I can remember one timed when I was a boy; I made the mistake of stating to my mother that I was bored. The next thing I knew I was doing chores, carrying firewood, cleaning, and anything else my mother could think of on our small three and a half acre farm. I learned two important lessons that day: first, if you are bored don’t broadcast it, and second, if I am bored it probably means I am not doing anything.
Often I hear that church is boring, the worship service is boring, and the preaching is boring. Sometimes people do not state it with words, they show it with their feet, they do not show up for church services, and are uninvolved with the life of the church. My guess is that if one is saying that Christianity is boring they are either watching a Christian who is lukewarm, and is nominal in his/her faith or the person stating such is a lukewarm, nominal Christian. Nominal Christianity is boring.
As I think about my 20-plus years of ministry and the six years of my Christian life before I became a preacher, it has been anything but boring. I have preached in several states, two foreign countries, met many wonderful Christians, and have served the Lord in the inner city, in rural areas and in a third world country. I have been in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, orphans homes, and have been on several mission trips. I have not experienced boring Christianity.
The book of Acts gives the history of the church and it is not boring. Christians worshiped together, prayed for each other, helped those who were needy (Acts 2:41-47), fed the hungry (Acts 6:1-6), went on mission trips (Acts 13:1-4), and they made a difference in the world for the cause of Christ by converting the lost and helping Christians on their journey to Heaven. Christianity as described in the New Testament is anything but boring.
The story is told of a young woman who was once given a book to read. She tried reading it and found it to be quite dull and boring. Later, she fell in love with a young man who was a writer. In a conversation with him, she found out that he was the author of that book. She could then hardly wait to get to her room so that she might read it again. This time she found it to be a very interesting and fascinating book. What was the difference? She knew and loved the author!
Some think the Bible is dull and dry. But if they would read it with the idea in mind that here is a book written by their God and Creator, they would find it to be a challenging message. They need to come to love God. When they do, they will find His book and the life it calls us to live to be both interesting and meaningful. Think about it! – Mark T. Tonkery, Laings church of Christ, Laings, OH
Highland Lakes church of Christ 