Paying attention in church is a large feat for many churchgoers today. Between the
coughing and sneezes, crying babies and loud whispers, and constant flutter of movement across
the room there is a great chance of missing most of the sermon. The distractions most individuals
face in one church service are amplified for individuals with ADHD. ADHD is one of the most
common mental disorders affecting children. ADHD also affects many adults. Symptoms of
ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is
not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur in the moment without thought)
(Parekh, 2015). Focus is one vital skill needed to retain messages spoken at church. With
individuals often unable to fix their inability to focus, it raises the question of how the church can
Individuals with ADHD cannot help that they pay attention to too much stuff, much of
which is unimportant, at the expense of what they need to pay attention to (Grcevich, 2016). In
a normal church service there are hundreds of other stimuli affecting the concentration of people
with ADHD. One source said that, ADHD can make it tough to be a Christian. Two
major components of a typical worship service are the sermon and the prayers.
with whom I have talked feel guilty about how little they participa te in traditional
worship. Many have abandoned the regular practice of their faith, not because of
disbelief, but because of a sense of being out of place in a worship service (Mason,
2009). As a church body it is important to create an inclusive enviro nment for all. One
major aspect that has proven to positively impact learning and retention for
individuals with ADHD is the arts. Whether art is included in a service through
interactive lessons like a fill in the blank sheet, coloring books, and sketch p age or
through visual arts like dance or a slide show with pictures, it is proven that art aids
retention. When you use arts to teach, learning sticks (Leidig -Sears, 2017). Small
adjustments like adding a coloring page to the program, or a few pictures t o a slide
show during a message can better serve the members of a church community.
Educators in the school system have begun to tap into the power of the arts for
learning. Although educators use arts in hopes of engaging students with curriculum,
the same idea can be used to educate churchgoers. Arts integration uses teaching
practices that have been shown in brain-based research to improve comprehension and long-term
retention. For example, when students create stories, pictures, or other nonverbal expressions of
the content they are learning -- a process researchers call elaboration -- they are also helping to
better embed the information (Nobori, 2017). The practical side of arts in church demonstrates
the ability for it to engage the audience. Not only do the arts help people to better engage in the
message, but it can also help them to engage with the heart of God. Using visual arts can help
us encounter Christ. It's only one way. It's not the only way. But it's a tool we can all develop. It's
time to recognize, study, grasp, and reclaim the visual arts in our worship (Huyser-Honig,
2004). Visual arts can be used to connect with different members of the church, deepen their
understanding of God and help them to concentrate and love coming to church.
Another simple way to give people with ADHD an outlet to their hyper-activity is
providing non-content stimuli. For example, before one enters church some form or fidget item
could be provided. An item could include a stress ball, a rubber band, a fidget spinner, etc. These
items have no emotional or external attachment and take the brunt of the desire to move. One
source stated that, if movement can be directed, it can enhance learning (Stock, 2011).
Movement distracts the learner from the source. Fidget items provided in church can enable
The church has the obligation to welcome in all children of God. Galatians 3:28 says,
there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither clave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are
all one in Christ Jesus (NIV, Gal. 3.28). The body of Christ is to come together, to support one
another and to build one another up. The church is called to bring all believers to the heart of
God. The church is called to minister to those with ADHD. There are simple ways that the
church can do this, by first seeing a need and then filling that need.