Are we having fun?

here's another question that growing churches should be asking:

#4 – Are people having fun? We have to give people hope, encouragement, and the chance to laugh. We live in a fast-paced and stressful culture. If people can’t find health and balance in our church, they will find it somewhere else.

there was a poster that everyone had back in the 80's. it said, "are we having fun, yet?". that was the question of a generation. and it didn't end. the pursuit of fun got deeper and more profound in the 90's. it certainly isn't any different here in the 21st century. just more technologically sophisticated. bottom line? fun is still fun and we are all looking for it.

fun is not evil. in the midst of the most serious issue of life...what happens when you die...the pursuit of enjoyment is powerful. i have some friends of mine who used to refer to their church as kurt and ken's church of fun. i can remember the first time some of my more conservative church friends heard about it. their collective gasp still resonates in my memory! and i think my belly still hurts from laughing about it...

there is a lot of pain in life. it's difficult. it's confusing. it's full of suffering and failure and misery and dying. it's that way for everybody. some more than others. but sooner or later, we all walk the road of sorrow. where do we find the balance? where do we find relief? where do we experience balance? where is it ok to laugh and joke and feel pleasure and enjoyment and merriment and amusement?

you really want to know where? church. that's right, church. i believe it with my whole heart. in the midst of all the important things we need to be doing, having fun is right up there with worshipping and fasting and saving souls. so get out there and get busy. have some fun!