RiverLife Values 2034: We Have Fun Together

Church should be fun. Kids and youth ministries know this, but somehow “adult church” seems to have forgotten or even rejected this idea. Maybe it’s time to recapture the fun of following Jesus together, and heed the advice of famed comedian Groucho Marx who said, “If you’re not having fun, you’re doing it wrong.”

INTRO

“Church shouldn’t be fun.” That was the opinion voiced by a former RiverLifer in a meeting last year about church ministries.

Two weeks later, the leadership team was having a Post-it note brainstorming session, and, not surprisingly, the idea of having fun together showed up on several Post-its. The team acknowledged that we love having fun together, and it significantly shapes how we approach church.

So, this became our sixth church value: We have fun together.

Joy

But what exactly is fun? For that, I want to show a short video of the great treatises on fun in the modern era. This philosopher so astutely captures the essence of fun, it’s uncanny.

[PLAY VIDEO]

Ah yes… Fun, fun, fun, fun.

One of our new six church values is: We have fun together. While it might seem an odd choice for the weighty calling of the church, but it’s not as out-of-place as it might seem.

Kids and youth ministry know this. Jim Rayburn, the founder of Young Life and the inventor of modern youth ministry, is famous for saying, “It’s a sin to bore a kid with the gospel.”

Joy is no small theme in Scripture. It’s a major thread running throughout the whole Bible—joy, rejoice, be glad, gladness, jubilation, delight, happiness, laughter. The theme appears over 500 times, with joy being mentioned 200 times.

Church History

If joy is such a strong biblical theme, why are so many churches serious—even sour—places? If you grew up in church, I bet you were shhh’d! or pst’d! for talking, laughing too loud, or just breathing wrong.

How’d we get here? Here’s a quick history lesson on the origin of the joyless church:

• The Early Church of Acts was full of joy, even under persecution.

• 4th-5th Century Asceticism introduced self-denial and strict discipline, treating laughter and levity as distractions from holiness.

• The Middle Ages shifted focus to God’s judgment, hell, and fear, making joy seem spiritually shallow.

• The Protestant Reformation in the 1500s rejected Catholic celebrations, leading to simpler, more serious worship

• The Puritans & Calvinists took it further. They viewed worship as a sacred duty rather than a celebration, banning dancing, music, and big celebrations as distractions from true worship.

• Fundamentalism & Evangelicalism in the 1900s reacted against the emotionalism of Pentecostals, emphasizing seriousness, discipline, and separation from worldly fun.

• I’ll add one more influence relevant to most of you—the Hmong Church. Hmong culture matches this religious seriousness, making a somber church feel right and natural. (Don’t be loud.)

Theology of Joy

So, that’s how joylessness became associated with piety and seriousness with faithfulness. If church history moved us away from joy, Scripture calls us back to it.

Joy isn’t just a feel-good extra in the Christian life; it’s central to who God is and how He wants His people to live. If the early church was marked by joy, if Jesus spoke of joy repeatedly, and if heaven is a place of eternal joy, then joy isn’t a distraction from faith—it’s an expression of it.

So, what does the Bible actually say about joy?

Living out our church’s value of having fun together requires that we have a robust theology of joy. Here are five things you need to know about biblical joy.

1. Joy is Rooted in God’s Presence

Joy in the Bible isn’t about circumstance—it’s about relationship. Joy flows from being close to God.

Psalm 16:11 –

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”

Joy isn’t something we find in success, possessions, or pleasure. It comes when we are near to God. The phrase “at your right hand” refers to a place of closeness, honor, and blessing. It’s where joy never runs out.

Jesus affirms this in John 15:11, when he tells his disciples: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

His joy becomes our joy—a joy that grows and leads to fullness.

So, if you’re feeling spiritually dry or joyless, the answer isn’t to chase happiness but to draw near to Jesus.

2. Joy is a Fruit of the Spirit

Joy is not merely a human emotion but a spiritual reality produced by the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.

Galatians 5:22-23,25 – 22

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control… 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Joy is not self-manufactured. It’s produced by the Holy Spirit in us. It’s not forced positivity or fake happiness. It’s God’s work in our hearts.

Just as an apple tree naturally bears apples, a Spirit-filled life naturally produces joy.

So, when you’re walking in step with the Spirit, joy grows in you organically. If you lack joy, the problem isn’t a lack of fun, but a lack of connection to the Holy Spirit’s work in your life.

