Anyone seriously involved with sports or athletic related ministries should appreciate the historical perspective given in Muscular Christianity. Church & denominational leadership can also benefit from studying the dynamics between sport and evangelism provided here. This is not an easy read as it has the feel of a text book, however it is well worth the effort.

Tony Ladd and James A. Mathisen provide great insight into the sometimes rocky marriage between sport and evangelical Christianity. The plans and efforts of some of the greatest contributors to the development of sport in America--Amos Alonzo Stagg and James Naismith among them--are chronicled, and the serious reader will learn how evangelicals have attempted to link their love for Christ with their love for sport. The authors also challenge the reader to consider the future of this relationship in their "Afterword." The book is extremely thorough and well-researched, and the result is an intriguing, thought-provoking account of 100 years of muscular Christianity.