Dozing away during the sermon did not just start today. Remember Eutychus, the young man who sank into a deep sleep and fell off the window to his death during Paul’s sermon in Acts 20? Also, Peter, James and John dozed off twice in the Mount of Transfiguration when they were supposed to watch and pray? Reminds us of how many times our dedicated Ushers take their time to wake us up only for us to fall back into slumber again. Some snore away, sometimes hit their heads on the seats, and some do not know when their Bibles fall off their lamps only for them to jump when it hits the floor.
Elifeonline seeks to understand why sleeping during Church service has become a norm. Some blame it on boring method of preaching, some say it is because congregation may be tired (this is not a good excuse because people should not be tired on Sunday morning) and others say because the modus operandi is very routinal and uninteresting.
1. Why would you say people sleep in Church?
2. Have you ever slept in Church before?
3. How can sleeping in church be prevented?
Your opinion is welcomed.
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People sleep in churches because the supernatural power of God is no longer in many churches. Most pastors are using gimmicks, fear, intimidation to keep people in church. Most times the Pastors sound like a broken record repeating itself. They have no revelation because there’s no real prayer and worship. Their bellies have become their God. They have no genuine compassion for the confused members. Most people leave the church more confused than they came. The life of Jesus is completely supernatural…from vigin birth, miracle ministry to resurrection from the clutches of cruel death. So when you encounter Him your life will be windy… supernaturally transformed and translated to the kingdom of light! Rev lsaac Dijies, |
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1. A number of things can make people sleep in church. # our souls and spirit lives in the body and thus is affected by the state of the body. So if the body is tired, or weak, It takes a lot of effort and strong will to keep it awake, even in church.
# People can sleep in church if they are not interested, and not participating in the events of the service. *participation includes shouting hallelujah, clapping, responding to the preacher e.t.c # People can sleep in Church if the service is cold and boring. Some sermons are just long boring speeches. All grammar, no life. # Some times sleeping in Church is a device of the devil to keep people from getting what God has for them, and if one is not sensitive and alert in their spirit, they’d fall for it. #People sleep in church sometimes because there is a demonic influence in the atmosphere making people sleep. 2. I have dozed in church before. There had been occasions that I’d felt really sleepy on a Sunday morning. Lol. It was difficult to stay awake but I survived, Lol. It was a fight, but I won. 3. To avoid sleeping in church
# Get enough rest/sleep before service if you can, and if you can’t, go to church with enough weapons to fight drowsiness and sleep. This includes a strong determination to stay awake no matter what, something to chew or munch. # Hot mint gums or sweets helps. # Participate fully during service # Don’t justify it when you feel drowsy in church. Don’t say “God knows I am tired, I am human…” Fight it! # Do all you need to do to stay awake, stand up, go to the restroom and wash your face, etc. Don’t be ignorant of the devices of the devil. Take charge of the atmosphere the moment you sense a weariness in the air. You may not be able to save the whole church but you can save yourself, and who says you can’t banish that demon from the service that moment. Shalom Olorunfemi, |
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I believe sleeping in the church is basically a product long service. To me, a number of churches embark in long sermon, over an hour. Research has shown that attention span of church members during sermon is 30 minutes. Anything after that, is just flying over their heads. While some people are not really sleeping in the real sense of it, their minds are switched off from the long sermons. A number of sermons are quite repetitive. Some pastors, particularly visiting ones, want to impress their hosts by elongating their sermons. This engenders fatigue among church members, many who may not be able to decode what the pastors says after a long time. I was listening to a tape by Pastor Adeboye where he was invited to preach at a pastors meeting, and he said he would not exceed the time given to him because it is not the length of the sermon but the quality of the sermon that matters. He said he had preached a sermon before that lasted just five minutes. As for me, any sermon that goes beyond 45 minutes, l switch off. Apart from sermons, there are two many unnecessary activities in some churches that may lull some people to sleep. And l think this is usually in our clime in Africa where we don’t appreciate that church members also have other things to do. In most churches abroad, if a church service is unnecessarily long, by the end of the service, the pastor may be the only one left in the church, because people have other things to attend to. This is my take.Richard Akinnola, Journalist, Lawyer, Centre for Free Speech |
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People sleep in church especially when it’s time for sermons. The devil doesn’t want us to listen and be obedient to the Word of God; that is why he does everything to prevent us from listening. It’s both a spiritual and physical thing. Sleeping happens just when the sermon is about to begin, or ongoing. Another reason is that the body can be tired from daily work, and you just find yourself dozing in Church.
