When families visit our church, they might wonder why young children are in the worship service instead of in a special class for other children their age. This isn't an accident, but a deliberate decision.
What is family worship?
ABC considers "family worship" to be parents, children - the entire family - worshiping and learning together in the Sunday morning church service.
Why we practice family worship?
We value the spiritual development and training of the children of our church and have looked to Scripture to guide our decision-making in this area. Throughout the book of Proverbs, parents are described as the ones who teach and instruct their children to attain wisdom and understanding (Prov. 4:2-5).
In Deuteronomy 6, God instructed His people to train the following generations to love and obey Him. This training was not primarily the priests’ responsibility but the responsibility of the parents and even grandparents.
Deuteronomy 6:1-2, 6-7 (ESV)
“1Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the rules that the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, 2that you may fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long... 6And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
This principle was already stated in Deuteronomy 4:9.
Deuteronomy 4:9 (ESV)
“9Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children...”
Later in Israel’s history, we see this principle being followed as the children were included in the corporate worship of God’s people. When the people were returning to the land under Ezra and Nehemiah, they needed to be taught. In Nehemiah 8:2-3 we read that as soon as children were old enough to understand, they joined their families in the instruction and worship.
Nehemiah 8:2-3 (ESV)
“2So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.”
Although in the New Testament we don’t find detailed descriptions of worship services, we do see children and parents together during these times of instruction and worship.
Parents brought their children to Jesus to be blessed. (Matthew 19:14). When a great crowd was following Jesus to hear Him teach, and He fed them with just a little bread and fish, they had their children with them (Matthew 14:21). The family mandate had not changed. Children are still to look to their parents for their religious training following the Old Testament example (Ephesians 6:1-3).
While it’s true that the church has a God-given responsibility to teach and lead in worship, God gives the primary responsibility for a child’s spiritual development to his or her parents. Spiritual instruction of children intersects in a shared responsibility of both church and parents as parents teach their children how to worship in our main service.
Training for Family Worship
During our Sunday Bible Class, (before the worship service) our children attend classes that target their specific age and learning levels. Both the Bible content and the focusing skills taught in these classes will help prepare them to participate in the worship service. We understand that teaching children how to worship is a process, and as a family, we’re all in it together.
To help you as a parent learn how to train and serve your children in this way, we have materials and tools available for you. We consider our church to be a family of families that works together, helping and encouraging each other to learn and to grow in Christ together.
If family worship is something new to you, we encourage you to give it a chance!
