Banning children from the worship service - controversy erupts

[Dave Roberts]

A facebook group has formed to protest the banning of preschoolers older than 12 weeks from a large US church. In the video below the pastor explains that there is a family room that people can sit in but tells the congregation that noisy children in the 'war zone' that happens when we worship could distract people who might miss a message from God or miss their salvation. Mmmmmm - it all begs many questions. What do you think? You can comment below.


Pro Kids from Faith Promise Church on Vimeo.

[Gwynneth Hauxwell]

I think sometimes we are in danger of thinking that Jesus is only doing anything important with the aduts at church!
I love this pastor's comment that Jesus is waiting for the kids in their own space.
In our small church we have the children in for the opening song, and then encourage them to come up to the front of the church where someone prays for them and their leaders before they leave to go to their "Kidspace". It is always stressed how important the children are to us and to God, and that He will have something special to say to them in Kidspace. There they have fun listening to stories, making things and playing games, listening to music and praying in different ways.
At the end of the service the children come back down and join the adults in drinks etc. They have great fun playing with each other in the church space and are looked upon with great love and affection by eveyone. Admittedly, they are only a small group, and so I can see why this particular, huge church is having to consider how best the needs of everyone in the family of God are served, including the samall children.

[Graeme]

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Peter Shields]

I think a more interesting debate would be if the pastor had said, "We've been reading our Bibles and discovered that Paul says women must shut up during the services, so from now on we're banning you all ... but there's a lovely shopping arcade in the entrance for you all to congregate in."!! That'd probably solve the children problem too - 2 birds with one stone. Good idea? ;o)

[Sheena E Meek]

I really feel for some contributors whose children (rightly) demand attention and find it difficult to sit during services which are clearly not designed for them. I am concerned for those whose buildings may not allow for supervised creche facilities (unlike the church in question) and also certainly for those who long for someone to come alongside and help! The church of Our Lord Jesus Christ should -and must- be a welcoming place for ALL- including children! Scripture describes the church as Christ's BODY- we need to be creative in how we accommodate everyone! Sam Walker's comments were so telling here. The pastor who started this debate by deciding to "ban" children, clearly has a desire to communicate effectively and HIS calling is to preach to adults! Others HAVE surely been called to be involved with younger groups and should be providing quality teaching for them at times when their parents are receiving their own teaching? PRAISE is a wonderfully unifying thing we can experience together REGARDLESS of age,(although few adults would wish to have a constant diet of "baby" songs) but surely that's not the same as receiving the Word of Truth which equips us to face the challenges of everyday life. Our children deserve the BEST in order to help with what they will experience at school, playgroup, college etc! Maybe we should be encouraging everyone to seriously consider what God is calling them to in terms of ministry to the Body of Christ?

[Graeme]

I have to say that I agree with Peter Shields, kids absolutely should praise God and do so in the mix with the rest of their family. But I'm dead convinced that when the rabbi (even Jesus) was reading the scroll during a meeting that the kids were either not there or very very quiet! Kids are vitally important, I've dedicated my life to building a kids ministry to empower them, yet that doesn't mean that they can trump the adults at any point (especially when great facilities are provided specifically for them) and destroy order - doesn't the bible (paul) talk about everything being done decently and in order...

[Gordon Weir]

Incidentally, in case you think Petersen has dressed it up, the King James actually is even more specific on the ages of the children Jesus is referring to.

Matthew 21:15-16 (King James Version)

15And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,

16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

[Gordon Weir]

Maybe the key is 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?"

[Peter Shields]

I think the key there is "Hosanna to David's Son!". I wonder what Jesus would have said if the children were running & shouting through the temple, "Can I have another biscuit - give me back my power ranger - she just hit me"! Maybe His reaction then might have been more like verse 12? I don't know ... just a thought!?

[Gordon Weir]

I was reading this morning as I prepare for Palm Sunday and these words leapt off the page:

Matthew 21:15-16 (The Message)

15-16When the religious leaders saw the outrageous things he was doing, and heard all the children running and shouting through the Temple, "Hosanna to David's Son!" they were up in arms and took him to task. "Do you hear what these children are saying?"

Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?"

[Ruth Thomas]

Graeme, maybe you like large churches but not everyone does... As you yourself said above, smaller congregations don't have the same problems as larger ones with accommodating all ages. Many would much rather worship in a small, family-style service (even if it means, horror of horrors, that the children and those with special needs have to stay with the rest of the family) and just don't like the anonymity and specialisation of larger churches, or simply can't travel to them. And other people would much rather have the facilities of a large church (even if it means feeling like "just another brick in the wall" at times) and dislike the intrusiveness of a small place where everyone knows everything about you. People are different, and a mixed church economy has a lot going for it.

But certainly, churches of different sizes, and with different physical facilities, will have to approach issues such as how children are catered for in different ways. What shouldn't change is a recognition of the importance of all ages, abilities etc within the church, an appreciation of the needs of each group and an attempt to meet those needs as far as possible in ways that honour those involved.