Gospel Baptist Church & Christian School, Bonita Springs, FL

Beginning in 2006, Gospel Baptist Christian School joined the Florida Christian Athletic Association. This gave our students the opportunity to compete in flag football, volleyball, and basketball with other local Christian schools.

While sports are not the main emphasis, we believe there are at least three benefits for having a sports program. First, sports teach teamwork and communication skills. Such skills are vital within a church, at the work place, and especially in the home. For any team to be successful, individuals must work together to achieve the common goal of winning. Teamwork was evident under Nehemiah's direction of rebuilding the wall at Jerusalem according to Nehemiah 4:6b “for the people had a mind to work.”

Second, sports teach the importance of following given instructions. Naturally, success on or off the ball field depends on how well team members or individuals accurately perform what they have been taught. Athletes learn firsthand the benefits and the disappointments on the field of following or not following the instruction of their coaches. In Proverbs 4:13 we read the importance of instruction: “Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life.”

Finally, sports teach students there are rewards for faithfulness and hard work. To be successful in sports, one must be faithful to the task in spite of distractions and discouragements, as well as dedicated to continually practicing for competition. Solomon reminded us in Ecclesiastes 4:9 that “two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor." Christians, likewise, will reap many rewards in Heaven based on their sacrifice (Matthew 19:29) and resisting temptation (James 1:12) to name a few.

Our prayer and goal then is that in sports or whatever we do here, we do it “to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31).

GBCS Sport Program