I'VE ALWAYS FAVORED children being in public worship with their parents or caring adults (at least when they can read, even a little, if not before). My parents did this and looking back, I learned so much, even unwittingly so. They did this in ancient Israel. In Deuteronomy 31:12 - 31b Moses commanded:
"Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God..."
Nurseries? Yes. Children's church? Yes. But even at these early stages leaders and teachers must always remember that tiny humans learn so very much, much more than we think. Even seeing a teacher with a Bible in hand or hearing an adult pray speaks volumes to tiny eyes and ears. They'll even go home and emulate such. But, at five or so take them to big peoples' service. And the parent (and others) may not think they're learning much, but they are. The prechurch experience continues. Otherwise, in the above narrative, God would have told the people," Leave the kids at home. Get a baby sitter."
I once preached a sermon on the doctrine of sanctification. It pertains to positive holiness as different from the daily cleansing when we confess our sins. I illustrated using a dirty apple. Washing it was the daily cleansing of confessing (1John 1:9). Rubbing it til it shone was Sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7).A mother told me the next week that her young son upon taking an apple, washed it, shined it and held it up to his mother and said, "Mom, that's sanctification." That kind of report is enough to make the preacher 'dig in' and prepare another preachment.
- Dick Christen
