Coaching Mission in an Apostolic Age

In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28, shortly after His resurrection, Jesus gives His followers the Great Commission: to go, make disciples, teach, and baptize—all under His authority and with the promise of His presence. This mission has not shifted. What does shift, however, is the cultural environment in which we are called to execute this mission. 

Every generation of Christians faces unique challenges, and in his book From Christendom to Apostolic Mission, Monsignor James Shea provides a helpful framework for understanding our current moment. He contrasts two cultural realities: Christendom and the Apostolic Age.

Christendom refers to a society where Christian principles shape the broader culture. In this environment, faith is reinforced by social norms. There are real benefits—cultural stability, shared moral frameworks, and a general support for Christian living. But there are also dangers. When faith becomes normalized, it can easily become nominal. Complacency sets in. Spiritual growth can stagnate because belief costs little.

In contrast, the Apostolic Age mirrors the world of the early Church—where Christianity is not the cultural default. In this social climate, living out the faith requires intentionality, courage, and sacrifice. While this brings challenges—raising children in the faith becomes harder, institutions face resistance, and compromise is often rewarded—it also produces something powerful: authenticity. Faith deepens. Witness becomes clearer. The cost refines commitment.

Many of the coaches, teachers, and administrators I speak with express a similar frustration. They look around their Christian schools and wonder why students and families don’t seem more engaged, more passionate, more “on fire” for their faith. Often, that frustration stems from a false assumption—that we are still living in Christendom.

We’re not.

Even in places that once felt culturally Christian, the reality has shifted. We are living in an Apostolic Age. And recognizing this changes everything.

It means we stop expecting the surrounding culture to reinforce what we’re trying to build inside the walls of our schools and athletic programs. Instead, we acknowledge that the world outside our campuses is often shaping our athletes and families more than we are. And that realization doesn’t lead to discouragement—it should lead to clarity and urgency.

So what do we do?

We get excited. We get intentional. And we adopt the mindset of the Apostles.

As Shea writes, “In an apostolic age every Christian is by necessity a witness and an evangelist.” This isn’t reserved for a select few—it’s the call for all of us, especially those leading young people.

For coaches and athletic leaders, this has direct implications. If we want to build programs of true excellence on Christian campuses, we cannot rely on sport itself to form character the way it may have in the past. Today’s sports culture—from youth leagues to the professional level—often reflects the values of the broader society: individualism, materialism, and self-promotion.

If we don’t intentionally teach Christian virtue, our athletes simply won’t learn it.

That means our coaches must go first. Excellence in sport must be rooted in excellence in faith. The witness of a coach—their integrity, discipline, humility, and love for Christ—matters now more than ever. In an apostolic age, formation is not accidental; it is deliberate.

At B3rd Athletics, this is the opportunity in front of us. Not to lament what has been lost, but to embrace what has been given—a chance to build something deeper, more intentional, and more transformative.

Every Christian school, every athletic department, and every coach must come to terms with the times we are living in. We need a strategy that reflects reality, not nostalgia. And above all, we cannot lose hope.

Because the mission hasn’t changed. And neither has the One who sent us.

-Coach Field