Yes, I have dozed off in church many times, unfortunately. Sleeping in church can be prevented. It is first of all a personal decision every believer should take. From my experience, when I leave home determined not to allow sleep take over me in church, I DON’T sleep. As I go, I declare, “Devil, you are not going to rob the Word from me today.” Jean Kamga, |
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There are different reasons for sleeping in church. For some people, it could be out of stress they might have gone through. Many churches have their evening service almost every day and in a situation where someone who does not want to miss the programme forces himself to church, it takes the grace of God for him/her not to sleep in that service. The second category are people who suffer from sleeping sickness. They can sleep anywhere provided they are sitting down. These kinds of people sleep from the beginning of the service to the end without gaining anything from the teachings. In some churches that have their vigils from 9pm to 5am without a chance to sleep and still go with another programme after, no doubt people would sleep in that service because body no be firewood. No man denies nature and gets away with it. Also, a church with full air condition would definitely trigger people to doze off. In all, it is the devil’s handwork to deceive Christians. A Christian who went to church and slept all through the service wouldn’t gain a thing. It was a waste of time.Have i ever slept in church before? Yes I have. Maybe when i was tired and was still force to go to church.How can sleeping in church be prevented? It takes prayer o, but the most important of it most that evening programmes shouldn’t be forced on people who their nature of works deserves rest. Also, for those who are fond of sleeping in church for no reason in particular, punishment like standing up during the service would be of great help. Amponsem Akosua, Student, Adeyemi College of Education, Ile Ife, Osun State. Nigeria. |
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Church was given because God saw the need for it. The moment the reason for church is not well followed and expressed, there is bound to be the existence of the unexpected. Why will somebody sleep during sermon? What significance is sermon in the church business? Do people sleep in eatery or disco houses? Anybody who is sleeping during sermon is out of the business of the day. It may not be the person ‘s fault, it may be that the sermon is not meeting required needs. The body can be tired but when the need of the spirit is met, there will be strength for activeness. The state of man’s spirit determines the strength of his or her faith to offer worship unto God. The Church supposed to bless and empower spirit through diverse Programme. When this is not in place, the congregation will go into rest with sleep. Apostle Muyiwa Rufus Oyetade, |
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Series of reasons could be adduced for sleeping in church; these range from the psychological, medical, emotional, socio-economic, as well as financial factors. Firstly, the preacher might not be carrying his congregation along. When the preacher of the day lacks the requisite skills of passing the message, it could lead to some people sleeping in church. Secondly, some churches do not carry the congregation along during service. In the Catholic Church, everything said by the priest in the mass elicits response from the people. You are engaged. You are standing and sitting constantly so this discourages sleep during mass. Thirdly, people also sleep in church because of psychological and emotional trauma they might be passing through. Some woke up that Sunday with issues bothering their minds and they can’t concentrate during service. Another contributing factor could be medical. That is, some people have some sort illness that makes them sleep alot. Some may be as a result of the pills they usually take.Q2. I have never slept in Church before. It is impossible because I am always busy in church. As a young boy, I was an alter servant, the young boys that assist the priest at the altar. I also joined the youths choir, became a lector, those who read during mass. There is no way I could sleep.Q3. People should try having enough rest before Sunday service, so that they could reduce the tiredness from work or business. Secondly, preachers should be able to ascertain the mood of their congregation when delivering sermon. They should try to adopt methodologies that would make their sermon interesting. Once you feel your congregation is not following, raise a song and make them alive. Tell them interesting stories which is in consonance with the theme of the day. Polycarp Ugulu, |
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People sleep in church for these reasons: Lack of love for God. My experience has shown that we don’t get bored of someone we really love. As a married people, we know that our courtship days are never boring because we are in love. People sleep in church because the service is long and boring. Long sermons and announcements can sedate the congregants. Today’s people’s attention span is shorter compared with those days. An average TV programming in the 80s were one hour long but today its 27 minutes. So coming to church, long service hours can make people sleep. Today’s people are very mobile and agile. We live in fast moving city and generation. Only activities that can ginger people that will help.Seyi Olanrewaju, Author, HCC, Lekki, Lagos. Nigeria. |
