Churches Cancel, Move Services for Super Bowl Sunday

This happens all the time. Some churches will move their service up an hour and then hold a 'Super Bowl' party after the service.

You are on fire, Just-in!

Looks like the Broncos must have skipped out of Sunday services today too...

In all fairness to the brethren across the United States, but the Super Bowl has become something of an unofficial holiday in our country. Adjusting the church calendar to reflect this reality is not sinful or worldly. It's just practical, and a realization that people have lives outside of punching their church attendance clock. They like to have fun, and to have fun in the context of family, friends, coworkers, and other church people, outside of a formal church service or small group meeting. It's no different than adjusting the church calendar for other major holidays.

I think canceling all of Saturday night services is a bit excessive, and would definitely raise an eyebrow with me if my church did it. But dang... a church that normally has a Saturday night service. How many churches do you know that normally do that? Why the condemnation for this?

Perhaps the amount of volunteers needed during such a time suddenly become in short supply, and instead of brow beating people to show up and to volunteer and to come to church, that local church just realizes that getting together simply won't be practically possible. So instead of half-way doing a service with the few people they know will show up, they just decide to take off. What's wrong with that?

Additionally, while I am all for the brethren frequently getting together, and all the more as the day of the Lord draws near, I also realize that there are some times where many sincere and godly Bible believing Christians would rather do something besides attend another church service. Heck, in my own life, there are some Sunday mornings where I realize the best church I can go to is "Bedside" Baptist.

As somebody who has been active in ministry for over a decade now, I realize there are times where having a service is very difficult to pull off. For example, leading a small group between Thanksgiving and the middle of January is almost impossible. People are too busy with family, friends, and coworkers doing holiday stuff. As a result, I would suggest to anybody thinking of leading a small group in their area, that they should consider not doing so between Thanksgiving and Martin Luther King Jr holidays. If they do, they should think outside the box and make a style of meeting that will be a bit more festive and light hearted. And they should probably only do so on a bi-weekly basis, as people just won't be able to commit.

Most years I use the Super Bowl as a time to simply hang out with family and friends, and to enjoy some pretty awesome food. I've often thrown Super Bowl parties at my place. Church people often come. It's fantastic. I've used it as a tool to help build community around me. I put my hospitality gifts to use. It is something people have truly loved.

Of course during these times, you are welcome to host regular weekly Bible studies at the home of one of the brethren, or some other location, if you wish. But don't be so shocked if nobody comes, or perhaps only one or two come. For years I tried to have Bible studies during the Christmas holiday season, and often I found myself being the only one that would show up... and my groups really loved the Lord. At first I had a righteous and holy fit over these things. But then I decided it was much better to show grace instead. I've realized having another "church service" is not always the most profitable thing to do, and that people have lives outside of church related activity that is perfectly healthy.

The idea that the early church would have canceled their regular gatherings in recognition of some sporting event just doesn't sit too well with me. But maybe I'm being too legalistic in my thinking.

Not sure I like the attitude on this comments. What I am gathering is that those who love to watch the Super Bowl are carnal Christians because they skip Sunday night service to watch the service while the 'righteous' ones go to church. Really? Is that what it comes down to? I hear this accusations come and go year after year and to me it is nothing but pride dressed up in religious nonsense. What happens if one watches the game but not the half time show? I don't remember seeing the cheerleaders on tv.

Are Christians even allowed to have fun without a sermon thrown at the because an event falls on a Sunday and it happens ONCE a year?
Similar things happens around Halloween as well.

As an strict IFB would say that I know, help yourself to my words.

John

Just-in

what I read in your words is that Christians should not be able to do things in the name of fun because it is considered compromise in some way. It is ok if one has a food fellowship after church but don't include some kind of sports into it because then satan can enter in. This is what I perceive from your post.

