This week, Christians in Sport had the opportunity to run Sports Plus Xtra, a two-day non-residential sports camp, at The Fulham Boys School (FBS) an independent free school with pupils from a range of backgrounds across London.

This was one of a number of sports events for young people in deprived areas, including an opportunity to explore the good news of Jesus, run through The Reach Project last term. This project, now two years in, has seen a number of models developed, including Sports Plus Xtra - adapted from our Summer Sports Plus model.

The vision is to offer young sportspeople the chance to receive coaching and take part in meetings and short Bible studies to enable them to connect their passion for sport with faith in Jesus, through short single or multi-day programmes with minimal barriers to entry.

Two action-packed days

Main meetings looked at an overview of the gospel through the lense of sport

Sports Plus Xtra saw 63 young people served by 16 volunteers alongside CIS staff across the two days, comprising of sports coaching, team games and main meetings. These elements came together to teach an overview of the Christian faith though the lens of sport. Beginning with Genesis, the programme worked through creation: how people are created by God to enjoy his creation in relationship with him; to the sin that fractures this relationship; before finishing in Romans and looking at Jesus' sacrifice to restore our relationship with God, transforming sport into a gift we can use to glorify Him.

Partnership at the centre of mission

The team of staff and volunteers serving together at Sports Plus Xtra

It’s exciting to see the impact of Sports Plus Xtra, now in its second year at FBS, owing much of its success to the partnership we have with the Senior Leadership, and teachers, eight of whom served on the team of volunteers.

It is particularly encouraging to see God using The Reach Project to engage young boys and girls from deprived areas with a deep passion for sport who don’t enjoy the same opportunities to play and develop that many others do in the UK. Similar partnerships with Schools, churches and youth organisations have enabled events like Sports Plus Xtra, as well as sports development days and other models integrating sport and faith to run this term in places including Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Liverpool and Oxford.

Laura Murdoch, our Women’s Sport Mission lead and London staff worker reflected:

“It was brilliant to return to FBS. Many boys came back and brought teammates. The school’s Christian ethos and passion for sport have enabled a really strong partnership.”

She added:

“It’s exciting to have seen a few young people go on to Sports Plus camps. One student was baptised just before this year’s Sports Plus Xtra and shared his story, encouraging others to come to Sports Plus this summer. Stories like these are wonderful to see and encourage us to keep developing partnerships, working together to create more opportunity for young people.”

Another pupil shared his story, having attended Sports Plus Xtra:

“Coming to Christian Union and Sports Plus Xtra have been a real blessing and encouragement, enabling my faith to develop while at FBS. When I joined FBS I would not have called myself a Christian. Now I consider myself to be a Christian and I’m thankful for the impact FBS has had on this journey of coming to know Christ as my Lord and Saviour.”

An exciting vision for the future

Sport continues to cross barriers like little else can. Be it nationality, language, ethnicity and socio-economic status, the pitch, court or track can be a common ground, and a brilliant context to share the good news of Jesus, which is good news for every nation, tribe, people and language. The two truths: that sport is open to all who play it and God is gracious to all who believe, are what drive the vision for The Reach Project.

Our prayer is that every young person with a passion for sport has the chance to connect that passion with faith in Jesus, whatever their background. Now, a little over two years in, through Sports Plus Xtra and a number of other new models, we’re thankful to God that The Reach Project has started to take real shape.

Are you interested in supporting our work or partnering to enable more events like Sports Plus Xtra?

Come to a Partner Evening this Spring to connect with us and find out more about how you can enable the vision to expand our work with young people, including those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, building on The Reach Project, which has engaged 10,000 young people across more than 100 programmes.

Click here to RSVP today