CRICKETER BISHOP GENERIC MODEL
Well-Being Australia
Press Release – 10 March 2005
CRICKETER BISHOP GENERIC MODEL
Dr Mark Tronson the Australian Cricket Chaplain for 22 years says that the most significant post war “generic model” in sports evangelism was the late former England Cricket Captain and Church of England Bishop, David Sheppard.
David Sheppard died last Saturday aged 75, serving as bishop of Woolwich in London from 1968 to 1974, then Liverpool’s bishop from 1975 to 1997, playing cricket for Sussex County and England for 22 tests between 1950 and 1963.
“David was loved by Australian cricket fans for his Christianity as much as for his cricket. He captained the England team and as a Church of England Minister he scored two centuries against Australia,” Dr Tronson explained.
It’s been noted by many observers that when touring in Australia, whenever David Sheppard the Minister/Cricketer spoke at any Australian Cathedral or Church, the place was packed.
“It is often thought that American evangelical sports stars in the ’50’s had initiated ‘sports evangelism’, the reality is that this had a well established pedigree in the United Kingdom initially thru international Scottish star Eric Liddel the 1924 track 400 metre Paris Olympic Gold Medallist (Chariots of Fire fame) and then David Sheppard,” Dr Tronson stated.
The Australian Christian Church took up this generic baton formally thru the “Sports and Leisure Ministry” with sports chaplaincy and sports evangelism in the ’80s.
“This was twenty years after Christian athlete Australian cricket captain and Olympic hockey player Brian Booth of the ’50s’ and ’60’s had likewise followed Liddel and Sheppard speaking in Churches, however it took another 20 years for ‘Sports’ to be widely recognised within the Australian evangelical community as a valid mission field,” Dr Tronson explained.
Today elite athletes who are committed followers of Christ are regular speakers at Church evangelistic services, breakfasts, and the like.
“This Australian Christian post war heritage of ‘sports evangelism’ can be traced back to David Sheppard as that ‘generic model’ was taken up by others with a passion to see men and women won for Christ”, Dr Tronson said.
Dr Mark Tronson
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