{"id":40,"date":"2011-08-19T21:11:40","date_gmt":"2011-08-19T21:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/faithkids.faithlafayette.org\/?p=40"},"modified":"2011-12-12T09:36:03","modified_gmt":"2011-12-12T14:36:03","slug":"helping-your-child-worship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/faithkids\/helping-your-child-worship\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Your Child Worship"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes the difference between enduring <\/em>a worship service and enjoying <\/em>a worship service with your child is simply a matter of preparation and training.\u00a0 At Faith, we encourage parents to bring their kids (4 and older) to our Church Family Night services.\u00a0 This service is a bit more informal than our Sunday morning services, and it serves as a good setting for parents to teach their children how to participate in corporate worship.\u00a0Our hope is that these services will help your child to actively engage in worshipping our Lord with the body of Christ.<\/p>\n

Here are a few suggestions* that might help you in training your child:<\/p>\n

Be Prepared for Worship<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Get ready early.\u00a0 If your child takes a nap, you may need to put him to bed and get him up earlier than usual.\u00a0 Get dressed, get offerings ready, gather everything you need to bring with you, etc. with plenty.\u00a0 Because Sundays can be rather full days, you may want to plan this out on Saturday evening.\u00a0 If necessary, give your kids a snack to tide them over until they can eat after the service.\u00a0 Leave the house with time to spare.\u00a0 Remind your child of your expectations of his behavior during the church service.<\/p>\n

Model the Right Attitude for Your Child<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Start with a positive attitude, a cheerful tone, a spirit of anticipation and enthusiasm, and a heart for worship.\u00a0 Attitudes can be contagious.\u00a0 If you’re excited about worshipping the Lord, that will help your child to develop the same kind of attitude.<\/p>\n

Walk Your Child Through the Service Before It Begins<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our services typically include times of singing, testimony, giving, teaching, and celebration of the Lord’s Table.\u00a0 Talk to you children about what they should expect and how they should participate during each segment of the service.\u00a0 You may want to pray with your child before the service starts.<\/p>\n

Encourage Your Child to Participate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

By teaching your child hymns and worship choruses at home he will be able to participate in the service. If he cannot learn the whole hymn, teach him the refrain and signal to him when it is time to sing the part he knows.\u00a0 Encourage your child to sit and to stand at the appropriate times, to clap when appropriate, etc.\u00a0 Have your child bring an offering and place it in the plate.<\/p>\n

Help Your Child Become an Active Listener<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Help your child to focus on testimonies and teaching by quietly whispering instructions to him– i.e. “Listen to this story”, “Can you draw a picture of…”\u00a0 This is not a time of long instruction, but just very short statements to focus their attention.\u00a0 It is also not a time for your child to whisper back to you.<\/p>\n

Encourage a younger child to listen to the sermon and to draw a picture that reflects the content of the teaching or testimonies.\u00a0 If your child is very young and has a hard time sitting for long periods of time, you may want to let your child look at a small (non-distracting) Bible storybook once he has listened to the content of the service for a while.<\/p>\n

As your child gets older and learns to write, model for him how to take simple notes.\u00a0 Let him copy your notes at first; then encourage him to take his own.\u00a0 Keep a spiral notebook that is specifically for use in worship services.<\/p>\n

Stretch Your Child’s Ability to Sit Attentively <\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you have an active child, you may need to take your child out of the service for a break.\u00a0 Just sit near an exit and quietly slip out as needed.\u00a0 Keep stretching him until he can sit through the whole service. You may need to be firm.\u00a0 Reaffirm positive behavior.\u00a0 In a previous post<\/a>, I mentioned some things my wife has done to help prepare our son for corporate worship.<\/p>\n

Talk About the Service After It Ends<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Speak positively with your child about the service, and ask him if he has any questions.\u00a0 Encourage him to share his drawings or notes.\u00a0 Praise him for the ways he succeeded during the service, and discuss the improvements he needs to make next time.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

* These suggestions are a modification of some training materials prepared for parents by Sally Michael of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN.\u00a0 \u00a9 2005<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sometimes the difference for children between enduring a worship service and enjoying a worship service with your child is simply a matter of preparation and training. 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