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People sleeping during church service especially during sermons didn’t just start today, it’s been on as far back as the establishment of churches in Africa (i believe it’s more common among we Africans than in d western world). I think people sleep during sermon bcos everywhere is quiet, such a time d opportunity to sleep arrives. U cant find people sleeping during praise and worship bcos of the noise. Or maybe there used to be some demons going around that just dont want people to hear d word of God *just kidding* Also, u know a lot of people have stressed themselves during the week and had to wake up early on Sunday morning to prepare for church. They are tired but wont want to admit it but once they in church and everywhere is quiet, sleep would just automatically take over. Or should i say some people are just too bored by the sermon. That’s the must boring part some people dread from the whole Sunday service. Especially if the preacher dont know how to spices up his preaching. 2; i ve never slept during sermon. I cant see why i should do that. If i found mysef dozing at church i simply tell myself” u shouldn’t ve come to church when u know u are coming to sleep. U are here for the service and if u cant deal, pick your bag and go back home.” if am feeling sick or too tired on a sunday morning i dont go to church, i dont see why i should be at church and then be acting silly, nobody forced me to go in the first place na, so whenever am @ church, i concentrate fully until the service is over. 3; i dont think sleeping during sermons can be stopped or prevented u just have to keep tapping/ waking them whenever u see them sleeping.
Aderonke Alasake, business Woman, lives in Lagos, Nigeria. |
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People sleep in church especially during sermon because 1. Every where is always silent,its like a solemn moment. 2. People are sitting down, some of them doing nothing ie not jotting down the sermon,not opening d bible passages called by the preacher 3. The sermon may be dull too. Give prayer points and songs that will make d congregation stand up intermittently during sermon 3. Sleeping in church can be prevented if: 1.People sleep early on Saturday night and rest well 2. The preacher spices up his sermon,make it interesting 2. I’ve slept in church before.Olamide Aremu, Civil Servant, Oshogbo, Osun State. |
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Dozing in Church is the real proof, that JEHOVAH ALMIGHTY truly exist, its a symptom of GOD’s presence in the midst of the people that are gathered to either talk,pray, praise or worship GOD ALMIGHTY, JEHOVAH, that,s why the devil is not happy always, so, he tries everything possible to make people sleep. i,m not saying that sleeping in the church is good but there are many other things that can also make some people to sleep in the church, such as, meaningless sermons, closing church service late, tiredness of not sleeping well at night before coming to church, heavy and too much thinking while in the house of GOD, can cause a thing like that, just imaging a jobless man or a woman that was forcefully giving a title in the church against his or her will, sat in the church on sunday service thinking of where next to get money to pay for his or her rent because a warning was passed to her before leaving the house to church by his or her landlord, to pay up, or will be thrown out of the house, now this person will come to church and the next announcement that will be announced from the alter will be that all title holders in the church must pay N10,000 naira fast for the programme coming up in three days time, and the jobless title holder in the church, is looking for just N8000 naira to pay his or her landlord, and yet another N10,000 naira debt from the church again, haaaa, that person must sleep na, and the reason while i said dozing in the church is the symptom of GOD,s presence, is this,it can also be a source of GOD,s revelation to some people. why dont people sleep in the BAR or CLUBS or SHRINE or even where they worship other useless gods? because the devil knows that those places are for destruction. if you doubt me now, just call on any body closer to you right now, hold the person,s hand and say, let us pray to GOD, imediately, either you or that person, or the two of you will start dozing slowly, that,s GOD,s presence, i mean the POWER OF GOD, such signs does not take place when you call on the name of ogun, shango, orumila etc. and if you are not strong enough? the devil will want to turn it to full sleep, in other for you not to succeed in praying to GOD but anytime you notice these signs and you still force yourself to pray? believe me, that prayer will surely be answered by GOD, any time we call on GOD, the devil knows that we are about to impact some knowledge unto us, so he tries to distract you from it, not only in churches it also happen in the class room, why because the devil knows that you are about to impact something great unto you, so in other to make you fail, you will start dozing, you may even sleep off fully, sleeping in the church is also another way demonic people operate inside the church, in other to disturb people,s prayers i have seen many confess to that with their mouth in the church, even speaking in tongues, demons also speak in tongues inside the church and if you are not wise, you will mistake it for the HOLY type of speaking in tongues, to me its only GOD that will help us all.
