Building Bridges: Examining the Role of University Athletic Departments and Local Congregations in the Holistic Care of Student-Athletes in the United States

Abstract

This conceptual essay discusses how university athletic departments and local churches can collaborate in providing spiritual care for intercollegiate athletes in the United States. Parachurch organizations such as Athletes in Action (AIA) and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) play a vital role in creating and maintaining these partnerships. Additionally, a considerable body of literature is available on the importance of religiosity and spirituality in the lives of intercollegiate athletes in the United States. In the interests of helping intercollegiate student-athletes grow and develop religiously and spirituality, many sports chaplains assist student-athletes with finding a local place to worship while on campus. Chaplains that subscribe to the “urban chaplaincy/congregational model” play a significant role in bringing this task to pass. This essay highlights the primacy of building a relational bridge between university athletic departments and local churches in the United States to collaborate in intercollegiate student-athlete spiritual development and holistic care.

1. Introduction

The spiritual development of intercollegiate athletes over the last fifty years remains of growing concern. The spiritual development of athletes has been identified as a significant factor in improving sporting performance, nurturing excellence and individual growth, and overall well-being (Roychowdhury 2019). In intercollegiate athletic systems in the United States, great emphasis is placed on the physical and academic performance of student-athletes versus their spiritual development. Concern over the spiritual well-being of intercollegiate student-athletes is a recent phenomenon. In the United States, intercollegiate athletes are highly regulated. They are sometimes restricted to the point that they need more time to devote to their religious and spiritual development. The commitment of a student-athlete presents a myriad of challenges. Students participating in college athletics must meet the physical, mental, and emotional demands of performing at an elevated level while maintaining the role of student. These pressures are even more heightened at the highest levels of collegiate sport, Division I, at Power 5 institutions. Power 5 denotes the most competitive conferences of NCAA Division I institutions—Big 10, Big 12, PAC-12, Atlantic Coast Conference, and Southeastern Conference.

Although the term student-athlete is promoted and marketed as the main priority in college athletics, this is only sometimes consistently demonstrated. Therefore, student-athletes are more vulnerable to a combination of several common issues typically found in athletes that can affect their college experience. Student-athletes have to balance all the demands of an academic, athletic program while dealing with unique stresses and challenges. Christian student-athletes under the same circumstances potentially have additional challenges. As one student-athlete who spoke of the value of his affiliation with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) on her campus noted,

I can’t remember the last time I had free time to go to church, which I enjoy doing. FCA is the one time a week I can let go, not worrying about basketball, not worrying about school, just talking with the Lord.

(Hamzik 2016)

Since intercollegiate sports require a considerable investment of time on the part of the student-athlete, this may leave a modicum of time to take care of their spiritual needs. Subsequently, the quest for self-discovery in their faith journey may become stymied and their spiritual and religious growth delayed. Without completely neglecting their athletic and Christian identity, they need a space where they can be empowered intentionally to be integrative in engaging their identities. Innovative faith-based mentorship programs that include counselors can establish consultation strategies to develop and promote integrative identities (Wakeman 2012). Faith communities can provide support in addressing psychosocial issues, serving as an intervention to position for academic and personal success, and advocating for student-athletes’ well-being in governing institutions.

The written discourse on the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of intercollegiate athletes in the United States continues to abound. In the interest of helping intercollegiate student-athletes grow and develop religiously and spirituality, many sports chaplains assist student-athletes with finding a local church, mosque, synagogue, temple, or fellowship to attend. In the United States, there are more than 350,000 Christian congregations (Hartford Institute for Religion Research 2018) which necessitates a method for providing student-athletes with access to them. Many are located near college and university campuses and conduct outreach ministry on campuses.

