In Kids and Worship, I shared with you the important reasons I prefer children to worship with their families and not in a separate children’s worship service. Often this service is little more than entertainment- with children learning they should always have fun during worship and that worship is about how they feel, not about worshipping God. Your children are missing so many things vital for their spiritual growth and health when they are separated from you – even for just part of the service.
You may have experienced a few frazzled worship services with your children and decided it is best for everyone if they are removed from the auditorium as quickly as possible. With a few tips in your pocket and a couple of extra loving Christian hands, your family can reap the benefits of family worship with very little pain and suffering!
These are some of the things that made having our daughter in worship not only possible, but something we all valued – even those sitting near us! Every child is different, but some combination of these tips should work with almost any child.
If your congregation is like most churches, they offer some sort of children’s worship. It can last the entire duration of the worship service or happen just during the sermon. Some congregations only have children’s worship for preschool children, while others offer it through late elementary or even the teen years.
Family devotionals are a great way to expose your children to God’s Word at home. Even if you use a devotional book or read from scripture and pray, it’s often difficult to find a consistent time to have them regularly. Why not shake things up a bit and have family devotional theme dinners?
The other day I noticed the leaves were beginning to change. It seemed rather strange since we have barely had a day with temperatures below ninety degrees in months. Even though cooler weather seems to speed up the change a bit, God must have placed the trees on some sort of timer…when it’s time, those leaves are going to change. It’s God’s timing for this part of His creation.