This article was written by Ron Brown for Sharing the Victory website.

A couple of years ago I investigated the fan attendance of NFL games. I found that approximately one million people per week attended the games. That's a lot of people! Now, just think if I were to also count the number who attended college and high school football games. That total would be astronomical! With the number of people involved, imagine the amount of money Americans spend in the experience of attending football games every week. Tickets, food, gas... It would really add up.OK, now that's the financial investment. We then must look at the amount of time we invest traveling back and forth to games, not to mention the hours during the game.And, of course, our talents are either being used or ignored during that block of time. You're cheering or booing, watching and going through a lot of gestures as you root for your team.

So, I ask you this: Is it worth it for you, sports fans? I ask you, parents of athletes: Is it worth toting your children around to sporting events at all hours, missing church and family meals?

You, athletes and coaches, are spending enormous hours practicing, studying opponents and training. Think of all the broken dreams, unfulfilled promises, comparisons and rejections. Oh, there's some fun and glory in there for you, but most of us playing or coaching right now will eventually be asked to leave this game that we love — whatever the sport. It lends itself to replacements and impatience and new folks with new ideas. Period. How do you like them apples?

It's interesting to me that, when Jesus told the parable of the shrewd manager in Luke 16:1-13 (NASB), He reminded us that the things in which we invest regarding our time, treasure and talents will eventually fail us. So, are we too involved and invested in sports? If it's all going to fail us, then what's the use? Ah, but in verse 8, Jesus makes another intriguing statement: "…for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light." In other words, Jesus reminds us that the non-Christian has learned how to be shrewd in this world by using activities such as sports to build Satan's kingdom. Jesus also expresses an indictment to us as Christians for not using talents (like sports) to advance God's Kingdom. It's about kingdomizing the sports world with Christ.

So, let me ask you again: Is it worth it for Christians to heavily invest our time, talents and treasures in sports? Absolutely! Here's why…I once had a conversation with an athletic director who was not a Christian. He struggled with my using coaching as a platform to promote Jesus Christ. In other words, he thought that was a little on the "shrewd" side. I reminded him — respectfully, I hope — that I saw him on a TV commercial promoting a car dealership using his influence as an athletic director. What does an athletic director have to do with selling cars? Shrewdness! I further reminded him — respectfully, I hope — that our head football coach was using his influence on a TV commercial to promote a local pizza business. That was kind of a "shrewd" move by the pizza industry, don't you think? Whatever it took to advance the pizza kingdom, I suppose.

So, then I hit him — respectfully, I hope — with the punch line. Why can't, or better yet, why shouldn't I use my coaching influence to advance the Kingdom that I so believe in, that I long to continually invest in: the Kingdom of God.

I don't know what it looks like for you in your sports world, but whether you are a fan, parent, player, coach or administrator, you are using sports to advance one of two kingdoms: Satan's or God's. There is a godly "shrewdness" that is honest, gentle, loving, but very intensely strategic, moved only through the character of Christ. That is what Jesus is saying to every Christian involved in the sports world. Not only do we have the right to use sports as a tool to promote Christ, we have the responsibility to do it!

So, go before the Lord today and humbly submit your role in the sports world, and take on a Christ-centered, kingdomizing attitude that moves you into strategic action. There's nothing like stewarding sports for Jesus.Remember, there are two ways of doing sports: God's way or man's way. Which will you choose?