Teaching Children How to Act in Church

​As the frontline disciplers in their children’s lives, Christian parents should teach their children how to act in church and how to profit from church attendance. As soon as the children are old enough (and that is much younger than many think), parents should teach children to listen to sermons and Bible lessons instead of playing games and disturbing other people. Children can learn how to take notes, how to listen for something helpful for their own lives, how to jot down questions and seek answers. When they are old enough to read, the children should be taught to open the hymnbook and sing along with the congregation. It is dishonoring to God for older children to play around and daydream or sleep during the services. The parents should help them understand the words to the hymns and the meaning so they can sing with understanding (Psa. 47:7). I find it very sad to see reading-age children who are allowed to ignore the singing and sermons in church. This is a sin against the children, but many parents simply aren’t tuned into this. We would also warn that the parents should not be overbearing and harsh in these things so that the Bible and church and family altar, etc., become an unpleasant chore in the child’s life. Serving the Lord should not be a burdensome thing, because Christ is wonderful and His burden is light. See Matthew 28:28-30. Parents must strive to teach the children that serving the Lord is a joyful, thrilling thing, and they do that first of all by what they model in their own lives.



(Friday Church News Notes, January 22, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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