Osamuyi Dickson, Musician based in Germany. |
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First of all I’ll say people sleep in church because of lengthy and lifeless sermons. When a pastor is talking talking and talking and it becomes boring. Also sermons without praise and worship at intervals too makes one lose concentration and as such seeks refuge with sleep. YES I have slept in Church before. And this was due to the above mentioned points To remedy this attitude of sleeping in Church I’ll recommend this * Preachers should avoid “too lengthy” sermons. Note I said too lengthy not lengthy * Songs too relating on the the topic should be song during the sermon * I’ll also recommend that preachers can practice moving round the congregation while preaching. It arouses some kinds of attention.Vanessa Ntani, Student. Cameroon. |
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1. Stress. Message boring; lack of understanding, demonic influence, etc 2. Have i slept before in church? Yes.. 3. How can sleeping in Church be curbed: We need the ushers assistance. Pastor Afolabi Coker, |
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Number one reason people sleep in church is a disconnection from The Holy Spirit. When we get up to go to church, our number one priority is to go into the presence of The Almighty…to seek His Face, to dwell in His presence, hungry for His Words, for His Love, for His Mercy..so we can be filled.We definitely can’t be doing that asleep. The enemy uses sleep as a very comfortable distraction…but I’ve come to realize it seems to work well for those weak in the way of the Spirit Another reason is a lack of knowledge which is also a case of being disconnected in the Spirit. If people understood that the enemy is stealing their graces while they sleep at church ah! They have eyes but they can’t see… Another one is some others don’t even care “today na Sunday make I just go church ” You know it’s been said by our Lord in the parable of the sower…. Some may also be simply tired from work….but for these if connected in the Spirit, it would not just be outright sleep. It would be more of a battle of wills for them as the enemy would be using the weakness of their bodies to steal from them. Munachi Mudama Akeh, |
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Sleeping in church is caused by many factors such as overnight browsing, weekend activities (weddings, burial, clubbing etc), deep thought of worldly things, satanic devises etc. All this factors are responsible for sleeping in church. The devil is using lack of concentration in church as a way to cause separation between God and his children Yes, I have dozed off in the church before sometimes due to stress or hangover. Discouragement of overnight browsing. It is better to take enough rest on Saturday & prepare for service on Sunday. Thank God some churches are now reschedule their weekend activities to Thursday & Friday so that people we no longer sleep during church service. To overcome satanic devises, we need to pray, mediate on the word and draw more closer to God. Babafemi Oluyemi, Abeokuta, Ogun State. |
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I would say the reasons for sleeping in church could result from a medical condition. I have personally observed some persons with medical disorders who fall asleep at very inappropriate times. Another reason some may fall asleep is a lack of being engaged by the Holy Spirit. If you are quickened by the anointing of Holy Spirit, I have found the tiredness and sleepiness departs and excitement and strength from God gives us the ability to remain alert in His Holy Presence. 2. I only slept in church as a very young toddler of ages 2 or 3. 3. Sleep in church can be avoided through anointed ministry and hunger in the soul of those in attendance. Sonya Marlette Kendall, USA. |
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