Fresh Brewed Faith

What Kind of Fan Are You?

By Criss Bertling

It’s football season. Everywhere you look are teams and fans, from kindergarten to college to the multi-billion dollar business of professional franchises.

Football American-style is rough, competitive, loud and demands our attention. You watch starting in the sweltering August humidity all the way through the Super Bowl in freezing January. It is a game that encompasses more than just running up and down a field with an odd-shaped ball. This is a team sport comprised of business owners, stadiums, equipment, players, officials, uniforms, finances, rules and fans.

Wikipedia Definition: “The object of the game is to score points by advancing the football into the opposing team's end zone. The ball can be advanced by carrying, throwing or handing it from one teammate to another. Points can be scored in a variety of ways, including carrying the ball over the goal line, throwing the ball to another player past the goal line, or kicking it through the goal posts on the opposing side. The winner is the team with the most points when the time expires and the last play ends.”

Fan Translation: American Football is about teams of running backs and linemen, tight ends and passers, receivers and kickers - all pushing, pulling, tackling, leaping, running, grabbing, passing, catching and piling on top of one another for the sole purpose of getting that little pigskin across a line or through a goal post to score and win. That means winning games, league titles, and, ultimately, that coveted Super Bowl ring – just in time for contract negotiations and baseball season!

Ah, the commitment of sports fans to their favorite teams. Ya gotta love ém; without them there would be no football season. They come in all shapes and sizes, from every walk of life. They are young, old and middle-aged men, women and kids who show up every season to cheer on their favorite team.

They scream in the nose-bleed section and shout from the 50-yard line. They are served hors d’eorves in glass-encased boxes and eat hot dogs from concession stands. They compare team stats and woulda-coulda-shoulda better than Dolphins Coach Nick Saben. They negotiate deals on the sidelines and are weekly best buddies with the people seated on their left and their right. They share stories, food and their lives with a few good friends for several hours every week.

Personalities are diverse and job titles are irrelevant. They have one common thread – they are where they want to be and love sharing the experience with like-minded people. They are a community of fans.

How does all this translate to Believers? Football fans are not so different from churchgoers. Both have Rabid Fans – those folks with painted faces who never miss a game, who make it their business to know what is going on and what is coming up. They read everything they can get their hands on and watch the pre and post game shows. They can discuss any aspect of the team, the players, the games, the coaches and the seasons, current and past, with the pride of an owner or head coach.

Next are the Committed Fans who are faithful in their attendance and enthusiastic in their participation. While they don’t paint their faces with team colors, they all recognize each other just the same. They pay attention to what’s in the news and show up regularly. They spend time learning more about their team and share their knowledge and experiences with everyone who will listen.

The Part-Time fans really enjoy the games too. They know the names of the important players and say hi to the familiar faces they recognize from the other times they have been able to fit the game into their schedules. Their intentions are good; they would love to come more often but just can’t manage it. So they watch the action on TV when they can or tune their iPhone to the sports channel while they take care of a few other things.

Finally, there are the Kinda-Sorta Fans but the truth is they just enjoy a few games a year – usually when someone else invites them or there is something really big happening. They are familiar with the names of the stars and would like to get to know the rest of the team but are afraid to commit the time and energy because, well, they just aren’t ready. Something better might come along and usually does, so why commit to something you aren’t ready for? Besides, that leaves more seats for those other folks who really enjoy it.

So let me ask you again, what kind of fan are you? There are plenty of seats in our churches and the teams are always in play. There are lots of players, coaches and fellow fans ready to help you become a committed part of the Believers Franchise – no painted faces required. The team needs you!

Criss Bertling is a published author, freelance newspaper columnist, copywriter, internet marketer and inspirational speaker. She resides in South Florida, where 24 hours a day is never enough time to work, play, read, write, rest and pray as much as she'd like. You can find out more about Criss at www.freshbrewedfaith.com or www.crissbertling.com.