Bored at church, anyone the same?

[Fuji S5 Pro]

Hi guys,

I skipped going to church today because I am really starting to dislike it. I have went to church all my life and all have been churches with great speakers. The only problem is, is that I am a very visual person and listening to someone speak makes me feel very bored. To be honest, the only times I have ever gotten anything out of a sermon was when someone was showing a movie or an interesting slide show.

Anyways, I am thinking about not going anymore but this wouldnt mean that I am not a Christian anymore. I know there are no Rogue Christians and we are all part of the body, but I have times of fellowship with other christians outside of church. As far as worship goes, I worship God in my own time during the week, a lot more then I would in the 30mins at church each week.

I guess I am writing this because I feel guilty for not going, but does that mean I should just stick it out and keep going, even if I never get anything out of it?

Thanks for your help.

 

[LilLamb219]

What are your reasons for going to church?

I personally go for Word and Sacrament because God feeds me throughout the service...I go to a liturgical type of church. I am never bored. Scripture is heard through most of the service whether it's in the hymns, the readings, the responses and the sermon.

 

[Quasicentennial]

Church has changed a lot compared to thirty years ago. In one church I visited it had two large projection screens, studiolights and two cameramen on the left and right side corners in the front. It was like a TV studio and theatre combined. A music band like a rock band usually with a choir can have new Christian songs borrowed from famous singers like Hillsong. I remember watching Hillsong on TV several years ago, they were singing in Sydney's Hillsong megachurch. Boredom forced the young generation to get rid of the old-fashion tradition and bring fresh new ideas to make church more entertaining. All Things are possible is one of Hillsong's hit favourites that even some Christian colleges around the world would sing - I imagine.

 

[DreamsAreFree]

The Bible exhorts us not to forsake gathering together. But what does that mean? Does it mean church on Sunday? Personally, I think meaningful interactions of any kind count towards fulfilling that and are possibly more useful in building us up and encouraging us to be close to God. It is possible to go to church and not say a word to anyone. I think the key thing there is to make sure those contacts are happening very regularly - otherwise isolation can leave us short of encouragement. Such encouragement was necessary in the days Paul wrote as persecution was heavy.

I'm someone that can't stand just sitting in the pews. I need to be involved. I'm not sure how relevant the church is to living out the call of God on my life and find using my occupation much closer to what I feel God has called me to. When I was at church it seemed to me there was more interest in putting on a good show on Sunday than in serious reaching out to people. I will find a church soon but I'm kind of working through where it fits with my Christian walk.

Many people go to church but aren't Christians, many don't go to church and are. I'm not saying don't go to church, church can be a good thing, just to make sure that if you aren't going you have alternate means of gathering with those who will encourage you to grow in faith.

 

[heron]

The visuals are not the only thing that makes it appear static. If a church is not interactive at all, then it becomes a talking head experience. Read through what the NT churches did during meetings -- there really are churches out there who allow congregants to participate.

 

[MLEN]

One great way to make church more interesting, is to take the initiative and do something yourself about it. Depending on the type of person you are, you could suggest (or organize) a church picnic, a games night at the church hall, a bowling night out with church members. These things and many others are great opportunities to strengthen the bond between a church's members while having fun and witnessing to other non-churched people who can be invited as well.

As far as living up the service itself, maybe there are ways you can do this by getting involved in some part of the service (if you already are not). You might want to become an usher or join the choir or offer to read scripture. If you work with children, you may try to find a way to incorporate the kids' participation in the service in a visual way (a short skit, special music presentation, etc.). There are so many ways to liven up or bring something new to what is already there. But the key is for you to be active yourself in the church so that the Holy Spirit can lead you to bringing in fresh and new ideas that will edify the church as a whole.

 

[holywisdom]

I would suggest that U PRAY about it maybe even fast about it,dont let the enemy deceive u.God bless.

 

[Lokke]

The visuals are not the only thing that makes it appear static. If a church is not interactive at all, then it becomes a talking head experience. Read through what the NT churches did during meetings -- there really are churches out there who allow congregants to participate.

överens med, thiis i s important to participate i n the church.this why i join ministerium verksamhet in
my church.

 

[bsd31]

Hi guys,

I skipped going to church today because I am really starting to dislike it. I have went to church all my life and all have been churches with great speakers. The only problem is, is that I am a very visual person and listening to someone speak makes me feel very bored. To be honest, the only times I have ever gotten anything out of a sermon was when someone was showing a movie or an interesting slide show.

Anyways, I am thinking about not going anymore but this wouldnt mean that I am not a Christian anymore. I know there are no Rogue Christians and we are all part of the body, but I have times of fellowship with other christians outside of church. As far as worship goes, I worship God in my own time during the week, a lot more then I would in the 30mins at church each week.

I guess I am writing this because I feel guilty for not going, but does that mean I should just stick it out and keep going, even if I never get anything out of it?

Thanks for your help.

Doesn't it disturb you or at least seem a little strange that in order to enjoy church you have to be entertained? Not just you but people in general. According to the worship leader of my church they are always being told by the pastor and his wife to "bump it up a notch" and get everyone excited and in the mood.

Can we say "false fire"?

But what's really sad is that it's true. If the service isn't entertaining and exciting people start to leave.

 

[DreamsAreFree]

Doesn't it disturb you or at least seem a little strange that in order to enjoy church you have to be entertained? Not just you but people in general. According to the worship leader of my church they are always being told by the pastor and his wife to "bump it up a notch" and get everyone excited and in the mood.

Can we say "false fire"?

But what's really sad is that it's true. If the service isn't entertaining and exciting people start to leave.

