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sport and spirit athletes and others at their best and otherwise shane doan s summer of discontent heavy traffic the dark side of the games january ­ february 2010 newsstand price cdn $4.95

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contents january ­ february 2010 on the cover 14­24 winter olympics come to canada sport and spirit on display at vancouver 2010 publisher brian koldyk managing editor doug koop pulse editor robert white features 14 lifestyles of the fit and the fast performance pressure and partying make chaplains a vital part of athletes village 16 buying sex is not a sport sex slavery flourishes around major events 18 shane doan s summer of discontent a canadian hockey hero endures hard times 20 olympic dream dies god had other plans says david bentall 22 snowboarder transformed tired of living in a hedonistic fog andy finch finds true life 25 someone wanted me alive for some divine reason jack popjes has nine lives advertising account executives william leighton william@christianweek.org darrell friesen darrell@christianweek.org jim hicks jhicks@christianweek.org unless otherwise indicated neither christianweek nor promise keepers canada guarantee warrant or endorse any product program or service advertised editorial advisory board kirk giles promise keepers canada jeff stearns promise keepers canada phil wagler kingsfield zurich mc sandra reimer reimer reason communications doug koop christianweek distributed by promise keepers canada 1295 north service road po box 40599 burlington on l7p 4w1 905 331-1830 subscriptions@promisekeepers.ca postmaster please send address changes to po box 40599 burlington on l7p 4w1 issn 1916-8403 columns 5 pk podium god is blessing pk canada 6 help wanted onward christian athletes 26 money matters 21 ways to reduce spending 27 out of my depth run in such a way as to get the prize 30 what women want what s cooking in your bedroom departments 8-12 pulse curious events interesting people good ideas 13 reviews 28 power play tools toys technology cover istockphoto base image editorial and advertising office 204-424 logan avenue winnipeg mb r3a 0r4 phone 204 982-2060 800 263-6695 admin@christianweek.org dkoop@christianweek.org design indigo ink studios www.indigoinkstudios.com seven is a christian magazine for canadian men that exists to help men lead more fulfilling lives and leave enduring legacies the name reflects the seven promises that form the basis of the promise keepers organization which works with churches to minister to men across canada one ­ a promise keeper is committed to honouring jesus christ through worship prayer and obedience to god s word in the power of the holy spirit two ­ a promise keeper is committed to pursuing vital relationships with a few other men understanding that he needs brothers to help him keep his promises three ­ a promise keeper is committed to practising spiritual moral ethical and sexual purity four ­ a promise keeper is committed to building strong marriages and families through love protection and biblical values five ­ a promise keeper is committed to supporting the mission of the church by honouring and praying for his pastor and by actively giving his time and resources six ­ a promise keeper is committed to reaching beyond any racial and denominational barriers to demonstrate the power of biblical unity seven ­ a promise keeper is committed to influencing his world being obedient to the great commandment see mark 12:30-31 and the great commission see matt 28:19-20 seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 3

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pk podium god is blessing pk canada changes aplenty but the work goes on by kirk giles at the beginning of another year i am reminded of the reality that god is in control of all things circumstances often work out as we anticipated but life does throw plenty of curveballs one of my favourite songs from 2009 is called all is well from robin mark s most recent album in it he sings all my changes come from him he who never changes i m held firm in the grasp of the rock of all the ages the past year has been filled with many changes in my own life and in the ministry of pk canada we have seen that god is in control and holds this ministry firmly in his grasp with this in mind i would like to share with you a number of areas to praise god for his work in the ministry and the lives of men · in january i was asked to serve as president of pk canada starting in april this is an honour and i am humbled to be entrusted with the leadership of this ministry i am very grateful for the smooth transition that took place with my predecessor ron hannah · in may we were led to revise our vision and mission statements our new vision is leave no man behind a movement of men becoming growing and living as disciples of jesus christ it s been exciting to share this vision and the details behind it with people across the nation and to watch the excitement grow for what god has in store for the men of canada · the spiritual fruit from the ministry of pk canada has never been greater and the number of men who are connecting with the ministry is growing stronger i have personally seen and heard some incredible stories of how god is shaping the men of this nation and how he is using pk canada in that process · new opportunities for partnerships with others are being developed as we seek to ignite and equip more men to make an impact for the glory of god along the way there have been a few surprises as well the global economic downturn has impacted our donations but not the number of men we are reaching new directions for our sister ministry in the united states have forced us to consider and reaffirm our own calling as a ministry to the men of canada these and other challenges are often just part of the reality of life but even in the midst of these seasons we praise god and continue to see that he is in control in the coming weeks the olympics will present an opportunity for people to celebrate our nation and for athletes to be rewarded for their hard work yet these moments come and go as we enter 2010 pk canada is pressing toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of god in christ jesus we are focused on continuing to bring his message of hope to the men of this nation and to helping men make an impact that will last for eternity please join us in praying for god s purposes to be accomplished in men s lives throughout the coming year kirk giles is president of promise keepers canada he and shannon have been married for 15 years they are the parents of four children ages 6­13 seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 5

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help wanted onward christian athletes by rod wilson some christians in professional sports are very outspoken about their faith but others keep their faith quiet why don t all athletes use their public platform to talk about jesus it is interesting to watch a post-game interview and hear an athlete expressing thanks to jesus for giving him/her the gifts and the opportunities to play sports i often wonder how non-religious people respond to this do they ignore it does it make them mad does it heighten their curiousity christians on the other hand can turn these testimonies into criticisms of other less outspoken athletes i remember talking to a well-known sports figure who had professed faith in christ but was struggling because another christian athlete was critical of him for not being more public about his beliefs this was hurtful because he felt that his personality which was more reserved and shy was being criticized and an assumption was made that personality and spirituality are one in the same in scripture we are introduced to people like joseph abraham sarah daniel peter andrew john priscilla and paul they all sought to follow god s direction but they expressed it through different styles and personalities andrew was a lot quieter than joseph priscilla stayed much more in the background than paul some biblical characters led by being outspoken others by acting daniel had a political platform to speak of his faith while john was not afforded the same opportunity one of the frightening and reassuring things about god s final judgement is that the things that were done in secret will be revealed and acknowledged for what they are frightening because hidden sin will no longer be hidden yet reassuring because good done in quietness will be rewarded i get cynical when i see football players kneeling to pray at the end of a game i don t understand how they can go from being violent toward each other to bowing together in prayer does my cynicism make sense it is odd to see opposing players in a football game hitting each other with tremendous force only to gather on bended knees in prayer together as soon as the game is over the activity and engagement of the former is quite a contrast to the serenity and contemplation of the latter does it warrant cynicism cynicism results when we doubt whether someone s motives and actions are sincere often our cynicism is even greater when one behaviour seems to contradict another this is one of the reasons many people are cynical about athletes who bring their christian faith into the public realm it seems inconceivable that a linebacker taking the feet out from under a running back and catapulting him into the air can be someone who is committed to prayer at the end of the game even prayer with the player that he hit earlier why are we suspicious of the motives of athletes what would motivate someone to pray at the end of the game might it be a genuine expression of thanks to god for the gifts and abilities they have been given to play the game might it be repentance for inappropriate behaviour during the game might it be a way to express christian solidarity with brothers from the other team might it be intercessory prayer for other teammates who do not know jesus if we are honest might it be that our cynicism can be traced to an underlying belief that jesus is not lord of all of life and that the so-called secular and sacred should never be linked my church is in a big debate about whether women can be in leadership or not i don t understand why there is a debate isn t the bible clear on everything in my experience most churches embroiled in debates divisions or debacles are usually dealing with one of the three w s wealth worship women obviously there is nothing inherently wrong with women worship or wealth but most of us seem to have strong convictions on all three the god-breathed authoritative word of god known to us as the scriptures or the bible provides a rich array of