“Ted Lasso” is an AppleTv original show starring Jason Sudeikis as an American division 2 college football coach who is hired to coach an English Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, despite having never coached soccer before in his life. Coach Lasso is renowned for his Kentucky-fried accent and unwavering optimism but is also heavily ridiculed for both. When Lasso and his friend/assistant coach, Coach Beard, are hired they are met by nothing but overwhelming pessimism by the English community they enter.

This show is hilarious but heartwarming as it follows Lasso through building the trust and favor of an aggressive community of soccer fans, his new team and the club’s sponsor played by Hannah Waddingham all while dealing with his failing marriage. The character of Ted Lasso exemplifies a nearly unrealistic level of optimism and positivity when confronted by an overwhelming amount of negativity. While Lasso isn’t portrayed as a Christian necessarily, there are many lessons that Christians can learn by the wisdom and encouragement he imparts upon other characters. 

“You know what the happiest animal on Earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? It’s got a 10- second memory. Be a goldfish, Sam,” Lasso said to Sam Obisanya in season one, episode two.

Sam is a kind-hearted player for AFC Richmond, but beats himself up with every mistake he makes, especially when he is criticized by other people (mainly the arrogant Jamie Tartt). If there’s one thing Lasso hates the most, it’s when people are too hard on themselves, so he gifts Sam the goldfish metaphor to encourage him throughout the season.

Christians are called to not hold onto the mistakes they make, or the transgressions people make against them, and should identify by Christ, not by their mistakes. Instead, seek forgiveness from God and from others. According to Ephesians 1:7, everyone is given a chance of redemption and can be washed clean of whatever sin mars them.

“You know how they say that youth is wasted on the young? Well, I say don’t let the wisdom of age be wasted on you,” Lasso said to Roy Kent in season one, episode four.

Roy Kent is a hot-headed and incredibly talented athlete, but he’s also reaching the end of his career. He’s not as quick or agile as he used to be, therefore isn’t respected by younger players as much as he once was. This dynamic creates conflict between Kent and the up-and-coming and extremely arrogant Jamie Tartt. Lasso gives Kent this advice to challenge him to be a role model and keep accountable the younger men on the team, especially Jamie.

Christians are challenged to do the same when placed around younger believers, albeit a little less aggressive than Roy Kent would do it. In 1 Peter 5:2-3, Paul challenges Christians to “shepherd the flock of God...” and “...not [be] domineering over those in your charge, but [to be] examples to the flock.” Here Paul calls the mature church members to walk alongside Christians who are younger than them by faith and/or by age. The encouragement and discipleship of newer believers is vital in helping them to grow in their faith but to also grow in one’s own faith.

“One day, I was driving my little boy to school, and I saw this quote by Walt Whitman, and it was painted on the wall there. It said, ‘Be curious, not judgmental.’ I like that.” Lasso said to Rupert Mannion in season one, episode eight.

This line is delivered by Lasso while playing a game of darts against Rupert, the toxic ex- husband of the new AFC Richmond owner Rebecca. Rupert had made a habit of harassing and undermining Rebecca any chance he got, especially in situations pertaining to AFC Richmond. Rupert used his new girlfriend to purchase several shares of stock in AFC Richmond to become a partial owner again. In response, Lasso coerces Rupert into playing a high stakes game of darts. Lasso imparts this wisdom upon Rupert as Lasso catches up and beats him in their last set, all while warning Rupert against judging people before getting to know them.

Scripture speaks often about Christ being the only one qualified to judge people. Perhaps the most notable instance being in John 8:1-8 when Jesus tells the pharisees to cast the first stone at the woman accused of adultery if they have not sinned. Instead of being judgmental, Christians should get to know people who believe and act differently. Imagine if Jesus and the Twelve sat

around silently judging anyone who didn’t believe in God. What would the point of the church be if its members refused to reach outside of its immediate sphere of influence?

“So, I’ve been hearing this phrase y’all got over here that I ain’t too crazy about. ‘It’s the hope that kills you.’... I think it’s the lack of hope that comes and gets you. See, I believe in hope. I believe in belief,” Ted said to his players in season one one, episode ten.

“It’s the hope that kills you,” is a phrase that was well-known by the locals and people who had been living in Richmond longer than Lasso and Beard. It became known to them when Lasso tried to convince the owner of the local pub to have a little hope that AFC Richmond would win or tie their last game and not face relegation. Lasso used this to motivate his team and challenge their outlook going into a game many of them believed they were doomed to lose.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:18, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” A Christian’s faith is what sets them apart from the rest of the world. While going through a difficult time, leaning on Christ can seem like the hard thing to do, but having faith may be the only thing one can do in difficult times. Diving into scripture and spending time in prayer may give one some of the wisdom and patience to get through their problems.

“I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that’s being alone and being sad. Ain’t no one in this room alone,” said Lasso to the team in season one, episode ten.

At the end of season one AFC Richmond faced their nightmare, relegation. By losing their game they were dropped down to a lower league. Lasso comforts the team after the tough loss by validating how they feel, encouraging them to be goldfish and ensuring them that nobody on the team was alone. They were all struggling with the loss, but in different ways. For Roy Kent, he had to live with the fact that his last game ever played before retirement resulted in the relegationof his team, but Sam Obisanya just didn’t want to disappoint his father.

In Galatians 5:2 Paul writes, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” People are not meant to struggle alone, while Christ is sufficient that doesn’t mean he won’t place people in struggling people’s lives to comfort and support them. Just like the players of AFC Richmond, people struggle with issues for different reasons, but are often able to help each other through them. Therefore Christ-centered community is vital to a believer. The people a Christian surround them with can either be the reason they get through an issue or the reason they struggle with it longer. Encouraging one another when times are good makes one more likely to let someone help to bear each other’s burdens when times are more difficult.