By Tom Ellis
From an early age I've loved both playing and watching sport. From kick-arounds in the park after school, to supporting from the terraces on a Saturday afternoon, it took up a lot of my childhood. As I grew older, I started to recognise the importance of it in my life and in the lives of those around me. Yes, it was something that I enjoyed and could do, but it was more than that.
Many of us will be aware of the basic physical, psychological and social benefits of sport, and over the years I've been fortunate enough to see the impact of sport in certain communities and on lives of individuals. As someone who has been involved in sports journalism and sport development projects for a while now, I've seen what it means for people to be able to come together through a shared passion. I love the phrase often associated with sport, a level playing field, and the idea that when people of different backgrounds, faiths, races, genders come together to play, and to play something they love, any differences are put aside; all are equal. We see this in local youth projects and at big events such as the Olympics. The coming together of people, united through sport, be it in the name of competition or just enjoyment, is incredibly moving and has the power break down barriers in a way that few other things can.
I believe sport has the power to bring about change. I'm passionate about that. But I also believe that, ultimately, true transformation and true freedom comes through knowing the love of Jesus. What a great combination. At Passion for Sport we aim to use media to introduce sports fans to Jesus. We do this by telling stories and by allowing sportspeople to tell their testimony, their story, so that others might be inspired, encouraged and challenged, by their passion for sport, but more importantly, their passion for Jesus. I work for Passion for Sport because I believe in the power of sport, I believe in the power of story-telling and I believe in the power of Jesus.