literature that teaches us about god and his work in the world it functions as a mirror in our lives showing us what we look like as well as a light shining on the right path forward it is written about reallife experiences of saints and sinners of good churches and bad and shows us that seeking to live the christian life in a christian way is no guarantee that our inner lives will be pain-free or our relational existence without conflict the more you study the bible the more you realize that it is not exhaustive on every subject and many topics are imbedded in particular contexts that we do not understand completely the result is that on some subjects women in leadership being one of them there are godly men and women who have different convictions convictions that are based on careful study and reading of the text if the words of the bible were completely clear on everything we would not need the holy spirit to be our teacher we would not need love and grace to help us navigate differences in the christian community and we would not need to ask for wisdom that can only come from above could you use some help don t shy away from asking send your questions to dkoop@christianweek.org rod wilson is president of regent college in vancouver where he also serves as professor of counselling and psychology he is the author of how do i help a hurting friend practical help for leaders and laypeople bakerbooks 2006 seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 6

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unleashed unleashed 1 biblical manhood 2 sexual purity 3 better husbands 4 better fathers one on one leadership coaching from experienced and wise men of god peer mentoring with other men on the same journey as you are a smaller more focused event ­ limited to approximately 50 participants with small groups of up to only 8 ­ participants build meaningful relationships with each other and with the promise keepers canada leaders a weekend retreat where you can experience in-depth training to discover how to become a better equipped godly man four different weekend retreats what is discipleship training do you have a desire to grow deeper in your faith do you want to learn more about the key areas of a man s life go to www.promisekeepers.ca or phone toll-free 1-888-901-9700 for information on a weekend retreat taking place near you

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pulse curiousities personalities ideas information by robert white pulse editor wife s illness a defining moment his wife s illness became a defining moment in university of guelph gryphons men s volleyball coach cal wigston s move from an athleticsoriented life to a god-oriented one wigston a self-described big kid who could catch and run was on his way to a stellar high school football career when he injured a knee after a talk with his high school principal the 6 3 student tried out for the volleyball team his postsecondary career included a stint at providence college and theological seminary in otterbourne manitoba recurring knee problems and surgeries ended volleyball after three years leaving wigston with questions and doubt i put a lot of my sense of self-worth into volleyball he says it came crashing down after my first knee surgery he then began to coach first with his soon-to-be wife s team as a volunteer he coached high school and club volleyball teams while working full-time in 1998 then-gryphons head coach doug dodd talked to him about varsitylevel coaching wigston joined the gryphons as an assistant starting with the 1999/2000 season he was hired as head coach beginning in the 2006/2007 season after dodd retired but not before almost giving up i almost quit working here because i wanted the job as the coach and it didn t appear the coach was leaving i was going to pack it in coach my kids teams and move on from there says wigston having grown up with a christian heritage wigston eventually turned from an athletics-oriented life to a godoriented one one spiritually-defining moment came in his last year as an assistant coach when his wife sue fell seriously ill i took time off work saying i have to take care of my wife because family is more important than volleyball it was like god said `good you get it you ve seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 8

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got me first you ve got your family here s your volleyball any success i have from this job it goes to him it s purely god wigston s volleyball success includes turning around a 5­15 team in his first year as head coach to winning the first round of the playoffs last season but his success has led to scrutiny it s difficult to be a christian in a secular environment says wigston i don t walk around and broadcast that i m a christian but people here know i am wigston stays accountable to friends and family his best friend is only a text away he ll get back to me in minutes his wife is as much a part of the team as the players and other coaches it s an absolute comfort to bounce things off her to ask questions or say `man did i really screw up here says wigston keeping accountable to her is absolutely 100 per cent needed for me faith is survivalist s greatest advantage man vs wild star bear grylls who climbed mount everest after recovering from a broken back told inmates in a florida prison