2. Student-Athlete Sports Participation in the United States

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the premier athletic association for college/university sports in the United States, more than 500,000 student-athletes are participating in sports across the major divisions (Divisions I-III). In Division I, more than 350 member institutions field more than 6,000 athletics teams and provide opportunities for more than 170,000 student-athletes to compete in NCAA sports each year. Division I institutions have the largest student bodies, manage enormous athletics budgets, and offer the most generous scholarships. Additionally, Division I schools provide unmatched academic and athletic opportunities and support. This support includes full scholarships, cost-of-attendance stipends, degree completion programs, and academic revenue distribution from the NCAA for schools that meet specific criteria.

NCAA Division II (D-II) is an intermediate-level division of competition in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). It offers an alternative to the more extensive and better-funded Division I and the scholarship-free environment offered in Division III (D-III). There are currently 303 institutions, 7 reclassifying and 2 provisional members of Division II. Division II schools tend to be smaller public universities and many private institutions. A sizable minority of Division II institutions (91 schools, 30%) have fewer than 2499 students.

D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to their student-athletes. Division III is the NCAA’s largest Division with around 450 member institutions; 80% are private and 20% public. Approximately 40% of all NCAA student-athletes compete in D-III (National Collegiate Athletic Association 2023).

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) serves smaller academic institutions than Division I and II schools. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships (>USD 800 million) to student-athletes. More than 770,000 student-athletes participate in sports at one of 250 member institutions in the United States, British Columbia, and one in the U.S. Virgin Islands (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics 2023).

Finally, the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) is an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is “the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic competition with a Christian perspective”. Established in 1968, its mantra is “The Only Intercollegiate Athletics Association Where #RingChasing and #KingChasing Converge”. The NCCAA has 90 members, 51 participating in Division I and 39 in Division II sports. Multiple teams in the NCCAA hold dual affiliations in other athletics associations, which include the NCAA and NAIA (National Christian College Athletic Association 2023).

University athletic department administrators responsible for student-athlete development initiatives and local urban church pastors are the central stakeholders in this essential partnership. In many instances, local sports chaplains affiliated with Athletes in Action, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, or other sports chaplaincy organizations work with local chaplains to help student-athletes grow their faith. For example, the emergent role of the sports chaplain is an anchor partner in advocating for student-athlete well-being (Jones et al. 2020). Moreover, as Lipe (2006) suggests, the sports chaplain becomes a lifetime partner who travels the journey with the athlete, serving as a trusted friend, advocate, life coach, and surrogate parent when the role is offered. Finally, Waller and Cottom (2016) posit that a core responsibility of the sports chaplain is to “shepherd” the athletes in their charge. This conceptual essay highlights the primacy of building a relational bridge between university athletic departments and local urban churches in the United States to collaborate in the spiritual development and holistic care of student-athletes.

3. Overview of Sport Ministry

Although research investigating the influence of religion within sports has recently amplified, a profusion of such literature is developing incrementally. Both spirituality and religiosity are essential to the overall development of student-athletes (Flowers 2022; Huffman 2014; Moore 2020; Waller 2015). Moreover, positive health outcomes (coping, healing, mental well-being, resilience, etc.) are associated with an athlete’s sense of spirituality and religiosity (National McKnight and Livingston 2019). Current literature also suggests that spirituality and religiosity are intricately connected to specific athletic, academic, and social influences and outcomes (Dougherty et al. 2022; Seitz et al. 2014).

While the sports ministry environment is not necessarily a “church” (parachurch), it follows a similar suit in that it provides mentorship, spiritual development, community (of similar identities), and resources/support from staff members or chaplains. For many student-athletes who may not be able to participate in church (Flowers 2022; Hamzik 2016), FCA may serve as their “church”. However, partnering with the local church is vital to student-athletes’ spiritual development. According to White (2005), “the sports ministry is a fun and non-threatening way to get people plugged into the life of the church” (p. 114). The overall purpose of sport ministry involvement should be to encourage local urban church involvement. In this way, each group collaborates on the mission of furthering the spiritual development of these individuals collectively.