3. Joy is Linked to Salvation

One of the greatest sources of joy in Scripture is salvation—the realization that God has rescued and redeemed us.

Isaiah 12:3 gives us a powerful image:

“With joy, you [Israel] will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

Think about that. Just as water satisfies thirst, salvation satisfies the soul. And both bring joy.

Luke 15:10 tells us,

“There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Heaven itself celebrates when someone is saved!

I still remember the first verse my youth leader read to me right after I accepted Christ—it was this one. It was a reminder that salvation is not just a decision. It’s a reason for joy.

So, if you’re feeling joyless, take time to reflect on your salvation—the weight of sin lifted, the promise of eternal life, and God’s grace at work in your story.

Pray like the writer of Psalm 51 did:

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation” or like the great Amazing Grace: “How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.”

4. Joy is Possible Even in Suffering

The world tells us that joy and suffering cannot coexist, but the Bible teaches the opposite. Joy is not the denial of suffering but confidence in God’s faithfulness during suffering. It’s the confidence that God is working all things for good. And it’s the confidence that this life is not all we have.

James 1:2 –

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”

The disciples lived this out.

• In Acts 5, the apostles were whipped, and they rejoiced for being counted worthy to suffer for Jesus.

• In Acts 7, Stephen was filled with peace and joy while being stoned to death.

• In Acts 16, Paul and Silas joyfully sang hymns in prison.

The common thread here was that every one of them fixed their eyes on Jesus instead of their suffering.

Biblical joy doesn’t ignore pain. It acknowledges pain but refuses to let it have the final word. That belongs to Jesus.

So, if you’re in a season of struggle, joy can still be present as a deep trust that god is in control, he is still with you, and he is working all things for good.

5. Our Ultimate Joy is in God’s Kingdom

The problem with our theology of joy is that we want it now, in this present life. But our ultimate joy isn’t found here. It is only fully realized in eternity with God.

Isaiah described it here (Isaiah 35:9-10) :

9 But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

When Jesus taught his parable of the servant, the master said to the good servant, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’”

Christian joy looks forward to the day when God’s reign is fully established and His people live in unbroken fellowship with Him.

Summary

The Bible’s theology of joy is deeply spiritual and relational. It’s not based on fleeting pleasure but on the unchanging reality of God’s presence, salvation, and promises.

Joy is a gift from God, sustained by the Holy Spirit, expressed in community, and perfected in eternity.

Application: Living Out This Value

So, yes, joy is a core theme in Scripture, but should it really be a church value? Absolutely!

Back when I was a math teacher, I had a rule: If you’re not having fun, they’re not having fun. And if they’re not having fun, they’re not learning.

The same applies to church. Joy impacts our spiritual growth—and I want this to be a place where you truly experience it.

But how?

Scientist and author Catherine Price, in The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again, defines true fun as “the magical confluence of playfulness, connection, and flow.” Each of these should shape the life of our church.

1. Playfulness

Price defines playfulness as “a spirit of lightheartedness and freedom—of doing an activity just for the sake of doing the activity and not caring about the outcome.” This can be hard if you grew up in a “faith is serious” church or family.

So, be present. Make church a Sunday priority. Hang out in the lobby just for the sake of hanging out. Invite someone to lunch after service. Smile, laugh together.

2. Connection

Connection happens when we share meaningful experiences with others. Every Sunday, you have the chance to connect—not just with God, but with the people around you.

How? Starting next week, stick around for a sermon discussion group. Join a life group or serve on a ministry team. Do something beyond Sunday morning that builds relationships.

3. Flow

Flow is what Price calls “a state of total engagement, in which you are so engrossed in the activity at hand that you lose track of time.” When was the last time you lost track of time at church? Isn’t it usually the opposite? (Especially this sermon. Come on, Pastor Greg, this is getting long.)

So, let yourself go. You might find that you have more fun at church.

Closing

This value isn’t just about having fun. It’s about building the kind of community where joy flourishes.

Because when we have fun together, we’re doing more than just enjoying ourselves—we’re living out the kind of faith God designed for us. A faith that’s joyful, connected, and full of life.

So, let’s laugh more, celebrate more, and invite others into this joy. Because when the church is full of joy, it reflects the heart of God—and that’s something the world desperately needs.

So, what’s one way you can bring joy into our church this week? Let’s live this out—together.