Mark Tronson asked how the presence that Margaret Court bought to the tennis court has been translated into her Ministry? Margaret Court explained that sports champions are sensitive people, that as a child she always fought to win whether in tennis or athletics. She went to bible school, she was healed of a number of ailments and her life was changed. Her life was renewed by the Word of God, the Scriptures.
The next issue raised was that determined look on Margaret Court's Australian Postage Stamp and does she bring this same essence into her powerful preaching. Margaret explained that this attitude of focus has always been part of her life. It comes with you wherever you go, and in her case, Margaret Court explained that it transfers across to Ministry, Preaching, Training, Discipline, Devotions, she is focused. Moreover it is the Grace of Christ that enhances that focus to way beyond she could have achieved herself.
Being an iconic tennis star with celebrity status, Mark Tronson asked how that affects ministry. To answer Margaret Court gave an example of being in Sri Lanka on one occasion where she was with 5,000 people living on a rubbish tip, and the next day was with the nation's political leaders. In her view, Ministry to both is equally important as regardless of who you are, there is unsettled business in your heart. There is no perfect person, everyone has issues and problems.
And what of the secular media who find it so difficult to ever raise the issue of her Christian ministry as opposed to her tennis roles, such as presenting the 2010 Australian Open Women's Trophy?
Margaret Court explained that it continues to be a drama as she is a tennis player, an ordinary person, but the term Reverend brings with it a status of being 'something different' although the overseas media have no problem with this at all. Christianity for Margaret Court is part of everyday life. It is a reality within you, she explained.
She always knew her tennis was a gift from God. Life is a battle of the mind, and tennis was like this, as is her Christian life. Everything happens in the mind. Margaret Court said she would have won 6 Wimbledon Titles had she had the where-with-all of understanding the peace that Christ brings to one's mind. There is a strength and a power within the mind that Christ speaks into, it is the Heart of the Christian's armoury, Jesus Christ is the very Word of God.
In her early years after her elite tennis, she suffered from a torn heart valve, insomnia and depression, especially when her four children were tiny tots. It was the Word of God that she took into her heart that healed her, and Margaret Court quoted the Word: "As a man thinketh so is he". Jesus Christ proved a wonderful miracle into her heart.
The, how does Margaret Court find her own respite? Simple, she has to make time, it becomes a deliberate decision. But in saying that, Margaret Court made the following points:
One, make the time
Two, she has trained up a wonderful group of people in the church
Three, She concentrates on pulpit preaching
Four, the Christian walk is so exciting – more than tennis
Five, it's different all the time, every day something new …
Margaret and Barry have four adult children who have families of their own. And as a grand-ma of six little ones all under seven, who are teaching you all the time, it's a lot easier running the church than it is too be the grand-ma baby sitter of all six at once.
This Margaret Court interview by anchorman Mark Tronson can be viewed on the Australian Missionary News IPTV at either
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/Professionals/videopages/margaret_court.html
OR www.safeworlds.net