THERE IS NO ETERNAL SCOREBOARD

Why Christian Coaches Need to Stop Trying to Prove Their Worth

What if one of the greatest burdens Christian coaches carry is a burden Jesus never asked them to carry?

Many coaches live with the belief that when they stand before Jesus in eternity, they will have to give an account of how many players they led to Christ, how many lives they changed, and how successful they were in using basketball to advance the Gospel.

And while Scripture absolutely calls us to faithfulness, stewardship, and accountability, there is a difference between giving an account to God and believing that our eternal value depends on our spiritual performance.

In this deeply personal episode of Redeeming the Game, Coach Matt Sanders challenges the internal scoreboard that so many coaches carry.

For years, he lived trying to prove himself—to the basketball world, to others, and even to God. He believed his record, accomplishments, and impact were somehow connected to his worth.

But the finished work of Jesus tells a different story.

The blood of Christ is not an invitation to keep score. It is the declaration that the work we could never accomplish has already been accomplished through Him.

We’ll talk about:

• Why Christian coaches sometimes carry an unhealthy burden of spiritual performance.
• The difference between biblical accountability and trying to earn God’s approval.
• Why the number of players you lead to Christ is not your righteousness.
• How the finished work of Jesus changes the way we approach coaching, leadership, and ministry.
• Why you can pursue excellence, serve faithfully, and share the Gospel without living under the pressure to prove your worth.

If you’re a head coach, assistant coach, trainer, or basketball missionary who has ever felt like you haven’t done enough for God, this conversation is for you.

You are called to be faithful. You are called to love people. You are called to share the hope of Jesus.

But you are not called to earn what Jesus has already given you.

Your record is not your righteousness. Your impact is not your identity. And there is no eternal scoreboard.

Welcome to Redeeming the Game.

If could go back and talk to my younger self as a coach, these are the 10 things I’d tell him first.

I put them all into a free guide called “10 Things I Wish I Knew as a Young Coach.”

No fluff. No playbooks. Just real lessons from years of coaching, leading, winning, losing, and learning.

If you’re early in your coaching journey, or you want to coach with more purpose and clarity, grab it for free below.

👇 Free download linked below 👇

www.redeemingthegame.com/10things

matt@redeemingthegame.com

Have We Forgotten Why Basketball Exists?

What I Discovered at Big 12 Media Days

What happens when you ask some of the best coaches and players in college basketball a simple question:

Why was basketball created?

After attending Big 12 Media Days and interviewing Division I men’s and women’s coaches and players, I came home with something much greater than basketball content.

I came home with a renewed conviction about the purpose of the game.

In this special episode of Redeeming the Game, I share my experiences asking questions about Dr. James Naismith, discovering a documentary project exploring the origins of women’s basketball, and having meaningful conversations with coaches and athletes about their identity beyond the scoreboard.

Because somewhere along the way, many of us have allowed basketball to become more than a game in the wrong way.

We’ve allowed our wins, accomplishments, recruiting success, and performance to determine our value.

But what if understanding the game’s origins could help us rediscover its purpose?

And what if basketball could become a vehicle for something greater than our own success?

Basketball is a gift. Jesus is our identity. The gym is our mission field.

Join me as I share three discoveries from Big 12 Media Days and why I believe it’s time to redeem the game.

If could go back and talk to my younger self as a coach, these are the 10 things I’d tell him first.

I put them all into a free guide called “10 Things I Wish I Knew as a Young Coach.”

No fluff. No playbooks. Just real lessons from years of coaching, leading, winning, losing, and learning.

If you’re early in your coaching journey, or you want to coach with more purpose and clarity, grab it for free below.

👇 Free download linked below 👇

www.redeemingthegame.com/10things

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matt@redeemingthegame.com

They won only seven games… and then won a championship.

Nobody saw it coming.

But years later, I’m realizing the championship wasn’t the greatest part of their story.

These two former players took very different paths. One walked through the devastating loss of his father during his freshman year. The other has faced deeply personal struggles and battles of his own.

But neither man’s story ended there.

Today, both are pastors.

One is a youth pastor. One is a lead pastor.

One is married with a child. The other is preparing for marriage.

And both have discovered something bigger than basketball:

Your struggle is not your identity.
Your past is not your identity.
Your performance is not your identity.

In Christ, you are beloved. And because of Jesus, you are righteous.

This conversation is about an unlikely championship, grief, personal battles, grace, redemption, and two young men who eventually became shepherds.

Maybe God was doing more than building a championship team.

Maybe He was building two shepherds.

🎙️ Redeeming the Game Podcast

If I could go back and talk to my younger self as a coach, these are the 10 things I’d tell him first.
I put them all into a free guide called “10 Things I Wish I Knew as a Young Coach.”
No fluff. No playbooks. Just real lessons from years of coaching, leading, winning, losing, and learning.
If you’re early in your coaching journey, or you want to coach with more purpose and clarity, grab it for free below.
👇 Free download linked below 👇
www.redeemingthegame.com/10things

matt@redeemingthegame.com