In the run-up to the Women’s World Cup Final, questions were being asked about whether church services would be cancelled or moved or made shorter so churchgoers could watch the match, which kicked off at 11am on Sunday 20th August, when many of them would be “in church”. The headline of an article in the Times was deliberately provocative: “Skip worship and pray for the Lionesses, says church.” The journalist’s justification for this claim comes from a quote from the Bishop of Derby, Rt Revd Libby Lane, who is, apparently, the Church of England’s Bishop for Sport. Bishop Libby said, “I know lots of people will want to watch the match live. That is fine from the Church of England’s point of view. Others will prefer to go to church and avoid knowing the score until they can watch the match on catch-up, and that is fine, too. Church services happen at different times in different places, so people can choose one that is right for them.” At one level, I agree – it really would be quite simple for folk to watch the match and attend a service of worship. But there’s more at stake than merely attending a church service.
Much could be said about this, but I will address just one aspect. Part of the beauty of Christianity is that we are adopted to be children of God. The Bible is quite clear that, left to our own devices, we would prefer to run our lives without reference to God or his ways except where we perceive them to be beneficial to our own happiness. Ultimately, however, this does not lead to happiness, but to never-ending dissatisfaction – let’s face it, how could a life designed to thrive in God’s presence ever truly flourish by constantly seeking to avoid God? But God, in his amazing love, calls us, as the Apostle Peter wrote, “out of darkness and into his marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9.) Peter continues, helpfully, in the next sentence: “Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.”
Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people. Once you were rebels striving against God’s ways, but now you are God’s beloved children. As people come to faith in Jesus Christ, God adopts them into his family. He becomes their heavenly Father – perfectly protective, endlessly benevolent and steadfastly loving. They become his precious children, gaining not only an eternal inheritance in the kingdom of God and the right to approach his throne day and night with any and every request, but also a family – brothers and sisters around the world and throughout history who share in the Father’s deep and enriching love. And most precious of these are the brothers and sisters who walk with us most frequently, sharing our joys and sorrows, teaching us and encouraging us on our journey of faith – our local church family. These are those for whom we are to exercise special care; even as they look out for us, so we are to support and uphold them. They are a precious gift from God to us, just as we are a precious gift from God to them.
In light of this, I would like to encourage you all – or at least those of you who identify yourselves as Christian – to ignore the bishop’s ill-judged comment (which relegates worship to an individualistic “me-and-God time”) and instead to prioritise the spiritual care of the priceless family God has given you by getting yourself along to church on Sundays.
May God’s love for you overflow into love for his other children.
Image by Milton Galvan from Pixabay