The Sweet Sounds Of Children In Church

Once upon a time, families went to church together. They sat together, sang together, prayed together.

Everyone sat in "big church"; the newborn to the newly married couple to the 90 year old Saint.

You heard baby noises. Toddlers. Whispers from moms telling their kiddos to settle down.

You *couldn't hear a pin drop, and that was ok.

Somewhere along the way, we came up with the idea that church had to be a sterile, noiseless environment where children were banned to other parts of the building so the preacher could preach in a completely quiet atmosphere.

No distractions ever! No newborn babes nestled in Mama's arms. No jabbering babies. No toddlers needing to be taken to the potty.

While I am not against children's ministries or nursery or Sunday School, I am against thinking children are a problem. I am against having rules banishing them from the main service. If your church has those ministries, great! I just don't believe in making them mandatory. Some families want to worship together.

Yesterday, I observed sweet Emma doing ballet during Abby's piano special- a sweet four year old praising God in her innocence, the only way she knows how. No one chided her. No one told her to sit down and put her hands in her lap. Her first memories of church will be remembering sweet praise to God.

I watched my husband let a toddler lead him around right before service started and watched Tom place him on the pulpit and "pretend to preach." His first memories of church will be a pastor who cared about him. He later helped his Grandpa "take the offering." He will also remember serving from the time he started taking steps.

I listened to sweet Nell jabbering through the service, sitting on her Mom's lap. Her first memories will include hearing the Word of God.

Children are not the problem- they are our future. They learn and observe and absorb more than we know.

If we involve them in church- church the way it used to be- from the time they are born, they will grow up loving it. Obviously I believe in teaching your kids to learn to sit still and listen and keep the potty breaks to a minimum, but sometimes it takes awhile to get to that point. It's ok if there are some bumps along the way.

Bring your kids to Liberty Baptist. They will be welcomed into every area of the church- noises, messes, and all.

My husband will preach over the babies jabbering, the potty trips, and the "distractions."

Because kids aren't the distraction- they are the mission.

And they are loved in our congregation.