Encourage the Children to Worship
On Sunday, I mentioned that we’ll be gathering for worship on Christmas morning (this Sunday at 10:30!), not because it’s Christmas morning, but because it’s the first day of the week, which God has declared to be “the Lord’s Day” (Rev 1:10; cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2). Christians all around the world will be gathering for worship this Sunday because it was on a Sunday that our Lord rose from the dead. The fact that it’s also Christmas just makes it more special!
But what will we do when we gather for worship this (and every) Sunday? We will:
- read from God's Word (1 Tim 4:13),
- preach God's Word (2 Tim 4:1-2),
- pray in accord with God's Word (Acts 2:42; 4:31),
- sing in accord with God's Word (Eph 5:18-21; Col 3:16), and
- observe God's Word made visible through the Lord’s Supper
(1 Cor 11:17-20).
These are the five essential, non-negotiable elements of Christian worship.
But what else might we include? The list of things that people might consider including is quite long, each with its own set of pros and cons. For example, one matter that has been debated in American churches over the last forty years is what we call “the Children’s Moment".
How are we to navigate these decisions?
Beyond the above list of essentials, the New Testament simply instructs us that “all things should be done decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:26-40), in accord with God's Word and centered on Him rather than ourselves (Matt 6:1-18).
We don’t have much information regarding times of gathered worship before the time of Christ either, but I find the following four passages instructive as they explicitly call for the presence of children in such gatherings (see full text included at the end of this article):
When I arrived at RHCC, I was a little surprised to find that the children’s moment was a part of the service, as I had only ever seen it in some of the liberal churches in which I grew up. I’ve attended a large number of churches over the last 30 years, all across the United States and even a few in Myanmar, Uganda, and England, and not one of them has included a children’s moment in the service. While looking into this further, I’ve discovered that it’s very rare to find a children’s moment in any thriving, gospel-centered church (I honestly haven’t found a single one).
Over the last year and a half, numerous members of RHCC have voiced their desire to see this element removed from our services. People often have a hard time putting into words what they see as problematic about a children’s moment, and you’ll often hear something to the effect that “It just feels awkward.” That certainly describes my experience, both as a child who participated in these times and now as an observing adult.
I believe this sense of awkwardness is due to three main issues:
- Having a children’s moment communicates to the children that the rest of the service is NOT for them, thus encouraging them to tune out. This greatly underestimates what even young children can glean from the entire service if they are encouraged to pay attention.
- Having a children’s moment communicates to the children that this element of the service is all about them, when our times of gathered worship should be all about
God, not
us. As I’ve written before: “It is through observing others worship God that children learn the universe revolves around Him and not them. For children, worship is more caught than taught." (see “Let the Children Worship”)
- Bringing a select audience forward and speaking directly to them communicates that this is NOT a time for the rest of the congregation to continue their worship, thus creating an awkward break in the flow of worship for everyone.
These are the main reasons that we are making the change to remove this element from our Sunday morning gatherings. While this change may feel innovative, we're actually returning to the practice of RHCC prior to the addition of the children's moment on March 5, 1978.
Please pray for the Lord to use every element of our Sunday morning gatherings to bless all who gather, moving them to worship Him with their whole lives. Also pray for the Lord to bless each of our Sunday school classes as children and adults of all ages gather for times of discipleship tailored for their age. May the Lord cause all of our ministries to bear great fruit, especially as we “Pass the Promise” to the next generation!
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Evan
#################
9 Then Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel. 10 And Moses commanded them, “At the end of every seven years, at the set time in the year of release, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing.12 Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, 13 and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
30 At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.
1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand, and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
13 Meanwhile all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. 15 And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's. 16 Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the valley, east of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” 18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord, worshiping the Lord. 19 And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