Christian would have felt strange rooting along side unbelievers? Really? Do you think Christians should be away from worldly things so their faith isn't tampered in some way? Do you point the fingers at those who are Christians involved in sports at the highest levels because they are 'in' the world nevermind the witness they provide. How can you judge such things and use the early Christians as the holy grail to what you think probably happened back then?

How does that old saying go... A hit dog always hollers.

The enemy is Babylon, the mother of all Harlots, which is elsewhere called the great and abominable church (1 Nephi 13:4”“8). Babylon is a symbol of worldliness and evil, and therefore may be said to represent the devil’s power in this world. Those who remain in Babylon are those who follow the practices of the world and who do not accept the word of the Lord. Sometimes Satan’s persecution of the Church takes the form of aggressive persecution, such as killing the prophets or physically abusing the Saints. More often the persecution consists of social pressure against the humble followers of Christ. Those in the "great and spacious building” in Lehi’s dream mocked those who were pressing forward to partake of the fruit of the tree of life, and many became ashamed and fell away (1 Nephi 8:27”“33).

Butters, I think sometimes the wording we all have sometimes used here on SI, can make folks feel under some kind of condemnation. I think some of these words some use, might be intentional, but I also feel some folks reading these words, might read more into what is written. So at times, you really just back off for a moment and pray about it, and let the Holy Spirit guide you. Regardless of what man says "period" if I have prayed about it, and the Holy Spirit speaks to me differently, I always go with what Holy Spirit speaks to me.

This thread reminded me of this video I watched about a few weeks ago, of a Lutheran pastor who pretended to shorten the service to around a minute due to the game:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0mTmpoC0Eg

Many Christians called it blasphemous despite the fact that he was just kidding. I share the same sentiments.

Yes, moderation is important when it comes to sports and everything else. But to cancel an important gathering of the saints for such things? Just doesn't seem to me like our Lord or the apostles and early disciples would have seen any sports or holidays as being that important. Also doesn't seem to me that the persecuted church of today would cancel their meetings for such things either. I guess in the end we can agree to disagree.

Watching a football game with some guys roughhousing one another is hardly the same as watching the ancient gladiators in Rome literally kill eachother for sport.

I'm all for being "serious" and "sober minded." But if you think somehow these things are antithetical to "having fun," and that the end of Christianity and the church is to have nothing but an endless series of preaching services, prayer meetings, and to constantly seeking revival... then I think you've misunderstood the faith.

You are free to live like A.W. Tozer if you like. But I do recall that upon his wife becoming a widow, and marrying somebody else, she is reported to have said she was finally glad to have a husband. Tozer was a remarkable man, and I admire him on many levels. But this "sobering" comment his widow once made has struck me more powerfully than anything the man ever said in his entire life.

There is an attitude one can take that seems like it is "holy," but has nothing of the life of Christ in it. Remember, Jesus was so holy that he hung around people who liked to party. And apparently he had a good time while doing it, and didn't sit in the corner and secretly weep for the sins of the world while he watched everybody carry on. Jesus was so into the social scene of his day that the Pharisees accused Jesus of being somebody who got a bit carried away at the gatherings they often found Him in. As it is, do you think the sinners he was reaching out to would have constantly invited Him back to feast with them had Jesus been something of a stiff?

Great post Jimmy! sin is sin is sin, and this is why God sent his "only son" into this world, to be a sacrifice for "ALL" our sins, he did not send Jesus into this world for sinless people. Yes! we all want to do the best we can to become like Jesus, but you never will live a sinless life on earth, if so you would not longer be of any use to the Lord. We are regenerated in our human spirit, given a new nature, but the old nature has not been removed.

Sin is the transgression of the law (I John 3:4). So any command by God that is not obeyed perfectly would be defined as sin. Paul said , "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23) which would include everything we do. The Bible says "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” We have a fallen nature and for this reason we need to be born again or have a spiritual birth. Rom 3:10 As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one Jesus said to the rich young ruler who approached him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God, (Mark 10:18). Only God is intrinsically good, only God by His nature does good and does it all the time. The wages of sin is death and saints die just as sinners die. This proves we still have a sin nature along with the new nature.

