102: We're Serious About Having Fun
Some churches are known for preaching. Some for reverence. Some for excellence. But at Keystone Church, there’s a value that often surprises people:
We’re serious about having fun.
Not casual about it.
Not apologetic about it.
Serious about it.
As Brandon and Susan shared in Episode 2 of The Overflow, fun isn’t a gimmick or branding tactic. It’s not about being trendy or attractional. It's about something far deeper — choosing joy as a weapon against decay, cynicism, and spiritual drift.
Culture Will Form By Default — Or By Design
Every home, every church, and every life already has a culture. The question is: was it chosen, or did it simply happen?
“Culture is created by default, or created by design.”
Default culture drifts toward decay.
The default body declines toward high blood pressure and medication.
The default thought life slides toward anxiety or apathy.
The default marriage drifts toward distance and resentment.
The default church becomes dry, divided, or defensive.
Fun, then, isn’t frivolous. It’s intentional resistance against slow spiritual death.
Fun Isn’t Opposite of Holiness — It’s Evidence of It
Some Christians act like the more miserable you are, the more spiritual you must be. But Scripture refuses to separate holiness from joy.
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” — Nehemiah 8:10
“In Your presence is fullness of joy.” — Psalm 16:11
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” — Psalm 34:8
Jesus’ first miracle was turning water into wine — at a wedding.
Heaven is described as a feast with “choice meats and aged wine” in Isaiah 25.
Joy is not beneath God. Joy comes from God.
As Brandon said, “God is a blast.”
And if God is a blast, His people should reflect it.
Serious About Fun at Home
This isn’t just a church value — it’s a family discipleship strategy.
Brandon told a story about one of the hardest seasons of church planting. Financial pressure. Long days. Exhaustion. And yet every day, when he walked through the front door, he didn’t collapse on the couch or withdraw in silence.
He laid down in the hallway and let his young kids dogpile him.
That wasn’t just play.
That was leadership.
That was a father declaring: “Stress will not define this house. Joy will.”
Fun in Church — Without Compromise
Let’s address the criticism head-on.
There are Christians who believe that if a church is playful or celebratory, it must be watered-down or unserious about the gospel. Some even present a false choice:
Either you are a reverent, biblical church…
Or you are a fun, attractional church.
That is a false dichotomy.
Why not both?
We exalt God with reverence and awe.
We laugh as spiritual family.
We preach the Word boldly.
We shoot confetti cannons on Easter.
We fast in humility.
We feast in celebration.
Fun is not the point. But fun is a pathway. It shows that Jesus not only saves souls — He restores delight.
How to Know If Your Fun Is Godly or Dangerous
Not all pleasure is holy. Not all laughter is pure. So how do we know if our fun is righteous?
Use two biblical filters:
Does this help me love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Does this help me love my neighbor as myself?
If not — it’s not fun. It’s sin.
Which is why we don’t just pursue fun — we pursue God-designed fun.
Fun God’s WayFun the World’s WaySex within marriagePorn, lust, adulteryFeasting with gratitudeGluttony and excessWine in moderationDrunkennessLaughter with friendsMockery or crudeness
We are not anti-fun. We are anti-counterfeit fun.
Heaven Is a Party — Let’s Practice Now
God commands celebration in Scripture.
Feasts. Festivals. Singing. Dancing. Weddings. Meals.
And Isaiah 25 shows that when God restores all things, He starts with a feast — not a lecture.
If heaven is full of joy, why should the Church be full of boredom?
Final Word: Joy Is Not a Distraction — It’s Our Strength
“We’re not just serious about fun because it feels good. We’re serious about fun because joy strengthens us.”
In a world weighed down by anxiety, outrage, and cynicism, joy is not immaturity — it is warfare.
Joy is rebellion.
Fun is resistance.
Laughter is testimony.
If God is a blast, His people should be the most joy-filled people on earth.
Let’s raise families where kids love being home.
Let’s build churches where people love being together.
Let’s live in such a way that the world says, “If that’s what walking with Jesus looks like — I want in.”
Because we’re not just serious people.
We’re serious about having fun.
