Why people hate Duke (and the church)

For the last few days and weeks, I have been reading articles and watching news reports that center around the theme of why people hate Duke. As a HUGE Duke fan, I still don't quite get it. There is a good coach running a good program (where the athletes actually graduate) and the WIN! Yep. Nothing good about that. All the articles have different reasons and ideas behind this hatred- private school, Coach K, we love the "underdog" etc.

One article, in Sports Illustrated, said that Duke's fans were simply alumni who were spread across the country and people who wanted to be a part of their success. I said to myself that the author simply could not be right. Surely there are Duke fans who haven't attended Duke! There has to be! But, on game day, as I watched my Facebook newsfeed it became glaringly obvious that I was wrong. Besides my Duke student and alumni friends, no one was supporting Duke. :( I realize that I live in Big Orange Country and that you don't have to choose between the two blues like you do in North Carolina. But seriously, NO Duke supporters?

This really bothered me. How are current students and alum the only people who support Duke? I decided that it was because we have EXPERIENCED Duke basketball. We have camped out (for a weekend or a semester) just to get a good standing spot. We have been squished in with thousands of other students just to be a part of the atmosphere. We jumped up and down for weeks! We followed silly and not-so-original cheers. We know the Lobster dance by heart. We camped in rain and frigid temperatures to be front and center. We debate the merits of Zoubs career as we walk to class (and might even run into him in the Loop). Our best friend is the Crazy Towel Guy. We are the sixth man- the Cameron Crazies. We see the good things that these boys and Coach K is doing and we get behind it. Unless you've been there, you just don't get it.

Now you know I still hold a grudge against Coach K for having the audacity to compare himself to Jesus at the graduate camp out. But, I think this kind of experience and community is also why people are uncomfortable with or "hate" the church.

As Christians, we have EXPERIENCED the living God. We sleep on air mattresses for a week when we take the youth on a mission trip. We squish together on a pew for Easter morning worship. We follow the sometimes silly and not-so-original praise songs. We know the Lord's Prayer by heart. We pray through pain and suffering just so we can be a part of what God is doing in the world. We debate the merits of missions and the different types of communion bread as we walk to Sunday School. Our best friend is Jesus. We are the hands and feet of God in the world- the disciples. We see the awesome and amazing things that God is doing in the world and we want to participate in that. Unless you've been there, unless you've experienced the risen Christ- you just don't get it.

First Corinthians says "for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of Gd." People think we are silly, we are foolish, we have put our faith in a dead God. But, when we invite them into our experiences, they become part of a community. They will get it. They will see that church is more than a group of people and a sermon. When they meet the risen Christ, they will support him with crazy cheers and extreme displays of loyalty and courage. When they see God at work in the world and in their lives, they will be his biggest fan.

My first year at Duke- I didn't attend a single game or watch one on TV. Now I'm their biggest fan because my friends encouraged me to be a part of this experience (and let me in their camp out group). So, who wants to camp out for Jesus?