In some respects the church today is like a football game. Bud Wilkinson, football coach of the Oklahoma Sooners before he joined the President’s Physical Fitness Program and later became a commentator for ABC, was asked, “What contribution does professional sports make to the physical fitness of Americans?” To the surprise of no one, he answered, “Very little. A professional football game is a happening where thousands of spectators, desperately needing exercise, sit in the stands watching 22 men on the field desperately needing rest.”
That could well describe the typical church today. A host of spectators and a handful of participants. We flock into our churches by the hundreds on Sunday to watch the professionals perform. And if the pro’s a real champion, chances are the stands will be packed. If not, it’s usually a different story.