Are Protestant, (Roman) Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians important to this tennis ministry?  Should they work together for the sake of the Gospel?  These are very important questions for you, and for tennis.  The majority of people in the world who call themselves Christians are Catholics.  Therefore we need to know how to understand, encourage and love each other for the sake of sharing the Gospel through tennis.  I would like to explain my experiences with Protestants or Catholics who play tennis.

Ephesians 2:19-21 says,  "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord." (NIV)

In the last few months I have thought, prayed and read several books in preparation for this message.  I would expect that a Christian believer of any denomination would be willing to tell others about Jesus.  (Romans 10:14  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone (telling) preaching to them?")  In a simplified way this can be broken down into three areas:

    1.  Jesus' purpose for living.
    2.  Jesus' purpose for dying.
    3.  Jesus' purpose for your life.

I have met tennis players the world over who are Catholics.  Of the top 100 professional men, 26 are from traditionally Catholic nations such as Spain, and South American nations.  Of the top 100 women, 9 are from these nations.  Do we ignore these facts?  Do we deny any believer a chance to grow in their faith because of their understanding of Christ?  A growing faith in Christ is as important as an understanding of Christ.  Any coach will tell you that the student who continues to improve will be the one to make it to the top.  The student that is open to instruction will arrive at the pinnacle.  Your knowledge and understanding of Christ today is not nearly as important as tomorrow's.

Several years ago a top 100 men’s player and his wife spoke with me for several days over my viewpoint of his being a Protestant and then accepting a Catholic stance in order to marry his wife.  He told me that he has a deeper faith now.  A family friend of Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and women’s world #7 told me Arantxa attends a Catholic church weekly in every city that she plays in.  A Catholic University coach wrote me asking my viewpoints on his school's stance and if this would be a hindrance for his posting a bulletin for his school tennis team with our ministry.  An editor of an evangelical magazine wrote stating "that if one states that they are a Christian and attends church, that does not necessarily make them a Christian."  Well, you can see that this ministry reaches others that have many different viewpoints.

I will set out to you viewpoints that you may agree or disagree with.  My intention is not to enter into a theological debate but to find ways to work together so that the name of Christ will be honored and shared with others.  If you want to agree to work together telling others about Christ, then welcome.  Do we work together or do we oppose each other and thus hinder the spread of the Gospel?  Having been a missionary for many years, I have been fortunate to see many approaches to sharing the Gospel.  Certainly, one effective approach has been telling others about the life and message of Jesus Christ.  The message of assisting others by such means as relief and humanitarian concerns is also a wonderful way to show the love of Christ in your life.  Distributing written materials that help others to understand the life of a believer is also good.  Many of you also use your tennis contacts to tell others of your faith.  I wish to show you that we can all share the message, love, and service of Jesus and be Christ centered as you share your personal experiences in Christ.  We consider you a team member in Christ and every member is important to winning the match.

Colossians 3:12-14 says, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (NIV)

It is not always easy to tell others about your relationship with Jesus Christ, especially if you do not have a clear understanding of his life from the Bible.  Perhaps your understanding of the Bible has been attained from hearing your church leader's messages.  Have you taken the time to read the Bible for yourself?  At times, it is much easier to state, “I attend a church,” implying that you are a Christian or a follower of Jesus Christ.  Perhaps it is just easier to keep quiet and not tell anyone that you are a follower of Jesus.  A tennis friend, well known in the industry, who is a Catholic, recently told me that he has many friends who have told him that, unless he is born again he can not be a Christian.  He rejected this idea.  Frankly, I can not tell if he is a follower of Jesus, but I do respect his desire to know more about Jesus.  A follower of Christ will always desire to grow in Christ.  The secret of a great spiritual life is understanding the teamwork of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit and growing one-on-one in a relationship with your coach, Jesus Christ.  During your lifetime a perfect winning season as a Christian can never be obtained, but a winning record is entirely possible.  Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox, the ball is in your court.
 

Rev. Bob Kraft