Week 1: Introduction

Let’s break into pairs and take a few minutes to get to know each other better. Tell each other your names and then ask each other the following questions:

1. What is your favorite part about being a part of this team?
2. What’s one goal you have for this season?

Let’s share with the group what we’ve learned about each other.

My job as your coach is to help you learn and grow through athletic competition. One way I do that is by teaching you a game plan that will give you the best chance to be successful. I do this because I love you and value you as a person and as a very important part of this team.

My goal is to help you grow in your sport and help remind you that God created you for a purpose.

God, the One who created us all, loves you even more! And He wants you on His team! He has given you a Game Plan for your life. It’s an amazing plan that explains His purpose for your life and gives you everything you need to change your world!

Isn’t it amazing that the Creator of the universe cares for you like that?

During our Huddle Time over the next few practices, we are going to talk about God’s Game Plan for your life. Here’s what God wants us to know:

You were made on purpose for a purpose.

In the next few weeks, we’ll learn exactly what this means in relation to God’s Game Plan for our lives. But for now, let’s discuss what we think purpose means.

Show of hands, who thinks your purpose lies in how well you play your sport, or how well you perform in school?

How do you feel when you don’t measure up?

Show of hands, who thinks your purpose lies in something bigger than your sport, school, or other hobbies? What do you think the bigger thing could be?

If you raised your hand first, you’re not alone. So many of think our worth comes from our performance. But as we’ll see in the next few Huddle Times, God has more in store for us.

Which brings us to our next point:

You can trust God and His Word

In God’s Word, the Bible, He gives us specific instructions, promises, and models from stories that we can follow for our lives.

How many of you have heard about Jonah in the Whale? Our David in the Lion Den? While these are just a few stories from the Bible, we learn so much from them. We learn that when we trust God and listen to His words, we will never be alone or afraid.

What is one thing you’ve learned from the Bible that has helped you?

God created us because He loves us. Want to explore how big that love is? Pay close attention to our next truth:

God loves you and has sent Jesus.

God loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins.

The Bible says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” — Romans 5:8

Each of us sin every day, even multiple times a day. Who believes this?

It’s a fact: we are not perfect. Look at the player next to you and tell him or her, “I’m not perfect!”

But because God is a wise and loving heavenly Father, He knew we needed a savior in advance. And by sending His Son Jesus, we get to experience an ever-lasting relationship with God. But here’s the next part of the story: we must love God and love others.

The final piece of God’s Game Plan instructs us to take action: Love God and love others.

How do you show love to God?

If we know and accept the three truths we just went over, then it’s time to set God’s Game Plan in action. Every day, we must do our best to love others.

How do you show love to others?

Over the next few weeks, we’ll discuss more about what each point means for us as Christian athletes.

Let’s huddle up and repeat those points together.

(Repeat a point and have players repeat after you; then move to the next point.)

• I was made on purpose for a purpose!
• I can trust God and His Word!
• God loves me and has sent Jesus!
• Love God and love others!

Let’s close in prayer together:

“Dear God, thank You for giving us this time together. Help us learn more about You as we meet every week. Amen.”