Karen Ware Jackson
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Top 10 Reasons We Can't Worship With Kids

2/3/2016

2 Comments

 
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In my workshops, I often ask folks to complete this sentence: "We can't worship with children because..." And let me assure you, we have no trouble coming up with a long list of reasons why kids should should stay out of the sanctuary.
  1. They are too loud!
  2. They are too wiggly.
  3. They might light the church on fire.
  4. Their parents want to worship in peace.
  5. They are in Sunday School (or Kids Choir or Children's Church).
  6. They have a soccer game (or karate tournament or art class).
  7. "They disrupt the sacredness of the sanctuary."
  8. It's too boring.
  9. It's too hard to engage them because kids are so different from adults.
  10. They don't understand.

I don't mean to make light of these fears because they are both honest and (usually) true. Kids are loud and messy. They have a tendency to ask questions at inopportune moments. Church can be boring for kids (and adults too)! Children can't understand the language and symbolism in much of the service. But how much of worship - the intersection of divine glory and human awe - do any of us truly understand? Christina Embree says, "{church is} a total package.
And much of what is included in that package is not comprehended through the mind, but through the heart."

Worshipping with kids isn't easy. It's important that we recognize the challenges so that we can also embrace the gifts children bring to our church. Make sure to read part 2: "Top 10 Blessings of Worship with Kids."

2 Comments
Carol
2/4/2016 11:09:34 am

I agree that children should be in worship and at the church I am part of they are in the main worship for at least part of every service. However I see our children growing so much in their faith through some wonderful teaching that happens in junior church. In this case their worship has all the components that happen in main church, they follow the same readings etc , they have confession, prayers, songs a creed etc all lead at least in part by the youngsters themselves. They are also much loved and welcomed, treasured by most in church ( we can't make people like them being there) they are wonderful but I think the fact that they have their own church going on is fantastic as do they but also like bring in with everyone else too. Just saying it as I see it "my" church

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Karen link
2/5/2016 03:04:02 pm

Carol, it sounds like you have a great Jr. Church! How old are the kids when they start attending with the adults? Do you do anything special to welcome them or "graduate" them to Sr. Church? I think one of the hardest things about awesome children's church is that it can be tough to leave behind ;)

You probably also have certain services, like Christmas Eve or Easter sunrise where all ages attend togther. That's can also be really neat.

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