If there’s one group of people who should be filled with more joy, excitement, and wonder than anyone, it is probably Christians. Unfortunately, we find quite the opposite in many churches today. These Christians may not regard the church as outdated, out of touch, or irrelevant, as many in the world now do, and their faith and love for God may not have waned either. But that does not mean they won’t occasionally get bored or lose interest in the church.
If that is you, here are a few strategies to help you stay engaged and recover your joy when you find yourself becoming bored with church.
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In some cases, albeit not all, boredom can be the result of misplaced priorities or expectations not being met.
To be clear, just because you find yourself checking out or nodding off in church does not mean that your salvation is in jeopardy. Most Christians have sat through a Sunday service that went too long or listened to a boring preacher who talked too much.
It is important to remember, however, that God is never bored with His bride, and His design for His church is not boring or bland either. But that does not mean that it is the church’s job to entertain you.
If you are you starting to get bored in church, ask yourself, what are your expectations for the church?
Look around in any church and you will find a room full of worn out, weary souls in desperate need of rest, forgiveness, healing, and a word from the Lord. To come to church in need of healing, help, or hope is nothing to be ashamed of. However, when our focus is solely on being served or entertained, something might be out of alignment.
The question should not be whether we enjoyed church, but rather, was God pleased with our worship?
When we adopt the heart of the psalmist, who sang, “Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being” (Psalms 146:1-2; emphasis added) we learn to enter church with a commitment to praise and worship.
It does not matter if the pastor is a mediocre speaker, the songs and music are not our style, or we are feeling tired, doubtful, or discouraged. We awaken our souls to worship because we know that God is worthy of our praise.
A heart that seeks only to be served or entertained has the capacity to be bored or unsatisfied. When expectations are not met, we walk away feeling disappointed. However, a heart that seeks to honor and glorify God, no matter our circumstances, will make God the focus and priority of every church service. And in His presence, it is difficult (if not impossible) to ever be bored or disappointed.
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Fighting boredom in church can be difficult for anyone. It may not matter how engaging the preacher is or how compelling the sermon may be. Sometimes our mind wanders, and most churches are full of distractions. In that sense, boredom and distraction often feed each other.
So, what can you do when you feel yourself getting distracted or losing focus?
One option is to take notes during service. Try creating a written outline or summary of the main points of the sermon that you can reference or share with others later. Don’t shoot for perfection. Strive for clarity.
Also, instead of attempting to create a word-for-word copy of the pastor’s message, treat your notes like a journal. Write down what the Holy Spirit illuminates, brings to memory, or encourages you with. Put a date next to those discoveries. Save your notes and review them throughout the year.
Taking notes may not be for everyone, but by training yourself to listen and write down the key points, takeaways, and scriptural references, you can keep yourself more focused and engaged and help eliminate or mitigate distractions.
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Given the wide age range of those attending most churches, one of the inevitable challenges every pastor will face is deciding who to target their sermon to.
For example, older Christians may become bored when a sermon feels elementary or geared toward new believers. New believers may become bored or confused when the content of a sermon goes above their heads. It is difficult to satisfy or please everyone.
There is also an element of how effective the pastor is at teaching, and some pastors are not as lively or engaging as public speakers. What then?
To be fair, not many pastors have the oratory skills of someone like Billy Graham, DL Moody, or Jonathan Edwards. God still uses them. No pastor can adequately meet every need of everyone in their congregation or deliver a perfect sermon that perfectly addresses every age group, interest, or maturity level either. That may not be their job. However, we may also be placing an unfair burden on our pastors when we expect them to be the sole source of nourishment when it comes to our consumption of the Word of God.
Make no mistake, pastors are called to shepherd God’s people by faithfully teaching the Word of God; and they do bear an incredible responsibility to get it right. However, we must also look to the Bible daily on our own for guidance and sustenance. In the end, the Word of God must become our daily feast and delight, not just a Sunday brunch.
Don’t let your pastor’s talent, eloquence, or lack thereof starve you of the spiritual resources God has provided through His Word. Don’t assume that a sermon you may have heard before has nothing to offer you a second or third time. We don’t stop reading or studying the Bible just because we’ve read a passage once or twice. In the same way, we should never check out of church just because we think we’ve heard all that has been said. God may have wisdom for you in even the most elementary or simple of sermons.
By committing to study the Bible daily, you will find nourishment and satisfaction in the Word of God wherever it is faithfully preached. Even if it is only a bite from a dull and repetitive sermon, it is a bite your soul will cherish as a supplement to the feast you have already enjoyed in your own devotions at home.
