Well, I guess, “Who let the dogs out?,” a popular song played at professional football games will be replaced with “Who let the air out?” The story that has captured the news headlines this week has been the suspicion that my New England Patriots deflated the footballs to get a better grip in the cold rain during the AFC Championship game with the Indianapolis Colts. Some people believe that Tom Brady and/or Bill Belichick crossed the line from gamesmanship to cheating, and now they’re lying about it.

In the interest of full disclosure, some generous people in my church have decided to send my son and I to Phoenix, AZ, to attend Super Bowl XXIV. Some people heard that attending a Super Bowl in which the Pats were playing was on my bucket list. Either I have friends who don’t think the Pats will ever be in the Super Bowl again, or they think I am going to kick the bucket soon.

Now, I certainly hope my attendance at this iconic event doesn’t make anyone think good ol’ Pastor Phil supports lying, deception and rule-breaking. If the allegation of cheating are proven to be true,then there are moral lessons to be taught, but can Americans’ obsession with the story also be instructive? Matt Brown, a teacher at East End Community School in Portland, Oregon, got up and said to his third-grade class (speaking of the Patriots), “Whether they like it or admit it, they are role models.” I don’t agree with Matt; I’ve gone out of my way to teach my children that athletes, singers and movie stars are not role models; enjoy their talent but when the show or the game is over, don’t think about them anymore.

Ray Routhier, staff writer for the Portland Press, wrote, “America’s state religion, for practical purposes, is sports. We hold sports stars to a higher standard when it comes to playing fair, even though we know, on a rational level, that they cheat, too. Just look at the steroid scandals in baseball for proof. But we want our sports stars to say it ain’t so. People look to sports for so many things, for a deflection of their own problems, for heroes, to see what leadership looks like.”

William Gayton, chairman of the psychology department at the University of Southern Maine, who focused on sports psychology said, “One of the most important reasons people watch sports is to gauge their own self-esteem. When their team wins, they feel better, and if something tarnishes a win – like cheating – it’s a blow to their self-esteem.” I think Professor Gayton is right; I also think we are psychotic.

I have no interest in examining “Deflategate,” but just for the record, if the Pats are guilty as charged, throw the book at them. However, I am interested in what America’s emotional attachment to this story says about our desperate reach for role models and a venue of fair play. Could our obsession with this story be a sign of societal regression, while at the same time underscore the relevance of the Church like never before? I think both things are true.

I believe that, as a society, we are starving for a place where there are rules and where rule-breakers face the consequences. This is one of the reasons that I believe men, in particular, like to watch games. In a game, everybody has a defined role; the coach has authority over the players, and the referees have authority over the coaches and the players. Commit an infraction in the course of a contest, and there will be a penalty. Argue about it, and you will be ejected. Everything I have just mentioned now is absent from our homes, our work places and even our churches. I believe our souls are desperate for the return of moral absolutes and the well-defined roles of authority. Sports are the place where our pent-up soul-hunger is being expressed. I believe that, as a society, we are craving leaders who we can trust and who will behave with high moral integrity. Here as well (according to my theory), our uncontrollable desperation with moral relativism is driving us to the sports arenas, looking for someone who will be everything we imagine them to be. Emotionally, we are looking for a place of worship. Really we are looking for Jesus Christ.

I am not going to prescribe exactly how you should voice your feelings about “Deflategate.” Personally, I think Professional Football is sports entertainment,not reality; therefore we shouldn’t take stuff like this too seriously. If you can use it as a platform for teaching moral lessons, bravo! However, I do plead with you to build your life on a rock instead of the shifting sands of commerce, politics or sports entertainment. The rock is Jesus; the only man who never broke a single rule. The building for whom Jesus the rock is the foundation is the Church of Jesus Christ. The quarterback of God’s team said; when referring to Peter’s confession of His deity, “Upon this Rock I will build my church.” Circle that word “church’ please.

Now, the church of Jesus Christ is a venue where we can start creating a society of justice, fair play and excellence in character. Consider Paul’s words to a church that was struggling with the rule book.“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, ‘You must remove the evil person from among you.”(1 Cor. 5:9-13)These are pretty strong words and need context and discernment to enact but nevertheless they point to a community where integrity and fair play is the new normal.

Fellow churchgoers, now that we have established the fact that society really does want a place where righteousness is known and expected, let’s get busy making the church a holy place, then invite all those righteousness seekers to our services.