the one survival tool he can t live without is his faith edward michael grylls known as bear has parachuted from helicopters eaten snakes wrapped his urine-soaked t-shirt around his head drank urine and used a sheep s corpse as a sleeping bag on his weekly survival tips show now in its sixth season grylls who loves climbing and adventures eventually became part of the british special air service where he served as a trooper survival instructor and patrol medic while on a 1996 mission in africa his parachute canopy ripped at 1,600 feet grylls plummeted to the ground breaking his back in three places he spent 18 months recovering in a military hospital not sure if he d walk again suddenly everything you ve taken for granted in your life is ripped away from you says the british adventurer it was a dark road of not knowing whether i d be able to walk again let alone do this one thing i could do well which was to climb in 1998 he fulfilled a lifelong goal by climbing mount everest the highest mountain in the world in a journey so dangerous four of the climbers with him died i risk a lot to do this stuff but i ve been given a really privileged platform where people know the show i want to do something good with that he told roughly 160 inmates during a chapel service that s why i m here i want to say this faith deep down is what strengthens me it helps me in the difficult places grylls says attending an alpha course several years ago with his wife shara try a go for the guys sunday research shows 85 per cent of people come to the church for the first time because they were personally invited guys however are often the last to invite a buddy to church because they know in their gut church just doesn t appeal to other guys david morrow author of why men hate going to church and his church for men ministry have a solution go for the guys sundays held once a quarter everything from the atmosphere to the sermon is delivered with a masculine accent the church for men website has a free action plan that includes sample announcements decorating ideas music guidelines preaching and teaching ideas and more after a couple of sundays men will look forward to them and use them as a chance to invite their male friends to church church for men helps churches reach more men and boys with guy-friendly books videos training events and a web site for the go for the guys sunday action plan check www.churchformen.com gofortheguyssunday.pdf seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 9

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pulse gave him a chance to ask some big questions about god and his plan for humanity alpha was a really good excuse to ask these questions he said it was kind of low-pressure and easy and it was fun grylls says his faith journey remains a rocky road full of struggles and doubts and challenges we make everything so complicated and so theological and so smart and so together and so confusing he says actually all that matters is i m holding you by your right hand and i can do everything with christ and that s for me is what holds me a lot on mountains when things are going wrong it s what holds me when i m struggling with my faith and doubts www.newmanmag.com bond or bourne who s the manliest movie character who is the manliest movie character according to www.newmanmag.com the top 20 list is filled with soldiers spies and swashbucklers 10 michael corleone the godfather series al pacino plays one of the smartest toughest most ruthless characters in film history and he doesn t even throw a punch he s a complete bad guy but you ll find yourself rooting for him anyway 9 jason bourne the bourne series matt damon plays bourne the cia assassin with amnesia who can still take down illegal intelligence agencies by himself no matter the situation you know bourne will get the job done 8 hans solo the star wars series solo is brash gutsy smooth and quick but he also has a heart of gold he ll do anything for his friends and eventually gets a princess to fall for him 7 dutch predator you knew arnold schwarzenegger had to make the list dutch leads the most ridiculously overthe-top soldiers in movie history and makes them look puny in comparison texting ranks low on driver distractions in november ontario became the latest province to ban drivers from using handheld electronic devices while driving but a poll of 3,000 drivers men and women by leasetrader.com suggests drivers are being distracted by a lot more than the latest text message almost 20 per cent of men think road rage is the highest distraction today texting ranked seventh in their top 10 rounding out the list were checking out other drivers passengers eating/drinking kids in the car reading messing with the radio and driving in or avoiding bad weather for 26 per cent of women the biggest distraction was dealing with kids in the car texting ranked eighth lower than the men their top 10 list also included putting on makeup messing with the radio navigation avoiding bad weather passengers eating/drinking reading and in-car videos although texting while driving can be dangerous these findings show drivers seem to be almost immune to other distractions that have been around for a long time says leasetrader.com ceo sergio stiberman people can get so absorbed with their conversations or activities that concentrating on driving gets impaired even without