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Rather than pulling away from the church, boredom might indicate it is time to get even more involved and connected. What do I mean by that?
If your only experience with church is quietly sitting in a church pew once a week before you go home and watch Sunday football, you are depriving yourself of one of the greatest blessings and resources God has given you in the form of other Christians.
If the church is boring, try joining a small group or Bible study where you can learn from others, not just through teaching but also through relationships, discussion, and discipleship.
Find like-minded Christians you can have regular conversations with about your faith, your struggles, your relationships, and your study.
Join a prayer group and find those in the church who will regularly ask how you are doing.
Listening and taking notes on a great sermon can be wonderful. But do you have a mentor, elder, or more mature believer you can question and learn from? Find one. Look for ways to mentor and disciple other young believers who are where you once were in your faith.
Your faith is not meant to be lived out in isolation. Unfortunately, even in a sanctuary filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of like-minded believers, many Christians will feel just as lonely and unseen as if they were in an empty room. Don’t let this happen to you.
Make the effort to get to know your brothers and sisters in Christ. Walk with them in faith. Make fellowship a weekly priority. Learn from fellow Christians, both young and old. Pray for them. Pray with them. Ask for prayer.
The global church becomes a much smaller and more intimate community when you put in the work to learn from, grow with, and contribute to the Body of Christ. Furthermore, a Christian who is connected to the Body of Christ benefits from its people and resources.
Perhaps your problem is not boredom but isolation. Make an effort, therefore, to connect with others in the church, and you will soon realize you are not alone in your faith.
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Whenever my children tell me that they are bored, I inevitably always give them the same answer, “go do something.” In many ways, my response to bored Christians is the same. Get up and do something!
There is a time to be still in the presence of God. However, God also calls His people to be active in the world, to go out, to serve, and to be His hands and feet.
If church is boring to you, find a way to volunteer or serve in your church. There is no shortage of opportunities to help people. Start with those Jesus described in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-13) or look for ways to serve the poor, the sick, the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, or the prisoner (Matthew 25).
God has probably gifted you with unique talents and abilities. Offer them in service to the church or find ways to use them to serve others outside of the church.
Are there needs that aren’t being met? Maybe God has shown you this because He wants you to meet them. There is a saying that God does not need us to perform miracles. We just need to offer Him whatever we have in our hands, and He will use it for His glory and the good of others.
It is hard to be bored when we are active. Sometimes, we just need to look beyond ourselves and look for ways to serve others.
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Soon after my wife gave birth to our first child, we drove an hour to attend our home church on Sunday mornings. Not surprisingly, by the time we packed up the car, got to church, checked our daughter into the nursery, and found our seats, we were exhausted. As a result, staying awake in church was a real battle.
In that season, I realized something about those who say that church is boring. In some cases, they may not be bored. They may just be tired.
Most of us work hard all week, and by the time Sunday comes, we are often running on fumes. For some, church is a much-needed opportunity to replenish and refuel through worship, fellowship, and time in God’s Word.
However, I have met many Christians, mostly teenagers and young adults, who are not at their best on Sundays because of choices made on Saturday nights. Up late the night before, they aren’t prepared for the next morning, and it shows in church.
If church is boring, maybe the problem isn’t the church but rather your lack of sleep and preparedness the day or week before.
If you are always frantic, rushed, tired, and unprepared on Sunday mornings, that energy may carry over into church, affecting your worship, your attitude, and your overall experience.
If possible, try and prepare for church the night before with prayer, a proper meal, and a good night’s sleep, and see how those changes impact your relationship with church in the days that follow.
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Unfortunately, we live in a time when many Christians will stop going to church when church becomes boring or fails to meet their needs. The author of Hebrews, however, encouraged Christians not to forsake assembling or gathering together, “as is the habit of some” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Boredom does not give Christians an excuse to abandon or forsake the church.
God may be challenging you to grow where you are at, even in what feels like a dull or dry season. If boredom persists, however, it is also possible that God is calling you to fellowship at a different church.
Changing churches should never be done flippantly or half-heartedly. We cannot base our worship or commitment on just our feelings or desire to be entertained. However, God may replant us in a new church where He knows our soul will thrive and we will grow better in fellowship with other believers or serving in different ministries.
When your heart is committed to growing spiritually through the Word, worshiping God in spirit and in truth, and serving alongside fellow believers with a similar heart, God will place you where He wants you, and He will renew your joy and excitement for the church in the process.
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