Watching college football has lost some of its appeal for me lately. The rise of NIL has left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth … though I doubt my personal frustration will dent the sport’s popularity. Still, it’s made me think about something more profound than athletics. 

I recently came across a list by a man named Jordan Wilson. I don’t know him, but his “12 Reasons Why Christians Don’t Attend Sporting Events” felt strangely familiar. Of course, he’s speaking tongue in cheek. As you read them, you may find yourself smiling … and then realizing you’ve heard these same reasons somewhere else before:

1. The coach didn’t come to visit me.
2. Every time I went, they asked for money.
3. The people sitting in my row didn’t seem very friendly.
4. The seats were uncomfortable.
5. The referees made a decision I didn’t agree with.
6. Everybody in the stands was a bunch of hypocrites.
7. Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.
8. The band played some songs I had never heard before.
9. The games are only scheduled on my day to sleep in and run errands.
10. My parents made me go to games when I was younger.
11. I read a book on sports, so I know everything there is to know about it.
12. I don’t want to take my children because I want them to decide for themselves which sports they like best.

When framed this way, the excuses sound a little thin, even silly. Most fans would never abandon their team over uncomfortable seats, bad calls, hypocritical spectators, or inconvenient schedules. Loyalty runs deeper than that.

And that’s the point. When we swap the stadium for the sanctuary, the humor fades. The church was never meant to be a place of perfect people. It is the gathering of redeemed sinners around a gracious Savior.

If we can endure inconvenience, disappointment, and imperfection for a game that lasts a few hours, surely, we can persevere for the Gospel that offers eternal life. The question we must present to this world isn’t whether the church always gets everything right, but whether Christ is worth showing up for.

This article was written by state missionary Rob Jackson.