The New Cathedrals

On Sunday, December 13 I took a day off from being a presiding pastor and went to the Houston Texas football game with my wife and friends. I get 4 Sundays off per year and I had only taken 2 up to this point so it was good! As we walked from our overpriced parking space way out in the boonies we passed hundreds and hundreds of people completely surrounding the stadium doing the tailgate thing which is really a misnomer. It isn't tailgating so much as it is huge party tents and hundred and hundreds of magnificent BBQ's going. This isn't an exaggeration. We walked around the old Astro Dome and there is was--huge and imposing--Reliant Stadium. On this Sunday morning more than 70,000 men, women, and children of all ages pouring in.

That is when it struck me. Our beautiful football, basketball and baseball stadiums perhaps have become our new cathedrals. Here is where people pay outrageous prices for tickets, parking, food and beverages. The BBQs must be the new places where animals are sacrificed and eaten!

The new huge TV that hangs in the new Dallas Cowboy stadium cost more than the new co-cathedral of the Catholic Church in Houston!

I enjoyed myself that Sunday. Our Texans won the game. I noticed that most of the people around us only glanced occasionally at the game and spent most of the time eating, drinking and talking with their friends.

Sometimes it causes me to wonder. Our worship services can't competed with the carefully choreographed (and very loud)pregame, halftime and post game activities. But it is in the Church were I hear the glorious Gospel of Christ and God's love for us all. Come to think of it, the first Christmas wasn't all that choreographed. Thousands didn't attend...just a few to usher in the king of kings and lord of lords.
Man builds all kinds of cathedrals to house what seems important to them. God builds the lives of all who worship Him. I'll stick with God.

I will still go to football games because I like football, but on most Sunday mornings I will be in worship except when on vacation when I usually visit other chruches.