Copy/ Paste from Leigh Bortins (founder of Classical Conversations)
This is a recent newsletter article from the founder of Classical Conversations. CC is the curriculum that we are using this year. I found this article too amazing not to share.
Good Morning!
One Sunday morning, in the first church I joined as a new believer, a toddler got loose from his father and ran up on the
stage behind the pastor. Many of the families in that church worshipped with their children. Our pastor took the opportunity to tell
us that the running child was a delight to him and to relate the following story. He had recently been in Africa and was mulling
over a question a native man asked. “How can you stand to be away from your children?” As a modern American father, he was
usually away from his family, and he was touched by the dedication the African men showed their families.
Two weeks ago, I was in Newark waiting to board my plane to India and I too was similarly touched. There were both
Indian and American travelers waiting and the contrast was astonishing. No American children were in sight but there were lots of
Indian children wandering around. I kept assuming certain men were their fathers only to be surprised when another couple eventually
took charge of the wanderer. Indian business men in suits were playing with perfect strangers on their laps. I observed this
dedication to children everywhere I went. Of course, the village tribes all worshipped with their children (and goats and cows)
around and the congregants willingly steered stray toddlers back towards their parents.
This week my church elders asked our congregation a serious question. Not enough adults are volunteering for nursery
duty and they wanted to know what the congregation thought the solution should be. Then an elder read from Matthew when Jesus
rebuked the disciples, “Suffer little children, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” So I humbly ask:
1. Why do we relegate our children to the basement when they’ve been invited to the feast by the King?
2. Why do we let disciples who think children are a distraction define our services as being only for adults?
3. Why do we not teach moms to hold their infants to their breast during services?
4. Why do we not trust our toddlers to wander occasionally in the loving security of our congregation?
5. Why do we not teach fathers to train their preschoolers to sit still for long stretches?
6. Why do we not teach our 4-8 year olds to draw picture notes of the sermon?
7. Why do we not teach our school age children (and adults) to take written notes of the sermon?
8. Why are our teenage sons not standing with their fathers as they usher, collect tithes, preach, and lead prayer and communion?
9. Why do we not have the men corporately pray for their wives and the women corporately pray for the singles?
10. Why do we not have our adults corporately pray for the children and the children corporately rise up and call their mothers
blessed?
11. Why are we surprised most children in evangelical churches stop attending church as adults?
12. Why are we surprised so few fathers lead daily family devotions?
13. Why are we surprised that our youth turn to their friends instead of their fathers for affirmation?
I applaud the many American pastors who have shared these ideas with me. They understand that the church is the family
of families, and that the Bible instructs parents to pass on the love of obeying Christ in all things to their children.
Dear Lord, I pray that every parent will love teaching their children to worship in a congregation that welcomes the
opportunity to train parents to lead a family devoted to your service. Help us to literally suffer the little children, and forbid them
not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
Love, Leigh
4 comments:
This is very true :( Let's read this at the busniess meeting! LOL ... Bill says cancel childrens churh...J/K :)
I think that's why it's so important we train/teach our children to sit in church. Children's church is more for nursery age children, or for moms that have to sit by themselves and can't discipline a 1 and 3 year old at the same time. (ha, ha) Maybe in the next few months I'll start trying to bring Andrew up. Ethan is doing so well now.
So true!
I love your blog.. you have a beautiful family!
Definately another great discussion topic! We have decided that at four our children are coming up. I personally love the way that Sovereign grace does their church worship. They have their chirldren in during the worship and prayer time and then they are all gathered together younger children obviously and have a sermon of their own. I do not fully agree with Voddie Baucham who holds to the family integrated church movement. Although some of his points are very insightful. I do believe there is still a place in every church for different ministries, like childrens church and youth group, it is all in the way it is done, unfortunatey we have dropped the ball in many areas and are in great need of some reform.
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