texting 6 bruce wayne batman begins and the dark knight in batman begins we learn why and how wayne becomes the man in the dark knight we see him take out one of the greatest villains in movie history 5 james bond casino royale and quantum of solace bond has long been one of the manliest characters with his charming ways gadgets and ability to dodge bullets daniel craig isn t as smooth or pretty as the others but he s a beast with the body of a wrestler who tackles and chokes bad guys 4 indiana jones the indiana jones series definitely harrison ford s manliest role he s got the whip the fedora the lopsided grin and the ability to escape from any trap one of the best characters you ll ever see 3 william wallace braveheart mel gibson plays the beastly scottish warrior who s probably the most awe-inspiring character on this list not only does he have a huge sword and the ability to pull off kilts he stands for ideals as well 2 john mcclane die hard nothing beats die hard and nobody beats john mcclane if you re wondering why mcclane beat out wallace it s the seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 10 design pics

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scene where he runs over the glass in his bare feet 1 maximus decimus meridius gladiator maximus has everything he s a leader of men with principles and ethics who fights better than anyone else he s placed in the lowest possible position only to rise back to the heights of power simply through his own merits if you want the whole list including the best quote and spiritual takeaway check http newmanmag.com/emagazine/101209/story1.php and their teens want them to the imfc recommends · parents be the prime sex educator · parents create a healthy stable home with warm open communication and clear expectations · parents model a healthy lifestyle and positive choices · sex educators use parents and recognize their role as the primary sex educators · sex educators recognize girls face unique risks compared to boys when it comes to early sexual engagement the study rated pg how parental influence impacts teen sexual activity can be found at https www.imfcanada.org/article_files/imfc %20october_final.pdf what parents do a key factor in teens sex life what a parent does not just says is a key factor in their teens sexual behaviour suggests a new study by the institute for marriage and family canada imfc using statistics canada data imfc researchers found a link between parent behaviours with children and teen decisions about sexual activity eight years later parents will be relieved to know teaching teens about sex doesn t come down to just `the talk it s about actions and values conveyed over a longer period of time says research analyst peter jon mitchell some of the top findings include · home environments affect teen decisions about sexual activity · parental behaviours like drinking and smoking affect future teen sexual activity · family structure affects teen sexual activity · sexual activity for teens is fraught with risk says mitchell and most parents agree delaying sexual activity is for the better it s encouraging to know parents can play a role leader lapses most leaders are at their best when they use the resources they have and at their worst when trying to come up with new ones suggests a new study from the barna group the american research group talked to more than 1,700 people with results showing leaders do most poorly at · creating agreements with the most benefits at the least cost · finding new resources such as people and money for the organization · creating and putting into place plans to mentor new leaders · having strong relationships with others that show care for and attention to their needs the study also found most leaders think they re doing a better job than they actually are for example many think they re good at using the organization s vision as a way of making decisions leaders tend to point to their vision as the reason to say `yes to opportunities says george barna but our research showed there s much less willingness to use the vision as a reason to say `no to opportunities not in the best interests of the organization barna also discovered leaders attitudes make a big difference in their trajectory potential leaders who have a deep commitment to help other people are likely to grow into effectiveness he says a potential leader who fails to see leadership as serving and is more worried about gaining credit than doing what s right is in for a long difficult journey barna used the research and interviews with 30 of america s top leaders for his new book master leaders the book provides a greatest hits of leadership wisdom from leaders in business ministry government military education entertainment and sports for more on the research and master leaders check www.barna.org church goes to the dogs a los angeles church is going to the dogs with a 30-minute canine-centric worship service the weekly outreach event comes complete with doggie beds doggie treats and doggie prayers covenant presbyterian church s pastor tom eggebeen came up with idea three years ago to spark growth among his dwindling congregation an avid doglover he believes the canines at covenant services meet a need for a largely ignored segment of believers the bible says of god only two things in terms of an `is that god is light and god is love eggebeen says wherever there s love there s god in some fashion and when we love a dog and a dog loves us that s a part of god and god is a part of that so we honour that according to an associated press report eggebeen is part of a growing trend among churches to address the spirituality of pets and the deeply felt bonds owners form with their animals southwestern university religion professor laura hobgood-oster suggests the changing family where pets become central have led to the doggy services seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 11

