90% of the time when I ask a teenager to pray for something they will usually include the “having fun” in their prayer. At first glance, it could look shallow for a follower of Jesus to pray about “having fun” but “having fun” might be one of the top three things we pursue in life.
Don’t get me wrong. There are things in life that aren’t fun and those things in life should be pursued with diligence. There are times we should weep. There are times we should grieve the weight of life. We live in a broken world of pain, war, disease, famine, and heartache. There are many parts of life that aren’t fun, which is why it is more important than ever to “have fun!”
Sunday morning worship should be fun. Sharing a meal with family and friends should be fun. Trying new things should be fun. Accomplishing a difficult challenge should be fun, at least at the end!
When was the last time you spent time with friends or family and laughed? I don’t mean a meme that was shared through a text thread, which can be funny. I mean a time where you told stories and laughed, made memories and laughed.
Of course we all love when those ”belly laugh” moments of life occur organically. And if that is the pattern in your life, rejoice! But in my experience I have found that laughter doesn’t occur as organically as it did when I was younger. Instead I have to schedule in laughter. Doesn’t that sound horrible? But, it’s true. We can stick to our guns, “Laugh organically or nothing!” Or we can schedule in some fun. Here are some simple ways to schedule in fun:
- Game Nights: Yes, it takes planning. Yes, it’s hard to even get 3-5 people to sync up their calendars. But it can happen! Austin even has pubs where you can get drinks, food, and board games!
- Schedule A Day Off Work: I know, that sounds crazy! Take a day off work to have fun but it doesn’t make sense to keep working and never have any fun either! If necessary, take a day off work.
- Invite People Over: I know, it means we have to clean our house a little but nobody expects perfection. And I know, we think our house isn’t big enough, nice enough, stylish enough or whatever “fill in the blank” that keeps us from inviting people into our home but having people over can create some of the best moments of having fun.
- Coffee Before or After Worship: Gathering for worship is already in the schedule. Why not get up a little early or stay a little late to swap stories with people? If children are involved, sometimes spouses can take turns connecting with other people and the other spouse can get the children ready that morning.
- Go See A Movie: I know, it might sound wild but people still like going to the movies. Plus, if you have had a long day, long week, anyone can watch a movie. Preferably a funny one!
In the end, it doesn’t matter what we do or where we go as long as we are creating opportunities for laughter and fun with one another. If you don’t feel like you are developing those types of relationships then get involved in one of our Ministry Groups on a Sunday morning. Serving together is a great way to get to know other people and most of the time we have fun when we are serving others for God’s glory.
North Village Church
This article was written by Pastor Michael Dennis, Lead Pastor at North Village Church; a non-denominational church in Austin, TX, established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
Check out our North Village Church calendar highlights.
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