Fun at Church

I had fun at church last night. I feel slightly naughty just saying it. Don’t we believe that Church isn’t supposed to be fun? Don’t we believe that if it is fun, you must not be having real church? You must be doing it wrong. Don’t we think if you have fun at church  you must be going to one of those seeker-friendly churches that aren’t really churches at all? 

Now, I have to admit that last night wasn’t a church service, it was a senior group party. We had a pot luck dinner and played a gift exchange game. There was prayer and testimony and fellowship. All that was very nice, but what I really needed was some fun. 

Christmas season hasn’t really been much fun for me so far and I needed a laugh. Shouldn’t church really meet our needs? Well it really did last night. I needed a reminder that having Christ in Christmas doesn’t mean taking out all the joy, the fun. It means taking it to a higher level.

Church really needs to be more fun, even at the regular services. We have somehow painted Christianity as an exchange for a fun life now for joy in heaven later. Some people think that the best deal would be to live like hell for most of your life and come to the Lord at the last minute, something like the good thief. We need to begin to demonstrate that although all life involves challenge, some suffering, some hard times, that there is more joy in the Christian life HERE ON EARTH as in any other path. 

Sack cloth and ashes are out. Smiles and joy are in.  There is joy even in carrying a cross.

Last night church was fun. That’s the way it should be.

Have fun and be blessed. It’s really okay.

Nick