The Bible makes this clear. Sin is still present with the believer, we are in transition to eliminate it once and for all. What I personally see here a "LOT", is folks that are sinners, hand pick things they may not do and call it sin, I would guess there might be a reason for this, they are jealous because they would like to be "for example" "watching the ball game" and hate it that others can, but are concerned about that "ONE" sin in their life, when they go about their day sinning in other ways. The most powerful scripture on sin in my world is, when Jesus said in John 8:7, So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

We all need to also realize, even if the Pastor did decide to move, adjust "call it what you want" the services, the congratulation is not to be held accountable for the Pastors actions. Unless of course now, if God is holding us accountable for others actions, but I have not read that scripture. I guess some could have just went into the sanctuary that day,"if it was open" and Prayed for the Church. Maybe some did, but that would be good news, we don't like in today's world, to spread the good news of the world, only the bad, this is why social media prospers.

"On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come."-1Cor.16:2

I guess some would be okay with the idea that in our day Paul might have said instead, "Unless there is this or that holiday or sporting event going on, on the first day of the week devote some special time to set aside an offering for the saints."

No, Paul and the early church prioritized the things of God above the things of this world. We see that throughout the book of Acts and church history. In many respects they were considered social outcasts and were hated for their peculiar faith in Christ, just as Jesus had prophesied would happen.

So why did Christ mingle with the tax collectors and prostitutes and attended some of their social gatherings? Mainly, to reach them with the message of the kingdom of God, the message of repentance and faith in Himself. There is ample evidence throughout the Gospels that He preached the Word of God everywhere He went. He was always about His Father's business.

That is not to say that there is no place for recreation in the Christian life. My concern is that too many of us, myself included, have often made a god of entertainment and recreation. And when we hear some kind of reproof for it we are quick to throw the legalism and pharisee card.

I think most churches canceled their Sunday evening meetings, if they stil have them as it is, for the Super Bowl. I'm sure most had a Sunday morning service. I'm not aware of any churches canceling their Sunday morning service. It doens't sound like any of the churches mentioned in the original post did.

So... what's the big deal if they still met at some other time during the week? And even if they did cancel all of their Sunday services for whatever reason, and didn't meet on an alternate day... so what?

There are times throughout the year where I miss the occassional week of going to church in any way, shape, or form. Is that a sin? Am I going to hell? Sometimes I wake up on a Sunday morning and simply do not want to go. Or sometimes I'm out of town. Or sometimes I simply have some other things I need to take care of. Or sometimes I just want to spend the day with my wife, doing other things.

Yet there are other weeks that I go, even when I don't feel like it. Or there are weeks I go several times a week. Or there are weeks where I'm found ministering somewhere, or preaching on a street corner, or spending time writing and what not.

The church, her life, and my ministry are a HUGE part of who I am. My life is wrapped up in her, as I am a servant of God for her. I've been walking with the Lord faithfully for about 15 years now. I know the Lord pretty well, and have spent a lot of time with Him, and have spent a lot of time ministering to the saints. I'm pretty sure Jesus would've been at the Super Bowl party on a Sunday night. Or maybe He would've just stayed at home and read.

I'm pretty sure all is well with the church if everyone played hookie on a Sunday night to watch the Super Bowl. The church has many problems today. This isn't really one of them.

And for my South American or European brethren... I'm sure Jesus would've been watching Soccer's "World Cup."

*edited*

It's only a ball game! Isn't it?

The passion with which some a defending their 'right' to schedule their day around such an event makes me wonder.
Casting stones toward past men of God and portraying Christ as a party goer really reveals a heart problem.

Nothing wrong in itself watching a sporting event, but why such passion and why would any Christian want to elevate such an event in the same way the world does. The world does not have true life, they only have these things to look forward to. If we truly value the life we have in Christ, why would we want to put that aside for a football match? Maybe it says more about the lack of life in the church gatherings??