Regarding church attendance and student-athletes, research conducted by Evans (2014), Epting (2013), and Gardner (2019) reported that regular church attendance among Christian student-athletes serves to strengthen their faith. Relatedly, current scholarship points to the fact that the capacity to attend church and be in fellowship with like-minded believers influences college choice and student retention among collegiate sports persons (Huffman 2014; Moore 2020; Waller 2015).

4. Holistic Care of Intercollegiate Student-Athletes in the United States

Since the beginning of the current millennium, greater emphasis has been placed on the holistic care of athletes at the scholastic, intercollegiate, professional, and club levels of sport (Gamble et al. 2013; Huffman 2014; Jones et al. 2020). This is especially true when it comes to the care of elite athletes. Until recently, most of the concentration in competitive sports has been on keeping the athlete healthy enough to compete. Sometimes, the term “holistic care” infers a collaborative, interdisciplinary bent toward providing this type of care for student-athletes. For example, Papathanasiou et al. (2013) defined holistic care as “the approach that embraces the total of human needs and puts them in a hierarchy by accepting a person’s individuality and the gravity he puts on each need” (p. 2). More straightforwardly, holistic care is caring for the body, mind, and spirit. For example, when an athlete experiences a physical injury, it is considered how it impacts the athlete physiologically, psychologically (i.e., mentally, emotionally), and spiritually. In order to achieve optimal daily functioning, all three aspects of the physical, psychological, and spiritual must be addressed because they are intertwined (Waller et al. 2016).

Withstanding the vast number of student-athletes competing across governing organizations in the United States, these athletes, coaches, and their families are entitled to the best of care regarding the diversity of ordeals that occur in the competitive world of intercollegiate collegiate sports. Ledger (2005) argued that “people have a right to receive holistic care, which includes cultural, religious, and spiritual care” (p. 221).

Unfortunately, the most overlooked dimension of holistic care of student-athletes is spiritual development, the process of growing in Christ. Spiritual development can occur in several ways: through reading a holy writ such as the Holy Bible, prayer, fellowship with other believers, and active participation in a local church (Clarke 2010; Nite and Singer 2014). In the current era, student-athletes have the added stresses of athletic practices, competitions, academics, the expectation of representing their institution positively, and navigating the brave new world of Name Image and Likeness (NIL); they are constantly navigating multiple identities and roles as they develop as young adults. Like all students, student-athletes undergo extreme searches for identity development, which plays a role in their search for authenticity (Clarke 2010, p. 121). A considerable part of student-athletes’ identity development stems from how they derive their meaning and purpose, which is often linked to spiritual development. Spiritual development is vital to aiding student-athletes in navigating the tension of multiple identity roles and coping with a host of adverse circumstances (Knabb and Grigorian-Routon 2014).

5. Conceptual Model of Religious Well-Being

One of the markers of impactful holistic care of student-athletes is religious well-being which is also labeled as “spiritual wellbeing”. Religious well-being is defined as one’s perception of the quality of one’s religious life Two common measures of religious well-being are religiosity and spirituality. Religiosity can be operationalized as the quality or state of being religious feelings or a sense of devotion. Religiosity or the acts associated with being religious incorporates actions such as how often one attends a formal worship service (organizational religiosity), the volume of time spent in private religious practice such as prayer or reading Scripture (nonorganizational religiosity), and how one integrates faith into every aspect of life (intrinsic religiosity) (Koenig et al. 1997). Typically, religiosity is assessed by measures such as the frequency of prayer, sacred reading, church attendance, giving of time for religious causes, and money in the form of tithes and offerings. Spirituality on the other hand is often thought of as the connection to a power in the universe that transcends our humanity or simply the quest to find life’s meaning. Spirituality can be operationalized as a personal commitment toward inward development, thus affecting a person entirely (Jastrzębski 2022; Gardner 2019).

