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How the Bible Explains the Failed Super League

From the Touchline

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Sunday, April 18, 2021 — just a year on from the outset of the global pandemic, 12 elite, European football (soccer) clubs announce intentions to break ranks with UEFA and form their own Super League, as founding members. The announcement sent shockwaves throughout the football world and with great calamity and unforeseen ramifications. From media journalists, pundits, ardent supporters and fans, as well as other football clubs — a cry arose. “Foul!” And a deadly spiral leading to ugly fan protests which culminated in the past weekend with the Manchester United fixture against Liverpool postponed due to violence and supporters who stormed the grounds of Old Trafford in a voice against club ownership and this deep, deep sense of betrayal.

Today, on the From the Touchline podcast, it’s only a chaplain’s point of view, but I attempt to share how the Bible explains the recent Super League failure. Listen as I share 10 consequences of the Fall of Man from Genesis 3 and the modern-day equivalent and parallel that I believe may be found in the Super League debacle which has occupied hearts and headlines the world over, for the last couple of weeks.

Today, I read from Genesis, chapter 3 (link) and I mention friend and colleague, Rev Brad Strait, and a recent sermon as inspiration behind my connecting the consequences of the Fall with the Super League. You can find the sermon here.

From the Touchline is a short-feature (usually 10-15 min) podcast with Rev Brad Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of Soccer Chaplains United and Volunteer Chaplain to the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.

Rev Brad and occasional guests touch on various issues around the topics of faith, family, and football (soccer).

Also, don’t forget that you can listen in our app, SoccrChapUtd, in the Apple and Google store.

From the Rev: Not My Forte

This past weekend, I had the awesome privilege and weighty task of preaching on Ephesians 4:1-16 at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church. The church has a Saturday night Word & Table service, and two morning service times on Sunday — one traditional and one “convergent” or modern service. Friend and mentor, Pastor Mike Anderson, asked me, “How did it go?” I simply responded,

It’s not my forte!

But, perhaps, put a different way — sermon prep and delivery just hasn’t been part of my routine, rhythm and experience as a pastor. I have in my years away from seminary and some pulpit-filling during seminary preached only a handful of times on a Sunday morning or in a special service. My work in hospice chaplaincy and pastoral care staff has not leant itself to preaching very much outside of providing a funeral service.

Ask me to officiate a funeral service? That’s a different story. I have done a upwards of 50 to 60 funerals and memorial services and that’s a more comfortable space. The orientation and direction of the funeral, though, is vastly different from the church worship service. And, when something isn’t in the normal rhythm of your weekly work, it can take more energy to devote the time and attention and recover old tools and techniques for preparing.

But certainly, being supported by Cherry Creek in my work with Soccer Chaplains United, it was a privilege to “give back” to the church in a tangible way. The weighty task , comes from knowing the way in which the church holds a high regard for scripture and the handling of it. Many times, Pastor Brad Strait has shared that the place of the Bible is strategic for the one preaching.

The Bible is placed here in the middle of the church at the very front, so that every time a pastor preaches, he must preach over it and be reminded of the authority of the Word of God and our responsibility to it.

Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church sanctuary

The weight of responsibility is helpful for me as a chaplain because it reminds me of the responsibility that I have (albeit, differently) in the call and task that I have currently to serve as chaplain to those in soccer. Whether working with the Colorado Rapids, developing other chaplains, or struggling with the administration of a small non-profit organization the call that has been placed on my life comes with a tremendous responsibility. And while “success” is not necessarily a kingdom metric — faithfulness and obedience are.

The stained glass at Cherry Creek helps tell the story and set one’s eyes and heart upward in worship.

I also found it curious (although, pointed out by my wife) that the text and eventual sermon was about being part of the Body of Christ. A fitting matter since most of the people that I serve are disconnected (for one reason or another) from the church and from the Body, let alone authentic community. The Ephesians 4:1-16 passage that Brad Strait asked me to preach on, will certainly have application and usefulness beyond Saturday night/Sunday morning’s time. Even for my own reflection and spiritual growth.

I also found very encouraging, Brad’s wisdom to me. In the weeks leading up to the sermon, sensing my nervousness, he shared,

When you don’t preach much, the temptation is that you want to hit a home run. Don’t give into that temptation…it’s not about you.

And this is true, my friends, it’s not about me. And for every “good job” or “I really liked you message/speech/sermon,” it’s a work of humility to give that away — we ought to see people transformed and formed by God’s Word, not our receiving of accolade or praise. And that transforming work is not always easy, comfortable, or pain free. Or, we might say,

It’s not our forte!

Sincerely,

Rev Brad Kenney

From the Rev: Bless Everything, Let God Guard the Consequences

I recently returned from a trip to the U.K. and conference with chaplains with Sports Chaplaincy UK. SCUK (formerly known as SCORE) was founded by Rev John Boyers who continues to serve as chaplains for Manchester United Football Club. In the last 10+ years, I have had occasion to attend conference with the football (soccer) chaplains a number of times. They have been forging ahead in post-Christian UK context for years now and have established a foundation of trust and pastoral care and support for many sports in the UK including both ability and disability sports.

In my devotions for 10 October, my readings in Celtic Daily Prayer point to the life and work of St Ninian. Ninian, a British Christian, studied in Rome but heard of the work that St Martin and his disciples were accomplishing in Tours, France. He journeyed there to learn of what Martin was undertaking it and returned to his home country of Britain to put it into practice.

One of Ninian’s practices might be summed up in the phrase:

Bless everything, and let God guard the consequences.

In the years that I have practiced chaplaincy in and amongst the soccer community, this has become a learned pattern. From blessing elite athletes as they go out into competitive matches and endeavors, to praying for an injured player, to supporting a family devastated by news of a trade or a contract release, to attempting to bring reconciliation between a coach and an executive — as a chaplain we are often called into spaces where we must bless everything and let God guard the consequences.

But can we really bless everything?

I recall the charge leveled at me from Rev Brad Strait at my ordination. From the text of Hosea 14:4,

I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.

The words of the Lord toward the nation of Israel. The words of a Father toward his wayward children. The charge of one minister to another. Rev Strait put it straightforward,

Love them freely and heal their waywardness.

As a perfectionist and as one who grew up in a more legalistic religious tradition, grace and love have been an edge for me to learn. But with great compassion, as I live in and amongst the football community I am growing constantly in learning what it means to look for the healing and loving moments.

As a chaplain, we bless what we are able to. We bless all that we can — all that we can see, be it ever so small. Even within each athlete, coach, staff member, executive, owner, family member, or fan we can even simply see the imago dei within a person. We bless everything — the work, the spirit of the game or play, the sharpening edge of one person to another. God guards the outcomes of the games, of the presence of a chaplain, the words and direction of a counselor, all of it.

When we allow God to guard the consequences we submit to the sovereignty and design of God. In soccer, one of the phrases that coaches and commentators will use is don’t chase the game. It is a similar thought to a chaplain’s surrender of the outcomes — when we go chasing a result we grow weary and unable to clearly see our own role as a chaplain in ministry. Of course, there are outcomes that come from the presence and work of a chaplain, but when a chaplain forces or tries to direct the outcomes in a particular fashion is usually when things go awry and the chaplain loses their ability to be a safe, trustworthy presence.

As chaplains, we need to let go of desired outcomes. In the course of our service, we should continue to apply ourselves to the work at hand. The outcomes, guarded and guided by God, will come.

Blessings.

— Rev Brad Kenney

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