The difference between college football and ministry

I'll admit. I've been transfixed on the Penn State story this week.

Everyday this week I've watched a segment on sportscenter about it. I've poured over various twitter updates on the subject. I've read numerous columns. I watched live on Wednesday night as students rioted on campus to protest the firing of Joe Paterno. I have spent a lot of time this week on the Penn State story.

One thing has stuck with me as all of this unfolded. The media spent story after story on the fate of Joe Paterno and other coaches on the Penn State staff. Commentators and former players weighed in on what should or should not be done. Students gathered in protest over a coach's firing - a coach who knew about sexual abuse taking place involving children and one of his former assistant coaches.

If this were a church instead of a national college football program it would be a much different story and a much different tone.

There would be no question about if a minister should be fired about this. There would be no sadness or regrets about the firing taking place via a phone call. No one would take to the streets in protest of the ministers removal.

Instead we would hear more calls about how the church lets us down again. We'd have a community and trust destroyed. It would lead to even stronger regulations in how pastors can minister to students. There would be protests against the church.

In a word, it would be devestating.

I feel horrible for the victims. The system let them down. Society let them down. A coach let them down. Their wounds won't heal just because a coach was fired.

But I am thankful there are pastors who can minister to them. Who can let them know that Christ will never let them down.

I just hope as a society we can see the real culprits and know that bad people exist in all walks of life. We've had ministers who have failed. We have coaches who have failed. We have a God who doesn't.

Praise God for that.

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