Here is the reason we will not see revival in the west any time soon.

I just want to add some clarification my previous post.

As I see it, it is not about whether you attend a Sunday evening service or how many church services you attend. I generally don't attend the church evening service, but NOT because something else takes priority.

If a church decides not to have a Sunday evening service because it see no value in it, then fine. But the issue here is that churches that normally have a meeting at a particular time (because I trust they see value in it), then want to cancel ONLY because there is a football match on! Surely this should make us check where our heart is and what is really important to us.

While I get the "checking the heart" and "priorities" aspect of all this, most people who go to Super Bowl parties and such use it as a meaningful time to simply bond with their family and friends.

Meaningful and important social connections happen at events like this. It's more than just another football game to most people. Most people don't really care about either team that is playing. They go because they know they'll get a chance to hang out and talk to family, friends, and have some pretty good food.

There is a time for everything under the sun. Including a "time to laugh." I see events like the Super Bowl as an opportunity to do such.

And in regard to passion, I am passionate about this. Not the Super Bowl per say. I really don't care that much about football, and none of my teams ever really get the chance to go to the big game as it is. I am passionate about this because I feel sometimes we as the church make big deals out of nothing... and then sit around and wonder why nobody wants to play with us and hear about our Jesus.

Yeah Bill, why is that?

respectfully,
Oracio

Mr.Bear, read Revelation 17:1-7 it speaks the same, sorry must be the old man in me bringing us those scriptures before I came to Christ. Some of us were drug heads, alcoholics, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon etc. before we came to Christ, I guess all that really should matter now is that we came to Christ. Yes I do still slip up every now and then, please forgive me.

So Mr. Bear, no Mormons/x mormans are welcome in your house? or on this forum? just asking.

HezWelling...trashing Dr. Tozer with gossip from his widowed wife.

oh lovely.....a very mature witness to a global audience.

I'm not dumping on Tozer. But what his wife said about him is not hearsay but fact. It is documented in his biography for all to read. It serves as a reminder that ones spirituality needs to hit home first. Love your family, love your neighbors. Do so by spending lots of time with them. Pray less if you must.

Ok guys and gals, my work is done here, the edifying has gone south, if there ever was any edifying on this thread. :)

Mr. Bear, Thanks for your response, it was perfect.
God Bless!

But the issue here is that churches that normally have a meeting at a particular time (because I trust they see value in it), then want to cancel ONLY because there is a football match on! Surely this should make us check where our heart is and what is really important to us.

The thread title in itself is not a value judgment, but it incites our minds to form a value judgment. Did it do that for you? It did for me.

Let’s admit, we have an obsessive need to divide everything into a black or white category: good or evil, righteous or unrighteous. I guess that’s what fuels debate and keeps a forum running. But the outcome of our speck ”“appraisal role is perpetual division. And we are missing the mark. In fact, it might incite in us a feeling of self-righteousness: "Thank God, I’m not like them!!!!” …. Oops ”“ that’s the log in my own eye!

As I understand, God doesn’t confine himself to our black and white categories. It is God’s nature to bypass all the "righteous” and use the most outlandish sin conditions for his glory.

Can we trust God for that - even in this case of church cancellations?

Or maybe God is quietly working in our hearts - using this very topic to expose our propensity to be speck inspectors.

Diane

We should take the rose colored glasses off and tone down the celebrity preacher worship. We have such romantic notions about dead preachers, and should stop making them the stuff of myths and legends. Men such as Tozer may have indeed been giants of the faith, but that doesn't mean they were not still flawed men, with personal hang-ups from whose behaviors we can learn much of what to do, and what not to do.

Frankly, to read of how Tozer treated his wife i.e. making her walk miles in the cold to church in Chicago because he refused to buy a car, because he wanted to give half his paycheck back to the church and refuse most wage increases, or refusing to have house guests that he entertained as he did not like people coming over, and leaving her to almost single handedly tend to the raising of their children while he stayed busy at praying, preaching, writing, and consulting... it leaves much to be desired for Tozer as a husband.

