Keep uppy champion to show off tricks at church show

Football freestyler Dan Magness is dropping into the Christian Resources Exhibition next week to show off some of the skills that have made him a world record breaker.

Magness, 23, won the title of Guinness World Keepy Uppy Champion last year after managing to keep a football in the air for 24 hours. He followed that achievement by setting a new world record this year for the longest ever recorded journey while continuously kicking or heading a ball after managing to keep the ball up for 36 miles, stopping by every Premier League football club in London in the process.

Since becoming a Christian outside a nightclub five years ago, Magness sees his skills as an opportunity to share his faith.

He shares how he became a Christian: “I was with a couple of mates and must confess I was full of another kind of spirit. We saw some street pastors talking to clubbers and I thought to myself ‘I want to go talk to them’. Minutes later, they were telling me about Jesus.”

He continued: “God has given me a talent and I want to use it to praise His name. I don’t go out Bible bashing but it’s amazing how often I get to talk about Jesus to perfect strangers who watch one of my demonstrations.”

With the world set to go football mad during the World Cup next month, sports is dominating this year’s Christian Resources Exhibition.

New to CRE is a Sports Zone where Mark Blythe, administrator of UK Sports Ministries, will be on hand to give advice to the expected 13,000 visitors on how they can use sports activities to reach out in their communities.

He reckons the next 10 years will be a ‘golden decade’ for UK sport and that churches have a real opportunity for outreach.

“Millions play and follow sport in the UK,” explains Blythe. “With the 2012 Olympics, 2014 Commonwealth Games and possibly 2018 World Cup taking place on these shores, it has never had a higher profile.

“Visitors will get advice from people with years of experience sharing the Christian message in local sporting contexts.”

The Christian Resources Exhibition takes place in Esher from 11 to 14 May.