The Chess Fellowship

You can learn more about a man in six games of chess than in sixteen weeks of Bible study

Peter was a successful businessman who always enjoyed a casual game of chess. He often played with his friend Victor, a passionate mid-level chess player who not only loved the game but always talked about its potential to bring people together. One evening, while playing, Peter challenged his friend: "Why don't you start a chess club? I'll sponsor eighteen good-quality chess sets to get things going. I'll come around as often as I can, but I can't run it."

Victor accepted the challenge and asked his other friend, John, if he'd help establish and run the club. John's reaction was enthusiastic: "Yes, let's do it! Let's pour all we have into it and see how many men we can reach."

They got permission to host the club at the local library on Tuesday nights, seeing it as an opportunity not just to play but to create an environment where men could gather, engage, and grow in both skill and fellowship. Victor had long believed that men connect best through shared activities, and chess was the perfect medium for fostering meaningful conversations.

John made it his mission to arrive early, setting up the tables and laying out the chess sets before the other members showed up. He also made sure there were some refreshments and a small tip bin for members to contribute voluntarily. All donations went into a petty cash fund, which he managed to cover small expenses and keep the club running smoothly.

Victor took on the role of leader, ensuring the club ran smoothly. More than that, he made sure that each session is opened with a short Bible reading, a reflection, and a prayer. He saw faith and chess as complementary disciplines both requiring patience, strategy, and discernment. After the formalities and greetings, they would normally watch together a twenty-minute video about a specific aspect of chess and then comment on it. After that it's "line them up brother, let the game begin."

Peter and Victor managed to convince Eric Snider - a well-respected chess master in the city to visit the club twice a year. Eric would come and coach them on different strategies of the game, share insights into the world of chess, and tell stories about the players he'd met and competed against. To end the evening, the members would join forces—over a dozen players matching their skills against one master of the craft. They never beat him, but it was always great fun.

Mark Stein, a longtime Christian friend and mentor to Victor, often joined the club as a player and confidant. Over time, he became a spiritual father to many men in the group. Older and more experienced, Mark provided counsel to Victor and the club members, ensuring their meetings weren't just about chess but also about building character and brotherhood.

The goal of the club was simple: to remain informal, inclusive, and welcoming to all—whether beginners, intermediate players, or seasoned pros. And what began as a casual challenge turned into a well-structured, thriving fellowship.

The thing is, it doesn't happen by itself – it is like Stone Soup. One, two, maybe three guys have to take a part of their lives and pour it into building that "coral reef" on the barren seafloor. It takes a little bit of seed money, a lot of prayer, time, and commitment to get it going. There's a notion from the movie Field of Dreams: "Build it, and they will come." Well, the amount of life, meaning, and beauty you can create once the fish and sea life come to the coral reef is truly priceless.

In this story, you have Peter, the initiator and patron; Victor, not only the leader but also fulfilling the role of chaplain; and John, a true servant leader, treasurer, and quartermaster, making sure everything's ready when the men arrive on Tuesday evenings. Eric, the subject expert, the master, gives his time freely just to see how the game he loves reshapes the lives of ordinary men. And Mark, with his gray beard and big smile, became a trusted mentor and advisor to the whole group, driving home many evenings with a smile—or sometimes, tears of joy.

The moral of the story? You don't need to be a professional to start a group. All you need is a bit of humility, initiative, and a small group of men with the audacity to believe they can move the needle and change the world in a small, unique way.