I'd rather be more like my father, who while praying a lot less, has loved his wife and family much more warmly, and there isn't a single cross word any of us could say about my father on any level. Nobody but us will remember my father after he is gone one day. But when it comes to being a father and husband, I'd rather emulate the life of my dad rather than the life of Tozer. Such will impact the generations that follow me for years to come, long after men stop reading Tozer.

Chapter and verse?

We hear far too many stories about men who were tremendous preachers, but whose families suffered greatly in ways they ought not have suffered. Like the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians, the married man has divided interests, which is why he suggested that people should prefer being single over being married. Because if you are married, you have legitimate family interests that must be tended to. Paul never said you can forsake being a family man in the name of preaching about Jesus. If you have a wife and kids, those must be tended to deeply, and ministered to on a very practical and emotional level. A level that goes beyond punching the church attendance clock.

If you are married, your wife should be left feeling like Solomon's wife, loved and cherished above all else. She should not have to suffer such feelings of lack of warmth of affection just because her husband is called to preach. Solomon had other wives and concubines and a kingdom and a ministry to run. He was a busy man. But he still made that one woman feel deeply cherished and glowing with loving affection towards him. As a result, we have one of the longest books in the Bible that memorializes this love. Allegorize the book all you want, but Song of Solomon is still primarily about the love of a man for his woman more than it is a book about the love of Christ for his church.

There are great sacrifices she may have to make as a pastors wife, but alienation of affection should not be one of them.

Tozer's wife should serve as a sobering reminder to us all. Love the Lord with all your heart, give yourself over to service to Him. Make great sacrifices. But don't screw up your home life in the name of Jesus. Make your wife feel like a queen. The memory of your wife and children regarding you as husband and father and the legacy you leave behind for them is the ultimate seal of your witness. The souls you preached to and the books you wrote are not.

By all accounts, Tozer's wife was a godly woman. What she said should not be overlooked.

*edited*

Jimmy, I may be in the minority here, but I find your unpopular convictions spot on. There is a legitimate, God-ordained time for all things (except for sin, of course) and if a man has liberty in his spirit to watch a sporting event, or have a glass of wine and dance at a wedding, he can do it with a clear conscience unto the Lord and be free from all condemnation.

This concept is so simple, you would think, but I have found the correct understanding of "Christian liberty" is at the PhD level in God's school. This is partly because of the influence of preachers and teachers who pontificate that the only useful Christian is one whose face is literally buried in the Bible 20 out of 24 hours a day and whose pockets are bulging with index-carded memory verses and who eschews all forms of social recreation and "fun" so as to not hinder the obbligatory span of secret, monastic prayer needed to ward off God's displeasure and keep him from becoming an unprofitable servant.

I used to be one of those specimens. As a result, I was no use to God or man. My family suffered. My poor wife would do all the cooking, bath the kids, do the dishes, put them to bed, fold the laundry -- all while I sat selfishly at the living room table with a cup of tea and my face buried in the book of Ezekiel. Some man of God I was! I had a lot of growing up to do. It took her on the verge of leaving me and taking the children before God could teach me that Jesus would be in the kitchen, helping with the dishes. Jesus would be on the carpet with the toddler, loving on him and being a fun dad and playing Candyland with him before putting him to bed. How blind I was: I actually thought all the forced clock-watching prayer (after all, didn't one preacher say if you didn't pray at least five hours day, you were worthless to God?) and Bible reading (up to that point I was reading through the entire Bible 4 times a year for about 8 years straight) would make me a candidate to be used by God like John Sung or D.L. Moody or Finney. But like Tozer's, my wife (to which God wanted me to be the caretaker and representation of Christ's love while on earth) was miserable, neglected, forlorn. She told me she felt like a single mom. The kids would always go to her to meet their needs and have their questions answered. It was as though I didn't even exist.

