THREE YEAR OLDS IN CHURCH? ARE YOU CRAZY?

Those who know me well know that the sun rises and sets in my two grandsons, especially Jarek with whom I have been a big buddy for almost three years (he turns three on April 2).  I spend a lot of time with him, but, since I am a pastor, rarely do I get to be with him during worship.

This past Wednesday I had no leadership role in our mid-week Lenten service, so Jarek’s family, my wife, and I were all together in the pew. 

It was a delight.

Bethel is exploring the senses that God has given us during our mid-week services this year—how do they sharpen our journey to the cross?

This past Wednesday the sense was “touch.”  This little-boy-just-short-of-three picked up on the theme immediately without being told.  When a pastor would say “touch”, he would repeat it out loud—the pastors even heard it by the altar.  He might have been coloring, he might have been paying close attention—it did not matter.  He was listening, and he knew that “touch” was an important gift of God that night.  I was so delighted to hold him, to help him sing the songs, to explain the bidding prayers we were using, to worship God with him.

I am told once in a while that parents will not come to church because their small children get nothing out of it.  There are too many times that I have been told of some astute observation or question by a child for me to believe children aren't paying attention.  Children belong in worship.  They probably don’t understand everything (surprise—pastors don’t understand everything either), but they are learning about God’s great love for them through the gathered body of Christ.

Please.  Please.  Bring your children/grandchildren/nieces/nephews/small neighbors to worship with you.  You could be making an eternal difference.

Oh, Jarek wasn’t perfect.  At one point, ironically enough on a night in which touch was the focus, he complained about his eight-month old brother, “Joren’s touching me!”  Oh, well.  His parents and grandparents aren’t perfect either.

May God touch all young ones (and middle-aged and old ones) in worship.