Preparing Kids for Worship

As I prepare to teach a communion class (in partnership with our Pastor of Young Families and Discipleship), to both parents and children, it has lead me to a parallel path of study of what parents can do to prepare their children to attend "Big Church."  I've served at churches with every type of scenario when it comes to keeping kids in church....

• kids never in big church unless their parents keep them
• kids in big church once a month or for holidays
• kids in big church for the first 15 minutes each Sunday before leaving for Sunday School
• kids above a certain age staying in church every Sunday

This is not a discussion of the pros and cons of keeping kids in BIG CHURCH... that discussion will never be settled in my opinion!  I even waffle back and forth myself from week to week!  I long for 90 minutes of interactive creative Bible teaching time with my kids each week AND I long for kids growing up as intergenerational partners in our worship services where they are seeing saints young and old sing, give offerings, give testimonies, and offer their own gifts to the body of Christ.  

This discussion is for the sake of those parents and leaders who ARE keeping their children in "big church" and want to make it profitable, meaningful and actually WORSHIPFUL!  If your house is anything like mine when my kids were little, shoes ALWAYS get lost on Sunday mornings, you never have any change or small bills smaller than a $20 bill for your kids' offering on Sunday mornings, the dog throws up on your way out the door, and oh yeah, the car won't start.  Don't even get me started on the fact that the kids are fighting with each other, or you and your SPOUSE are fighting with each other!  Any or all of those things are bound to happen each and every Sunday, am I right?  

Helpful Hints to make Sundays the best day of the week: 

1. Begin with an ATTITUDE OF ANTICIPATION & HEART PREP.... Just like we know a child can't wait to get to their best friend's Birthday party on Saturday morning, we should be talking about going to church on Sunday mornings with just as much excitement and anticipation.  Parents, YOU set the tone for Sunday mornings with your attitude, and even your Saturday schedule!  Picking out special clothes for Sunday morning just like you would be picking out a special outfit for a date!  Talking about how wonderful it will be to sing worship songs together!  Reading the Scripture passage together that either the pastor or the Sunday School teacher will be teaching the next day!  

2.  PREPARE for Sundays the day/ night before... Yeah, no brainer, right?  But what we often fail to remember is that the ENEMY will be standing in your way to prevent that from happening!  

Specifically...

*Get the diaper bag ready

*Get your child's Bible, Sunday School Book, offering money, clothes, shoes and everything READY... in a church bag by the front door! (even the hair bows are picked out.... 

 *Turn on Christian music on Sunday mornings instead of your normal news or cartoons.  Perhaps have a favorite CD or playlist that you ONLY play on Sunday mornings!  

*Talk about OFFERING together... obviously, if your child has earned any allowance or money that past week, you have a great opportunity to talk about the joy of giving the tithe.  I even recommend that each child have their own set up offering envelopes.  If your child doesn't have their own money to give, perhaps he/ she can draw a picture to give Jesus.  Think about the difference between THAT and mom or dad finding spare change in their car cup holder or under the couch cushions.  Think about the difference in what that communicates.  Our OFFERING to the Lord is to be cheerful and generous, not "spare change" so mom and dad's rushed attempt to find a quarter or a dollar on Sunday morning is probably not the best way to communicate that. 

*Choose a SIMPLE but FUN breakfast for Sunday mornings.  It's probably not the time for quiche or eggs benedict... maybe donuts and juice is reserved for Sunday mornings, especially if it's not something your children are normally allowed to eat!  Because Sundays are SPECIAL!  

*I suggest either the CROCK POT or lunch OUT after church on Sundays --- but that's just my personal preference!  As a children's director, I am completely spent after church on Sundays, and there's no way I can function enough to fix anyone lunch! The couch/ naptime calls my name loudly on Sundays!  

3.  GUIDE the CONVERSATION on the way to church. 

*Who will we see today at church that might need to be encouraged?  Let's see if we can find someone to BLESS today! Who should we pray for?  

*I wonder what God will say to us through the sermon/ lesson today?  Let's try to write the pastor a note about what we learned from his sermon today!  (Maybe try to write a note to a different staff person each week!) 

*Remind your children that each song, each word spoken, and each element of the service is a GIFT to the Lord from US.  He is the audience... not us! 

4.  REMEMBER that attending CHURCH on Sundays is not just another thing on your family's "to do" list like Soccer, Ballet, Gymnastics or Piano lessons.  It cannot be relegated to just a slot on the weekend calendar.  Parents, be intentional about modeling the LORDSHIP of Christ in your life, and model to your children that the time you spend at church as a family is just a way to celebrate that Lordship.  Attending church is not the goal. Knowing Christ, Loving One Another and Blessing the World is the goal.  Don't let ANYTHING take priority over attending church together on Sundays as you train your children to follow after Christ the way you hope and pray they will.  

So what are your thoughts??? What are some ways you prepare your family for Sunday mornings???  I sure would love to hear your ideas!