Children in the worship service

I wanted to share a quote from "Parenting in the Pew" by Robbie Castleman. She is actually quoting from Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon from Resident Aliens. This gives all of us in the church something to think about this week and in the future.

In many of our modern, sophisticated congregations, children are often viewed as distractions. We tolerate children only to the extent they promise to become "adults" like us. Adult members sometimes complain that they cannot pay attention to the sermon, they cannot listen to the beautiful music, when fidgety children are beside them in the pews. "Send them away," many adults say. Create "Children's Church" so these distracting children can be removed in order that we adults can pay attention.

Interestingly, Jesus put a child in the center of his disciples, "in the midst of them," in order to help them pay attention. . . . The child was a last-ditch effort by God to help the disciples pay attention to the odd nature of God's kingdom. Few acts of Jesus are more radical, countercultural, than his blessing of children.
This definitely made me think! For a great read on how to help children worship rather than just be in church, check out "Parenting in the Pew" by Castleman.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 16, 2010 at 10:46 PM

    I have suggested singing some "kid" songs during worship--not just on youth Sunday. There are so many great ones that I find I forget and when I hear them again, I a refreshed and reminded that like a child we enter Heaven.

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