SPECTATOR OR PLAYER?

This may be a long post but I trust it will be of benefit to God's people.

We often speak about being committed to God and doing God's will, etc.

Our depth of commitment, however, is not evidenced by what we call ourselves or who we attach ourselves to....our depth of commitment is in what we DO.

We have heard the analogy regarding our love to our spouse by stating we can SAY we love them but if we don't demonstrate that love then what is it worth?

We say we have faith, but if that faith is not demonstrated in how we respond or what we do then what is that worth?

Similarly we could say that if we call ourselves a Christian but do not commit ourselves to follow Jesus Christ as Lord then what are we demonstrating to others?

I offer the following analogy:

An viewing professional sports on television or in person you may notice that there are many, often thousands, of spectators in the stands that are fans of a particular team.

The spectator is called a fan. Why? The word "fan" used in this context is a derivative of the word "fanatic". A fanatic is one who is a person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause. (The origin of the word is from the Latin "fanaticus" meaning to be inspired by the rites pertaining to a temple or a "fanum".)

What would you think of someone who called themselves a fan of a particular team but who never watched their team play? Who didn't know the rules to the game, who didn't know any of the players or the coaches or the history of the team? Who didn't care if the team won or lost, or anything associated with the team? One would suspect they were not a fan after all.

A fan, in the sporting sense, can be defined as one who is motivated to support and is enthusiastic for his team. And in that motivation he demonstrates his allegiance to the team by supporting the team, by attending the games, by wearing the team apparel, following the statistics, knowing the nuances of the game, and sometimes they even go to extreme lengths such as painting their face, wearing funny costumes, etc. The fan immerses himself in the team. But the fan is still merely a spectator. He is not part of the team and therefore does not benefit in the same way a member of the team benefits.

The spectator or fan cannot sit with the other members of the team. In fact, the fan must pay to watch the team play. The spectator cannot enjoy the clubhouse or team bus or team shower. The spectator, no matter how much a fan or supporter of the team, does not reap the benefits of a team member, no matter how minor that member may be on the team. In fact, the water-boy on the team enjoys benefits envied by the most ardent fan. The fan is still a spectator.

There are benefits to being a spectator. The spectator can leave at the end of the game and doesn't have to participate in training for the next game. Preparation to be a spectator is minimal. There is no hard, demanding physical or mental training necessary. There is no accountability, there is no effort...there is no pain. Coaches don't encourage, push, prepare, or train the spectator as he does the player. In effect, there is no effort and no risk required of the spectator. If the team doesn't play to his expectations he can quickly turn to another team. He does not need to make a commitment. And this, in itself, diminishes or negates the spectator as a committed fan of the team.

Now, what would you think of a player or member of a sports team who stated he was a member of the team but didn't participate in any team meetings, he didn't access the locker room or training rooms, he didn't associate with any of the coaches or other team members, he didn't show up for any of the practice sessions, he didn't learn any of the plays, he didn't know or care about the history of the team or the past or present players who made the team great, he didn't care if the team won or lost, but he would show up on game day expecting to be called a player and receive all the benefits of the team. Sounds ridiculous?

Might this apply in some small way to the church?

I may call myself a Christian, I may wear the apparel, I may be inspired by the sermons, the music, the fellowship...everything about the assembling of believers together but if I am not a member of the "team"(i.e. the church) I cannot fully enjoy the benefits. I am merely a spectator. I may be inspired by the "rites of the temple" but unless I am a part of the church membership I am still a spectator.

So why are there spectator's in the church? Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile, a converted Muslim who pastors the First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman Islands, writes in his book, "What Is A Healthy Church Member?";

"At root, all of these perspectives on the local church [i.e. reasons for not joining a church] stem from the same problems: a failure to understand or take seriously God's intent that the local church be central to the life of his people. People don't become committed church members - and therefore healthy Christians - because they don't understand that such a commitment is precisely how God intends his people to live out the faith and experience of Christian love." (pg. 64)

But you may object, "I don't see anywhere in the New Testament where we are commanded to ‘join a church' ". Pastor Anyabwile addresses this idea regarding the Biblical idea of local church membership in which he writes,

"Have you ever considered how many practices and commands given to the New Testament church lose all their meaning if membership is not practiced, visibly identifiable, and important? Here are a few essential things commanded in Scripture for the local church that would lose their meaning without an operational concept of membership." (pg. 65)

And he lists the following:

Church Leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9; Hebrews 13:17)
Church Discipline (1 Corinthians 5; Matthew 18:15-17; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13)
Keeping Lists and Voting (1 Timothy 5:9; 2 Corinthians 2:6)

He continues;

"The mark of Christian discipleship is love - love of the kind that Jesus exercised toward his followers, love visible enough that men will recognize it as belonging to those people who follow Jesus.

Not surprisingly, then, a healthy Christian is one who is committed to expressing this kind of love toward other Christians. And the best place for Christians to love this way is in the assembly of God's people called the local church." (Hebrews 10:24-25) (pg. 67)

And his conclusion?

"To fail to associate ourselves in a lasting and committed way with the Head of the church by joining his body is surely a sign of ingratitude, whether from an uninformed or a dull heart. We who have the privilege of living in countries where we may freely join a local church should keep this admonition from Dietrich Bonhoeffer in mind:

‘It is by the grace of God that a congregation is permitted to gather visibly in this world to share God's Word and sacrament. Not all Christians receive this blessing. The imprisoned, the sick, the scattered lonely, the proclaimers of the Gospel in heathen lands stand alone. They know that visible fellowship is a blessing. They remember, as the Psalmist did, how they went ‘with the multitude...to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday (Psalm 42:4)... Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living in common Christian life with other Christians praise God's grace from the bottom of his heart. Let him thank God on his knees and declare: It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren.'" (pg. 76)

Consider leaving the realm of the spectator or fan and becoming a player. One who goes with the multitude to the house of God.... where you can share in Christ's work to demonstrate His love among those He has called to the community where we live that the world may know Christ lives among His people.

Amen.

posted by jrd.