Related to the concept of religious wellbeing are the positive outcomes linked to both religions’ affiliation and religiosity and their importance to intercollegiate athletics. For example, the literature in sports and higher education intimate positive outcomes linked to religiosity, indicating that religiosity may provide a buffer against mental health challenges (Abu-Raiya et al. 2016) and substance use (Foster et al. 2013), that religious college students have better physical health and are also better able to cope with hardships in life (Wiese-Bjornstal et al. 2020; Giordano et al. 2015), and that religious athletes use their religion to inform their participation in athletics (Wiese-Bjornstal 2019). In light of the increasing number of barriers to being an effective intercollegiate student-athlete, institutions of higher learning must intentionally provide pathways for the spiritual care and development of those religious students who view their faith as an essential component of their lives.

In a broader sense, Seitz et al. (2014) developed a conceptual framework that frames athletic, academic, and social factors that impact the religious well-being of Christian student-athletes and examines how religious well-being influences their athletic and academic performance, as well as their social decisions. Figure 1 depicts the key influences and outcomes associated with the conceptual model.

Athletic influences encompassed in the model include relationships with teammates, coaches, opposing players, and the importance of winning. Academic influences consider the educational infrastructure, including professors, classmates, and support personnel such as tutors and mentors. Lastly, there are the social influences that impact the religious well-being of student-athletes. This factor is composed of the social status and standing of the student-athletes, the expectations that others have of them as athletes in their social contexts on and outside of campus, and the role that churches, parachurch organizations (e.g., Athletes in Action, Fellowship of Christian Athletes), and sports chaplains play in the lives of both Christian and non-Christian student-athletes during their time at their respective academic institutions (Seitz et al. 2014; Waller et al. 2008).

The outcomes associated with the model constructed by Seitz et al. include athletics, as well as academic and social outcomes. Athletics outcomes include the capacity to resolve moral dilemmas as well as development of the capacity to cope with adversity on and off the locale of competition and engage in sport in a transcendent manner. Akin to the previously noted athletic outcomes are the positive physical and mental health outcomes derived from participation in intercollegiate athletics. In this age of high-caliber competition it is essential for the athlete to stay healthy and well in their body and mind. Moreover, being able to balance the rigor of academics and the pressures of competing at an elite level in intercollegiate sports is another significant athletic outcome. Academic outcomes include greater focus and resolve in the classroom and a more significant commitment to matriculate through their academic program of study. Learning to be hopeful about life after elite intercollegiate sports, career plans and the on-going development of their faith are all relevant outcomes associated with athletics. In recent years, many student-athletes have indicated that leadership training and financial literacy that includes key information about personal stewardship of time, money, and service are important to their ongoing sense of general and religious wellbeing (National Collegiate Athletic Association 2022).

Finally, there are multiple outcomes associated with the domain of social influence that include affiliation with on-campus parachurch organizations such as Athletes in Action (AIA) and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and affiliation and regular attendance at a local congregation. Other tangible outcomes include a greater sense of spiritual safety through having a pastoral association, being anchored in a “home church” and finding a sense of normality that comes from regular church attendance. Additionally, pursuant to regular church attendance lies the potential for developing healthy congregation-based friendships through fellowship opportunities that lie outside of the athletic and university communities (Koenig et al. 2012).

Working with an engaged sports chaplain who is available to serve, can be a confidant, models Christian values, and walks alongside student-athletes contributes to their overall well-being (Lipe 2006; Weir 2016). In modifying Seitz et al.’s model, there is a need to illustrate the role and importance of local church engagement. For example, Jean-Francois (2019) examined the campus climate and integration strategies international students use on university campuses in the United States. One of the significant findings revealed that support from local churches was essential to students’ success. Similarly, Trautvetter et al. (2016) reported that engagement with local congregations was vital to university-related efforts to develop students. With the assistance of the sports chaplain and a local congregation for spiritual support and engagement, the student-athlete’s coping skills and sense of “hopefulness” will likely improve (Hemmings and Chawner 2019; Kenney 2016).