Fortunately, we find examples in scripture of this sort of imbalance. Like Samuel, who was so busy prophesying that his own family was neglected and his children went astray. I don't want my children to turn from God because I was too busy in the spiritual to throw a football, play Candyland or take them to Disney World. And I really don't care about what other believers think; I am mature enough to understand Paul's teachings of "whatsoever you do" and "whether you eat or drink" and "do all things" and "all things are allowed but not all expedient" in relation to the pure conscience to not allow myself to come under condemnation through the legalism of others who do not have light on these verses.

If you lose your family, you lose out completely, no matter how spiritual your engagements are. My ministry flourished the moment I stopped trying to be so holy and returned to earth. Prayers became spontaneous and unforced, light flooded in on verses which had remained dark for years, despite all my repetitious laborings and color-coded index cards. Books suddenly poured out of me and my children have a hunger to know about Jesus (and they come to me now with questions!), and my wife now has someone to help carry the household labor and heavy burdens.

I hope when I am gone, my wife and my children will give a testimony that being with daddy was as close to being with Jesus that you can get on earth, though daddy was far from perfect in the flesh. In truth, I want to set a very high standard for my daughter's future husband to match!

Thanks Paul.

As some of you know, I am a recent newlywed. In getting married, I had to move across town and changes churches. On the way out the door, I talked to one of the pastors at our church, who knew my heart and devotion to the Lord, and knew how greatly I labored during my single years. On average, I conducted 3 small group bible studies a week for several years, not to mention regular church attendance and being involved in other capacities. I made the most of my singleness. Knowing that after changing churches, it would not be long before I would try my hand at getting involved in the ministry of the church, he gave me some sage like advice that went something like this:

Make the first year of your married life dedicated to nothing but your wife. Show her how deeply and fully you love her, and make that the foundation of your life and marriage. Serve her in everything, and simply be the best husband you can be. After a year, there will be time for ministry, and if you do this, you'll find that your wife will be more than willing to serve alongside of you in whatever ministry capacity you so choose. But always make her your number one priority.

Such, so far, is my plan. And in my entire life, I've never seen somebody so happy and full of joy whenever they look at me. Well, except when my snoring sometimes wakes her up at 1 am. But overally, a great feeling. She deserves such treatment, and I plan on treating her in such a way.

There is a time for everything under the Son.

There is a time for everything under the Son.

It’s worth noting too that even sin has its place in God’s scheme. Consider the prodigal parable. God used the younger brother’s sinful choices to draw him back home. Meanwhile the older brother, the "righteous” brother, missed experiencing the beauty of God’s mercy and grace.

There’s no reason why God can’t uses church cancellations to draw people to Christ ”“ be they the "older brother” types or the "younger brother” types... and even if takes years and even if there is no news release entitled: "God draws souls into the kingdom as a result of cancelled churches".

Here's a thought:
What matters most to you or I: a clean outer cup or a clean inner cup?

Diane

Make the first year of your married life dedicated to nothing but your wife. Show her how deeply and fully you love her, and make that the foundation of your life and marriage. Serve her in everything, and simply be the best husband you can be. After a year, there will be time for ministry, and if you do this, you'll find that your wife will be more than willing to serve alongside of you in whatever ministry capacity you so choose. But always make her your number one priority.

Some of the best marital advice I ever heard came from Zac Poonen via the Word of God: "Never let the sun go down on your anger." In other words, don't go to bed angry with each other. If you were the cause of the frustration, humble yourself and ask for her forgiveness before falling asleep. If she was the cause, you still humble yourself and ask her forgiveness for not being more like Jesus in allowing the situation to escalate to where it is now. Do it even though her back may be turned from you in bed and she won't accept it at that moment. Always be the first to humble yourself and ask for forgiveness for not bing more like Jesus in all situations, and God will rectify. It's absolutely 100% unfailingly true. It's the best advice I've ever heard, worth more than once hundred million dollars in counselling sessions.

