Do you go through life being serious all or most of the time? (Raising my hand). Sometimes it is as if we think there is the 11th Commandment that ‘Though Shall Not have any fun’ . There isn’t such a law, but we often act like it.
In this article, I will give you at least 10 Ways that Christians can have fun. If you aren’t Christian, you may find some of these enjoyable anyway.
Now, I am not talking about being foolish and going too far by avoiding responsibilities, but about taking some time to enjoy the good things God has given us and refresh our souls. So let’s jump right in and not overthink this… In no particular order…
1. Watch a Movie
Click Here for some Recommended Movies
There are plenty of good, decent Christian movies out these days. I know not all can compete with the production quality of big Hollywood movies, and I go in expecting that, but some are getting pretty close.
Just like other movies, some are good and some are not that good. Some may suffer from a weak plot or overstating a religious point just as some secular movies suffer from a weak plot or overstate an opposing moral point. You aren’t guaranteed a great movie before you go in, but it doesn’t stop millions of us from going to the movies to enjoy the experience or buying it for a home movie night.
Here are a few favorites…You may have others…
- God’s Not Dead
About a student challenged by an Atheist professor. It has several sequels - Risen
A roman soldier on a detective like chase looking for the body of Jesus. (PG-13 for crucifixion & death related scenes with violent battle scenes). My surprise like of 2018. - Classics
Ben Hur, the Robe, Jesus of Nazareth - Fantasy
Lord of the Rings (subtle underlying Christian themes)
Chronicles of Narnia (Christian themes) - Animated
(for children and adults who are young at heart) - In the Theaters
Some aren’t well known and come out with little fanfare and without big Hollywood marketing budgets. When they do come out, they are a good opportunity to get a group together and enjoy an evening out together.
I figure if someone is trying to make a Christian movie, they need support so they can make more and improve. Even if I pay to watch a clunker, I still feel like it was worth my effort. Some end up being very good!
You can watch other movies too. Just ask yourself if God would approve and you will be ok.
Note: Binge Watching. Too much of anything may not be good. If all you are doing is watching TV and movies, then balance it with something else.
Click Here for some Recommended Movies
2. Play a Bible Board Game
Click Here for Some Recommended Bible Games
I know what you are thinking. Oh no, not another Bible trivia game that tests your knowledge of the Bible!
While many people enjoy an occasional Bible trivia question, many don’t like sitting down to a full game of trivia questions. If someone is new to the Bible you could embarrass them by asking too many questions they don’t know. If you choose a trivia game, make sure it is ok with your group ahead of time.
Fortunately, Bible Board Games have advanced in recent years. Many are not trivia games, but occur within a Biblical time period or follow a Biblical theme. No prior Bible knowledge is necessary, but still fun to invite family and friends. These can be a lot of fun and possibly intrigue someone to go read more in the Bible on their own!
Note: Whoever chooses to be the gamemaster (explaining the game to others) may need to spend an evening or two in advance to learn how to play so that the experience is fun for others.
Tip: For any new game, the first couple of rounds will be a learning process. Plan on an extra hour or more for the first game and choose the easiest version.
- Portals and Prophets
Fun time travel game to Biblical time. You need to be in the right place at the right time.
On Difficulty Scale (1-10) : 3-4 - Kings of Israel
This is a cooperative game where everyone works together. It is not easy to win, but fun because you cooperate as a team trying to rid Israel of sin. If you ever played Pandemic, this is in the same genre.
On Difficulty Scale (1-10) : 5-6 - Commissioned
Another cooperative game where you are the Apostles trying to spread the Church to the world and face obstacles. (Tip: The gamemaster needs to understand how the personal deck mechanism works. New players will be lost without help with this.)
On Difficulty Scale (1-10) : 6-8 - Pillars of the Earth
A worker placement game where you have craftsman and workers that can do a wide variety of things to help build a cathedral. (The gamemaster needs to know how to play ahead of time)
On Difficulty Scale (1-10) : 7-8 to start, a little easier each round.
(Tip: New players may need ongoing help)
If you don’t know how to play a game… don’t worry… Besides the included written instructions, these days you can go to YouTube to search for tutorials and sometimes even find an actual game played.
Playing a Board Game can be great quality family time or fun with friends. Some of these games can be fun and non-threatening for those not looking to be questioned about Bible knowledge, yet they have the potential for opening the door for faith discussions.
They can be good as gifts too.
Click Here for Some Recommended Bible Games
3. Go for a hike, walk, or picnic.
Hiking, walking, or having a picnic is a great way to get out in nature and enjoy God’s creation away from the busyness of the world, the phone, and the computer for a while. It’s good for the spirit and the body, but be aware of your limits; what your body can do and can’t do.
If hiking is too much for you, then perhaps a walk where there are pockets of nature to explore and appreciate.
If you can’t walk, then a scenic drive or a nice picnic are also good options.
If you can’t get outside, then enjoy the scene outside a window.
God’s creation is everywhere. I’ll leave it to you to pick the place and how much you can do.
Coming off a knee injury, I understand the limitations some of you may have. I enjoyed looking out the window yesterday at lightning bugs. Each day is different and can still help to refresh the soul.
4. Read a book of the Bible
You know that book of the Bible that you have been wanting to read for a long time but never can find the time for? Try making the time.
Many times we read bits of the Bible. We may hear a variety of verses here and there, but it is a different experience to read an entire book to get into the flow of the narrative. The Bible comes alive in ways that you may not expect.
You pick the book. There is a lot to choose from. One of the Gospels can be read in a couple of hours.