6. Sports Chaplaincy Models

The sports chaplain is a critical stakeholder in “bridge-building” from the campus to local congregations in the community. The chaplain’s role is invaluable when it comes to creating relationships with local congregations and interpreting the importance of spiritual growth and development to an audience of student-athletes. Moreover, the chaplain often serves as the “broker” of collaborations or partnerships involving local churches, social service organizations, student success divisions with universities, and, in some instances, university athletic departments (Dzikus et al. 2012; White 2016). Despite the various models of sports chaplains, the urban “chaplaincy/congregational model” is relevant to the holistic care of student-athletes and is best suited to the type of collaborative ministry that university athletic departments and local congregations are engaged in to meaningfully serve student-athletes. Commonly utilized in countries around the world such as Australia, one of its invaluable elements is the utilization of both lay and ordained chaplains to do community ministry inclusive of college campuses. Much of the sport-based ministry is categorized as “outreach”.

As noted in its description, in the Urban Church/Congregation model, the sports chaplain is tied to the congregation and thus represents the church. Part of the chaplain’s responsibilities is to actively engage the university community and athletic department to create fellowship and spiritual development opportunities for the student body, including student-athletes.

7. University Community Engagement

Colleges and universities in the United States are vital stakeholders in the well-being of local communities, regions and states. When academic institutions engage communities, greater levels of social learning, social cohesion, social change, and social responsibility become viable outcomes that can improve their quality of life. Moreover, the manner in which academic institutions engage communities can have a catalytic effect on business, education, health, and faith communities. Out of meaningful community engagement between academic institutions and communities, progressive collaborations can be formed, such as those between athletic departments and local churches to serve student-athletes.

Over the last three decades, many colleges and universities in the United States have established community outreach and engagement divisions to collaborate with local churches to support the spiritual growth of student-athletes. The primary concern with regard to establishing these collaborations is sustainability. Clifford and Petrescu (2012) suggest that in order for universities to create viable and sustainable engagement with the community, three criteria must be met: (1) requires attention to three dimensions: internal (politics, organizational dynamics, and culture interior to the university); (2) external (relationships and dynamics of the community, management of power and resource imbalances, and development of a community identity); and (3) personal (the psychology, competencies, and career issues of the faculty) (p. 77).

For example, at the University of Tennessee (UTK), Knoxville, the Office of Community Engagement and Outreach (OCEO) supports the UTK community in building and sustaining mutual, reciprocal community–university partnerships. Furthermore, the OCEO connects UTK with a diverse group of community partners, provides seed funding for new community engagement projects, hosts professional development workshops and networking events to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and encourages student engagement through research, service, and experience learning. One of the products of this office that benefits student-athletes greatly is what is commonly known as the Orange Book. This book is a resource guide that can help students and student-athletes locate business and human services in the greater Knoxville community, including churches near campus.

A more salient example utilizing UTK is the Women’s Athletics Community Engagement Community Outreach initiative, which allows student-athletes to use their platform in sports to create positive change in the community on a local, national, and global level. The student-athlete development team builds meaningful partnerships with various organizations to provide opportunities for student-athletes to engage in transformational service initiatives and help meet the community’s needs. These opportunities include attending physical education classes at local elementary schools, serving meals to underprivileged community members, reading to local elementary school children, beautification projects in the Knoxville community, and visiting patients at the East TN Children’s Hospital. Student-athletes who contribute 100+ community outreach hours prior to graduation receive a Service Medallion to wear during their commencement exercises to commemorate their selfless service to our community (University of Tennessee Athletics 2023).

8. Urban Churches and Collegiate Outreach

Urban churches are central to helping student-athletes nurture the spiritual and religious dimension of their lives. How congregations view their work relative to collegiate outreach is grounded in their identity, which comprises three critical dimensions. The first dimension is its spirituality, which influences how the congregation worships and addresses both the mission and ministry’s theological and practical sides. Congregational spirituality is essential to its identity formation. The second dimension is the church’s stance, which informs its mission, ministry, and worldview. A church’s stance is also determined by its immediate context, which includes its geographic and social location, core values, relationships, and corporate memory. The congregation’s positionality relative to urban ministry informs its stance regarding outreach to local communities, including colleges and universities. Essentially, urban ministry as a part of the urban church is born out of this stance.

