CHURCH SPONSORED RECREATION (Part 2 of 2)

By Rodney Pitts

Recreation and Self-Sacrifice

In Philippians 2:29-30 Paul told the Phi­lippians to hold men like Epaphroditus in esteem “because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service towards me.” In other words, Epaph­rodi­tus was to be highly esteemed because he was willing to risk his life for the “work of Christ!” With this in mind, I would ask: Does anyone hon­estly believe that Epaph­roditus would have risked his life for ball­games, ping pong, and pizza par­ties?!? Yet, if rec­reational activities are the “work of Christ,” are we not required to risk our lives for them? Now, I know and hope that my brethren and I would risk our lives for evangelism, edification, and benevolence. But, I know of no one that would risk his or her life for church bowling. Do you? If not, how can it be the “work of Christ”?

Recreation and the Assemblies

The assemblies of the saints are de­signed by God to edify Christians through worship of Him and study of His will. In these assembles I see all as­pects of the church’s work being practiced without pen­alty. What do I mean? Well, in the assem­bly the work of evangelism (I Cor. 14:15-17), edification (I Cor. 14:26), and even be­nevolence (I Cor. 16:1-2) are performed weekly with the blessing of God. Yet, how many would be willing to take time within the worship service to watch a Disney movie or to play a ball game? Or, how many would even be willing to take up a collection specifically for a Dis­ney movie within the assembly. I know of none, or at least very few. I wonder why recreation is so dif­ferent from these other works. If rec­reation truly is an authorized work of the Church that can be done in glory to God, then what scripture allows the other “works of Christ” to be present within the assemblies, but rejects recreation? Breth­ren, there is no such scripture!

Recreation and Fellowship

Finally, many brethren would like to justify their church sponsored recreational activities by claim­ing that they constitute biblical fellowship (KOINONIA). The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon and others do define koinonia as “to share.” Yet, to simply say that recreational meals, etc., are “fellowship” because Christians “share” in these activities is to misuse the word and to take it out of its biblical context. Nowhere within the whole of the N.T. are recreational meals, etc., ever described as fellowship. Such activities might be called “association” or “keeping com­pany” with one another, but not fellowship (see I Cor. 5:9, 11). In every context where the word fel­lowship is connected with the church, it carries a spiritual meaning and never refers to social activi­ties (get a concordance and look up all these verses for yourself). Also, if recreational meals, etc., were truly biblical fellowship, would it not be fellowshipping a heathen if one such person ate or played with Christians during one of the activities? If not, why not?

Also, if brethren can justify church sponsored recreation on the basis that it is “sharing,” then what are these brethren going to do with Luke 5:10? In this verse it says that James and John were “partners” (KONONOI - fellowshippers) with Simon” in their fishing business. Does this mean that since these disciples fellowshipped (shared with) each other in a fishing business that the church can now run a business in the name of fel­lowship? Isn’t it interesting that those who try so desperately to get recreation into the word fellow­ship will try just as hard to reject the church’s run­ning of a business enterprise to make money to do its works. Yet, we have a scripture that calls a business arrangement a “fellowship,” but not one single scripture that ever calls recreational activi­ties fellowship? Think about that, brethren.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to say that I have nothing personally against members of the body of Christ coming together and enjoying one an­other’s company. In fact, who should Christians want to be with more? But, this is a far cry from diverting the time, energy, and funds of the church from its God-given works of evangelism, edifica­tion, and helping its needy to the man-made works of pizza parties and baseball! Surely we can all see the difference between what is truly the “work of Christ” and what are clearly the works of men. I hope and pray that these words have resulted in the glory of God and that brethren will be brought closer to a more perfect unity through their con­sid­eration and study. &