Baptist News Global
Sections
  • News
  • Opinion
    • Opinion Writers
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Curated
  • Projects
    • Faith & Justice >
      • Charleston: Metanoia with Bill Stanfield
      • Charlotte: QC Family Tree with Greg and Helms Jarrell
    • Welcoming the Stranger >
      • Lost Boys of Sudan: St. John’s Baptist Charlotte
  • More
    • Contact
    • About
    • Donate
    • Advertising
    • Ministry Jobs and More
    • Transitions
    • Friends of BNG Dinner
We are reader supported Donate
Search Search this site

Sins I could have committed, but I was on the ‘other team’

OpinionBrett Younger  |  September 14, 2017

Brett YoungerThe teachers never checked the area between the gym and the cafeteria — the perfect place for high stakes penny pitching. Fifth grade boys lined up during recess and threw pennies at a brick wall. Whoever’s penny stayed closest to the wall won all of the pennies. This was the most fun anyone had ever had, but I knew it was gambling.

I took a pocketful of pennies one day just in case I succumbed to temptation, but I was not like most children. I was afraid that if I threw a penny against the gym wall, I would end up destitute in Las Vegas, sitting on the sidewalk begging for money to lose at the blackjack table. My refusal looked like following rules, but it was really about being loyal to the team. My team was made up of people who do not gamble. The reason I have never, ever, not once, bought a lottery ticket is that I was taught, “You’re better than that.” “You’re better than that” is not far from “You’re better than them.”

One Saturday afternoon, our church softball team defeated some Baptist church that had not won the associational crown three years in a row. Jeff Pittsenberger saw a friend two fields over playing a pick-up game, so the two of us went to join in. Their cooler was different than the Baptist coolers to which I had grown accustomed. Theirs was filled with Miller High Life. The scene was a beer commercial — people playing ball, laughing in the sun, dropping a cold one. Jeff was downing his second so he was not going to tell. No one would ever know. I could taste the High Life! I was afraid that if I took a sip I would wake up on skid row with an unkempt beard. I stayed sober because I was on the other team. I had my first drink of wine — I know how provincial this makes me sound — when I was 30 at an Episcopal Communion service.

When I was in high school a group decided to go to a Bruce Springsteen concert and — this is the surprising part — I was invited. I was not invited by my church friends. Someone in Algebra II, who showed signs of being an atheist, invited me. I heard stories about marijuana smoke drifting through the arena at rock concerts. It would be in the very air I breathed. I was sure that if I inhaled, the second hand smoke would land me in a folding chair in a church basement at Narcotics Anonymous. The reason I sat at home and listened to Born to Run on my 8–track was that the rock and rollers were not on my team. I did not make it to a Bruce concert until I was 42. By then the air was filled with nothing but air.

My parents used to say, “Brett never got in trouble — not once” while I hung my head in shame. What kind of person follows every rule? I was an Amish kid without the rumspringa, sure I was missing out.

I am not suggesting that we need more gambling, drinking and smoking. My sheltered upbringing has advantages. Staying out of trouble is not the worst thing that can happen to you.

The prohibitions with which I grew up seem silly to most teenagers, but this column is not completely out of date. We are still tempted to believe that sin is being on the other team. We divide people into “us” and “them” — Democrats and Republicans, Americans and foreigners, rich and poor. The people outside the church have figured out that sometimes people in the church think of themselves as “us.”

What if instead of being taught that sin is playing with the other team I had been taught that sin is not loving? How much better would it have been if rather than feeling superior to the gambling, drinking and smoking crowd, the church had pointed out that Jesus ran with that crowd? What if we had not been so penny-pinching? What if we had played ball with anyone who wanted to play? What if the church had bought group tickets for Springsteen? What if Christians were known not for prohibitions, but for caring?

I am not sure I would have been a better person if I had thrown a penny, taken a drink or inhaled, but I know I would be farther along if I had not been taught to feel superior to those who did.


OPINION: Views expressed in Baptist News Global columns and commentaries are solely those of the authors.
Brett Younger
More by
Brett Younger
  • Embracing the power of story

    Our next Storytelling Project
    under the new topic of
    “Welcoming the Stranger”
    is a story about the
    Lost Boys of Sudan and St. John's Baptist Charlotte.
    Almost two decades ago, this church embraced the refugees who resettled in their neighborhood fulfilling their mission to be a servant church. In turn, they received love and life lessons from their Dinka friends and now celebrate the launch of a new Sudanese church on their campus.



