Football & Church

I'm so excited because College Football is almost here.  Of course, high school football has already started, and the NFL will kickoff a week from today.  I'm a football junkie.  I admit it.  I.  LOVE.  IT.  I come from a football family.  My daddy played high school football and my brother is a high school football coach.  If wasn't a pastor, I imagine I'd be a football coach, too (that is, after I crashed and burned on Music Row as an aspiring Country Music Singer...but I digress). 

Now, I love many sports.  I watch basketball and baseball.  I played both of those along with running track while growing up.  I like a good tennis match, went to gymnastic meets in college, enjoy jogging, watch all the Majors in golf, and, like most of us, was glued to the television during the Olympics watching sports I never get to watch and know very little about.  However, football is king to me.  And I think I know why I like it most.  I know, I know, you're going to think I'm reaching here.  But football is most like church to me.

In basketball, everybody is tall and skinny.  Soccer has a bunch of skinny little guys running around.  In boxing and track, everybody is chiseled.  In sumo wrestling, everyone is huge.  In baseball, most players are fit, but look like the average joe.  You can succeed in most sports with a group of guys or gals that all look just alike.  A football team takes all kinds and needs all kinds to succeed.

There is no place for the 6'3, 310 pounder in basketball.  There is in football.  It's called guard.  There is no place for the 5'11, 180 lb speedster in sumo wrestling.  There is in football.  It's called cornerback.  Football needs huge guys to play line, medium guys that can run to play linebacker and running back, guys that can fly to play receiver and defensive back, cerebral guys with great hand/eye coordination to play QB, and guys that are little, skinny dudes but can kick the snot out of the ball.  They're called kickers.  It takes all kinds.  When a bus full of basketball players or track stars or sumo wrestlers unloads, they look like cloned stormtroopers.  When a bus full of football players unloads, it looks as diverse as the United Nations. 

That's a lot like church or, at least, the way church out to be.  The church doesn't need clones.  It takes all kinds.  The Church needs people who can pray out loud or sing on stage.  She needs people that can play instruments but can't carry a tune.  She needs people that can work a sound board and people that love working with children.  She needs people that give large amounts of large incomes, and she needs people that give all they can out of small incomes but serve quadruple time.  She needs people that are number crunchers to handle the finances, and she needs people that can barely add but love to greet people with a hug, handshake or smile -- or all three!  She needs people with the gift of hospitality, and people that work behind the scenes.  She needs people that love teenagers.  She needs youthful enthusiasm and seasoned wisdom.  And, to make it all work, everyone (just like a football team) has to do their part.  The fast and slow guys.  The big and little guys.  The kickers and the QBs.  Everyone plays a role.  Football is the ultimate team sport, at least to me.  And church is much the same.  Many diverse parts working together for a common mission.

And it's sooooooo important that we do our part.  When a football team wins, it makes you feel good for a week.  When the Church wins, people go to Heaven.  What's your position?  Are you doing your part?