Super Sunday

I caught part of the Dan Patrick show on ESPN radio today when going back and forth to work. He was discussing a case between a church and the NFL. As many churches do, this particular church was hosting a Super Bowl party with a large projection screen TV. The NFL has stepped in and stopped the party from taking place. I guess it is illegal to host a party with any screen larger than 55″ in a public place, even if you don’t charge admission.

It is interesting how this debate has developed. I am not suggesting this is how it came about in this particular church, but in the church in general over time. The church notices it’s own people are not coming, so they call off the service. Then the pastor of evangelism decides to piggy back on all of the NFL’s marketing and make their church relevant. Here are a few quotes from the Miami Herald from a few days ago:

Pastors say they are seizing on the event to recruit new members and market themselves as culturally relevant, laid-back revelers rather than buttoned-down puritans.

”It allows the church to show the gospel in action,” said Daryl McCray of Mission Miami, a coalition of South Florida churches that has been recruiting volunteers to work at the NFL Experience, which starts today at Dolphin Stadium and runs through next Saturday.

I really would like to hear how having a Super Bowl party shows the gospel in action. Anyway, This debate has moved from the church saying, no this is the Lord’s Day (Funny thing is Dan Patrick even said the NFL should not step in because this was after all the Lord’s Day) we should not watch football, the Lord’s Day stopped being a big issue so we moved to, No we should not replace worship with a football party, now Super Bowl parties are fairly accepted and we have moved to the NFL having to step in and say, no you should not mix church and the NFL. Obviously the NFL is more concerned about money than God, but maybe we should stop and listen.

And before I finish typing this, while wearing my Manning Jersey, GO COLTS!