Trying to explain what denominations or differences in church look like we came up with the football model. The person I was speaking with supports Aston Villa and he was telling us how he sits off to one side and quietly takes the game in, appreciating the beauty and skill of the game as it unfolds. Behind the goal there are a bunch of nutters who spend the whole game jumping up and down waving their arms and singing throughout.
Alongside the pitch there are loads of old people who've been attending the games since they were six, which was 1948, and appreciate the way the game was and lament what it has become (the ball was solid leather with a lace that cut your head and when wet weighed twenty pounds . . the boots were proper boots, not like those ballet slippers they wear today!).
There are some who come to see the game but they aren't really fans, they've been brought along by others and really either don't like the game or don't like the home team much.
So how do these groups help us?
Well the chap in the corner who is appreciating the game is a bit of a contemplative. He enjoys the game for the beauty of the worship and the ability to worship the football deity. Those 'nutters' behind the goal are the charismatics. Rising ever higher as the game progresses, ceasing only when the scoreline brings them into full and earnest self-examination.
Those on the sidelines are the traditionalists and those who have brought non-Villa fans are the evangelical types who as part of some (Calvinist) evangelistic exercise have brought along the non Villa-ites to see the beautiful game and perhaps become converts.
What fun we have in church at times :) Really is a game of two halves (usually with the peace i9n the middle !!!).
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