Our Ambassador visits have revealed that there are very few children in worship. Often when there are children at the beginning of worship, they disappear after the opening ten minutes, sometimes with the explanation that they are leaving to attend age-appropriate activities.

How old should children be to participate in worship with the whole family of God?

Can infants worship with adults?

Infants are attracted to light, faces and music. Colored lights gleam through church windows. Faces of their families surround them and there are new faces to study as they look over their parents’ shoulders at the people in the pew behind them. They hear the organ or praise band and can both feel and hear the voice of the person holding them in worship. Infants belong in worship.

Can toddlers and nursery children worship with adults?

Toddlers can be active and distracting but toddlers notice everything. Toddlers are learning to sing and listen to stories. Worship is filled with songs and stories. Toddlers imitate what they see. Church is a place where their worlds begin to grow. They are beginning to realize that there are more people in the world who love them than just those who live with them. They are true believers. They have a deep understanding of God. Their simple faith will one day be challenged. A firm foundation and acceptance within the family of God will help them weather the challenges. Behavioral issues will be short-lived as they come to understand worship as part of life that is not focused on them. Nursery children belong in church.

Can kindergarten age children worship with adults? 

Kindergarten-aged children are proud that they are growing up. They are eager to take on the roles they see older children playing. They sing with ease and memorize quickly. They will learn the liturgies and hymns with repetition even before they can read the words. They have a profound spirituality and can understand that God loves them and Jesus is a special friend. Kindergarteners need to be where they can experience worship as modeled by older Christians. They belong in church.

Can elementary-aged children worship with adults?

Elementary-aged children are eager to learn new skills. They can read and are learning to follow music. Some are learning musical instruments and beginning to sing harmony. They like a good story. They are starting to understand the Bible and will recognize passages of scripture in worship and begin to see the words of scripture placed in context of community. They are starting to grapple with complex ideas. They are able to understand the concept of service and giving. They can understand that their younger siblings are watching and that they are setting an example. They belong in church.

Can middle-school children worship with adults?

Middle school children are hands-on learners. They can play many important roles in a worship service. They are beginning to master musical instruments and can sing complicated music. They can begin adopting a more serious decorum as they serve beside adult mentors. They are questioning their place in the world and need to be among strong, nurturing role models. They not only need to be in worship with adults but they need to begin working with adults.

How about teens? Can teens be part of worship?

If teens have not been in worship as younger children they will have more difficulty understanding worship or making it part of their lives at this exciting stage of life. Teens are stretching the limits and beginning to break away from their parents. They need to find role models outside their family. The church can be a place where they can begin to express themselves. They can test their interests and skills and try out their new understandings of self. Their reasoning skills are maturing and they need to practice them. How much they want to be part of things may depend on how they are accepted and welcomed. Teens belong in worship.

Worship is for the whole family of God. If we place an age on acceptance in worship, we exclude part of the family and limit the possibilities for worship for all. Change will be harder to implement. Worship can become more rigid as expressions will be geared to the older spectrum of the community. Children may wonder when they will ever fit in and find it easier to drift at the first opportunity.