Occasionally, well-meaning parents will ask why our congregation doesn't hold the children's education component of our ministry during the worship hour. From a convenience
and time perspective it would make some sense to have both occur during the same hour. However, we define worship as "being with Jesus" while primarily the Education Hour spends time "talking about Jesus." As a result, we don't want to short-change our children or adult teachers by teaching them about Jesus at the expense of being with Jesus.
It is true that some parts of the regular worship service are difficult for younger children to understand. However, worship is something that children can grow into. As children spend time with their parents praying, singing, listening to the Bible readings, sermons, children's lessons, and as they attend communion and are given a special blessing they participate in one of the few multi-generational experiences left in our culture.
I find it interesting that recent studies have confirmed that families attending worship together is a healthier expression of worship. Statistics show that when children attend an education hour while the rest of the community is in worship, they will be much more likely to never attend worship services as adults.
Worshipping together as parents and children can be difficult sometimes. But the blessings are innumerable!
In Christ,
Pastor David Dressler