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churches are starting to recognize people need various kinds of rituals that include their pets says hobgood-oster more and more people in mainline christianity consider pets to have some kind of soul www.ministrytodaymag.com from a van of 15 to two full buses promise keepers canada president kirk giles listed three men allowing jesus to shape them to make an impact for all time at the november 2009 mississauga conference one of them guelph s bobby clark says he didn t even hear his name mentioned to be honest with you when i sat there i didn t even hear my own name says clark i ve been dealing with pride issues and i want to be a humble servant i don t want my name getting in the way of god s name and his glory i thought he was talking about someone i didn t know for the past seven years clark has been the driving force behind getting groups of men to the conference the first year clark took one van filled with 15 guys the next year it was two vans and 25 guys eventually the vans made way for a bus and in mid-november 2009 two buses filled with 112 guys from 20 churches three recovery groups and a bunch of at-risk street youth travelled the hour east to get to the conference clark s servant ministry doesn t stop with the buses he books hotel rooms reserves space at a local buffet restaurant hosts a friday night after-conference worship at the hotel and coordinates the pizza and sub lunch ever the servant he s often the last to get a bite to eat or get on the bus we re taking it beyond just the conference says clark there s so much ministry in the buses the restaurant the hotel at night in the banquet room the value of it isn t only the conference but the fellowship created here for tomorrow next week next month clark s prayer is to see this band of brothers get the affirmation we all need from god as men and the affirmation of each other as men god s created a heart within me that just wants to serve back into the kingdom seeing the bigger building fellowship volunteer organizer bobby clark picture clark wants the men s experience at promise keepers to turn into change in their marriages families churches and communities i know when i look back on a sunday or monday i see how god knit all this together says clark i feel blessed i ve got these men in my life men of integrity men that love me i m just awestruck of their willingness to participate in letting go of their lives and finances to a bigger picture of this weekend for themselves theo fleury talks hockey addiction on tsn retired nhler theo fleury dropped in on a toronto homeless shelter in november to record a tsn spot promoting hockey for the homeless hfth fleury a stanley cup and olympic gold medal champion is this year s spokesperson the that s hockey taping was recorded at the salvation army s gateway shelter in downtown toronto the fourminute clip shows fleury and a shelter resident talking about their hockey and addictions history if i didn t stop drinking i d have probably been a homeless guy myself says fleury in the interview i wasn t too dissimilar to a homeless person i lost touch with my family and was basically a year or two from being on the street the segment aired the same night as hfth tournaments in montreal and toronto the organization began in 1996 when a group of toronto businessmen raised money for the homeless through a hockey tournament montreal came on board in 2004 and now tournaments are also held in calgary ottawa and vancouver hfth gained a helping hand when the nhlpa alumni came on board local teams often include former nhlers like fleury who plays in the calgary tournament they ve taken the charity golf stuff and turned it into a hockey event says fleury the first year s $2,000 goal was easily beaten with the tourney bringing in close to $8,500 since then hfth has raised more than $2 million for the homeless fleury gets an added benefit from being part of hfth every time i do some type service work i m so far away from my next drink or next drug that is the gift in all of that check http www.hockeyforthehomeless.com for more information seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 12