If memory serves me correct, I also seem to recall Keith Daniels talking about this in a sermon I heard him preach several years ago. He talked about the strain the ministry was having on he and his wife, and their relationship. Without going into that many details, he talked about how he more or less gave all of that up for a brief period in time in order to save his relationship with his wife. He finally worked out a healthy balance between his devotional life/ministry, and his family life.

Granted, Keith Daniels still sounds like he logs countless hours in his devotional life and ministry. But whatever the case, he found something that worked for both he and his wife. And from what I've gathered is that things sound like they are good between the two again. He exhorted us in the sermon to do whatever it takes to make things work, no matter how hard.

Each relationship is unique. Some people have more needs than others. The apostle Paul said spouses should come together frequently for the sexual needs of one another, unless by agreement, for the purpose of prayer and fasting. In other words, "Your devotional life is not your own, it belongs to your spouse."

I would like to think this spills over into the other areas of our life too, when it comes to the day to day stuff. Most couples probably only need to engage in martial relations a couple times a week to get their sexual needs met. But they probably daily need help with cooking, cleaning, fixing stuff, taking care of the kids, making sure the homework gets done, and things like that... oh yeah, and taking time to say hello to one other and found out how their day went.

If after you've taken care of your wife and family, you have time to minister, then throw all of your extra time into that. You aren't single, and you don't have the right or calling to neglect your spouse and children.

I remember Dr. Charles Stanley talking to a woman in her 50's once. The woman said she felt like when she was in her 20's, that God had called her to be a full time missionary to somewhere in South America. Dr. Stanley was quick to remind her that even if God called her to do that years ago, God was currently calling her to be a mom. Sadly, Dr. Stanley didn't follow his own advice, and neglected his relationship with his wife, who after decades of marriage, divorced him, and for years, he and his son Andy have had a broken relationship. Such has left a blemish on his life and ministry.

I recall Paul Washer in his preaching, once talked about how he introduces himself to strangers. When asked what he does for a living, he said he was a husband. When people would further ask what he did for a living, he said he was a father. When people would further ask what he did for a living, he said when he can, he preaches some.

*edited*

I know we are probably getting slightly off topic here, but you mention Dr. Stanley and his relationship with his son as a result of the divorce. In my profession as a funeral director I can give countless stories of young men and young women whose parents reaped the ultimate crop of losing them to drug addiction, suicide, gang violence because of father/mother estrangement. The secular media will downplay it, but you ask any experienced mortician about the relational harmony of the young person's parents (unless it was a traffic accident or accidental drowning), and they'll tell you they are divorced, or estranged, or have other lovers, or the father abandoned the child, etc. We in the death industry know the overwhelming statistics.

This thread suddenly became redeemable. How about that :-)

The thread became redeemable because the topic has changed focus.

Paul & Jimmy, I am with you what you have both written in the last few post about wife and family and I would suspect many others are also. However the discussion was never about this, it was about a ball game....not the same thing as far as I can see.

you have succesfully changed the subject onto something different. Well done and I wish you well continuing. (How about changing the OP title though?)

The thread became redeemable because the topic has changed focus.

For me, the issue of the churches adjusting their scheduled service times for the Super Bowl, at least in my eyes, was not centered around any sort perceived wordliness that others were picking up on. Rather, it was centered around "family time," and realizing that such events as the Super Bowl or other holidays provide the opportunity to do things like bond as a family. Such in my eyes, is a very important thing to the life of the church, and is a thing the church would do well to capitalize on whenever possible. Fathers Day and Mothers Day are other noteworthy holidays where I think this is appropriate.

Of course, if you believe a family watching the Super Bowl to be no different than a family gathered around a pagan shrine and offering sacrifices to Molech, then I guess the conversation could evolve into something else. Perhaps it is wrong to watch the Super Bowl in and of itself.

I tend to think not. You might want to change channels for the half-time show though.

