Location and TimesThe following notes are based on an article by John Piper that I challenge you to take the time to read. Just click here to read the article!
Our children need to learn how to act in church. They need to learn how to worship! Here are some practical ideas based on the article.
1. You as parents much be excited about getting to go to the worship service. You must fall in love with the Lord Jesus and love worshipping in Him! Your children know if you enjoy the worship service or not! They know if you anticipate the chance to worship God or if you are just going through the motions.
2. Your children are going to catch your spirit and form of worship. If you are excited and if you love God they will catch it. Remember it is more caught than taught!
3. Do you both sing with joy and listen hungrily to the Word of God?
4. Your children are old enough to sit still and listen in church. If they are old enough to go to school they are definitely old enough to be disciplined enough to sit still and listen during a regular length worship service.
5. Though your children will not understand everything they will learn a great deal. They will learn the songs, get used to the service, pick up things that are said, and learn how important worshipping God is to you.
6. The majority of people who get saved do so as children. Get your children in church. Teach them to sit still and listen. Pray that God will work in their hearts.
7. Help your children to get to know the pastor and other spiritual leaders.
8. Learn to talk about the services that you have just been in at the table with the family. Let them hear how excited you are. Let them hear how you anticipate the coming service. Talk about the music. Talk about the message and the invitation. Spend time making them know that you really love the church services.
9. Take your children to the bathroom before the service and tell them how excited you are for the family to worship God together without distractions.
10. Teach your children to participate in the service. They need to stand, sit, sing, read, take notes, etc. just like you do. That will help you to get them involved and give you a chance to discuss what God did during the service later at home.
11. Teach your children to sit up straight and still. Teach them not to fidget and crawl around. Teach them to pay attention to the service and not be looking at people, games, and other distractions.
12. Make sure your child has his or her own Bible, offering, bulletin, etc.
Be sure and read the article by John Piper. This little summary is by no means sufficient for you to see all that he has to say.