. Highly recommended for all involved in the athletic arena.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good little book for sports-mad people who want to know what being a Christian has to do with playing sport. Sport is a huge part of life for lots of people, and C.J. Mahaney has done a pretty good job of applying the gospel to that part of life in an interesting & relevant way. It's very short -- the audio book can't have been longer than an hour. It helps that C.J. is a sports fanatic!

[Victor Chininin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent application of "doing all things for the glory of God" which encourages us on to godliness and the prioritization and care (as parents) of our children's growth in godliness rather than just in games won.

[Michael Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little booklet on not wasting your sports and making your time playing or watching them way more valuable and glorifying to God.

[Billy Schiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent counsel from CJ culled from God's word and personal experience. A must read.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read, but some really good advice on how to glorify God through sports without turning them into idols.

[Kevin Burrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, basic, but a good conversation, especially for student athletes and their parents.

[Kevin Halloran · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful primer on what it means to follow Christ as an athlete.