Spectators

So, last night was the Super Bowl and we had a pretty full house for the event. Honestly, most of us weren't really that into the game. It was more about wanting to cheer AGAINST the Patriots. But it was a great time of food with friends, mostly old and some new.

But how many of our churches look like our Game Day Party? They consist of an event on Sunday where we get together with a bunch of likeminded people we have known for years. We watch the game being played by other people (missionaries, clergy, staff) and occasionally loudly complain about poor officiating. Commercial breaks are welcome and are sometimes the parts that are more interesting than the actual show. And we get to cheer for the good guys and boo the bad guys, trusting in the end that we are aligned with the winning team. And of course, there’s going to be a big celebration party when we win, one where we’ll act as though we were actually participating in the battle that waged on the field.

But there’s something funny about football that is unlike church. Afterward, you generally see more guys (and gals) go out, inspired by the show, and pick up a football and play. Maybe it’s just a dad playing catch with his kid. Maybe it’s a 4v4 game in the street. Maybe a bunch of folks form a league. And in that, maybe the NFL is doing a better job of making disciples than the Church of Jesus Christ. After the game, there are countless youngsters who dream of being the game’s MVP and leading their team to victory. And many if not most will try. And, truth be told, most will really enjoy just getting out there and being part of something thrilling and competitive where their unique talents make them contributors to something bigger than themselves. At the end of the “day” they will generally look back on the experience and be glad that they were part of the game.

But the church, not so much.