• Welcome everyone and particularly any newcomers this week.
• Remind each other of the vision of CIS and the purpose of the weekly group meeting. (Consider using CIS videos and resources to keep this fresh each week).

1. In pairs look back on your week of sport and discuss how last week’s group meeting helped you. Follow up with anything people asked for prayer about.
2. In pairs share prayer points for the week of sport ahead and spend time praying for each other.

Some weeks pray more widely for other clubs and teams in your university which are not represented in the group. Alternatively, you can also use the CIS prayer diary to pray for the whole mission of CIS.

You might also want to use this slot to discuss and plan your evangelistic event for the term and pray specifically about it.

Week 13 | Sharing your story

Introduction

As we Pray Play Say Together as a group this session will encourage and equip you to share your story of faith with your sports friends.

Read

Read Acts 26:1-23 or John 9:1-34, 2 Timothy 1:3-8

Reflect

When have been the most significant moments in coming to know and trust Jesus for yourself?

Explain

In general, there are 3 helpful stages to talk about in your story of faith:

• Benefits of upbringing or time before conversion
• Point/process of conversion
• Life after conversion

Here are two strengths for sharing your story of faith with your sports friends:

1. Its personal and you can speak about it passionately and engagingly
2. It can be relatable to the listener; ‘if God did this in me, maybe he could do something similar to you?’

Here are two dangers to avoid when sharing your story of faith with your sports friends:

1. We make ourselves the star of the story instead of Jesus and his saving grace.
2. We talk a lot about lifestyle things and make Christianity sound like ‘faith by works’ instead of explaining how Jesus is continually transforming us in all areas of life.

Discuss

1. What can often stop you from sharing your story with a friend in your sports club?
2. How can you ensure you make much of Jesus in the way you share your story?
3. Practice – to help prepare us for a conversation, turn into pairs and practice sharing your story of faith as if it was a ‘live’ conversation with someone in your sport.

Pray

• Thank God for the way he brought you into a relationship with Him.
• Ask God to provide opportunities for you to share your story of salvation with someone in your sports club this week.
• Pray for confidence to talk about Jesus and the impact he has had upon your life.

Update everyone on the key messages for the week. These might include:

• Sharing the student sign up link
• Promoting your evangelistic event for the term
• Plugging Sports Plus leader applications

Share these resources with your group at the end or immediately after the meeting to encourage them.

Listen

The Welsh Rugby World Cup Player | Christians in Sport interview Garin Jenkins

Watch

Tell your story of becoming a Christian | How to share your testimony with a sports friend

Read

Bible Study: 1 Samuel 1 & Acts 26