Featuring books and articles pertinent to integrating our faith with our discipline, papers presented at past conferences, and other materials submitted by our membership that may be helpful to other members.
CSKLS Publications
Physical Education, Sports, and Wellness: Looking to God as We Look at Ourselves
By John Byl and Tom Visker (eds.). (1999). Souix Center, IA: Dordt College Press.
Papers presented at the 1994-1998 CSKLS conferences.
A collection of twenty papers and presentations given at the Conference on Christianity, Sport, Leisure, and Wellness over a four-year period. Christian professionals discuss theoretical and practical concepts related to leisure and sport.Purchase or access through Dordt U. digitalcollections.dordt.edu/books/13/
Christianity and Leisure: Issues in a pluralistic society (Revised Edition)
By Paul Heintzman, Glen Van Andel, and Tom Visker (eds.). (2006). Souix Center, IA: Dordt.
College Press. Papers delivered at the first four CSKLS conferences.
Addressing the relative paucity of Christian reflection on leisure studies and research, this volume of collected essays addresses the following topics: Biblical and Historical Perspectives; Methodological Issues; Present Practices and Challenges in Leisure; Play, Sport, and Athletics; and Leisure and Culture. Christianity and Leisure: Issues in a Pluralistic Society provides sound insights that will help North American Christians face the challenge of living a life that is consistent with the Christian faith.
Christianity and Leisure: Issues for the Twenty-First Century, Volume II
By Paul Heintzman and Glen Van Andel (eds.). (2017). Sioux Center, IA: Dordt College Press.
Papers delivered at several CSKLS conferences.
CHRISTIANITY AND LEISURE VOLUME II provides indispensable reading for leisure researchers who study leisure, for recreation practitioners who provide recreation services, and for all Christians as they incorporate leisure into their own lives
Publications by CSKLS Members
Chicken and Noodle Games: 141 Fun Activities With Innovative Equipment
By John Byl, Herwig Baldauf, Pat Doyle, and Andy Raithby. (2007). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
An awesome book of amazing games drawn from the best games from a series of books CIRA Ontario produced–great for physical education classes, intramural times, summer camps, or recreational settings.
Christianity and Leisure: Issues in a pluralistic society (Revised Edition).
By Dickie Hill. (2005). Abilene, TX: Coach Book Co.
Written to help readers improve their levels of physical and spiritual fitness. Walking for fitness is used as an analogy to walking daily with God for a deeper and stronger relationship with Him. Excellent help and insights are provided to ensure walking and time with the Lord are done well to provide the optimum benefits.
Focus on sport in ministry
By Lowrie McCown and Valerie Gin. (2003). Marietta, GA: 360Sports.
From the back cover: “Focus on Sport in Ministry will expand and clarify your thinking about the role of sport in ministry from a traditional/historical context and cast a vision for future opportunities and development. The authors offer a unique perspective on how to effectively minister to the people of sport through a relationship-based, sport-value approach.”
Christian Paths to Health and Wellness.
By Peter Walters and John Byl. (2008). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
This textbook grew out of several years of thinking and shaping various approaches to engaging Christian scholars teaching health and wellness in contributing to the writing of a textbook on health and wellness from a Christian faith integration perspective. Members of CSKLS and its board strongly supported this initiative providing workshop time at several conferences and assisting in networking necessary to allow this text to be written with critical input from the membership. Furthermore, the two authors contributed essential writing skills, up-to-date empirical understanding of the current student population they were addressing, and cutting-edge knowledge of health and wellness while bringing these together from a faith integrative perspective.
Various editions, some with study guides: us.humankinetics.com Search for Christian Paths to Health and Wellness.
Original book in paperback: Purchase on Amazon
Good game: Christianity and the culture of sports.
By Shirl Hoffman. (2010). Waco, TX. Baylor University Press.
From the back cover: “Remarkable in its scope, ranging from early Roman Imperial games to contemporary athletic contests of every kind, this volume provides a powerful examination of the relationship between sports and Christianity.”
The Strong Temple: A Man’s guide to developing spiritual and physical health.
By Wayne Jacobs. (2015). Westbow Press.
“Developing good health habits, selecting the right foods, getting enough exercise, and managing stress are important. But did you know that a Christian man’s wise health choices hold benefits beyond the physical? They can lead to a lifestyle that supports spiritual values and lends strength for the faith journey. Mark 12:30 teaches, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all of your mind and with all of your strength.” In The Strong Temple: A Man’s Guide to Developing Spiritual and Physical Health, Dr. Wayne Jacobs gives men the tools they need to adopt a personal wellness plan to help them do just that.”
In Him we Move: Faith Reflections in Biomechanics.
By J.D. Ventura (2018).
This collection of short reflections was developed to go alongside an introductory Biomechanics course. It can be used by an instructor when preparing her heart and mind for instruction or it may be assigned to students at faith-based institutions as supplementary reading. Each unit has an overarching theme, which the entries all tie into. The title of each entry refers to the biomechanics topic being covered in the course. You will find that much of the content is not my own, but sampled from theologians, teachers, medical professionals and even persons with disabilities. My purpose is not to teach but to encourage dialog with the Spirit in our spirit surrounding these themes.
Faith integration, Then and Now: Integrating your faith, your discipleship, and your life
By Wayne Jacobs and Karen Jacobs, Letourneau University.
White Papers
In 2013, CSKLS President Dr. Tom Visker proposed developing a series of “White Papers” that would articulate a Christian perspective on several key CSKLS topics including: 1) Biblical understanding of the body; 2) Role of leisure in the Christian life; 3) Creational stewardship and recreation activity; 4) Role of physical activity in the Christian Life; and 5) Christian sport participation. Dr. Visker’s vision was to provide a resource for Christian scholars and others who might be interested in exploring these topics in more detail. Although this project is still in process, several of these papers are now available for your review and use.
Coming Home to our Father
By Don DeGraaf (Spring 2014) For the Christian Society of Kinesiology & Leisure Studies.
Role of Leisure in the Christian Life
By Paul Heintzman (Spring 2014) For the Christian Society of Kinesiology & Leisure Studies.
Role of Physical Activity in the Christian Life
By Julie A.P. Walton (Spring 2015) For the Christian Society of Kinesiology & Leisure Studies.