Is Your Church Service as Painful as a 6-Year-Old’s Piano Recital?

We’ve all been there. You get invited to a piano recital. You’re told it’ll be “wonderful.” You take your seat, program in hand, and smile politely. And then—out marches a 6-year-old you don’t know, who proceeds to bang out something that was probably supposed to be “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” You clap because, well, what else are you supposed to do?

The problem isn’t that the kid is bad. They’re six! Of course, they’re going to miss notes, stall halfway through, and look terrified the entire time. The problem is you’re trapped. You’ve got 90 more minutes, 40 more kids, and no escape.

Now, imagine sitting through that same kind of experience on a Sunday morning—except this time, it’s church.

Ouch.

I know that might sound harsh, but let’s be honest: some church services are just... painful. Not because people don’t love Jesus. Not because the Bible isn’t true. But because things are disorganized, unprepared, and low in quality. It’s like a 90-minute recital of “Twinkle, Twinkle” with three wrong notes a bar.

And if we’re not careful, we can unintentionally create barriers that keep people from engaging with God.

So let’s ask the tough question: Is your service drawing people toward Jesus, or distracting them away from Him?

1. Practice is Spiritual

Paul told Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved” (2 Timothy 2:15). That includes preparation. Musicians rehearse, preachers study, and teams should know their roles before Sunday. “Winging it for Jesus” is not a spiritual gift.

We sometimes think spontaneity is more spiritual than preparation. But the truth is, preparation frees us up to be more Spirit-led in the moment. If the worship team knows the music well, they can lean into the Spirit’s prompting instead of panicking about the next chord. If the preacher has studied, he can follow a nudge from God without losing the room.

👉 Practical Help: Run through songs, transitions, and tech checks before service. If your worship leader is surprised by the next song, or the slides don’t match, you’ve got a recital, not a service.

2. Excellence Shows Love

Excellence isn’t about perfection; it’s about love. When you prepare well, you’re saying, “We value the people who showed up today.” Nobody invites a guest to dinner and then serves burnt toast because “it’s the thought that counts.”

Church services should reflect the beauty and glory of the God we worship. Sloppiness in serving, singing, or preaching doesn’t communicate humility—it communicates carelessness.

👉 Practical Help: Ask yourself, “If I were brand new today, would this service help me encounter Jesus—or distract me from Him?” Excellence doesn’t mean lights and smoke machines. It means intentionality and care.

3. Transitions Matter More Than You Think

One of the most cringeworthy recital moments is the silence after a song when nobody knows what’s happening next. A teacher scrambles through papers, the pianist shrugs, and the audience awkwardly claps just to fill the space.

Churches do this too: “Uh… I guess it’s time for announcements?” Awkward transitions yank people out of worship faster than a wrong piano note.

👉 Practical Help: Script your service flow. Not word-for-word, but at least know who’s moving where and when. Smooth transitions help people stay focused on God, not on confusion.

4. Shorter Is (Usually) Better

Let’s face it: 6-year-olds don’t play Beethoven’s symphonies for a reason. And sometimes churches try to do everything in one service—too many songs, too many announcements, too long a sermon. People leave more exhausted than encouraged.

Jesus never seemed in a hurry, but He also didn’t ramble. His parables were short, clear, and memorable. Our services should aim for the same clarity.

👉 Practical Help: Trim the fat. Keep the main thing the main thing. A clear, Spirit-filled 25-minute sermon beats a rambling 50-minute one every time.

5. Remember the Audience

At a recital, the audience is usually grandma, mom, and dad—so nobody really minds the missed notes. But in church, people bring neighbours, coworkers, and friends who don’t yet know Jesus. When we’re sloppy, it communicates that the gospel isn’t worth our best.

We’re not performing for people, but we are communicating to people. And how we present the message matters.

👉 Practical Help: Always prepare as if someone’s walking in for the first time. Because they are, every week, someone sits in your service wondering if God cares, if the Bible is real, or if this whole “church thing” is worth their time. Don’t give them another reason to disengage.

Final Thought

At the end of the day, the church should be a place where people encounter the living God, not where they endure a recital. Yes, God can use anything—even out-of-tune pianos and awkward pauses. But if we can remove distractions and offer Him our best, why wouldn’t we?

Let’s not settle for “Twinkle, Twinkle” when we’ve been called to play a symphony of grace. Imagine what could happen if every church service were marked by preparation, excellence, and Spirit-led intentionality. Imagine walking in and sensing immediately: “God is here, and these people are ready for Him.”

That’s the kind of service people lean into. That’s the kind of service where lives are changed.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR