Home school sports have provided a safe and competitive venue for Christian families to play sports. However from my observation some organizations have been compromised by pride. This has happened in two ways: one is through the division and separation of programs and the creation of new ones, second, is the diluting of Christian fellowship in existing organizations.

Throughout the country programs have split into two and some times three separate organizations due to conflict within the programs themselves. The list of factors that cause an organization to split is long but often includes: “my kid needs to play more,” “why aren’t we more competitive?” or “why can’t we win nationals.” There are more reasons but they all can be link to a single vice which is pride. On the temporal level this division can cause home school sports to be weakened and uncompetitive, and this is a sad thing to see. However, on a deeper level division, fueled by pride, causes the spiritual integrity of home school sports to be compromised. Therefore, home school families need to look deep into their hearts and decide whether their decisions for starting or ending a program are bound by the peace and love which Paul tells us to abide by in Ephesians, “make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace.” If this is not the case, then home school organizations have been living a half truth by carrying the banner of Christianity and at the same time living by the pride of the world. Kids have lost friends, parents have lost the support system of other families, and in general, the fellowship of believers and the unity of the spirit has been lost do to division.

How can programs stay together and avoid division? I believe scripture mandates the solution:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love (Ephesians 4:2).

What I am seeking to shine a light onto is the fundamental principle that should guide home school sports. This principle is patience bound with love. I have been a part of a state championship basketball team only to see it the next year dissolve. The following year I was part of a “new start up” program which folded after one year of existence. In both situations there was no effort to keep the unity of Christ, there was no patience, and ultimately there was no organization. The venues that could have facilitated athletics and Christian fellowship were lost because of pride.

If home school families want their programs to perpetuate they need to fasten them to the principle that Paul describes. Homeschoolers need good athletic programs but successful Christian progams need to be guided by love, rather than pride, to withstand the test of time. HSI