This summer while on sabbatical, my family and I took the opportunity to worship at some different churches in our local community. Being a pastor on staff at a church, this is a rare opportunity for our family. It was fun to experience different settings, styles, and approaches.
One thing I noticed was that usually, we were the only family in the room that had our kids worshipping with us. I couldn't help but be a little bit disappointed. My hope is that these churches had such incredible kids ministries that the kids were there, being engaged, loved, and taught the Word of God.
Even so, should that be a replacement for kids also worshipping corporately with their parents and church family? I don't think so. Yes, we have to be at church longer on a Sunday morning, but it is important for our family that our kids engage in both corporate worship and kids ministry programming for many reasons.
Josh Mulvihill provides some great points and suggestions for training your children to worship corporately. It isn't always an easy thing to start doing, but there are many benefits when at an early age, your kids learn what corporate worship is and how to be part of it.
Mulvihill writes:
"Worshipping corporately is critical as it will enable children to develop Christian fellowship and provide opportunities for serving, giving, missions, and engagement in the discipleship ministries of the church."
Read more:
Training Your Children to Worship Corporately by Josh Mulvihill