#5 TEACHING OUR CHILDREN to worship God Every Sunday

New parents will soon discover the fundamental fact that their children adopt their parents’ habits and attitudes as much as they can. Thus, the parents’ attitude, and mental outlook and practice concerning the importance of worshipping God every Sunday, will almost always become that of their children. Parents must have a personal conviction that God deserves worship every Sunday in order to convey that feeling to the child. Going to worship every Sunday needs to be a family habit. King David in the Old Testament book of Psalms, chapter 122, verse 1, wrote – “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD!” If this is not the parent’s attitude and habit, the child will sense it and duplicate it in his/her life. If I let sports, company, or vacations interfere with going to worship, the child will learn that worship is not that important. So… the first rule in teaching children to worship God every Sunday is for me, the parent, to have the proper attitude and habit in my life.

Some parents leave little children at home in the belief that children crying and squirming will be a hindrance to the worship of others. Parents certainly should do all they can to keep the child from bothering others during worship. But if the frowns of others are a concern, then the family can choose to sit in the back where they can continue to teach the child to be quiet.

Most congregations have classes for children—often called Sunday School—that   parent should always be sure their child attends. These classes provide an excellent opportunity for the child to learn, not only Bible principles, but also the importance of attendance and acceptable behavior in a bible class and worship.

What can parents teach a child about worship?

  1. Although challenging, small children can be taught to be quiet during worship services. This is usually a slow process and may be punctuated with failures. However, if the parents are persistent, it can be done. This is especially important, and difficult, during the partaking of the Lord’s Supper, since this part of the service involves passing the bread and the grape juice. It is natural for a small child to reach for those items. It is important for the parent to remember that the child isn’t willfully being disrespectful. They are simply too little to understand. Talking about communion at home and going through the motions can be a way to teach a child acceptable behavior.

More mature children should be encouraged to think about Jesus and his dying on the cross. As soon as a child can read, they can be shown appropriate passages to read during the Lord’s Supper.

  1. As mentioned above, a lot of teaching can be done by parents setting a good example. This is especially true about praying. At home, even a small child can be taught to fold his/her hands and listen for the ‘amen.’ If parents model the right behavior at home, it will be easier for a child to be quiet and fold his/her hands when heads are bowed in prayer during services. Of course, an older child needs to be taught that prayer is our way of talking to God and that God hears our prayers. The child should be encouraged to listen to prayers offered in the assembly and in that way the congregation is ’talking’ to God.
  2. The way to teach the child to sing at worship services is for the child to always see and hear the parent singing. Singing a familiar hymn such as Jesus Loves Me at home will teach a small child that singing is important.

Older children can be taught, not only to sing, but also to focus on the meaning of the words. A song can be selected each week and during Bible study at home, its content be discussed.

  1. Young children cannot be expected to sit with folded hands during a sermon. Therefore, the parent should provide quiet activities for the child during services. A large assortment of activities such as quiet books, Noah’s ark, dressing bible characters, and more are available in book stores.

Older children can be encouraged to take notes of the sermon. These notes can then be discussed in Bible studies at home. This is a good way to reinforce the main points and application of a sermon.

  1. As the child grows older, he or she can be taught that worshipping every Sunday is a part of loving and obeying God. When the child can understand, Hebrews chapter ten, verse 25, can be used to stress the command to worship: “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Children can be taught to worship God every Sunday even though it may be a slow process.

Passages that can be cited and read to the child during the daily Bible reading time: Hebrews 10:23-26; Psalms 122:1; Luke 2:41-52; Proverbs 22:6; Matthew 22:35-39

(Each family is encouraged to have a daily Bible reading or story time.)

#Hebrews10:23-26 #psalms122:1 #Luke2:41-52 #Proverbs22:6 #Matthew22:35-39 #familyBibleReading #parentsexample #childrenQuietServices #worshipCommanded #worshipLovingGod #childrenSingPray