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reviews get intentional becoming your spouse s better half why differences make a marriage great by rick johnson marriage today seems less binding than a cell phone contract writes rick johnson as he blatantly acknowledges the truth that marriage is tough but he believes it s worth working at and his most recent book is designed for husbands and wives to read together becoming your spouse s better half has two sections one for women and one for men each with seven chapters the chapters on women s moods should help men understand their wives better and as women read the chapters on men s modes theoretically they ll understand their husbands better i encourage you to read this book with the expectation that it will change your marriage and help draw you closer to your spouse says johnson the expectations with which we enter into something generally greatly increase the odds of those goals being fulfilled your marriage is too important not to believe with all your heart that it can be a loving dynamic lifelong experience powerful weapon in the war against this enemy i want to spend my live in worship as an act of love and war says doerksen some of his worship songs express devotion to the one who redeems us while others awaken and strengthen us for the battle each of the book s 12 chapters highlights one of doerksen s songs providing helpful background that abounds with personal insights and theological reflection selected songs include now is the time to worship father i want you to hold me refiner s fire and with all my affection each chapter concludes with a list of songwriting tips the more specific you become the more universal the song becomes he says and author david kitz knows that the psalms are a wonderful place for people of today to connect with the god of the ages so he s written psalms alive an interactive book that encourages its readers to read directly from scripture first kitz then provides a dollop of historic and geographic context and highlights key insights from the passage each section concludes with a number of suggestions about how to bring life to particular psalms kitz is a congenial guide helping readers embrace the timeless truths of scripture in practical life-transforming ways one goal a prayer and praise journal by gerry organ gerry organ was an outstanding player for the once mighty ottawa rough riders who won grey cup championships in 1973 and 1976 more recently gerry served 10 years as executive director of christian business ministries canada and currently works with one way ministries in ottawa in whatever role he serves gerry is always keen to see men become more faithful followers of jesus christ in every area of their life the key to this he believes is prayer spending time alone in [god s presence is paramount to each and every believer regardless of culture ability or status he writes one goal contains no long passages its short snippets provide some key thoughts about the value and practice of prayer and guidelines for a disciplined life it is in the end a journal for people to use those who work with it will find themselves advancing toward the goal of seeking to be holy as god is holy psalms alive connecting heaven and earth by david kitz ordinary life is full of ups and downs joys and sorrows tragedies and triumphs these realities of the human situation are revealed in great measure in the biblical book of psalms in these songs and poems we hear the deepest longings of the human heart and find the full range of human experiences ottawa-based actor minister make love not war now is the time to worship by brian doerksen renowned canadian songwriter worship leader and recording artist brian doerksen is prophetically persuaded that god is calling his followers both to love and to battle in the ancient war between god and satan this is the christian calling and worship is the most seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 13

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features lifestyles of the fit and olympic chaplains provide a safety net at athletes village i don t think this is any different from many other situations where young fit 18 to 30-year-olds are thrown together says john boyers a chaplain who will be serving at the 2010 games in vancouver i don t think it s particularly different from the morality at any western university for example young athletes may not share my personal morality but theirs is not really all that different from the morality of many under30s an ordained minister and chaplain to english soccer heavyweights manchester united boyer has served as a chaplain at three commonwealth games and the 2004 olympics in athens while conceding that some athletes tend to let their hair down after their competitions have ended he believes it s unfair to pigeonhole the bunch of them into one debaucherous category people are all different and do behave differently he says but i think it would be wrong to create the impression that everyone is at a games event for drink and sex they are there to achieve in their particular sport sporting and spiritual bests helping athletes achieve sporting and spiritual bests is foremost among an olympic chaplain s long list of duties and as boyer points out it s sensitive work they re not there to stop the party if anything the chaplaincy is as much a part of the village community as anything else nevertheless chaplaincy personnel have defined parameters of what they can and cannot do in the village previous games organizers for example have attempted to confine the chaplains to a religious services centre lest they start proselytizing in public it s a concern that boyer is quick to dissuade olympic village in vancouver on the southeast side of false creek during construction in 2008 by jerrad peters athletes village isn t your typical metropolis sure the population cultural diversity and full range of amenities can make the temporary settlement feel like a