Formed by the Game: Seeing God in the Liturgies of Sport
In one locker room, a coach gathers his team before every practice and reminds them: “Play for the name on the front, not the one on the back.” Over the years, that mantra shapes players who sacrifice for one another, celebrate assists more than goals, and stay after practice to help underclassmen learn the ropes.
Across town, another team repeats the same line, but there it means something different. Players crave status. They hide injuries to keep starting spots. The locker room becomes a stage, not a family.
Same sport. Same slogan. Two patterns forming two very different kinds of hearts.
Or consider the defender who kneels at midfield before every game. To the crowd, it looks holy. But inside, her prayer is, “God, let me play great so I can get recruited.” For years, that rhythm trains her to use God as a mascot for personal success.
A few days later, another player kneels in the same way, but her prayer is different: “God, thank You for trusting me with this game. Help me love my teammates well.”
Both kneel. Both pray. One is being formed toward self-glory. The other toward surrender.
We often say “sports build character,” but that formation can go in either direction. The hidden truth is that sport is never neutral; it’s always shaping us. Every practice, every pregame ritual, every postgame reaction is part of a larger story.
The question isn’t if sport is forming you, but what kind of person it’s forming you into?
This formation is not accidental—it's patterned, repeated, and emotionally loaded. In other words, it's liturgical.
What is liturgy?
At its core, liturgy simply means the rhythms, patterns, and practices we repeat that shape what we love and believe. In church, liturgy might look like standing, singing, confessing, praying, listening to Scripture, and receiving communion. Even if you’ve never been in a traditional church, you’ve seen liturgy—it’s the “order of service” that trains people’s hearts and minds over time.
A simple way to explain it might be:
"Liturgy is the repeated pattern of practices that shapes our hearts, minds, and desires. In church, these rhythms draw us closer to God and teach us about Him. In sport, they shape our identity, habits, and ultimately, what we worship."
Sports have their own liturgies that form athletes, fans, and communities. Think about it:
The warmups, drills, and stretches before and after a game.
The places athletes compete and what they wear.
The way fans dress, chant, and celebrate.
The trophies received and the end of a career.
These aren’t random. They form us. They teach us what to value (winning, loyalty, toughness, glory), how to behave (shake hands, follow the rules, respect the refs—or not), and who to love (your team, your sport, your heroes).
Like church liturgy, the repeated rituals of sport are discipling us. James K.A. Smith says, “We are liturgical creatures” Meaning whatever we habitually do, love, and celebrate, we become. Sport’s liturgy is powerful because it reaches not just our heads but our hearts and bodies.
If sports already have a liturgy the question becomes: can those very same liturgies be redirected toward God instead of toward self-glory? The answer is yes.
In Romans 12:1-2 we are told,
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Paul's warning is clear: the world has patterns. They shape us. If we’re not intentional, we’ll be conformed to them without realizing it.
Sports as Liturgy
When an athlete steps onto the field and bows their head before the game, that ritual can be more than superstition—it can be a reminder that their strength and breath come from the Lord. The pregame warmup can be seen as not only preparing the body for competition but also as a form of stewardship, caring for the vessel God has given. Even the practice of shaking hands after a game, win or lose, can be reimagined as a liturgy of grace, a physical reminder of Christ’s call to love neighbor and enemy alike.
In other words, the liturgy of sport doesn’t have to disciple us into the story of “I am what I achieve.” It can instead train us into the greater story: “I belong to Christ, and all that I do—whether I win or lose—is for His glory.” By reframing our rituals, the anthem becomes an opportunity for gratitude, the team huddle a space for encouragement and unity in Christ, and the trophy presentation a reminder that all crowns fade except the eternal crown given by God.
This is where Christian athletes have a unique opportunity. Rather than rejecting the rituals of sport, they can redeem them. Each rhythm—stretching, competing, celebrating, even grieving—can become a doxology and an act of worship. In the same way that church liturgy points us to Christ’s story, the redeemed liturgy of sport can orient us back to Him in the midst of competition.
Redemptive Flip
This is where the real teaching opportunity begins. Left on their own, sport liturgies often shape us to believe life is about winning, recognition, or self-glory. But if we pay attention and flip them toward Christ, those very same liturgies can point us back to God.
That’s why we created a 30-Day reading plan through YouVersion called Formed by the Game. Over those 30 days we’ll take a closer look at specific liturgies of sport and explore how each one can be reimagined through the lens of the gospel. We’ll ask together: how can this ritual forming us and how can it be redeemed to help me worship God, serve my teammates, and remember who I am in Christ?
Each lesson will walk through one of these rhythms and show how a redemptive flip can transform it from an empty habit into an act of discipleship. We will then give some practice steps, a closing prayer, and scripture to read. By the end, you’ll see that the liturgy of sport doesn’t have to pull you away from God. Instead, it can be a powerful way of walking with Him, even in the heat of competition.
Practice Step
Pay attention. Notice the "liturgies" in your sport. Where do you see worship, sacrifice, or identity being formed? Start a running note in your phone titled: “Liturgies I Live” and jot down the rhythms you notice—both healthy and unhealthy.
Sign-Up for the 30 Day plan “Formed by the Game” through the YouVersion Bible App
Closing Prayer
Sport is not just a game. It’s a powerful tool of formation. As Christians, we’re invited to see differently—to notice the ways sport is shaping us and to let God reorient those patterns toward Him.
“God, help me to see the ordinary rhythms and rituals of sport as a window into your redemptive world. Help me to see with your eyes the “liturgies I live” throughout the day. As your child, help me to use these liturgies to become more like you, to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, so that I know you deeper and show others who you are. Amen.”
Reflection Questions
What are some repeated rituals or patterns in your sport—personally or culturally—that shape your behavior or mindset?
Can you think of a moment when sport deeply shaped your identity (for better or worse)? What story did it tell you about yourself?
How might God want to use the rhythms of your sport as a place of transformation instead of conformity?
