It Makes All The Difference!

“John 3:16” is one of the five verses contained in today’s Gospel Reading. Millions of American professional football fans get regular glimpses of this Scripture citation on their TV screens. This occurs at those times during the game when the TV camera is focused on the goal-post (usually after an “extra point” or a “field goal” has been kicked). At such times, someone in the crowd behind the goal-post raises a big white sign on which “John 3:16” is printed in big black letters.

I don’t know how this bit of Christian Witness got started, but I can’t help wondering: “How many of those millions of TV viewers are familiar with the content of John 3:16?” And that includes all the Church-going football fans among us. Indeed, the question should be asked of every one of us!

Several years ago a well-known American clergyman toured Russia in an effort to obtain first-hand knowledge of the Church situation at that time. He visited as many…