Poll results: Do you cancel youth group for a football game?
Since the Vikings are in the NFC championship game tomorrow, I've had a couple parents and students ask me if we're canceling sr. high youth group because it conflicts with the game. Some are even a little upset that we're still having youth group. Since I think teens are already given way too many excuses to put spirituality behind everything else, I don't want our church to be part of enabling that. It's not that I'm anti-football or even that I don't think ministry can flex for current events. We cancel youth group for the Super Bowl, but for other games? It just doesn't feel right to me. God always comes first, especially before a football game. Our standards for teens spiritual growth are already so low! I'm sure we'll have a small crowd at youth group tomorrow night, which is fine with me. It's not important that we have a large group, it's important that we do the right thing for the right reasons and bring glory to God through it all. I'll be more than happy to focus on the students who are there.
"Would you cancel youth group so people can watch a non-Super Bowl game instead?"Got a variety of answers. See the screenshot below for a summary. Good input and a lot of different opinions.
Modern day Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, Sports truly are great, but the players and fans [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the Sports, that he would send forth players into the game and fans into the stands."
Then there is God's version: Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."
Disagree all you want. Don't overlook that small still voice (1st Kings 19:12) that right now is telling you that you may have your priorities wrong in your life. We are too distracted with things that don't matter. We are too engrossed in things that will be soon forgotten. We are too involved in our own interests and kingdoms and God's kingdom ranks way too low when it should be what we seek first. (See Matthew 6:33)
We also have too many modern day false prophets who are afraid to meet this topic head on and instead bend to the will and itching ears of people. Where is the God of Elijah? (2nd Kings 2:14)
I guess I'm saying that things will ALWAYS interfer with church time, but we should keep going. And God will honor our commitment.