Quote.Evolved might be more accurate ;)

That's the problem with evolutionists, you just can't trust them to keep on topic! :)

That's the problem with evolutionists, you just can't trust them to keep on topic! :)[

It's really only an issue because some churches choose to have a Sunday night service, either for convenience of some of the congregation who want to sleep in on Sunday and read the paper or take their kids to soccer games(not that there's anything wrong with that), or because the church is too large to have just one service.

It would be a different matter if the church was canceling THE ONLY service on Sunday for an event like the Super Bowl.

So maybe the deeper question is whether a church should have multiple services on Sunday in order to convenience the congregation.

If churches wanted to be really mean they could schedule one service at 1 pm on Sunday. Then we would see who the true blue congregants are.

This whole topic is just silly, in my opinion of course.

Bro.Greg,
If I may ask questions,and speak my heart to our forum members?

First of all,Is this not the state in which ' the church' has come to?

Is it true that the farther we get from the light ( source),the less we can
Truly see? We know that the world is exceedingly dark,and getting darker.
Are we to love what the world loves?

I ask a question,..the 'Big Game' ,..What is in it?
Is there anything godly?.....Is there any thing ungodly?....Please!
What comes to mind ?Truly ?

Are we to be a set- apart,a peculiar people,..can't our greatest foe be those of our own household,if we follow God,because we love them so very much?....isn't ,He who lives in us,why the world will hate us?

Just questions we can all ask ourselves,

Because of Him,
elizabeth

I wonder if Jesus would have hung out at Matthew's house with all the sinners who were watching the super bowl. I sure hope not.

TMK..I wonder if Jesus would have hung out at Matthew's house with all the sinners who were watching the super bowl. I sure hope not.

I don't think so, Jesus was always about his father business. You know this thread really is not even relevant, because I doubt anyone missed the regular services on Sunday. Strange how no one mentioned the fact that maybe, just maybe there are some Christians on the panel that sets the times for the Superbowl, and they may have actually set the time to allow folks to attend their regular services. No, that would not be mentioned, why? that would be good news, most people don't like good news today, but with the hate and division our Governments have created I can understand.

When is the last time you have seen over 10 replies here to an actual good news thread? but lets get one that creates a big stink, were folks are as far apart as the east from the west, it will have 2000 views and almost 100 replies, like this one "Please give one clear scriptural verse for a pretrib resurrection" how many more threads on this subject are we going to have before someone finally wins? because it is really more about winning, right? if not, folks would move on and just agree to disagree. In an actual room setting, debates have a limited time, why? because even those folks know if the debate had an unlimited time table,"like allowed here" it would eventually turn into a riot.

Thank you Neil! What a refreshing message in these times of great apostasy! Halleluyah! God will have His triumphant remnant regardless! Don't lose heart! The Lord will continue to build His church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!

Here's another notable quote from that sermon:

"I had a woman came to me some time ago, she said to me, 'I don't like your church, you're always battling, there's always a scrap, a fight, you're always fighting.' She says, 'In our church, we have perfect peace.' I said, 'Madam I've been in many a graveyard, there's plenty of peace there, the peace of the dead! You can have that. We don't want the peace of the dead."

Apostasy. Sad condition of churches. Just think, most clergy are silent on the issue.

imo when churches put football games before God it is a clear sign of apostasy. I saw another video recently of a church in Colorado that had a big screen with the Broncos logo and you see them celebrating the big game at the church. Many churches have become houses of entertainment and idolatry instead of houses of prayer.

Another thought came to mind. I would submit that there are quite a few believers that don't like football. I personally know many. Why not accommodate them and keep the regular gathering times in case those believers show up due to not wanting anything to do with football. But I guess that wouldn't work if every single Christian in a particular church is into football.

Happened to stumble upon this David Platt clip and couldn't resist sharing it here. Hope I'm not being overbearing, will try to back off here after this:

http://vimeo.com/85159325