Sport and Faith

When God says creation is good, does that include sport?

Sport & Faith

Sport and Faith

Sport and faith can have an uncomfortable relationship.  This workshop will explore these questions and others and help provide a framework to reflect on scripture and faith to help us make sense of our love of sport.   Maybe you don’t like sport – but you love art, dance, music, movies…..  If you can put up with the sports mad participants, you will find…

Cost: This is offered at no cost as part of the KCML leadership formation programme, and Forge Aotearoa Practice of Wayfinding.

Register Your Interest

Event Information

Sport and faith can have an uncomfortable relationship. 

  • Why do I love sport?  
  • Why does the performance of my team impact my mood?
  • Can I love sport as a Jesus follower?     
  • Is God somehow involved in sport, and if so, how?  
  • Sport is often an example of the dark side of human nature, are there glimpses of the divine in sport? 
  • Apart from our sports hero’s writing messages on their shirts, or conversations about sport on Sundays, does Christianity have much to offer the sporting conversation? 

This workshop will explore these questions and others and help provide a framework to reflect on scripture and faith to help us make sense of our love of sport.  

Maybe you don’t like sport – but you love art, dance, music, movies…..  If you can put up with the sports mad participants, you will find ways to reflect on your love as well.  

On completion, participants can expect to be able to:

  • Have a deeper understand of why we love sport 
  • Reflect more deeply about the role of sport in our culture (or other art forms), and appropriate Christian responses to it 
  • Learn a framework to help reflect on sport, and life 
  • Discover ways for every day human activity to help form us as Jesus followers 

Topics will include: 

  • Why we love sport 
  • Sport in kiwi culture. 
  • What does it mean to “play” 
  • Looking for footprints of the divine in sport 
  • Sport in Scripture 
  • Ministry application – from ‘spoil sports’ to ‘enjoy sports’ 

This is an online course over 2 evenings: 

Wednesday 1st April, 7:30 – 9pm
Wednesday 15th April,  7:30 – 9pm

Your Facilitator

Rev Dr Darryl Tempero - Lecturer/Ministry Formation Coordinator

D Min (Fuller)
For more information please email darryl.tempero@knoxcentre.ac.nz

Register for Upcoming Training Events

    • Start Date: 1st April 2026
    • Time: 7:30pm
    • Delivery Method: Online
    • Additional Information:
      Your learning companion - Darryl Tempero.
      I am a Wellington Phoenix fan, which automatically qualifies me to speak about the (almost) highs and lows of life, and the fickleness of sport.   I will happily watch most sport, especially if I am with a passionate fan who can explain to me what is actually going on in an NFL game.

      I am on the faculty of the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership, and also half time Minister of Kiwi Church in Ōtautahi Christchurch.  I have loved, and been involved sport my whole life, but my faith and sport worlds never really intersected.  In 2013 I had the privilege of researching this topic and explored a framework that helped me both see God in sport, and it has led me to love sport even more.

      For more information, contact Darryl, darryl.tempero@knoxcentre.ac.nz
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