Children's Church

[Dr. Shane]

If we want to be relevant in today's culture, we need to provide an environment where parents of young children can be spiritually fed along with their children. Churches that have children's church attract parents with young children. The worship hour is so much easier and less stressful when the parents don't have to be constantly trying to keep their children quiet and still.

The Adventist church has some of the greatest evangelistic campaigns. Our media programs are second to none. Many converts that come to our denomination through either an evangelistic campaign or media production often find a dry service and a cold church. Becoming relevant in today's society is an issue the church leadership is dealing with but finding much resistance among the established members in the pews.

Many Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist and Lutheran denominations have children's church for children under 12 while the adults and teens are in the divine worship service. This feeds the children spiritually while creating a better environment for the parents to get fed as well. I have been a member of only one Adventist church that has done this and they only did it once each month. I think it would be a great blessing for the children, the parents, and the teens and adults in charge of it.

[DrWhoCompanion]

As a mom to 3 kids, I say kudos! Yesterday, I was outside the sanctuary, running around my younger two who had lots of pent up energy. A lot of churches also still bring the kids in for story time. Or do story time first then dismiss the kids.

[carolaa]

I amazed when I see situations where a church is blessed with people willing to give of their time to make children's church happen, and they are stonewalled by a board who insists that children need to be in the regular service.

[Morning Glory]

What a pity. We bring our 4 yr old granddaughter to Sabbath School, which she LOVES, as often as possible. She LOVES the children's story time and collecting the children's offering for the renovation of the children's wing. The pastor jokingly referrs to that offering as "the fleecing of the audience"!! It is amazing how much the kiddos have collected for this purpose.

Then many Sabbaths right after the story, the kids are invited to come to children's church. Not sure what all they do, but stories, songs, and puppets are part of what they have for the kids. They didn't have kids church this week......gd begged to go see the puppets. Maybe they will have it next week.

Our church also has " Church" for (?)6 mo thru age 4. GD used to LOVE to go there, too. Now, of course, she is too old. But, she says that she still wants to go.

My point is that whatever keeps the children's interest in going should be maximized. I am so grateful to the young people who are willing to sacrifice going to church themselves so that they can minister to the children!! Not only are they are providing a blessing for the parents and grandparents, but also for the children. I really do not understand why ANYONE would object to making the worship service attractive for the youngsters...... They are investing in the eternal welfare of these precious souls, and us old folks should NOT object!! Shame on all who do. I think that providing special programs for the children is part of what Jesus was talking about when He said to not prevent the children from coming to Him. They will come to what they understand. Give them time to mature enough to be able to understand and appreciate a sermon!! But at age 4 (for instance) they simply aren't interested and become bored quickly. In no time at all, it WILL decompensate into them not wanting to go......and we wonder why our church is hemorrhaging young people out the "back door".

Well, those are my thoughts....

Morning Glory

[carolaa]

Oh, but how are we going to *train* the children to sit quietly in church???!!! That's my favorite argument, because it makes absolutely no sense. I mean, it's true that kids who attend church regularly tend to be better behaved in church than kids who don't attend regularly. But is this the point -- to train kids to sit quietly? If so, we are really in a sad state. Anyway, I have every confidence that by the time kids grow up, or even as early as school age, most of them will know how to sit quietly in church, whether they have been *trained* in a church setting or not.

Other arguments I have heard are that families should be together for worship, that it will make people miss out on the sermon (these 2 sound like big-brother to me), and that it might cost money.

This is a bit off topic, but speaking of big brother methods, I was shocked to hear a gentleman recently explain to me that the reason having 2 worship services is a bad idea is because the people who attend the early service will have too much time on their hands the rest of the day and be tempted to break the Sabbath. (pick up jaw -- and back to topic)

[Dr. Shane]

Our church has two service. The sanctuary is only half full for first service and is standing room only for second service. So when we can get the kids ready in time, we go to first service because they can crawl around under the pew and giggle without bothering anyone. Most of the time we just attend Sabbath school. We attend AY in the afternoon more often than we attend worship service in the morning.

[DrWhoCompanion]

I agree with you, Morning Glory & Carolaa.

[there buster]

Quote:

If we want to be relevant in today's culture, we need to provide an environment where parents of young children can be spiritually fed along with their children

"along with their children"

This is why the head of NAD children's ministries says that intergenerational worship is better than children's church.

Intergenerational worship = where worship is designed to meet the needs of all generations and keep families together.

[Woody]

Quote:

Intergenerational worship = where worship is designed to meet the needs of all generations and keep families together.

Have we not been "trying" to do this since the beginning of time? Isn't that why we have "childrens story"?

The newer approach of "Childrens Church" would seem better to me because you aren't trying to meet the needs of all and therefore meeting the needs of none. It is more focused and thus meeting the needs of a targeted audience.

Just my thoughts.

[there buster]

Quote:

Have we not been "trying" to do this since the beginning of time? Isn't that why we have "childrens story"?

We have not. The 'children's story' is a relatively recent addition, partially because in the early days of the Reformation, there was little or no understanding of child development. In the art of the time, children are depicted as little adults, not with the distinctive proportions of a child's face, for example.

Besides, the 'children's story' is a time when the children and adults are separated, only within the sanctuary.

Intergenerationl worship integrates elements throughout the worship service for all generations, and the generations participate together. So grandma and grandpa hold up 'this little light of mine,' and 'march with the infantry' in the Lord's Army. Means are provided for children to participate during songs more targeted to older generations, etc.

My wife and I presented a dozen or so examples at the recent Children's Ministries Convention at Loma Linda.

[carolaa]

Quote:

Have we not been "trying" to do this since the beginning of time? Isn't that why we have "childrens story"?

We have not. The 'children's story' is a relatively recent addition, partially because in the early days of the Reformation, there was little or no understanding of child development. In the art of the time, children are depicted as little adults, not with the distinctive proportions of a child's face, for example.

Besides, the 'children's story' is a time when the children and adults are separated, only within the sanctuary.

Intergenerationl worship integrates elements throughout the worship service for all generations, and the generations participate together. So grandma and grandpa hold up 'this little light of mine,' and 'march with the infantry' in the Lord's Army. Means are provided for children to participate during songs more targeted to older generations, etc.

My wife and I presented a dozen or so examples at the recent Children's Ministries Convention at Loma Linda.

I don't disagree with anything you have said, but it is certainly different from what most of us are used to church being like. Examples from the Bible and early SDAs offer a variety of ways to "do" worship, and would guess that they are all more family-friendly that what most of us endure each week.

[Dr. Shane]

I am unfamiliar with what EDD is suggesting. I am very happy with our church's service except for the fact that my kids rarely let me enjoy it.

[Liz]

We do have a children's church, every week. It is only for the 6 and under crowd though. Our kidlets are older now so they haven't gone in quite some time, so I don't know how good the program is.

Liz :)