Why is Church so Boring?
If you are asking this question, you probably already know why it is boring… It is boring to you because you think it is not very entertaining to watch a priest or minister recite prayers, with a congregation reciting a script back in unison, often with minimal expression. It is boring to you to hear music and singsongs that you would never listen to anywhere else but in church. It is boring to have to stay focused on one thing for 45 minutes to an hour that doesn’t involve electronics in some way. Things appear to be boring when they are not providing the degree of entertainment that we think that we are due. Our culture has put a premium on “all things fun”, and this adds to the issue.
What people are really asking when they say this is, “Why does Church have to be so boring?” Maybe the better question should be “What am missing about Church?” The Church has been having Mass and Services everyday, all around the world, for thousands of years, across cultures, in good times and bad and in the face of evil with the risk of great peril. Maybe there is something to it. It perseveres. There truly is a richness and beauty to the Liturgy, evident to those who have cultured and prioritized their relationships with God.
Some have said, “You only get out of it what you put into it.” This is pretty much true – If you come in with an attitude that you are wasting your time for the next hour, then you will waste your time. It is pointless to be there. But if you follow the readings, listen to the homily / sermon and pray with your heart, you will get something out of it, maybe not at first, but in time God will change your heart.
But really, going to church is more than just about what you get out of it; it is a time carved out of a busy week to give back to God,to show thanks for what is good in your life and to worship Him for just being who He is. Maybe if you approach it as such, the time won’t seem so boring – God desires a relationship with you, and He deserves your attention and focus, even if only for an hour in church to begin with…
Once you are open to the fact that church may have some merit, things begin to change. Not only will you allow the Word of God proclaimed at church to take root, the Sacrament of the Eucharist will also become life giving and beneficial, as the presence of Jesus within you also will grow. The richness and history of the Liturgies will become apparent and the unity of the Body of Christ, the Church, will also help you to feel a part of it all, and not to just be a bored observer.
So, if you are asking “Why is Church so boring?” God may be calling you to take the next step in your relationship with Him…
This was written from a Catholic perspective, but applies to all Christian services as well…