city within a city but the comparison ends there this is a community inhabited primarily by good-looking people they are fit trim and between the ages of 18 and 30 they are at their physical peaks and like most young people they re looking for a good time table tennis player matthew syed represented great britain in two olympic games he believes that an unnatural level of self-discipline coupled with higher levels of testosterone among athletes combine to create an explosive sexual cocktail the distribution of tens of thousands of free condoms within athletes villages would seem to back this up at the 2000 summer olympics in sydney organizers had to top up their initial order of 70,000 condoms by an additional 20,000 there were just over 10,000 athletes in the village do the math seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 14

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the fast chaplains aren t in-your-face evangelists he says we don t impose our faith on those who don t wish to know we provide spiritual and pastoral support but if people do ask us questions about god faith and how we see issues of belief we should have the freedom to respond it s not just the athletes who will benefit from an active and outgoing chaplaincy service during the olympics chaplains will be working in stadiums and outdoor venues as well liaising with the people overseeing the events should a major problem occur such as a spectator suffering a heart attack a chaplain should be able to be located quickly boyer likens the role of sports chaplains to that of a safety net under a trapeze artist if he doesn t fall it s no problem but things are in place if they are needed chaplaincy is a pastoral and spiritual safety net he says safety net david wells has been busily installing that safety net ahead of the opening ceremonies of the vancouver olympics on february 12 in charge of a staff exceeding 40 volunteers he is the coordinator of the religious services centres in vancouver and whistler it will be his third olympics after serving in athlens salt lake city and turin he says the presence of the christian chaplains will be noticeable to athletes as soon as they get settled in the village the organizing committee makes it well known that there is a multi-faith centre available and that religious services are provided for the five major faith groups christian islamic jewish hindu and buddhist he says adding that vanoc the vancouver organizing committee has been extremely helpful in facilitating the work of the religious services centres upon arriving in the village athletes will be given an information package that includes instructions on how to find their accommodations restaurant facilities particular shops and the available chaplaincy services bible study schedules will be distributed inviting athletes to the daily 7 pm gatherings mass will be offered every morning at 8 am many of these services will be provided out of the religious services centre says wells but the majority of his work as a chaplain will come in the form of spontaneous one-on-one encounters wells who is also the general superintendent of the pentecostal assemblies of canada cites one occasion at the 2006 games in turin when he was approached randomly by a young woman from the u.s bobsled team she had been injured in calgary while training before the olympics and had accompanied her teammates to italy even though she would be unable to compete her disappointment built after arriving at the athletes village in sestriere says wells and came to a head after some of her teammates were alleged to have taken banned substances disillusioned she dropped in to the religious services centre and met with wells it led to a very meaningful and spontaneous interaction he says there was a real sense of connection like it meant something to her unique position chaplains says boyer are in the unique position of being trusted for counsel while at the same time unaffiliated with the athlete s coaches and close inner circle i think chaplains sometimes offer that absolutely neutral sounding-board that the athlete sometimes doesn t have he says some of these thoughts an athlete can t easily share with the coach who may think the athlete s mind is not right is weak or not focused such interactions will make up the bulk of the work for boyer wells and their colleagues in the athletes villages of vancouver and whistler while they will be offering formal worship services liturgies and prayers they will leave their most significant marks by helping athletes settle their nerves conquer disappointment and overcome homesickness as for the athletes who are just as concerned with partying as competing wells says his focus will be directed first and foremost to the christian athletes who wish to uphold a christian lifestyle during the games what i ve observed is christian athletes who are very committed to their faith will still go into a cocoon and you ll hardly see them until after they ve competed they re pretty intense they re not looking to party hardy he says now there are always exceptions who you are 52 weeks of the year is still going to come through jerrad peters is the managing editor of christianweek a biweekly newspaper covering christian faith and life in canada seven ­ issue ten january­february 2010 page 15

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