The construct of the urban church is translated as evangelism-oriented ministry targeting people of color, or people impacted by poverty, hip-hop culture, urban college students or resource-deprived inner-city neighborhoods, or all of the above (Floyd-Thomas et al. 2007; Lincoln and Mamiya 1990). They will typically serve a diverse group of individuals from a neighborhood or community and provide diverse ministry services. The third component of a congregation’s identity is the congregation’s style (Galindo 2004). In essence, style addresses the question as to whether the congregation has a heart for urban evangelism and outreach, which includes college campuses to attract students and student-athletes.

The urban ministry stance congregation is shaped by its geographic location in the city. The churches in this category highly value their respective commitments to the city or urban area. They will typically serve a diverse group of individuals from a neighborhood or community and provide diverse ministry services. In contrast, the university-stance congregation is directly influenced by its proximity to the college or university in the city, where its focus is on outreach to students and faculty. In this case, part of the outreach effort would also be to student-athletes who have irregular schedules but may periodically be able to attend worship services. One of the pastors, deacons, a sports chaplain, or laypersons affiliated with the congregation may oversee the outreach ministry. The congregation casts a wide net as it seeks to be a place that welcomes everyone. This congregation type seeks to live out the idea of a “community of faith theology”. The congregation gives the impression that it is “close-knit”, warm, and welcoming. With full intentionality, it concerns itself with “return visits”. The final congregational type, outreach stance, utilizes evangelism as the centerpiece of its outreach efforts, particularly to populations of urban college students (Galindo 2004, pp. 117–31). The third component of a congregation’s identity is the congregation’s style. Style has to do with the outward expression of the emotional tone that the congregation embraces.

In the United States, especially in the era of the “megachurch”, churches now extend their ministry efforts into college campus communities. For example, research conducted by Thumma and Travis during their 2020 study of megachurches concluded that

In this community involvement, megachurches need help to go at it. They are participating in these efforts [community outreach] with other Christian groups and other faith traditions. The survey shows a sizable increase between 2015 and 2020 in engaging with other Christians and other faith traditions through educational or fellowship activities, community service, and outreach activities.

(p. 10)

Floyd-Thomas et al. (2007), in their seminal read on Black church studies, argue that urban or Black churches have, throughout history, undertaken educational enterprises in colleges and universities for evangelistic purposes but also to serve students, including student-athletes. The researchers further state, “a great majority of urban and Black churches has acknowledged education for its capacity to equalize social and economic inequities (Floyd-Thomas et al. 2007, p. 163). Thus, urban ministry’s social and theological capital becomes essential to the success of both non-student-athletes and student-athletes, local churches, and local colleges and universities. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are a primary example of this phenomenon. The first HBCU opened its doors in 1837, twenty-six years after the end of slavery in the United States. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2023), in 2021, there were 101 HBCUs located in 19 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of the 101 HBCUs, 52 were public institutions, and 49 were private nonprofit institutions. Many of these institutions are denominationally supported and are located in or close to urban metropolitan areas (e.g., Atlanta, Georgia, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Interdenominational Theological Center). Local congregations, both black and white, across denominations, support students at HBCUs and predominately white institutions (PWIs).

The overarching goal is to provide spiritual support and care for students while they are pursuing their academic goals at local colleges and universities. Scholars such as Unruh and Sider (2005) advocated for collaboration among churches, educational institutions, and social service providers in order to effectively support students. Moreover, they, along with Dudley and Ammerman (2002), suggest that what helps these collaborations to be successful is the “dense and complex web of connection in every church” (p. 6).

