As churches navigate COVID realities and fears, what’s happened to the kids who, before, experienced God’s love through various church ministries?
In the general population, children have become a central focus for adapting to the new realities of coronavirus time. Most agree that, somehow, children must be allowed to continue their learning and nurturing in the school year. Schools need to be adapted for safety, or effective on-line learning systems need to be created, or something. But it’s simply not an option to ignore the kids during the pandemic.
But, for many churches, that priority on kids has not been embraced with similar passion. In those churches, ministries with children and youth have been de-emphasized or completely cancelled. Other things have commanded the attention of many church leaders. Surveys from The Billy Graham Center and Leadership Network asked pastors and leaders to name their top ministry priorities. Youth/children/family ministries ranked at the bottom of their priorities. What was the top priority? The weekend worship service.
Now, as more churches plan for returning to in-person church activities, the worship service is again the main concern. However, a recent Lifeway poll found that the majority (57 percent) of churches do not have any estimate of when they’ll resume children’s ministry activities.
Downplaying children and youth does not bode well for the American church. Increasingly, pastors predict their church attendance will not return to pre-COVID levels, according to Barna Research. And if churches fail to connect well with families with children, these parents may stay away, permanently.
Fortunately, some churches recognize the crucial importance of children’s ministry, especially during COVID times. For example, this summer many churches found ways to offer vacation Bible school. With can-do determination, they practiced social distancing, or moved their programs outdoors, or created drive-through VBS experiences, or adapted to smaller groupings in backyards, or offered online at-home VBS programming. These churches maintained close connections with their families and generated lots of heartwarming success stories.
For example, a Minnesota mom said, “We are so thankful for the relevant Bible points and how this VBS (Group’s Rocky Railway VBS) rejuvenated and refocused our families during the pandemic. Jesus’ power is pulling us through six hard months.”
Those families will likely stay engaged in the months ahead as their churches pay good attention to children. For Sunday school and other ministries, this may require adaptations, sensible safety precautions, different program settings, and continuing support for at-home interaction.
This unique time presents a good opportunity for churches to re-think how to include and involve children in all facets of church life, including the main worship services. So far, most churches have shown reluctance to make kid-friendly adaptations. According to Group Publishing research, most churches aren’t incorporating elements such as brief kids’ messages or kids’ music in main worship.
It’s time to show a Jesus-style welcome and inclusion of children. Especially now, as children and their families feel disoriented and isolated during the pandemic. More than ever, they need the hope and love that our kid-friendly Lord has to offer.
It is mandatory for parents to teach their own children of the laws and commandments of YHWH day and night.
And it is evident that the church cannot do that job for the parents.
There are so many teenagers’ problems today.
Due 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Children in church! Hmm. Why do many or most churches dismiss the children to Sunday School or Children’s church. My local catholic parish figured out a way to let children be part of the mass as well as some catechism time.
Ministers please shorten your sermon to 15 minutes and use a children’s time as an introduction to the ‘adult’ sermon. I honour churches who have coloring books etc on the pews for children to use during the service. Yes they are listening and learning.
Ministers please work on your Children’s time (moment) and skip dull and boring stories ‘it’s just like etc’ stories that soar over the children’s heads.. For years I used the children’s time as a ‘warm up for the ‘sermon’ and would refer to the children’s time during the ‘sermon’.
Time to wake up smell the roses and see the lack of ‘children’ in church AND their millennial parents.
Being an excellent children’s time/moment pastor for years, I was often complimented and even told the children’s time was better than the ‘sermon’. Humbling to say the least.
Right on, Thom! While there is no recorded instance of Jesus commanding his followers to worship at church every Sunday, there are multiple instances of Jesus commanding his followers to love the children (and everyone, for that matter).
Date: September 12, 2020. Thom! You have put very important issue on the platform for discussion. You are making a good point on how children should be treated in church set up, in general, especially during the pandemic. In a better prescriptive I suggest that we need to look at the ‘church’ structure from two angles. One: The dispersed members during COVID-in their homes/villages; Two: the upcoming traditional gathering church or congregation at a localized center that is adult focused (Which some may have already commenced).
To treat children with justice in the later (traditional congregation thinking changed) the model need to have developed in the home church (many families may have done so). This has similarity to the early churches’ gathering which included children. In very early days, believers did not have building structures like in the contemporary culture.
I had about five months time and experience with two grand kids 2+ and 4+. That has taught me how we may need to behave in home or larger church setting. The family I was in, had Sunday worship time for core family members including, us, the grandparents. There was a preparation, beforehand, by all members to have Sunday worship in the home at fixed time. The Father of children took the lead. The Mother took lion share of preparing the kids to participate. As grandparents we encouraged getting dressed and mental preparation for the home church, even to the extent of encouraged the kids to pray before sharing (preaching).
The Sunday worship in the home is started by general prayer. After prayer, time slot, is allowed for kids to share what they have in mind using Children Bible (with pictures). As many of us are aware, kids do the talk in their own language. They may go very slowly, that requires adult patience and understanding. They usually share what they are taught by Mom at another time. But sometimes the kids ask for Mom’s assistance on spot; which is ok since it also serves as time of learning and sharing. After sharing, children show interest (or encouraged) to sing together with adults. Song with action is loved. Coming to conclusion with Kids presentation, children are encouraged to kneel down and anyone of the adults in the home prays for them. Then, they are told that Adult session is to continue and they are encouraged to stay and listen or can opt to go for play (with eye on them).
From this practice, a lesson is leant (after making mistakes noticed after 2-3 Sundays and later corrected,) that children should not be allowed mobile, for kids music or game, or as baby sitter, when adult session is going on. This is teach them to have respect for the church.
In general, I think we can get some points to adopt for future church practice (Post pandemic), from this case. For realizing this, there is a need for attitude change of Pastors, elders and even the congregation. As someone mentioned in the comment, Christ has taught us to love and accommodate children. Therefore, Some 7-10 minutes need to be allowed for children to take their time. This will communicate to them that they are part of the church, important and loved. In the process, they learn and the grace in them is more revealed. The adults should also get ready to hear God’s voice through the babes. It is said ‘out of the mouth of babes, the Lord has prepared praises’ (Paraphrased).
Whether Children should be sent away to their Sunday school classes or not, (after their presentation), I am not sure. It needs more reflection. If it is assumed that kids are not well taught at home, this may still be a requirement to complement, though. The Home the basis for all that happens at Church.
If the Church opts to go in this direction, i.e. children participation encouraged in main session, one can imagine that there will be transformation. Praying and sending children away to their Sunday school (the common practice of many) may not be enough. I would love if I get feedback. Blessings.
Yoseph Imana, Legacy Spiritual Ministry, President