I don't think it's to do with being entertained but about finding a meaningful expression of Christianity. I think those who have caught the 'fire' are less interested in Sunday church and more interested in living their faith during the week. Church, when passive, is rather meaningless to those who want a living faith. Sunday church as part of the whole, sure, but on it's own without weekday manifestations of Christ in our lives (such as ministering to others) is empty. I'd rather be out on the streets showing others the love of Christ than sitting in church. It's good to get fed but that energy has to go somewhere

 

[freeport]

Hi guys,

I skipped going to church today because I am really starting to dislike it. I have went to church all my life and all have been churches with great speakers. The only problem is, is that I am a very visual person and listening to someone speak makes me feel very bored. To be honest, the only times I have ever gotten anything out of a sermon was when someone was showing a movie or an interesting slide show.

Anyways, I am thinking about not going anymore but this wouldnt mean that I am not a Christian anymore. I know there are no Rogue Christians and we are all part of the body, but I have times of fellowship with other christians outside of church. As far as worship goes, I worship God in my own time during the week, a lot more then I would in the 30mins at church each week.

I guess I am writing this because I feel guilty for not going, but does that mean I should just stick it out and keep going, even if I never get anything out of it?

Thanks for your help.

There are "rogue Christians", though we are all part of the same body. That is a spiritual connection.

You need to find a church where the sermons really strike you. I don't think it is that the media is what appeals to you. I think the sermons aren't hitting home. Good sermons hit home and should keep you on the edge of your seat.

Shop around.

 

[bsd31]

I don't think it's to do with being entertained but about finding a meaningful expression of Christianity. I think those who have caught the 'fire' are less interested in Sunday church and more interested in living their faith during the week. Church, when passive, is rather meaningless to those who want a living faith. Sunday church as part of the whole, sure, but on it's own without weekday manifestations of Christ in our lives (such as ministering to others) is empty. I'd rather be out on the streets showing others the love of Christ than sitting in church. It's good to get fed but that energy has to go somewhere

You can't be fed if you aren't participating in an active body of believers. But more than that as a believer you need to eat the meat and not just drink milk. In other words you have to be able to move beyond going to church to be entertained and go to church to be with God. Granted we all have our own paces in reaching the goal but the goal still has to be having a relationship with God.

 

[Aibrean]

Church has changed a lot compared to thirty years ago. In one church I visited it had two large projection screens, studiolights and two cameramen on the left and right side corners in the front. It was like a TV studio and theatre combined. A music band like a rock band usually with a choir can have new Christian songs borrowed from famous singers like Hillsong. I remember watching Hillsong on TV several years ago, they were singing in Sydney's Hillsong megachurch. Boredom forced the young generation to get rid of the old-fashion tradition and bring fresh new ideas to make church more entertaining. All Things are possible is one of Hillsong's hit favourites that even some Christian colleges around the world would sing - I imagine.

^ That is why I left church for a very long while. My mom had us going to a C&MA and it was just overly contemporary in the service. I couldn't stand it. Then to top it off the pastor had open communion and didn't say anything about unbelievers not partaking. That was the last straw. My brothers stopped too and then after a while the one brother started researching denominations and we liked Episcopal and Lutheran. Unfortunately there weren't any reformed Episcopal (we don't like the homosexual/female pastor infiltration in the church) and there were a few LCMS Lutheran churches in the area. We stayed at one LCMS church for about a year or two before being led to search again (not as liturgical as I would have liked). Our church now has the divine liturgy every Sunday for both services (no contemporary stuff at all). I love it

 

[janny108]

A few things: I feel like since we've moved around every 6 months to 1 year in the last few years, we need to stay put as we have an 11 year old daughter and want to give her stability in church as she has stability in school. We live in an apt complex so you know there is not a lot of stable ness in that situation!

Also, I can relate to "OK let's all get excited and MOVE in the spirit. This church is good except for when he goes in that vein. LIke you have to fall backwards to be "moved" which we don't agree with.

 

[DreamsAreFree]

You've moved a lot and you want to give your daughter stability - fair enough. Sometimes, to find the right church for you, you need to try new ones out. If your latest move is recent, you could still be in the 'trying out' stage when it comes to finding the right church. I think it takes 6 months to a year to get a real feel for a church and whether it is right. The exception might be if you go to a church and they pull you onto staff very quickly so you get to feel it out intimately very quickly. If you allow 6 months to really try a church it could take you two years to have properly tried four churches! It is a process and not necessarily quick. My observation is that while there are the ones that hang around for years, many move church frequently.

 

[salida]

Maybe your going to the wrong denomination? Its not about entertainment-but about worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Take the denomination test-maybe this will help: ▷Christian Denomination Selector SelectSmart.com free Religion personality test, selector quiz, matching, choose, compare.

Also, we are suppose to go to church to assemble ourselves together- Heb 10:25, Proverbs 27:17, 1 Peter 4:17.

 

[DreamsAreFree]

You can't be fed if you aren't participating in an active body of believers. But more than that as a believer you need to eat the meat and not just drink milk. In other words you have to be able to move beyond going to church to be entertained and go to church to be with God. Granted we all have our own paces in reaching the goal but the goal still has to be having a relationship with God.

Christians need to take advantage of their own feeding to a degree. Yes, we need to get together with other believers ... show me a verse that says that is Sunday church rather than possibly another context?

 

[bsd31]

Christians need to take advantage of their own feeding to a degree. Yes, we need to get together with other believers ... show me a verse that says that is Sunday church rather than possibly another context?

I wasn't talking about Sunday church perse as much as I was about a gathering of believers to be fed by a shepherd (pastor) and to sit under the pastor's teaching. It can happen in a church, in a home, in a coffee house, on the street corner, in a park. As far as I know there's really no limit to where church can take place.

I wish more often than not it happened in a place other than the church building. Problem is most people are zealous not so much for the Lord, but for their church.