Across the United States, there are sterling examples of the Urban Church/University-Based Outreach Model. For example, in Knoxville, Tennessee, on the campus of the University of Tennessee, there is the “1 Tennessee” initiative, which features a collaboration where the campus affiliates of Athletes in Action, Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapters, Foster Chapel Baptist Church, Overcoming Believers Church (Non-Denominational), St. John XXIII Campus Parish (Catholic) and Heska Amuna Synagogue (Jewish), and the Student Development unit of the University of Tennessee Athletics Department. What makes this initiative unique is the emphasis on missio dei, intentionality, collaboration, resourcefulness, and holistic care of students and student-athletes. The Protestant churches provide transportation to Sunday worship services, meals, pastoral care and counseling services, and emergency financial assistance to non-student-athletes. St. John XXIII provides the same scheme of services, as the priest provides a mass for players the day before the game during football (American) season. The Rabbi of Heska Amuna Synagogue provides similar ministry services to Jewish student-athletes during the week and the weekly Sabbath period.

A second example can be found at the University of Kentucky. The University of Kentucky, an affiliate of FCA, partners with local churches to bring guest speakers from churches to their weekly campus meetings. Some churches host special “student-athlete themed services” that highlight student-athletes’ achievements and provide opportunities to share their faith with the congregation. Similarly, Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, provides a multifaceted ministry that targets students and student-athletes at Temple, Villanova, and Drexel universities, and the University of Pennsylvania. Another sterling example is Mt. Zion Baptist Church, a megachurch in Nashville, Tennessee, which provides transportation to its multiple locations for students at Tennessee State University but also conducts chapel services for student-athletes on the campus at Gentry Center (basketball arena) every fifth Sunday of the month. These outreach ministries to student-athletes are not only evangelistic but also focused on caregiving with the aim of keeping those who are ‘churched’ close to the church and for those who are unchurched, providing the appropriate biblical foundation to draw them to Christ. Optimally, the task is to keep the student-athlete connected to God through the church as they matriculate through the university experience.

9. Congregational Care and Urban Church/University-Based Outreach

In many instances, urban congregations are equipped to support students and student-athletes by providing supportive services. These services may include (but are not limited to) general support, fellowship opportunities, contextualized pastoral care and counseling, referral services, transportation and meals, connection with home congregation, opportunities for ministry, bible studies, and the provision of a congregation liaison. Allen et al. (2022) suggested that athletics captures a vague space within the overarching university mission. Intercollegiate sports programs may purport to reinforce the university’s aim to develop the whole person, but the nature of athletics can compromise student-athlete religiosity and well-being. Consistently, the athletic department at the institution manages the competing institutional rationalities of athletics and their implied spiritual/religious mission. Buer (2009) noted that some universities may prioritize one of these logics to the detriment of the other. However, some religious institutions can “reframe” the pressures between their athletic and religious commitments (Nite et al. 2013). Coaches and administrators at these universities view such conflicts as opportunities for personal growth. It is possible that coaches and administrators at the institution champion the university’s religious culture and create an environment that encourages student-athletes’ religious development, thus making them likely to cooperate and collaborate with urban churches.

The task is to provide student-athletes with the opportunity to connect with a religious institution of their choosing that will provide opportunities for spiritual development. Because the overwhelming majority of athletic departments at public institutions in the United States do not openly advocate for or openly promote personal or institutional spirituality or religion, spiritual development is left up to the student-athlete. Therein lies the value of parachurch organizations such as AIA and the FCA. They can provide an infusion of religion, spirituality, and compassionate care for the athlete without conflicting with the institutional mission. In more progressive athletic departments, to help students religiously assimilate into the campus and broader communities, a resource list of churches may be given to student-athletes. For example, Martin and Harris valued obtaining a list of churches to attend from African American staff and coaches in their study of academically driven African American student-athletes. When asked about male role models, one respondent in the study stated, “My father is a man of outstanding character, and we were always in church, so I was always surrounded by, like, positive male role models, and I just modeled myself after them” (Martin and Harris 2007, p. 371).

