Featured Keep The Kids In

OK.....however i haveto go shopping...perhaps later.

 

ok have fun shopping

 

None of that is true.

 

Sure lets start with the idea that it is the pattern of scripture. We have to be careful claiming so called patterns of scripture. It could also be said that the clothes they wore were a pattern of scripture. The problem is just because it is in scripture and there is some sort of pattern does not mean it was intended to be a pattern of what is the correct way to do something.

Also, let's say for argument sake they would often have their "children in the gathered assembly." So what? What about that suggests there is an imperative displayed that somehow to do differently we are doing something wrong?

I would also say that seeing a faithful teacher of the word in any setting is an equally good example.

I'm sorry but there is not one single good reason to not have age appropriate classes for the younger kids at church.

We keep kids in the main service starting at mid school. They are then able to understand and can begin learning to sit still through the service. Of course it is important for parents to go home and discuss with the kids what was preached. This holds them accountable to listening and ensures the message sinks in. It also allows for further expansion and to ask questions.

Also crying babies are just a distraction I don't care what anyone claims. They distract the preacher and the distract everyone else. It is just not necessary.

 

How about this setup:

During the Sunday Morning Service:

Children under 2 are welcome to stay with their classes for continued play and bible stories.

Children ages 2-3 get supervised play along with an age appropriate Bible curriculum.

Children ages 4-Pre-K get free play time with games, stories, songs, prayer, and bible verses

Children in Elementary school grades attend the first half of the main service with their parents. They are then excused and get stories, music, prayer, drama, and games.

 

Nehemiah 8:2. 'So on the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.'

When children reach the age of around 8 or 9, they should sit through the service. Before that I think they will do better to have a junior Sunday School pitched at a level that they can understand.

 

I've never been to a church that didn't have nursery for those 3 and under. After that thought I see no reason to not start training kids to sit for an hour. The last 2 churches I was in did not have children's church and yet I never saw any of the children in these churches have a hard time sitting for the service. Besides when kids start school at 4 or 5 they will have to sit for that long anyways.

 

Oops, that was D.C.'s Capitol Hill Baptist Church's program for kids in lieu of the Sunday Morning Service. You know, the 9Markist 'be a Healthy Church like us' people:wavey:

 

I've been waiting to reply to this thread until I could be on my PC, rather than my phone. The idea of not having children's church and/or youth group is so foreign to me, that I didn't know that anyone was against them.

Firstly, I believe we must make a distinction between then and now. In the early New Testament times, a 12 year old was considered a full adult; able to take on the responsibilities of a job, and even marry. It has been speculated that Mary herself was only 15 or so when she was espoused to Joseph.

In today's world, that is no longer the case. Not being exposed to the harsh realities of life at such an early age, and given the luxuries we have today, young people are not considered adults until the age of 18, sometimes later. The emotional and mental maturity develops differently now than it did then. Unfortunately, the physical maturity still develops, and that's where we run into a lot of problems with teenagers. They're developed physically with those wants and desires without the emotional and mental maturity to handle them. But that's another thread.

Secondly, in response to the question about children there without parents, it's been posited in this thread that children shouldn't be in the church without their parents. And that's not only wrong, it's pretty stupid. I owe a lot to the bus ministry (not myself personally, but my father likely wouldn't have been saved without it, and I wouldn't have been raised in a Christian home). Someone took the time to pick my father up from home, take him to church, and then take him home afterwards.

Thirdly, let me throw some examples in the mix. These are actual occurrences, and not just hypothetical.

Example A: There was a young man in a church I attended as a young teenager that rode in on the bus. He was saved in children's church. As a teenager, he started to slip away from church. Eventually, he only came to Wednesday night services, when we had our youth meetings. He had no desire to attend "adult church", and only wanted to come hang out with friends. Through the youth meetings, he eventually rededicated his life to God, and started coming back to church faithfully. he got his two younger brothers into church, and they were saved. He surrendered to preach, and went off to Bible college. I lost touch with him at that point, and so can't say where he is now. But had it not been for the bus ministry, children's church, and the youth ministry, who knows what would've happened.

Example B: A young man in another church that I attended as an older teenager began attending our youth outings. He was not an unchurched young man, but his church wasn't helping him grow, and from what I understand, didn't even preach the gospel, although he had a salvation testimony outside of church. It was more of a non-denominational, charismatic movement kind of church. He decided to come to our youth meetings instead of his home church, which didn't have a youth group. He was exposed to solid preaching and doctrine, and eventually became a full-fledged member of our church. He even, along with myself and another young man, started going out and knocking on doors, inviting people to church.

So, you can see where I'm coming from. Two of my teenage friends whose lives were changed by children's church and the youth ministry. So, you can see why I'm skeptical of people saying that we shouldn't have them.

 

Of course the family should stay together for church. Kids will grow in their understanding. They don't always need to have cartoons or cut out felt to learn!

I really do get tired of people knocking parents. Oh, can't trust a parent to teach them the Bible so we children's church is a must! Can't trust parents to teach kids their ABC's, public school is a must! Can't trust parents to raise kids, must make all citizens mandatory reporters!

Start giving parents more credit, and quit doubting the abilities of children. Professional this that and the other is not needed. Society keeps saying kids need professionals for every aspect of their lives and reduce parenting to basic care. Quit buying into that!

Learn together. Pray together. Worship together. BE together. That's what families do.