I suppose I’m a bit of an oddity in the modern church world.
I genuinely believe that believers of all ages should worship TOGETHER, especially in Sunday morning worship services.
It’s so refreshing to find a successful, big church with a similar thought.
I get really upset when I hear of churches REQUIRING parents to send their kids to an entirely different service. As a matter of fact, it would probably seal the decision for me to not attend that church. I don’t believe it’s appropriate for a church to assume this authority.
I know, supposedly there are sometimes adult topics. I maintain that those adult topics are okay for smaller groups, but let’s quit trying to make Sunday morning worship into marriage counselling.
If anybody from NewSpring actually reads this, no, I’m not picking on you. Just airing my thoughts and being thankful that not every church is segregationist.
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To be honest, Bethlehem Baptist is the first I’ve encountered with a published “Behavioral Guidelines & Principles for Children and Youth.” I tend to agree with Tony Morgan’s point that there are different learning levels – you don’t teach Shakespeare to a 3rd grader – and kids who don’t understand will get bored and will find something to entertain them (aka distrupting those around them). There is an age when kids ARE able to behave, but it’s not typically ’til Jr High, and even then, sometimes… Personally, I would find it very distracting – yes, my focus would literally shift away from the message and I would miss parts of what was being preached – if little Suzy was wiggling around in the seat in front of me. Sorry, but that’s the way God wired me, so why would I want to go there, knowing I’m not getting what I should out of the message because of the distractions?
There was a good dialogue between Tony Morgan and Dean Butterfield (who shares your views), on that link, too. In that conversation Tony recognizes that there are other worship preferences, where people who might desire a family worship – distractions and all – over an “adult” worship, and that they prefer not to change their beliefs.
But you wouldn’t force a native of Spain to sit through an English-only worship, if there were a Spanish-service available, right? IMHO, that’s the point. Creating a worship experience that meets the needs of all the members with lessons that they can really grasp and music that takes root in their heart (would a 3rd grader REALLY understand all the words to Amazing Grace? I know some adults who have a hard time with it!). It’s not about exclusion or segregation, which imply negative intentions, although that’s how it might appear. The motive is inclusion with an age-appropriate worship experience.
But, hey, if that family-style worship works for you, great.
Hey, Will, thanks for your thoughts and for taking the time to share them. My thoughts take a lot of fleshing out and would irritate a lot of folks. I won’t stir up a true argument here, because I’m passionate enough to be irritable about it.
Ya probly shouldn’t come to my church. You won’t like it. Ya might have to endure a distraction or two.
The reason Bethlehem publishes that is because another portion of their website describes children 3 and up as being ENCOURAGED to be in the worship service. I see that as much more appropriate.
*But you wouldn’t force a native of Spain to sit through an English-only worship, if there were a Spanish-service available, right?*
If there is a Spanish service available, and the Spanish speaker WANTED to be in the English service, would you require him/her to go to the other one?
Touche’ Karma.
And B, duly noted.
Seriously, I didn’t mean for it to come across as “sharp” as it did. Check out this post. The lyrics of the song are pretty funny, too.