Click Here for Some Recommended Bibles
Click Here for a List of Books in the Bible
5. Go to or organize a BBQ for friends or family
Spending a few hours with friends and family on the weekend can be fun. You can eat and get outside at the same time.
If it is too much for you to cook it all, make it a pot-luck where everyone brings something. This can be fun and share some of the family favorite recipes.
If you are more outgoing or like to cook, you may want to plan/help a picnic/BBQ/festival for your church or community group. Be aware the organizers have the most work to do, so consider if you are looking for fun and relaxation or like to sacrifice your time for the benefit of others. It can be a lot of fun for the whole community.
6. Go somewhere
Somewhere close by or somewhere far away. It can be religious, historical, scenic, fun or whatever interests you. it can be a vacation or just a few hours out by yourself, with friends, or family, or on the weekend. Young children do not need extravagance.
Some of my favorite memories as a child were when our Dad and Mom took us to the local places to eat on a Saturday. It was an adventure for us kids.
Just saying you don’t need to break the bank here, but getting away for a little while can be fun. It can also help clear the stress and cobwebs if you need a little break.
You decide where.
7. Gardening
At times, gardening can be hard physical work, but it can also be spiritually refreshing and joyful. There is something about planting and watching plants grow that connects us with God. Adam even cultivated the garden before original sin.
Gardening can help us understand some of Jesus’ parables better.
The Parable of the Sower. Matthew 13:1-9
1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore.
3 And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,
6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots.
7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.
8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.
9 Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
My favorite part of gardening is planting seeds and watching them grow. I don’t like weeding as much, but I also enjoy the reward of eating fresh vegetables; there is nothing like it.
Smaller Deck Gardens
If you don’t have a lawn but have a deck. you can start with a couple of containers. A garden does not have to be big.
I started with a few containers on a cement carport and that was one of my best gardens ever. It was small and I was able to keep up with it.
Window Herbs
If you don’t have a deck, try some herbs in the window or an inside garden kit with lights. Having fresh herbs on a cold winter’s night is a real treat!
Community Gardens
If you are in an urban area, try searching for a community garden in your area. this can be a good way to get outside and learn from others.
Food Bank and Church Garden
If your church has some land and there is a local food bank that accepts fresh vegetables, you may want to start a church community garden and donate to the food bank. Note: Keep in mind a garden is a lot of work (especially during summer weeding and watering, so you may need a schedule that the volunteers can cover if you want some vacation time yourself).
Flowers and Yard Work
This topic also includes planting flowers and yard work. As I mentioned earlier, even Adam was a cultivator before original sin, so it can be beneficial working the land and cooperation with God who provides the growth.
8. Photography
I am not talking about the expensive kind unless you already have the equipment. You can use a camera phone too.
Go out and look for the beauty in the world!
When I have a camera in my hands I begin to look at things from a different perspective, sometimes literally staring at a flower or a tree from an angle I would not have done before.
You get to look at things not normally possible
Without a camera, try looking up a tree trunk, or staring at an interesting rock, or following a bug on a flower; people may look at you strangely.
With a camera, you have more freedom to explore. Be like a child of God for a while and go look for something interesting with a camera or your phone.
9. Enjoy a good book
Click Here for Some Recommended Books
Outside the Bible, there are many good books. Tolkien, Lewis, Chesterton, to name a few authors and millions more. Find something you like to read.
I am a bit mindful of the length of the book. I may not always have time to read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy or the complete works of C.S. Lewis, but if I am sick in bed or injured for a while, maybe longer volumes could be a good choice.
If you have enough time, maybe even write a book. It may or may not get published, but it can still be a rewarding experience. If it is for the Lord and doesn’t become a bestseller, that is ok, God knows what is in your heart and does not forget.
Tolkien said that reading (in moderation) can have a good purpose. We tend to get into the habit of wanting to control our lives to the point where everything is familiar and predictable. That is ok up to a point, but going too far we can constrain ourselves to a box.
By reading, we enter into a different story or a different land for a while and encounter endless possibilities. When we finish reading and come back to our lives, it can inspire us to look at our lives in a new way, to ask if there is something different I should be doing or inspire us to share our own God-given talents with others.
Find your favorite chair and curl up with a good book!
Click Here for Some Recommended Books
10. Enjoy a good Sunday rest
Going from here to there, non-stop, even if it is fun, without any rest, can wear you out. There is a reason that God rested on the 7th day, not because He was tired out and needed a rest, but because we needed an example of what to do. We need some rest.
Going to church on Sunday is a great thing to do. If we take time with the Lord, we can get both spiritual and physical food and rest, to replenish us for the coming week.
The Sunday rest can also include doing fun things as this can be a mental break from the busyness of the World. Just don’t make fun the entire focus. Include God since He is the source of real joy.
11. Enjoy Time with Your Family
If you have a family of your own, or relatives, or friends, take quality time to spend with them.
If you have young children, they remember the time you are with them more than the location. Even time after work can be a special moment each day for them.
12. Think up your own fun ideas.
I know you can think of more… I’ll leave the comments open for a while if you have more suggestions.
Conclusion
Don’t be a grumpy Scrooge. If you have all the knowledge of the Bible but are grumpy all the time, who would be attracted to that? (I am saying this as I need to get outside for a walk)
Find something fun and joyful to do once in a while so that you have a balance of serious time and joyful time.
While the Bible does say it is not good to be a fool or be a drunk, we also need to keep in mind that Jesus did attend a wedding and reminded us about the birds and the wildflowers.
We need a healthy balance of fun and joy. It can give us glimpses of the joy of heaven to come.
Hope these ideas help. I enjoyed writing it!
- If you are not looking for fun right now, that is ok too. Please see our other articles that deal with serious questions and topics.
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Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.