Why Buy This Book?
The Playbook of Deception is a practical, Scripture-anchored resource that exposes how today’s sports culture can quietly hijack faith, family, and mission. Through short fictional letters and insightful reflections, it equips parents, grandparents, mentors, athletes, coaches and youth leaders to recognize the enemy’s subtle strategies, cultivate godly character, and turn fields, courts, and gymnasiums into places of discipleship and spiritual formation.
Teams, churches, schools, and youth ministries are facing a powerful cultural pressure toward performance, status, and winning at all costs. The Playbook of Deception names these deceptions and answers them—letter by letter—with gospel truth, practical application, and conversation prompts that reshape how we show up in sports. It is ideal for family discipleship, small-group parent studies on teams & in leagues and parent-education for religious schools.
Bulk discounts available for teams, churches, schools, and ministries (15+ copies). Contact: lovegodlikesports@gmail.com to learn more.
Lynchburg Friends - bulk orders can be delivered free of charge in December and Individual copies can be ordered with several pick up dates & locations in and around the area. Contact: lovegodlikesports@gmail.com
***Not Available for Purchase until November 19th, 2025.***
Endorsements
“Brian Davidson is a Godly leader and gifted communicator, and that shines through in The Playbook of Deception. His style and approach make the material not only easy to understand but deeply impactful. As an athletic director and coach, I believe this book is a powerful resource for all teams and programs, helping leaders and athletes alike move from a transactional mindset to a truly transformational approach. Brian’s wisdom and perspective will equip anyone seeking to lead with integrity, purpose, and lasting impact.”
Paul Redgate
Athletic Director
Girls Basketball Head Coach
Liberty Christian Academy
Brian Davidson has done the Christian sports community a great service in writing this book. Brian is uniquely equipped to write this due to his extensive experience as a coach (both on the professional level and youth level) and as an international sports minister – he has truly seen it all!
As a father whose children were involved in youth sports, and now as a grandfather whose grandchildren are involved, I understand the temptations that are present – for parents and grandparents and the athletes themselves.
Brian’s book uses the unique approach of C. S. Lewis in the Screwtape letters to show how our spiritual enemy can and does use the environment of youth sports to lead us down sinful paths. It should serve as a wake-up call for Christian families to be on guard against these temptations as we encourage our children and grandchildren in the environment of youth sports.
I heartily endorse this unique book for anyone whose children (or grandchildren) are involved in youth sports.
—-Fred Ely, Retired Vice President of Serving In Mission (SIM) and Board Member of Missionary Athletes International.
What could possibly go wrong with your family actively and enthusiastically participating in youth and school sports? Plenty! In our sports obsessed culture, the enemy of our souls is actively, and deceptively, at work leading your children, and I dare say even you parents, down dangerous paths of idolatry, self-promotion, and harriedness. In The Playbook of Deception, Brain Davidson masterfully exposes the enemy’s plans to use sports to lead Christian families away from their first true love of Jesus. The answer is not to abandon sports participation, but to redeem it for God’s glory and the good of your family! Brian helps show us the way.
--- Tripp Johnston, Sports Friends Co-Founder, former investment banking executive, Board Chair of Chattanooga Christian School, and author of Soul Brothers