Recently a video went viral on social media of a pastor calling out a mother and her young child and asking them to leave. Discussions regarding children in corporate worship are not easy, but I believe our children will come to know and serve Christ only inasmuch as they are taught the Word of God and guided through Scripture-guided practices that experientially form their hearts and habits. This is exactly the purpose and power of Bible-saturated corporate worship. What will best bring our children to Christ and nurture them into mature Christian adults is the Word of God, recited, sung, prayed, preached, and reenacted through Scripture-shaped worship services.
In this episode of “By the Waters of Babylon,” I consider what the Bible has to say about children in worship, investigate the roots of philosophies that advocate removing children, and offer tips to pastors, parents, and parishioners. I also recommend the children’s hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and a helpful book with tips for bringing children into worship, Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman.
I pray this episode will be edifying for you!
About Scott Aniol
Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is director of doctoral worship studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children. Views posted here are his own and not necessarily those of his employer.
