Spiritual Development Planning Goal #4

Spiritual Development Planning Goal #4
2003-2006

1. What is a visionary goal that your unit set?

To intentionally impact the spiritual lives of student athletes by creating a structured program of spiritual formation.

2. What information and data did you use to set this goal?

Because student athletes often spend multiple hours per day training the often do not have time to participate in campus-wide ministry and discipleship programs.
Coaches and the community formed within a team have a powerful impact on all aspects of the life of a student athlete. This is a natural place for spiritual nurture and formation to occur.
There was a desire in Spiritual Development, Student Development and Athletics to have a greater impact on student athletes.
The Assistant Chaplain is also the Soccer Coach so there is a natural connection for implementing this program.

3. What actions did you take to try to reach this goal?

Coaches and leaders from Student Development, Spiritual Development and Athletics met over time to discuss and devise a systematic program.
Student Development, Spiritual Development and Athletics have committed time and financial resources to the building of this program. It is a multi-unit effort.
A chapter of the Fellowship of Student Athletes (FSA) was formed at PLNU and a committee was set up to plan the FSA meetings.

4. What progress did you make?

Starting in the academic year of 2003-04 the program was implemented. The key components are:

Devotions: regular devotions are organized for each team by the team’s coach
Worship:weekly attendance (3 times per week) at PLNU University-wide chapel services is expected of all athletes.
Fellowship of Student Athletes: attendance of these meetings is mandatory for all team members (4 meetings per year). At these events there is a time of fellowship over food, an activity, a speaker, student-lead worship music and small group discussions. The small groups are carefully constructed by the coaches so that each group contains members from a variety of teams and the members have a breadth of spiritual experience and maturity.
Service: All athletes participate in assisting new students to move into the dormitories during New Student Orientation. In addition, many coaches organize other team service projects.
Celebration: All athletes are expected to participate in annual Athletic Department worship and awards gatherings. In the Loma Worship day in the fall families are invited and academic awards are presented.
Team Specific Activities: Each coach personalizes additional spiritual formation activities based on the character and needs of their team.

Exposure of student athletes to the NAIA initiative “Champions of Character” – this is a nationwide effort to emphasize the development of character through students’ participation in athletic teams.

5. What information and data did you use to evaluate your progress?

Informal conversations with students that indicate that this experience has deeply impacted their spiritual lives.
A survey done in the fall of 2005 as part of the doctoral research of the Assistant Chaplain. See Survey Data for PLNU Students Only (2005) for survey results.

Supporting Documentation: