Why Are the Children in Service During Worship?
Every Sunday, during the first set of worship, you will see a bunch of children sitting/standing during the “adult” service. Sometimes they singing to Jesus in a beautiful way! Sometimes they have a hard time standing still. And many times, they look bored and appear to not want to be there.
LA FC Kids :)
Many churches have parents sign in the children before the “adult” service begins. This makes sense logistically and also in some spiritually practical ways. Questions like the following may emerge:
“Can the children even understand the worship songs lyrically?”
“Wouldn’t more “child-aimed” praise songs be more ideal for them?”
“Shouldn’t we allow these drained parents get more of a break from these kids so they can worship without hindrance?”
^ Parents, hold off on your “Amens!”
“The children being there will distract us “adults” from singing to God”
Though there are many truths in this line of thinking – I want to explain my heart, as your Pastor, for why I believe that, all things considered, it’s a good thing that the children are there for worship with us during that first worship set.
“Can the children even understand the worship songs lyrically?”
“Wouldn’t more “child-aimed” praise songs be more ideal for them?”
“Shouldn’t we allow these drained parents get more of a break from these kids so they can worship without hindrance?”
^ Parents, hold off on your “Amens!”
“The children being there will distract us “adults” from singing to God”
Though there are many truths in this line of thinking – I want to explain my heart, as your Pastor, for why I believe that, all things considered, it’s a good thing that the children are there for worship with us during that first worship set.
1. The Children’s Ministry is Not a Separate Church from THC –
In most churches, if we were being honest, the children/youth ministry is completely separate from the adult congregation. Children/teenagers worship and learn in one room and adults in another room.
This is very understandable in “immigrant churches” due to a language difference. But what if both children/teenager/adults speak the same language?
In most churches I’m aware of, children/teenagers spend year after year separate from the adult congregation. And then when they graduate high school and “leave” our church adults are often surprised and saddened. But the truth, the humbling reality, is that they were never part of the congregation.
Asking them to transition into the “adult” congregation when they graduate high school is a big part of the problem. There should have already been some “transitioning” taking place throughout the many years they were children/youth.
One thing I like to remind myself is this: “Delia is not the Pastor of the Children’s Ministry. I am.”
Of course, I am not in there each week shepherding/teaching and serving the children in a direct way. But I think it’s better for me to think that it is my personal responsibility to ensure the children are being taught the gospel and having it modeled to them through their teachers.
I don’t want to have the attitude that says, “The CM is Delia’s responsibility. I have little to no part.”
Whenever Pastor Danny or John ask me to guest speak to the children/youth of Beautiful Church – I tell them, “I can’t wait for you to come to The Home Church.”
In 2019, I began an annual tradition of speaking to the THC Children and finding a guest speaker for THC adult service. My hope is that they would know who I am, but more importantly, our heart to see them transition into covenant members of The Home Church.
This is very understandable in “immigrant churches” due to a language difference. But what if both children/teenager/adults speak the same language?
In most churches I’m aware of, children/teenagers spend year after year separate from the adult congregation. And then when they graduate high school and “leave” our church adults are often surprised and saddened. But the truth, the humbling reality, is that they were never part of the congregation.
Asking them to transition into the “adult” congregation when they graduate high school is a big part of the problem. There should have already been some “transitioning” taking place throughout the many years they were children/youth.
One thing I like to remind myself is this: “Delia is not the Pastor of the Children’s Ministry. I am.”
Of course, I am not in there each week shepherding/teaching and serving the children in a direct way. But I think it’s better for me to think that it is my personal responsibility to ensure the children are being taught the gospel and having it modeled to them through their teachers.
I don’t want to have the attitude that says, “The CM is Delia’s responsibility. I have little to no part.”
Whenever Pastor Danny or John ask me to guest speak to the children/youth of Beautiful Church – I tell them, “I can’t wait for you to come to The Home Church.”
In 2019, I began an annual tradition of speaking to the THC Children and finding a guest speaker for THC adult service. My hope is that they would know who I am, but more importantly, our heart to see them transition into covenant members of The Home Church.
BEAUTIFUL CHURCH ELEMENTARY CHILDREN PRAYING OVER ME AFTER I GUEST SPOKE.
The children/youth of BC are technically not my responsibility in the same sense that the THC Children’s Ministry because they are under Beautiful Church, but I still remind them that we are looking forward to when they come to THC.
This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to share my heart with the adult congregation of Beautiful Church. One of the main points of my message was to let the parents know that our church is investing, praying, and wanting to see their children come to receive Christ and follow Him at The Home Church. Message here if you’d like to listen.
The BC children/youth are a burden we are choosing to bear, but the THC children are our responsibility!
So, by having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for them/us to be reminded that we are ONE church. Not two.
