November 4, 2002
Churches score with football rivalry
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Once the football game ended, the real rivalry began in Floydada and Lockney.
___First Baptist Church in Floydada battled First Baptist Church in Lockney in competition to determine which church could have the greatest increase in Sunday School attendance Oct. 27. The contest was done in conjunction with Great Day Texas, an annual emphasis of the Baptist General Convention of Texas to encourage Bible study attendance.
___The rural towns, located about 10 miles apart, are connected in many ways. Both are farming communities, and families spend time together at work and social events.
___This relationship becomes more heated, however, when high school football season begins. The annual Floydada-Lockney game is for bragging rights in the area. The rivalry took on increased interest this year because the two schools were tied atop the district standings.
___"This is kind of a family rivalry," said Bill Swinney, minister of education and music at First Baptist Church in Floydada. "Everybody knows each other and each other's business."
___Capitalizing on the heightened interest in the game, First Baptist Church in Floydada issued the challenge to First Baptist Church in Lockney, which gladly accepted. The church that had the larger percentage of increase above its average Sunday School attendance would win.
___The losing congregation would lead worship for both churches in the winning church, and the losing church would provide dessert for everyone afterward.
___Both churches pulled out all the stops. Sunday School teachers called their class members, church members went door-to-door recruiting, and First Baptist Church in Floydada ran an ad in the local newspaper encouraging the community to "help us beat Lockney."
___Lockney struck first in the rivalry as its football team defeated Floydada 30-16. The Lockney Baptists were poised to complete the sweep with a 90 percent increase in Sunday School attendance--205 people attended Sunday Bible study, well above the average of 108.
___Wearing the school's green, members of First Baptist Church in Floydada persevered. Already aware of Lockney's impressive showing, the congregation cheered as the pastor announced attendance of 414 in Sunday School, a 92 percent increase from a 211 average.
___"If you wouldn't have beat us in football, we probably wouldn't have tried so hard," Swinney told Phillip Golden, pastor of First Baptist Church in Lockney. "We didn't want to get beat twice. Next year, you just need to not try so hard and let us win the football game."
___First Baptist Church in Lockney will lead a worship service and serve pies and cakes to First Baptist Church in Floydada. While the contest may be over, First Baptist Church in Lockney is considering making red pies, representing their school colors, while members of the Floydada church plan to wear green to support their school.
___The event brought renewed excitement to the churches, and both ministers hope to maintain the high attendance. They may expand the competition next year to include the entire month of October.
___"Between our churches, we had about 620 people in Sunday School," Golden said. "To me, that's the important part."
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