When people think of Christian events, they may not admit it, but they usually have one of two stereotypes at the forefront of their minds. They either think of an uptight, religious ritual in which no one is allowed to even crack a smile, or a church party with no spiritual value whatsoever.
Your event, though, doesn’t have to fall into either of those categories. Contrary to popular belief, your event can be spiritual and fun at the same time. Here are some ways in which you can achieve that perfect balance:
Consider Spiritual Maturity
Remember- not everyone who attends your event is going to be on the same spiritual maturity level. In fact, it is possible that not everyone who attends even knows Christ as their Savior. If you go overboard with the deep, theological aspects of your event, you’ll end up losing many of your newly converted attendees early on.
Make sure the spiritual concepts are easy to understand and, if possible, directly tied to the gospel. Learning about Jesus in an engaging way is fun; sitting in on a theological seminar bored is not.
Even though you may have been a Christian for many years, you may consider reading a “new Christian handbook” to remember what it was like when you first started your walk with Christ. This will also help you relate to new members.
Consider Time Constraints
It’s also important to note that in many cases, you won’t have much time to work with. You may even be dealing with a one-day retreat. How can you incorporate both spiritual nourishment and fun in the span of only a day?
First, don’t try to pack a bunch of small events into your itinerary, no matter how tempting it may be. It’s better to have a few well-planned, meaningful events than an assortment of pointless ones. This makes it even easier to balance spirituality with fun.
For example, if you only have a couple hours to work with, you could plan a short Bible study or devotional small group to come either before or after your fun event. Sometimes, it’s easier to make an impact in a day than it is over a week or longer.
Consider the Definition of ‘Fun’
The truth is that everyone has a slightly different definition of ‘fun.’ Not everyone likes card games, shopping sprees, hiking, or even spending the day at the movies. But there are some universal things that everyone seems to like, food and fellowship being the top two.
For instance, if you’re planning a weekend women’s ministry camping trip, even those who don’t like camping may consider coming simply because they want to interact with other women in a unique setting. You don’t have to go somewhere exotic to have fun; if you are with people you can relate to, anything can be fun.
That puts a little less pressure on you to come up with something ‘fun’ to weigh out the spiritual parts. Finally, never forget this one important fact: spiritual things can be fun, and fun things can be spiritual.