This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to share my heart with the adult congregation of Beautiful Church. One of the main points of my message was to let the parents know that our church is investing, praying, and wanting to see their children come to receive Christ and follow Him at The Home Church. Message here if you’d like to listen.
The BC children/youth are a burden we are choosing to bear, but the THC children are our responsibility!
So, by having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for them/us to be reminded that we are ONE church. Not two.
2. Children Learn How to Worship Through Observation –
I want our children to see their parents and older brothers and sisters singing passionately to God. Children watch us! If they are only ever around peers of their same age – they are missing out on an opportunity to observe their mentors worshipping God. We all know the power of peer pressure! It works both negatively and positively.
By having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for them to learn about the God who deserves to be worshipped as such and it allows for them to learn about the importance of singing truth about the greatness of our God to God.
By having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for them to learn about the God who deserves to be worshipped as such and it allows for them to learn about the importance of singing truth about the greatness of our God to God.
3. We, “Adults”, Bear the Responsibility of Building a Bridge to the Next Generation -
Whose job is it to model the gospel to Ariel, Austin, Camille, Clayton, Ellie, Ella, Emma, Emily, Evelyn, Gabriel, Hunter, Isabelle, Isaiah, Joseph, Judah, Katie, Landon, Mason, Nation, Olivia, Vincent, and whoever I forgot to name? Who’s job is it to encourage them to become covenant members when the times comes? Should we assume that they will do this if we teach them well? Or is it our job to build bridges to them?
The parents? Delia? Their teachers? Mine?
The answer to this is…. yes…
The parents? Delia? Their teachers? Mine?
The answer to this is…. yes…
It’s interesting to me that when Paul writes letters to the churches in Ephesians and Colossians – he is writing to churches where adults/children were present. That’s why he was able to address both directly in the same passage.
This is why they children are in many of your Family Churches because they are a vital part of THC and your FC!
How do view these children? As Christian? I think it’s better to view them as VIPs. We know that the decision-making part of the brain isn’t fully formed into your mid-late twenties. Teaching and modeling the gospel to them may be work that lasts decades before we see conversion fruit.
I think viewing our children as possible VIPs may be wiser in the long run. This helps us to sacrifice even more for them and adds purpose to their presence in our Sunday worship service and Friday FCs!
Our church will be offering 1-2 Parent Commissions in 2020. In this class, parents learn about what it means to prioritize evangelism/discipleship to their own children first. Then they come before the congregation and declare a vow to the congregation to do their best to teach and model Christ to them. BUT! There is also a part where I, the Pastor, turn to the covenant members of THC and ask you to take a vow to do your part to teach and model Christ to these children as well.
It takes all of us, to disciple the next generation.
By having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for us to be reminded of our corporate call to view them as VIPs who, God-willing, will choose to follow Jesus and join us as future covenant members to build THC!
This is why they children are in many of your Family Churches because they are a vital part of THC and your FC!
How do view these children? As Christian? I think it’s better to view them as VIPs. We know that the decision-making part of the brain isn’t fully formed into your mid-late twenties. Teaching and modeling the gospel to them may be work that lasts decades before we see conversion fruit.
I think viewing our children as possible VIPs may be wiser in the long run. This helps us to sacrifice even more for them and adds purpose to their presence in our Sunday worship service and Friday FCs!
Our church will be offering 1-2 Parent Commissions in 2020. In this class, parents learn about what it means to prioritize evangelism/discipleship to their own children first. Then they come before the congregation and declare a vow to the congregation to do their best to teach and model Christ to them. BUT! There is also a part where I, the Pastor, turn to the covenant members of THC and ask you to take a vow to do your part to teach and model Christ to these children as well.
It takes all of us, to disciple the next generation.
By having the THC children in the main sanctuary to worship alongside us; it allows for us to be reminded of our corporate call to view them as VIPs who, God-willing, will choose to follow Jesus and join us as future covenant members to build THC!
We are blessed to have Delia Perez overseeing our children :)
THC, we must learn how to do community through the chaos of children. Of course, we can minimize the “chaos” part by godly instruction and discipline – but I believe that we need to view these children as VIPs who are a vital focus of our church.
So, in my opinion, it is worth it to include our children in FC and THC worship. And I believe it’s our job to “build bridges” to them. Not the other way around. In the Kingdom of Jesus, the more spiritually mature leader always goes down to the level of the less spiritually mature.
Thank you to the many of you who are serving in “Next Generation Ministries” (BC Youth, BC Elementary, and THC Children’s Ministry)
So, in my opinion, it is worth it to include our children in FC and THC worship. And I believe it’s our job to “build bridges” to them. Not the other way around. In the Kingdom of Jesus, the more spiritually mature leader always goes down to the level of the less spiritually mature.
Thank you to the many of you who are serving in “Next Generation Ministries” (BC Youth, BC Elementary, and THC Children’s Ministry)
Paul loves Children's Ministry <3
In love,
PM
PM
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