Neon Jesus

So I started playing on a team in a church basketball league recently. I know next to nothing about the sport, and except for my freakish height (I am 6' 5"), offer very little to the team. But it's good exercise, and as non-athletic as I am, I still relish the competitiveness of sports. So I play basketball now.

Being a church league, though, there seems to be a need to make basketball into something more. I am a Christian myself, and actually attend the church that sponsors and hosts the league; I understand the biblical call to do all things for the glory of God. Fine. I also understand Jesus's exhortation to go out into all the world and make disciples. Again, fine. There seems to be a misunderstanding, though, about how to apply church-league basketball to these goals. Let me offer an example. In the three weeks or so that the league has been in play, I have been told no fewer than a half dozen times that bad language will not be tolerated. This, evidently, is the greatest offense one can commit on the court, and the only thing so far mentioned that will result in ejection from a game. And that's fine, I guess, but I wonder why bad language is seen as such an unforgivable infraction? The reason, I am told, is that church basketball is a "witnessing opportunity." In other words, guys who don't already believe in Christ will be convinced by our squeaky-clean language that Jesus loves them and offers abundant life. Really? Is this what Christian spirituality and discipleship is about - putting on a good face, and being nice? I think this is what keeps many people away from Christ. Jesus offered more than a self-help course in dressing for success, didn't he?

My basketball experience really is a microcosm of church life in general. We go to our various church functions, and we speak the right language. We spout the accepted answers to complex issues with very little thought, unaware that we gloss over some very deeply felt questions. In return we offer superficial answers, without even really knowing what we're saying. But as long as we appear before others as being spiritually insightful and pious, it's all good - nevermind our imperfect reality.

I think it's OK for Christians to play basketball just because it's fun. While I won't really advocate using bad language, I mean honestly, is it the worst thing that could happen?