    Decades of life with the ‘Lost Boys’ from South Sudan: Charlotte church loves their neighbors as themselves

    Photo Gallery: Lost Boys and St. John's in photos

    In the topic of "Welcoming the Stranger," we share the inspiring stories of the people and faith communities that are teaching us all to love our neighbor as ourselves.
  • Featured

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      News

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      Curated

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      Opinion

    • Consumer expert warns against smartphone, Bible-app use in worship

      News

    Get BNG headlines in your inbox

    Read Next:

    No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

    OpinionRuss Dean

    More Articles

    • All
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Curated
    • Churches make a drastic pledge in the name of social justice: To stop calling the police

      CuratedWashington Post

    • Special ‘Beyonce Mass’ to be held at San Francisco church

      CuratedMercury News

    • Former Miss America weds same-sex partner

      NewsBob Allen

    • CBF ministers participate in third national Baptist-Muslim dialogue

      Paid Promoted Content

    • Pastor/judge repeats controversial death penalty protest

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.20.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • N.J. court cracks down on state grants to churches

      CuratedCourthouse News Service

    • CBF Church Starts leader, Podcast host accepts call to Louisiana church

      Paid Promoted Content

    • 25 years later, religious leaders reflect on how they might have helped prevent Branch Davidian tragedy

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Baptist pastors among 8,500 released from prison in Myanmar

      NewsBob Allen

    • Billion-dollar blessings at Liberty University

      CuratedProPublica

    • CBF leaders protest annual gathering of payday lenders

      NewsBob Allen

    • Powerful words: A blessing or a curse?

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Palabras poderosas: ¿bendición o maldición?

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      NewsBob Allen

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      CuratedPeggy Wehmeyer / Dallas Morning News

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • How the new estate tax rules could reduce charitable giving by billions

      CuratedThe Conversation

    • Cult leader? ‘Sinful Messiah’? 25 years later, interest in David Koresh still strong

      CuratedReligion News Service

    • Millennial’s message to churches: please stop trying to attract Millennials

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      OpinionJohn Chandler

    • Pope Francis admits ‘serious mistakes’ in handling of Chile abuse cases

      CuratedNational Catholic Reporter

    • Dozens of megachurch pastors meet With Mike Pence, White House staff during retreat

      CuratedChristian Post

    • Pastor/judge can sue justices, but not state Supreme Court, judge rules

      NewsBob Allen

    • No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • Former Miss America weds same-sex partner

      NewsBob Allen

    • Pastor/judge repeats controversial death penalty protest

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.20.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • 25 years later, religious leaders reflect on how they might have helped prevent Branch Davidian tragedy

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Baptist pastors among 8,500 released from prison in Myanmar

      NewsBob Allen

    • CBF leaders protest annual gathering of payday lenders

      NewsBob Allen

    • Third Pressler accuser comes forward

      NewsBob Allen

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Millennial’s message to churches: please stop trying to attract Millennials

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Pastor/judge can sue justices, but not state Supreme Court, judge rules

      NewsBob Allen

    • Transitions for the week of 04.13.18

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • Scholar says SBC leader sets different standards for MLK and Donald Trump

      NewsBob Allen

    • Former Baptist minister describes struggle of being both called and gay in new collection of stories told by LGBTQ Christians

      NewsBob Allen

    • Consumer expert warns against smartphone, Bible-app use in worship

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Franklin Graham calls for boycott of Target after bathroom incident

      NewsBob Allen

    • Offering prayer, Christian activist threatened with jail

      NewsBob Allen

    • Southern Baptist association boots church for alleged racism

      NewsBob Allen

    • Campolo says ‘Red Letter Revival’ seeks to convert evangelicals to social activism

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Millennials hit the exits when church culture conflicts with gospel

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Affidavit alleges unwanted sexual encounter with former judge who led SBC to the right

      NewsBob Allen

    • SBC spokesman promises ‘due diligence’ regarding Frank Page’s unidentified ‘indiscretion’

      NewsBob Allen

    • Ministry jobs and more

      NewsBarbara Francis

    • What’s a Baptist? Seminary aims to help Baptists figure that out

      NewsJeff Brumley

    • Former Southern Baptist ‘third way’ pastor stepping down

      NewsBob Allen

    • Church at center of gun massacre to break ground for new building

      NewsBob Allen

    • Powerful words: A blessing or a curse?

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Palabras poderosas: ¿bendición o maldición?

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • The new soft charismatic cooperation

      OpinionJohn Chandler

    • No prophets in today’s society? Maybe we’re just not listening.

