Idle worship

The Super Bowl this year was a tale of two quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Nick Foles. Both were extraordinary: Brady was the league MVP; Foles, the Super Bowl MVP. Each brought a religious fervor to his play, but I will pass on Brady’s and recommend you catch Foles’.

We don’t often see examples of blatant idolatry. Brady is a remarkable athlete with a zeal for his sport that is second to none, but he has literally (and for once you may take literally literally) turned his devotion to football into his religion.

Now, Texans know something about the temptation to making football their real religion. Friday Night Lights. The hole in the roof of the old Cowboys’ stadium so that God could watch heaven’s favorite team play. But we always knew there was something more to faithful faith than fervent fandom. This is different.

Brady has written a book that outlines the lifestyle of a disciple. The TB12 Method is the athlete’s bible of physical and mental fitness that promises peak performance in return for total dedication. In the first episode of a TV documentary on this, titled Tom vs. Time, the 40-yearold Brady challenges his challengers: “If you’re going to compete against me, you better be willing to give up your life, because I’m giving up mine.”

Jesus: “If any would be my disciples, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and follow me.” Taking up your cross is tantamount to giving up your life. But for what?

In ancient agrarian religions, devotees sacrificed to the gods in hopes of fertility and harvest. Prosperity religion — whether ancient or modern — is transactional: Give a worthy sacrifice to a god and in return the god will give worldly success.

Religions derived from Abraham — whether Judaism, Christianity or Islam — operate differently. These covenantal religions, rightly conceived, are relational rather than transactional. Spiritual sacrifice is the giving up of self-centeredness for God-centeredness. And God-cen - teredness is proven by neighbor-love. Success is measured in the wellbeing of the weak and vulnerable, the poor and marginalized. True religion is not about building human empires — whether political, economic or athletic.

Nick Foles’ Christianity is rooted in the alchemy of human weakness and divine strength. It keeps ambition grounded. It attends to the plight of others. It sees personal failure, not just personal success, as a gateway to lasting glory.

“Failure is a part of life,” Foles said after the Super Bowl. “It’s a part of building character and growing. … We are all human, and we all have weaknesses. …

Worship

Baptist

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

Worship & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45 Traditional, Contemporary, Spanish Speaking / 214.860.1500

ROYAL LANE BAPTIST CHURCH / 6707 Royal Lane / 214.361.2809

Christian Education 9:45 a.m. / Worship Service 10:55 a.m.

Pastor - Rev. Dr. Michael L. Gregg / www.royallane.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00 am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

Bible Churches

NORTH HIGHLANDS BIBLE CHURCH / nhbc.net / 9626 Church Rd.

Sun: LifeQuest 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am / 214.348.9697

Wed: AWANA and Kids Choir 6:00 pm / Student Ministry 6:30 pm

Disciples Of Christ

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / Worship 8:30 am - Chapel

10:50 am - Sanctuary / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

Episcopal

ST. JAMES EPISCOPAL CHURCH / 9845 McCree Road / 214.348.1345

Worship 8 & 10 am / Family Service 10 am / Sunday School 9 am

Nursery Open for All Services. / StJamesDallas.org

ST. JOHN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH / stjd.org

Worship: Sat 5:30 pm, Sun 8 & 10:30 am / Christian Ed Sunday Morning & Weekdays, see calendar on website / 214.321.6451 / 848 Harter Rd.

LUTHERAN

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

A Welcoming and Affirming Church / Pastor Rich Pounds

Sunday School 9:00 am / Worship 10:30 am / CentralLutheran.org

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Ln. Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

Methodist

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH RICHARDSON 503 N Central Exwy / fumcr.com / 972.235.8385 / Dr. Clayton Oliphint 8:45, 9:45, 11:00 am sanctuary / access modern worship 11:00am

I’m not perfect. I’m not Superman. … I still have daily struggles. And that’s where my faith comes in.”

Idolatry substitutes a created god for the Creator God. More than affront to the Divine honor, the problem is eternally practical: If you turn football (or work, or even family) into your ultimate reality, the end zone is still a cemetery. We are wise to worship a God who can raise us up after our final fall.

George Mason is pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church. The Worship section is underwritten by Advocate Publishing and the neighborhood businesses and churches listed here. For information about helping support the Worship section, call 214.560.4202.

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee Worship: 8:30 am & 11:00 am Traditional / 11:00 am Contemporary

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

LAKE POINTE CHURCH – WHITE ROCK CAMPUS

Classic Service at 9:30 & Contemporary Service at 11:00 am lakepointe.org / 9150 Garland Road

Presbyterian

LAKE HIGHLANDS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 214.348.2133 8525 Audelia Road at NW Hwy. / www.lhpres.org

9:00 am Contemporary, 9:55 am Christian Ed., 11:00 am Traditional

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr. 214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Sundays 8:30 & 11:00 am

Sunday School 9:35am / All Are Welcome

Sunday, March 25 – 10:55 a.m. Procession of Palms Worship Service

Friday, March 30 – 8:00 p.m. Good Friday Tenebrae Service featuring “The Weeping Tree’’ by Joseph Martin

Saturday, March 31 – 2:00 p.m.

Children/Family: Walk Through Holy Week Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, April 1 – 10:55 a.m. Easter Worship Service

Children ages 3 – 1st Grade: GODLY PLAY

6707 Royal Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 www.royallane.org

Holy Week At Central Lutheran Church

PALM

MAUNDY THURSDAY

The Last Supper Thursday, March 29 7:00 pm Worship & Communion Bethany Lutheran Church 10101 Walnut Hill Lane , Dallas 75238

GOOD FRIDAY Tenebrae Service based on the 7 Last Words of Christ Friday, March 30 7:30 pm Worship

EASTER SUNDAY Celebrate the Resurrection SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Easter Breakfast 9:00 am Fellowship Hall Easter Egg Hunt 10:00 am Worship & Communion 10:30 am PLEASE JOIN US. ALL ARE