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Now that Indianapolis Colts' fans have celebrated their team's return to glory, the brouhaha over this year's ill-fated Super Bowl parties in churches will have a short-lived shelf life. Yet there are several observations worth noting in the aftermath of this ruckus:

* God will still get the glory amid the world's revelry.

In recent weeks, I read wire stories about the faith of head coaches Tony Dungy and Lovey Smith

and saw a full-page ad in USA Today about it. The week prior to the Super Bowl, I saw a report on a cable channel chronicling numerous players' relationship with Christ. All this has me smiling over how an event that draws such hoopla can serve as a platform for witnessing.

* Churches must pay attention to copyright laws, including small congregations.

After Fall Creek Baptist Church's planned "Super Bowl Bash" ran afoul of copyright laws regarding the National Football League telecast, scads of commentators and letter writers weighed in on whether a church should even be hosting such a party.

Others criticized congregations for meekly canceling parties instead of making a stand. Churches can host parties that are in compliance with NFL copyrights—but a megachurch crowd gathered around a 55-inch screen seems less than appealing. Personally, I think those who chose the cancellation route should be commended for paying attention to the law.

Yet there are many other ways that churches fail to pay attention to copyrights.

The most blatant is the use of copyrighted music and lyrics, including projecting them on a screen, without paying appropriate licensing fees. Then there is the unauthorized copying of computer programs, downloading music for free or burning multiple copies of an album to pass around to friends in the youth group. These practices may all be common, but they are still illegal.

* While some would say churches should avoid the Super Bowl altogether, don't discount its value in leading others to Christ.

Among the many commentaries on this year's flap, I saw remarks that the church has lost its witness by participating in an event that glorifies sexual immorality, materialism and drunkenness. Another compared Super Bowl parties at church to the moneychangers that Jesus drove out of the temple.

Yet those aren't the only views worth noting. In the past I've written stories for a Christian sports magazine that has produced a video featuring players' testimonies for use at halftime.

Churches and individuals hosting parties in their homes have used these videos and related materials to lead others to Christ. The converts include those who wouldn't otherwise attend a traditional church service or anything hinting of "religion."

Last year I wrote a story about a church in Texas that saw 66 teens come to Christ and baptized 10 of them during the third quarter.

Not only did they miss the halftime show by creatively substituting a salvation message in its place, the church avoided the often-morally-questionable advertisements by blinking sets off during commercials.

Shades of Paul on Mars Hill? I think so. People may bemoan entanglement with the world. But those who emulate the apostle's willingness to mix it up with the world—can't you hear Paul's critics sniping in the background?—can reap the fruit of their efforts.

While some lampoon churches that are turning a widely-watched event into a divine instrument, in the meantime I can hear the roar of the crowd of angels in heaven rejoicing.