Posted on 02/14/2024 10:51:24 AM PST by Morgana
An Evangelical megachurch in Ohio kicked off Super Bowl weekend — literally — with a sermon that had all of social media buzzing.
Pastors with Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, a multi-site interdenominational church that boasts a weekly congregation of roughly 34,000, “punted” a copy of the Bible as part of its “Super Bowl of Preaching” series.
The sermon was delivered on Feb. 11, just hours before the Kansas City Chiefs topped the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
With play-by-play announcers, color commentary, a referee, and a stage covered in AstroTurf, the Crossroads pulpit resembled Allegiant Stadium more than any church on Sunday morning as Senior Pastor Brian Tome and Pastor Alli Patterson sported football jerseys as they took the stage for the “pregame” coin flip.
After Tome wins the flip, the referee asks, “Would you like to kick or receive the Bible?”
“I will receive,” Tome replied.
Patterson is then seen taking a few steps back as another pastor squares up the Bible — which had a football-style book cover on it — before kicking the Bible off the stage and into the crowd.
Patterson then high-fives her colleague in celebration.
“Patterson back with the kick ... Oh my goodness!” the announcer is heard saying over the PA. “For the first time in 18 years, there’s a touchback for the kickoff.”
In another sequence, the Bible is kicked yet again — this time a shorter distance — as the rest of the “players” on stage jump on top of the book as they tackle one another.
“We’re gonna get some emails; here we go,” the announcer remarks. Pastors and other participants await the results of a coin toss ahead of Crossroad Church's 'Super Bowl of Preaching.'
In an introduction to the video, Andy Reider, community pastor for Crossroads Anywhere, the church’s mobile app, offers a greeting — and a disclaimer — warning viewers the church service has “little to nothing to do with actual football or the Super Bowl.”
“Today, you are tuning in for a church service that is unlike any other,” said Reider. “Disclaimer: it has little to nothing to do with actual football or the Super Bowl, but no matter what you believe, you're going to laugh.
“No matter what you believe, you might be a little confused at some point, but I believe you will and can experience God and church in a fresh new way.”
Reid also acknowledged the question many viewers of the service likely had.
“You might be wondering why on Earth would we do something like this,” he said.
One of the reasons, said Reider, was because “we believe that church can and should be fun.”
“You're going to experience hilarious commercials filled with middle school humor, really great music and some good old-fashioned smack talk,” he added. “But secondly, we believe that there are spiritual truths and realities that can be drawn out from sports and that's what each of our teachers are going to be doing today.”
CP reached out to Crossroads Church for comment on Tuesday. This story will be updated if a response is received.
Headquartered in Oakley, Ohio, Crossroads, which was founded more than two decades ago by former employees of American multinational Proctor & Gamble, faced backlash in 2021 after a guest speaker compared trans-identifying people to individuals with anorexia who are suicidal because they think they are overweight.
David Mahan, the director of policy with Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio's largest Christian public policy organization, reportedly asked the congregation what they would do if an anorexic teen came before them, saying she was suicidal because she was fat.
"What is your response? Affirmation, or do you try to get her distorted mentality of herself to line up with her biological reality? What do we do? And if we do the latter, why wouldn't we do it with the same dysphoric condition of transgenderism?" Mahan said.
This is troubling and I don't know why people did not walk out of the church.
Like the Republican party, church’s have been infiltrated by the enemy. The goal is destruction of religion. You’re seeing it real time with this moron kicking the bible.
I’m not surprised at such showboating to fill the collection plate. Most churches are just businesses now.
Yep.
Those of us who know the truth need to get these people out if these “churches”
but you all don’t hear me
It’s from 2021, I believe but posted again. Either way, churches are causing people to walk away from the faith instead of leading them to Christ.
Maybe because they have this thing called a sense of humor and don’t have popsicle sticks up their keesters.
You are a busy little heresy hunter today, aren’t you?
It’s beautiful day where I live.
Here’s a challenge — go meet a new person and not mention your faith until you have been able to speak for two hours over how ever many encounters on anything other than religion or Jesus.
You may want to discover laughing today too. Its really good for your soul.
interdenominational is the problem and means believe in anything...
Was the choir singing “Dropkick me Jesus through the goalpost of life”?.....................
Protestant reformers were martyred and risk their lives to make the Bible available to us when the church of the dark ages kept under lock and key........now they are playing football with it.
Even today’s so called Christians are the worse generation of Christians. We are in the days of Noah...and that means the end is near......good.
They may have an explanation...
But
I will Not listen.
.
Bizzaro World is in Every corner.
You are a busy little heresy hunter today, aren’t you?
SOP
As a conservative Baptist, i fail to see the “fun”. Further i think its downright. BLASPHEMOUS. Maybe we should be giving CLEGYMEN intelligence tests along wuth politicians
I’m laughing right now. I think of all the things I’ve been called in the Religion Forum. Last time it was “Pollyanna” now it’s “Heresy Hunter”. I wonder what they will think up next?
“Those of us who know the truth need to get these people out if these “churches”
They aren’t going to get out. Every institution is being destroyed. I got out long ago over the never-ending coverup of clergy predation on children. There is no requirement for a human intermediary between me and God.
“i fail to see the “fun”. Further i think its downright. BLASPHEMOUS”
I’m glad to see someone here agrees with me. This turns my stomach.
I agree with you Vesper...
.
The Creator of the Universe wrote the story and the words of Life are contained in it. I hold it with Deepest Respect.
The Saints contained in it and those that Fought to bring it to us.
.
66 books written by 40 pens over a period of 1600 years by One Mind outside of Time to reconcile Man to God.
Amen
Yeah. I thought so.
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