By Henri E. Cauvin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, August 6, 2007

There was a little more devotion than usual yesterday at RFK Stadium, and not just because the Nationals have been on a roll.

Tapping into a trend that has been working its way up to the major leagues, the Nationals staged their first "Faith Night," encouraging Christians to come out for the Sunday afternoon game -- and for a spirited and spiritual postgame show.

And by the thousands they came, the latest incarnation of a novel, and to some controversial, mingling of sport and religion.

Critics, among them some religious leaders, have faulted teams for holding Faith Nights, saying the events are divisive. The promoters and hosts of Faith Nights defend them, saying the teams are accommodating a group as they would any other group.

Started in the minor leagues by a marketing manager who was also a minister, Faith Nights typically feature performances by Christian music groups and testimonials from Christian players who stay after the game to address their fellow believers.

And for their first Faith Night, the Nationals landed one of the most popular acts in Christian music, the contemporary group MercyMe.

"It's good Christian music," said Dan Stanton of North Stafford, who came to Washington for the game and concert with his wife, daughter and nephew.

Indeed, they said, it was the promise of the concert that made the game worth the long trip. "I'm not a big baseball fan, but I really like Christian music," said Stanton's wife, Joan.

For those who love both, it was the perfect way to spend the day.

Joe and Kim Wilder of Capon Bridge, W.Va., have been watching the Nats on TV and listening to MercyMe on the radio. But they had never seen either in person until yesterday, when they brought their 7-year-old son, Brayden, to Washington.

"We wanted to go to the game, and then we saw that there was this concert, and we said, 'Let's do it,' " Joe Wilder said.

Looking around at the crowd of thousands, Wilder said it was a testament to MercyMe's popularity. "I think it's a great thing that so many people came out."

Like the rest of the concertgoers, the Wilders had to exit RFK and reenter and then wait the better part of an hour as a stage was erected behind first base. But when the band finally appeared, row after row of fans, many of them parents with children, surged to their feet and erupted in cheers.

Not everyone thinks the event was a good idea, however. The InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington sent a letter to the Nationals on Friday, saying it is "very concerned" about it.

InterFaith Conference officials say it is divisive to promote ticket sales using religion.

"It really should be called 'Jesus Night,' " said the group's executive director, the Rev. Clark Lobenstine. "If they were really interested in Faith Night and had all 11 of [the faith groups in the conference] coming, people who are promoting Faith Night wouldn't want to come."

Finding a baseball fan yesterday who even knew about Faith Night wasn't easy, and neither was finding a fan who was bothered by the event.

"I don't think it's a big deal," said Marina Allerton, a Nats fan and a homemaker from Vienna, who said she knew nothing about Faith Night. "It's after the game. People have the option to stay if they want to."

Dan Murphy of Springfield, Mo., said that his town's minor league baseball team had staged Faith Nights and that he was happy to see the idea catching on in the nation's capital.

"It brings a little faith into an agnostic society," said Murphy, a Cardinals fan who was in Washington visiting his daughter. "People have to remember where we came from and who we answer to."

Staff writer Michelle Boorstein contributed to this report.