Christian Worship and the Superbowl
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2024 Blog #06
February 10, 2025
Christian Worship and the Superbowl
I watched the Superbowl last evening. It was quite an exciting game. Before it started, I assumed that it would be a hard-fought game, and I was rather surprised at how one-sided it was. For a while I thought that we might have the first shut-out in Superbowl history.
Of course, I hosted a Superbowl party as well. This was smaller than most, but still a lot of fun. Not much is better than gathering with friends to enjoy a great football game and to eat some tremendous food. People asked me “who do you want to win?” That was a real dilemma.
I usually support the NFC team because the Giants are in the NFC. I like to be loyal. Yet, this year, I have a hard time supporting the NFC team when the team from Philadelphia represents that conference. I have seen the antics and misbehavior of Philadelphia fans too often to root for any team from Philadelphia, despite which division they play in.
Also, there is another aspect of this. I am tired of Kansas City being in the Superbowl so frequently. It is getting boring to see them always in the big game. The only team that I would like to see make frequent Superbowl visits is the NY Giants, and I don’t see that happening any time soon. Frankly, I’ve been embarrassed to be a fan of the Giants the last few years.
So, I return to the initial question. For whom do I root? The fact is that I did not root for anyone. I simply enjoyed a fine game of football and did not care who won. No, my favorite teams were not playing. Yes, it was an imperfect game, but it was still football, and I enjoyed it.
I wonder if we should not apply these same principles to our worship. Should we not come and enjoy worship even if the services we attend aren’t perfect? I know people that “church hop” because they do not care for a minister or the style of a minister. Other I know have left congregations over the music or they did not like how an usher greeted them. These folks stay away instead of joining worship even if the worship service is less than perfect.
Please don’t mis-understand me. I am not in any way saying that we who conduct worship should be lazy and not do our best. We owe it to God to do things well and be true to the word we preach and “perform” to the best of our ability. Yet, the act of worship is much more than the people conducting it. Worship is good even if the presentation is less than perfect.
I am fortunate here in Glen Rock, NJ. The worshippers are wonderful people. The organist and the singers are the envy of all those around us. Our worship is better than most. Yet, I have been in worship services in other places where the service was not so good. Nevertheless, I was at worship, and worshipping is good, even if it was presented in imperfect ways by imperfect people
I enjoyed the Superbowl despite the teams playing and that the game was not played perfectly. I have attended services of worship that were far from perfect, but still worship was good to attend. Somethings transcend the people who are participating. May we always enjoy the Superbowl, and may we always attend worship, even services of worship that are led by those we don’t like. Worship is good for us. Let us never shy away from it.