Do Children belong in worship service?
Today is the last Sunday of the month. On the last Sunday of
every month I give a Children’s sermon during both services.
Just before school started this year, I was approached by some
adults who would like for the children to have a Children’s Church instead of
sitting in worship. This is what started me thinking, do children belong in
worship service? Does the majority of the congregation feel this way? I believe
that children do belong in the worship service. Worship is something we learn
by watching and doing. My husband and I have raised four girls, when they were
little they all were in church sitting next to me. They did not bring toys or
allowed to get up and down to leave the worship service. I did provide pencils,
paper and colors for them to use to take notes or draw pictures of what they
learned in worship. Since I have become a Children’s Minister I have wished I would have kept some of their
drawings. They always pertained to what was said during service at their level
of understanding. God can and does speak to children during a worship service.
Parents need to learn how to bring their child along and help them learn to
worship.
This morning I chose to speak to the children and parents
about what worship is and how the children can participate in and hear God from
it. I realized that we use words often in ministry that children and some
adults do not understand. Worship is one of those words. Children have told me
that worship is only singing. Singing is only one part of our worship
experience. To worship God means to focus only on God, not on what is going on
around you. Worship is taking time to stop and think about God, what he has
don, what he will do, and to tell him how wonderful he is. Worship is not something
we do only on Sunday mornings when we come to church.
1 Peter 2:9 tells us we are created to worship God. “But you
are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, holy nation, God’ special possession,
that you may declare the praises of him who call you out of darkness into his
wonderful light.” We were chosen by God, he wants us all to come to him to and turn
away from darkness. He does not just
call adults. God does speak to children. They are not too young to learn to
praise God. In Mark 10:13-16 Jesus tells his disciples not to keep the children
away from Him. Matthew 21:15-16 tells how the children shouted praise to him in
the temple court. This upset the Chief Priests and teachers of the law, but
Jesus replies, to them, “Have you never read, ‘from the lips of children and
infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise.’” Matthew 21:16 (NIV) (Psalm
8:2) Children need to be welcomed into worship service. Parents, Pastors and
other Christian adults can welcome children into service and set the example on
how to worship. Just as Jesus loves and welcomes them.
We can learn a lot from children. They are so open to Christ’s
love and what he does for them. I asked my Wednesday evening JAM (Jesus and Me)
Class of kindergarten - third graders if they had prayer requests or Praise.
The first girl who raised her hand said, “I want to praise God for my life.”
What a wonderful act of worship. She stops and sees how God is the one who is
responsible for her life. It made me think how I need to stop, and know that He
is God, not me or anything else in my life.
This morning I read from the book, “When I Go to Church, Guiding
Preschoolers in Worship,” by Kay Vandevier Henry, to the children. I read a paragraph from the section on “What
is Worship to a Child?” and “Guiding Behavior during the Worship Service – Part
1. This is a very good book for parents to read to help them learn how to teach
their children to worship. It is written for children and parents. It is a very
good resource for the Children’s Minister to use to bring along parents who
have problems with their children in church. I also think Pastors and worship leaders
should read this book to help them include children in worship. This would go a
long way to help the children feel loved, welcome, and a part of God’s church.
There is so much more to say on this topic, and I may
explore it more. But for now I will close with, : And whoever welcomes one such
child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:5. Worship is for every one of God’s
children, no matter what their age.
