Boredom

I think my kids, and their friend who came as a guest today, were more or less bored out of their minds for most of this Sunday's service. Furthermore, when I inquired about what they found best and worst about church today, the positive things, truly good though they may be, were nothing related specifically to church. They could have experienced those same things had we stayed home or gone to a park.

Granted, boredom has value. It's not the end of the world. And I can grant several other things that the kids couldn't express which give a positive perspective on the value of their participation in church this morning and week after week.

But that would be a poor excuse for not trying to figure out what I should do about how understandably bored my kids (who I make coming the norm for) and many adults (who make their own choice not to come) are by Sunday morning services.

Let's be honest about what goes on in church, what it takes to engage, and who that does or doesn't serve.

I don't want to take anything meaningful away from anyone. And I'm not talking about dumbing down. But, how can we shape a church service and faith community that is more accessible and engaging to a wider range of people (including ourselves?)

This is not just a curious or academic question for me, or one of assenting to church beliefs about evangelism or the like. More personally, I long to have regular ways to share explicit spiritual expression and faith community with friends for whom church is not regular part of their life and for whom services as we conduct them would be unlikely to fit the bill. But significantly more important to me than that is my concern for my kids. As good as church as they experience it may be for them, and in spite of what I or others have done with kids in mind at my particular church, I am not satisfied with what I'm giving them, nor do I think I should be. And they're getting older every day, every Sunday, every season. I cannot let this issue die. Actually, I don't think it would even if I wanted it to. So I must find ways to act.