Fun & Holy: Called to be Fun & Holy as Followers of Christ

spiritual growth May 04, 2020

Growing up, I always wondered why church is boring and only went to church with my family. But after God woke me up and showed me who he really was, he showed me why giving my life to Jesus and becoming a true follower of Christ was so important.

But when I was first saved after surrendering my life to Jesus, I had no idea what Christians did for fun. I knew getting drunk on the weekends wasn’t fun or honoring God, but I didn’t know what Christians actually did for fun. Did Christians still go out? Can Christians have fun at all? Do Christians drink? Have parties? Dance?

What does the Bible say about having fun? Is it possible for Christians to have fun while also living a life that is pleasing to God?

I had so many questions when I became a Christian, and in this blog post we talk about how God calls us to be both fun and holy, including bible verses about having fun and why church doesn't have to be boring.

My First Fun & Holy Church Experience

At my home church in San Diego, Awaken Church, I quickly learned that Christians did know how to have fun. I was having more fun at church and with my new church friends than the parties I used to think were “fun” where I spent all night drunk and woke up hungover.

I had grown up thinking that church is boring but this was certainly not the case. I told my mom back home that I had found a new church that was really fun and that the pastors were actually funny. They made the gospel sound like plain English that I could understand. She told me that churches aren’t supposed to be fun and that we don’t go to church to be entertained.

We had grown up in a Catholic church that definitely wasn’t fun or entertaining so I could see where she was coming from. But something felt different about this church. It felt like where I belonged and they spoke about Jesus in a way that I had never heard before. I was hooked.

Through my new church family and reading the Bible, I realized that as believers in Christ, we are actually called to live fun and holy lives on this Earth.

One of my first experiences at my new church was a ladies night for our women’s ministry, Cherish. I was expecting to hear a message preached but had no idea what to expect as I had never been part of a women’s ministry before.

After a powerful worship experience and message, I witnessed the whole church praying for each other with such love and power that I burst into tears. I had never seen people pray like this before and it was so beautiful.

After the service, we all proceeded to have a dance party. They had gone all out with a photo booth, snacks and even a DJ – I couldn’t believe I was dancing to the Wobble at church! I was in awe that I was having a dance party with hundreds of women that I had just met who also loved Jesus. Why had nobody told me that church could be like this?!

It was like I had stepped into a whole world I had no idea existed before, a world where you could love Jesus and also have fun. I realized that these women were just like me, most of us did have a past before Jesus but none of that mattered now. We were all redeemed and made holy through the blood of Christ. We were all forgiven and free to live the lives that God created us to live.

Yes, I had found a church that believed that Christians can have fun, but most importantly, I had found a church that spoke and preached God’s truth from the Bible.

“Be holy, because I am holy.” – Jesus

From my pastors and reading God’s word, I started to realize that we are holy through our faith in Jesus and that he chose us and made us holy out of love for us when he died on the cross for our sins.

Ephesians 1:4 (CSB) says that “For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” God also calls us his “chosen ones, holy and dearly loved” in Colossians 3:12 (CSB).

1 Peter 1:15-16 (CSB) also commands us to be holy: “But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, be holy, because I am holy.”

I realized that God chose me to be his holy daughter and that we are made holy through the grace of Jesus. We are redeemed, restored and made holy through our faith in him. As women of God, we are called to be set apart and represent Jesus, to model holiness and draw others to walk in the way of the Lord.

My church family definitely modeled this as I looked up to the women around me who were not afraid to share what they had been through or what they had done before surrendering their life to Christ. They were living proof that through the power of Jesus and his love, he really does redeem and restore us no matter what we may have done in the past and that we really can be holy because Jesus is holy.

Bible Verses About Having Fun

My new church family also modeled that we were intended to live life as God’s holy, chosen daughters while having fun and enjoying the life God had given us.

But what does the Bible say about having fun?

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – Jesus

In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that he came so we can have life and have it to the full. To have life and have it in abundance.

The MSG version puts it this way: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

In Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NLT), the Bible also tells us to have fun and enjoy the life God has given us.

“So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun.”

The Bible makes it clear, not only are we called to be holy through Jesus Christ but God wants us to have fun while doing it. God chose us to be holy before we were even born and Jesus died on the cross not just so we can be forgiven of our sins but so we can have real and eternal life, more and better than we can dream of!

Transformed

I also learned how to be both holy and fun through the Holy Spirit. I learned that as I surrendered my old life, God was transforming me through my Spirit and making me more like Jesus every day.

I learned that as I chose not to conform to the world around me, God was changing the way I think. I learned that as I delighted in God and his word, he was giving me his desires for my life and revealing the plans he had for me.

God made me holy through my faith in Jesus and also transformed my desires to have fun in a way that would honor him.

I sing and dance more than ever as I worship and celebrate life with my friends. I get to eat, drink and enjoy life with the greatest community around me not only at church but also on the beach, on boats and at dinner parties.

You Were Chosen to be Fun & Holy Too

Before I surrendered my life to Jesus, I didn’t know this whole other world with Jesus existed, a world where people genuinely felt loved and happy while worshipping God as they lived the life God wanted them to live.

We are made holy through the grace of Jesus. No matter what we may have done in the past, we are redeemed and made holy and righteous through our faith in Jesus.

We are God’s chosen daughters, to represent Jesus on this Earth. And Jesus wants us to have fun while doing it! He says that he came so we can have life in abundance and live it to the fullest. We are to enjoy life by eating, drinking and having fun.

Following Jesus or going to church do not have to be boring. A relationship with Jesus shouldn’t be a religion with a set of rules. Following Jesus is choosing to have a relationship with our savior and to walk each day as a holy daughter of God.

As we choose to follow him every day, we will also have fun in the process as we pursue the plans he has for us. We will experience a love and joy we never imagined could be possible.

My hope for Fun & Holy is that you too are inspired to live the fun & holy life that God intended you to live. As daughters of God, we are in this together and I will be cheering, crying and laughing with you along the way.

No matter what your past looks like, you can choose today to start living the fun & holy life Jesus intended for you to live!

Do you want to strengthen your relationship with God?

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Honor to My Awaken Family

As my first blog post, I cannot start this blog without honoring my lead pastor, Leanne Matthesius, and my Awaken Church family for showing me that it is possible to live a fun and holy life as a daughter of God. Pastor Leanne is the definition of fun and holy and inspired the name for this blog.

Thank you Pastor Leanne and Awaken Church for empowering me to live the fun and holy life I was created to live and to boldly share the love and truth of Jesus with others so they too can become part of the family of God <3

We need true friends to live this fun & holy life with

We were not intended to live a life with God alone. We were intended to live life to its fullest with others in community.

Read my blog post How to Make Christian Friends & Be a Better Friend for tips and strategies on how to make true friends that will lead to lasting friendships.