Two Ways of Living

Galatians 5 presents a powerful contrast between two ways of living. The first is driven by the desires of the flesh—hostility, selfish ambition, and outbursts of anger. The second reflects the transformative work of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, and self-control.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Galatians 5:19-21 (ESV)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

As coaches, we must prioritize performance, but true success lies in cultivating an environment where athletes embody the Fruit of the Spirit. This begins not with strategies or drills but with our own commitment to abide in Christ (John 15) . Without a strong spiritual foundation, we cannot lead our teams toward lasting transformation.

This perspective elevates coaching beyond skill development to character formation, shaping a culture where athletes excel both in their sport and in life—demonstrating kindness, faithfulness, and self-discipline. And it all starts with us, modeling these traits in our daily walk with Christ.

Consider the lasting impact of your leadership. Commit to shaping athletes holistically—physically and spiritually—so their actions on and off the field align with Christ’s teachings.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” – 3rd John 4 (ESV)

Consider the fruit of your work and remain committed to helping athletes develop not just physically, but spiritually, so that their actions both on and off the field align with Christ’s teachings. There is no greater joy than hearing that your athletes are running in the truth!

— Shaun Smithson is the Executive Vice President of Club sports for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)