Team Allegiance
- Sonya Leigh Anderson
- Apr 10
- 3 min read
IT’S A BREEN SWEEP!!
A TWODOUBLER!!
TOTAL MADNESS!!
March Madness, that is. And this year was epic. The WGNCAAPWTWNGP added a second bracket for the Women’s Tournament, and my daughter-in-law Brina won them both!!
Let me explain. Every spring Anderson aunts, uncles, cousins, spouses, and even Great Grammy join the “World’s Greatest NCAA Pool Where The Winner Never Gets Paid”—making their picks and joining the GroupMe chat. And for three sweet weekends the whole gang, from sea to shining sea and South America, enjoy a family love-fest of friendly competition. It’s like Spring Christmas.
Sports have a way of bringing people together. Have you noticed?
And while March Madness has the Anderson family casting votes for temporary teams, our true loyalties are united around all things MINNESOTA. This tribe may be scattered, but our home allegiance does not fail. Even when the teams disappoint. Which they consistently do.
Later this week members of my family (including 8-month-old baby Quoia) will head to an arena full of Minnesota fans to cheer on our playoff hopeful Timber-Pups. (Don’t get your hopes up.) And while the NBA is admittedly my least favorite pro-sport there’s no doubt I’ll jump on the T-Wolves band wagon, at least for the night. GO MINNESOTA!
Team allegiance is a funny thing.
Where else do people of every walk of life show up in matching wearables giving high-fives to total strangers? In what other context can we so easily swap stats and share stories and EMPATHIZE with humans we’ve never met? Where else do we forsake every other allegiance to politic and tribe to link arms with fellow fans?
Where else, but—
Church??!
I mean. Does this make you think, even for one shining moment, of an experience you’d have at CHURCH?
Just asking.
Cuz lately I’ve been wondering. And thinking. And hoping it might be true.
To quote the Apostle Paul…
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
Talk about TEAM ALLEGIANCE!
Like adrenaline charging corporately through a do-or-die stadium—we who identify as The Church are infused with one-and-the-same SPIRIT who makes us
ONE
ONE
ONE…
One body. One hope. One Lord. One faith. One baptism. One God.
WE ARE ONE.
Regardless.
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3)
Team Jesus.
The thing about Team Jesus is we’re not really against anyone. Sure we might find ourselves face-to-face with an enemy or two, but even at that, our weapon is love. Blessing. Like Israel in Babylon. Or Jesus in Jerusalem. Or Paul in Rome. Or anyplace Spirit-filled people get to represent God in a world of warring powers. We link arms in allegiance to our One True Kingdom. We know who we are. We’re not defeated. Even when victory means laying down our lives.
This week I was preparing a talk for the youth group when I had an epiphany of sorts. Something suddenly seemed obvious that hadn’t before. I was reading Jesus’ words from John 14:12—
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
Usually I read this text and feel somewhat confused. Really, Jesus? Are you sure?
But this week, with thoughts of Church unity in mind, I read Jesus’ words from a different perspective. Thinking about the oneness of the people of God—what Paul would describe as the Body of Christ—I realized John 14:12 is a corporate manifestation. It happens through US. When the Church comes together…as one unified Body…Christ as the head…then WE, as ONE NEW HUMAN, will do even greater things, as Jesus said.
I recently heard someone say the truest evidence of Church revival is the unity of its people. One in Spirit, linking arms across culture, nations, denominations, and yes, political tribes—coming together in full compassion, and heartfelt repentance.
Some have said it’s starting to happen.
Maybe that’s true. And if so…
IDKAYBIDWTMO (:
(I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss out!!)
____________________________________
P.S. Y’all… at this moment I am laughing out loud. Immediately after finishing this post, I listened to a podcast about the exact thing I’d just been writing about. A crazy coincidence? I don’t think so. Please, if you’re even slightly curious, check this out! Honestly. It’s better than a Brina Twodoubler!
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