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • ‘Give Me Jesus.’ (But which one?)

      OpinionBill Leonard

    • The life-changing magic of practicing redemption

      OpinionEric Minton

    • Easter jujutsu: A supple, flexible and pliable way to respond

      OpinionDoyle Sager

    • Martin Luther King Jr. called me to preach

      OpinionAlan Bean

    • When it comes to funding public education, don’t eat your seed corn

      OpinionMark Wingfield

    • Killing Jesus and killing MLK

      OpinionJonathan Davis

    • Court case highlights need for stronger Baptist voice on pro-life concerns

      OpinionJonathan Frank

    • My undelivered stand-up routine for those not likely to come back to church

      OpinionBrett Younger

    • What the Church needs is a new reformation

      OpinionChuck Queen

    • Palm branches and protest signs

      OpinionKristopher Norris

    • The costs of speaking truth to power

      OpinionAmy Butler

    • In narrating our lives, we know how they end. It’s the middle chapters that are missing.

      OpinionGreg Jarrell

    • A rebirth of compassion? 

      OpinionBill Leonard

    • Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump and the King David Defense 

      OpinionAlan Rudnick

    • It’s Holy Week — and time to confront scripture passages which vilify Jews

      OpinionJohn Michael “Mickey” Robertson

    • A white Jesus can’t save a brown child

      OpinionAlicia Reyes-Barriéntez

    • What we can learn from Chance the Rapper

      OpinionToya Richards

    • It’s a small world after all … and we need to survive together

      OpinionNora Lozano

    • Es un mundo pequeño después de todo … y necesitamos sobrevivir en conjunto

      OpinionNora O. Lozano

    • If character is ‘irrelevant’ in politics, eventually the Church will be, too

      OpinionRuss Dean

    • You CAN go home again

      OpinionDoyle Sager

    • Churches make a drastic pledge in the name of social justice: To stop calling the police

      CuratedWashington Post

    • Special ‘Beyonce Mass’ to be held at San Francisco church

      CuratedMercury News

    • N.J. court cracks down on state grants to churches

      CuratedCourthouse News Service

    • Billion-dollar blessings at Liberty University

      CuratedProPublica

    • Is it time to divorce? A former TV religion reporter reconsiders her life as an evangelical

      CuratedPeggy Wehmeyer / Dallas Morning News

    • How the new estate tax rules could reduce charitable giving by billions

      CuratedThe Conversation

    • Cult leader? ‘Sinful Messiah’? 25 years later, interest in David Koresh still strong

      CuratedReligion News Service

    • Pope Francis admits ‘serious mistakes’ in handling of Chile abuse cases

      CuratedNational Catholic Reporter

    • Dozens of megachurch pastors meet With Mike Pence, White House staff during retreat

      CuratedChristian Post

    • Why do evangelicals still support Scott Pruitt?

      CuratedAaron Weaver / Sojourners

    • N.C. Council of Churches posts billboard about gun violence

      CuratedNorth Carolina Council of Churches

    • US ‘Poor People’s Campaign’ to Begin 40 Days of Action Next Month

      CuratedVoice of America

    • Bill Hybels steps down from Willow Creek following allegations of misconduct

      CuratedChicago Tribune

    • Inside the White House Bible Study group

      CuratedBBC

    • At ‘Red Letter Revival,’ leaders give voice to evangelicals on the margins

      CuratedRNS

    • Christian women in the U.S. are more religious than their male counterparts

      CuratedPew Research Center

    • ‘Lynchburg Revival’ activists warn of rising Christian nationalism

      CuratedNPR

    • How the Christian movie series ‘God’s Not Dead’ fails to be Christian

      CuratedVox

    • First Nassar Accuser Denhollander Talks Justice, Forgiveness at Harvard

      CuratedThe Harvard Crimson

    • ‘You are on the side of justice’ – clergy host prayer event at Capitol

      CuratedThe Oklahoman

    • Art and faith converge at a hybrid church/community arts center

      CuratedFaith & Leadership

    • 50 years after Martin Luther King’s death, a ‘new King’ fights for justice

      CuratedThe Guardian

    • The little-known theology behind white evangelical support of Donald Trump

      CuratedTexas Observer

    • The Americanization of an ancient faith

      CuratedThe Atlantic

    • The Devil’s music: How Christians inspired, condemned and embraced rock ‘n’ roll

      CuratedReligion Dispatches

    Conversations that Matter.

    © 2018 Baptist News Global. All rights reserved.

    Want to share a story? We hope you will! Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here.

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • LinkedIn
    • RSS