What is most significant is to create a link between the campus and the community, a link that is not often found. Part of the responsibility of student development personnel, athletic administrators, AIA, and FCA chaplains is to aid student-athletes in locating a congregation that reflects their denominational choice and spiritual need. Once student-athletes have been introduced to a local congregation, they have multiple choices regarding their affiliations based on their religious needs. Customarily, students will typically take on the role of “visitor”. Visitor status suggests they can visit a congregation individually or as a group (e.g., an athletic team). Typically, there is not an aspiration for membership in the congregation. Secondly, the student-athlete evolves into a “frequent visitor” looking for a church to attend with a degree of regularity. Usually, the inquirer is a person who knows about the church but is not seeking membership. They may find something attractive about the congregation (e.g., it is perceived as “welcoming”, or they enjoy the style of preaching, the music, etc.) and thus will attend more often. In many instances, they will not become a member of the congregation.

Additionally, the student-athlete may request pastoral care and counseling from the clergy or a congregationally sanctioned chaplain. Often, when student-athletes have a congregation in their original city of origin, they will strive to affiliate with a congregation of the same denomination where they attend college. Watch care is the ministry practice that allows believers from other congregations to connect with a local ministry without requiring full membership. Watch care programs allow others to identify with a church and participate in worship, discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, and community service without transferring membership from their home church. Periodically, some adherents may request pastoral care and counseling from a clergyperson or congregationally sanctioned chaplain. Finally, a fourth type of care available to student-athletes is to become a congregational member. With this membership, the student-athlete would join the church or religious body, becoming a congregation member. Additionally, the individual can participate in fellowship opportunities and sacraments and may serve in one or more ministries. Moreover, they will receive pastoral care and counseling from clergy or congregation-sanctioned chaplains.

10. Conclusions

This conceptual essay aims to discuss how university athletic departments and local churches can collaborate in providing spiritual care for intercollegiate athletes in the United States. The focal point of this essay is the importance of collaboratively building a relational bridge between university athletic departments and local churches in the United States to collaborate in the spiritual development and holistic care of intercollegiate student-athletes.

The Urban-Church/University Model remains promising. To fulfill its promise, collaborating partners must be committed to the cause. Inaugurally, collaborators must clarify that the effort is “mission” work and not a special program. Relatedly, university partners must include individuals vested in the initiative as a movement of God for the growth and development of student-athletes. Moreover, ministry personnel in all stockholding partners must be selected carefully. Additionally, constant communication among the partnering organizations is essential to the success of this ministry effort. Finally, expectations for outcomes should be established within the bounds of the resource base. The collaborative should not over-promise and then fail to deliver.

There is a dire need to construct bridges from campus communities and their respective athletic departments to the local communities with the spiritual infrastructure to nurture contemporary student-athletes’ religious and spiritual needs. Coaches, pastors, and sports chaplains are often considered role models for their student-athletes, which gives them a greater sense of purpose and incentive to achieve their academic and professional goals. Subsequently, one of the outcomes of building the bridge from the collegiate athletic department to local churches in the community is mentorship. Mentorship can cultivate and foster the Christian identity of student-athletes to disrupt the exclusion of faith in sports. A mentor can be defined as an experienced and entrusted advisor. A Christian mentor provides wisdom with love guided by Christian principles, values, and convictions to give their mentee a sense of direction in life. Mentorship from Christian leaders from urban churches, parachurches, or sports ministries could serve the spiritual needs of Christian athletes. There is a need for support in strengthening the faith of Christian athletes in a cultural environment that can compromise their faith.

The efforts of parachurch organizations such as AIA and FCA are well documented as related to the spiritual development of student-athletes, especially when it comes to connecting them with local churches. What is noticeably absent from the broader conversation about the spiritual development of student-athletes is the voices of the gatekeepers of intercollegiate athletics systems who are slowly beginning to recognize the importance of religiosity and spirituality in promoting overall well-being. The answer to meaningfully developing student-athletes spiritually lies in the fruitful planning and development of partnerships between the university athletic department, parachurch organizations, and local churches.