When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time with a neighbor my age. We enjoyed swimming in the pool, riding our bikes, playing ball and other things that kids do for fun. But there were those days when our ideas ran dry: a rainy day or just a day when none of the normal “fun” things seemed to appeal to us. On those occasions, we would sometimes just sit on the back porch and chant “Boring! Boring! Boring!” as we made up a non-descript tune to go along with these deep and rich lyrics.

It is sad to see that many kids today don’t get out and do the things like we did back in “the good old days”. Video games and screen time have consumed our gaze (for adults as well!). We have come to expect entertainment to be at our fingertips at all times and have learned to consume that entertainment in bite-sized bits. As a result, our ability to sit down, focus and listen has been greatly diminished. The instant the entertainment stops, we begin to cry “boring!” as well. In light of this, it is no wonder that when we bring our kids to church they often find it “boring”.

Some churches have gone out of their way to remedy this situation. Their pastor comes dressed in a way that makes them appear more “relevant” and “relatable”. They offer a concert-like atmosphere in the worship service in order to stir people up emotionally and add excitement to the worship service. They have screens filled with high-quality visuals to keep people engaged throughout the service (and especially the sermon). Children are often ushered into their own high-energy service, offered a snack, and given a craft to do. And as for the message (whether for children or adults), they try to keep it brief so that attention spans are not unduly strained. Their main goal is that noone leaves church and says, “This is boring!”

Now, I am not going to shoot down or even address all of these practices of the modern church. Some of these things have a place when done in appropriate ways. In our Sunday night service, we keep the children in church and have a segment of teaching just for them. When the message time comes, we provide some activity papers for the kids to do which encourage them to listen to the message and teach them to take notes. There are legitimate ways to keep people engaged and listening, but we must be careful to stay biblical in our presentation – even if it seems “boring” to some.

The reason for this is that God has prescribed a certain way for His truth to be proclaimed. Romans 10:17 tell us that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We come to faith by hearing the word of God. In order for us to hear, someone must be speaking. And it may come as no surprise that God has chosen to accomplish this through the Pastor’s sermon – “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). The latest apps, technology, visual illustrations, and high-energy programs can be helpful for the work of the ministry, but they can never be a replacement for the preaching of God’s Word from the pulpit. Even if it sounds like foolish, old-fashioned, or boring talk to our modern thinking, the sermon needs to remain a key part of every worship service – because that is the way in which God has prescribed for us to proclaim His truth. We must not allow the preaching service to be diminished, short-changed, or turned into a psycho-babble filled homily to give people an emotional booster shot.

Psychologists have analyzed our short attention spans and have said we need to adapt our methods of communicating to our society today. There may be some truth in this and we may need to make accommodations for the changing psyche of our audience. Yet, God is more aware of our psyche and has greater wisdom than we will ever have. Just before telling us that He chooses to use the “foolishness of preaching”, He states “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” (1 Corinthians 1:19). Just like today, there were those in the Corinthian church who thought there was a better way to gain God’s truth. One verse later, Paul explains “the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). They all had their preferred “learning methods” that they thought would be better ways to communicate the Bible. Yet God insisted that preaching was the best means by which they would learn and receive it.

So, bring your kids to church. Teach them to sing, sit, listen, participate and take notes (you may even need to practice at home throughout the week). They may find it boring for a while, but they will learn to adjust over time. If you want God’s Word to penetrate their hearts and change their lives, don’t rely on high-energy music or a service that caters to their “likes”. Trust that the “foolishness of preaching” is what they need. By the power of God’s Holy Spirit and the faithful proclamation of God’s Word from the pulpit, God’s Word will not return void. For as the Bible says, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25). There is nothing boring about the power of God at work in a person’s life!