A Child Shall Lead Them
You must read my previous post to understand why this one is so important.
Our church doesn't run a children's program during our service. The kids stay with their parents. In today's church culture that is almost unheard of. "No children's church?! What kind of church is this? I ain't goin' to THAT church! My kids would drive me crazy!!"
Sad, but true. Many people can't wait to get to church so they can send their little ones off to Kids Church. I call it the Dysfunctional Church. And why not. Families are dysfunctional; society is dysfunctional; why shouldn't church be dysfunctional?
Do you realize that children's ministries have only been around for about 30 years? A lot less for some churches. Someone came up with the bright idea that we should separate children from their parents in church, because the parents were falling short on their Biblical responsibility to teach their kids the Word. So, instead of helping parents become BETTER spiritual guides we created Children's Pastors to do the job FOR them!
Don't get me wrong, my church DOES have a kids program, but it's on Saturday mornings. Our people run the program, but it is almost parachurch in nature. Yes, it is a kid's program, complete with fun games, etc., [and even a Children's Pastor - in the purest sense of the title], but it compliments what is happening on Sundays - AND in our city. Kids are learning to hear God and obey.
And their parents are encouraged to teach them the same.
Forgive the length of this blog, but I just wanted to set the stage. Because we experienced something sweet on Sunday night. Something pure.
So, we released them to do just that.
For an hour and a half we [the adults] waited on the Lord, while the kids were released to lay hands on us and pray for us. And they did.
...and people were set free.
...and people fell on the floor unable to stand in God's presence.
...and kids spoke encouraging prophetic words over people.
We didn't sing songs or wonder what would be happening next, we just enjoyed the presence of the Lord while the children walked around in pairs praying for people.
No, we're not going to change our theology based on Sunday night and start ordaining children. But maybe we should? Perhaps some of our "ways" need a reformation; some of our foundations rebuilt. Maybe it's time to let the children lead us into God's kingdom. Time for us to change and become like a child.
I promise you this. If you don't change and become like a child, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.What transpired at my church on Sunday night would have been appalling to some church folk. Kids, laying their hands on adults, and praying for them.
Our church doesn't run a children's program during our service. The kids stay with their parents. In today's church culture that is almost unheard of. "No children's church?! What kind of church is this? I ain't goin' to THAT church! My kids would drive me crazy!!"
Sad, but true. Many people can't wait to get to church so they can send their little ones off to Kids Church. I call it the Dysfunctional Church. And why not. Families are dysfunctional; society is dysfunctional; why shouldn't church be dysfunctional?
Do you realize that children's ministries have only been around for about 30 years? A lot less for some churches. Someone came up with the bright idea that we should separate children from their parents in church, because the parents were falling short on their Biblical responsibility to teach their kids the Word. So, instead of helping parents become BETTER spiritual guides we created Children's Pastors to do the job FOR them!
Don't get me wrong, my church DOES have a kids program, but it's on Saturday mornings. Our people run the program, but it is almost parachurch in nature. Yes, it is a kid's program, complete with fun games, etc., [and even a Children's Pastor - in the purest sense of the title], but it compliments what is happening on Sundays - AND in our city. Kids are learning to hear God and obey.
And their parents are encouraged to teach them the same.
Forgive the length of this blog, but I just wanted to set the stage. Because we experienced something sweet on Sunday night. Something pure.
I promise you that you cannot get into God's kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.Over the past two years our congregation has been learning how to hear the voice of the Lord. This past Saturday morning some of the kids were getting visions from God; seeing people healed that they prayed for. This is normal for our kids. One girl had a dream that God was going to use the children to see adults healed in our Sunday service.
So, we released them to do just that.
For an hour and a half we [the adults] waited on the Lord, while the kids were released to lay hands on us and pray for us. And they did.
...and people were set free.
...and people fell on the floor unable to stand in God's presence.
...and kids spoke encouraging prophetic words over people.
We didn't sing songs or wonder what would be happening next, we just enjoyed the presence of the Lord while the children walked around in pairs praying for people.
No, we're not going to change our theology based on Sunday night and start ordaining children. But maybe we should? Perhaps some of our "ways" need a reformation; some of our foundations rebuilt. Maybe it's time to let the children lead us into God's kingdom. Time for us to change and become like a child.
When the last days come, I will give my Spirit to EVERYONE.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 1:08 PM.
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2:46 PMI feel like I say this about MANY of our services... but this could be the most awesome church service I have ever been a part of. Absolute unadulturated RAW GOD. The long-term ramifications will be enormous! Paul, I'm so thrilled to have you in Brantford and am persoally blessed by how God flows through you!
Your friend Dave
3:15 PM
Thanks Dave...
11:16 PM
wow that would have been truly amazing to witness!
4:46 AM
Ya Paul it sure was fun on Sunday :) I hope we have more of that RAW god every Sunday for now on :)
What a blessing that would be...
And let me tell ya god threw me down in between someones legs and under their chair. How fun is that LOL
6:45 AM
Can I ask what the general age of the children praying/prophetizing is?
12:36 PM
The kids were between the ages of 5 and 15.
2:44 AM
i think far too often the power of youth is suppressed by "experience" and gets snuffed out before it can be used.
my mother once told me that in the early days of her being a pastor's wife, whenever there was something BIG that she needed prayer for, she would specifically go to the preschool sunday school classroom to ask for prayer. "because for them, there is nothing but faith. they just believe."
would that we all could become children like that again.
6:53 AM
My next question would be, what were the 1-4 years old doing? The reason I ask is that I was one of those 'nasty' parents that wanted churches to run a children's program during church so my kids wouldn't drive me crazy. I would like the opportunity to defend myself, if that's ok?
About 20 years ago I had three children in less than 4 years – partly planned, partly not. One of my children in particular was very active. He never sat still and he talked constantly. At home he never sat and watched TV, never really sat at all. I rarely took him to place like libraries and cinemas that required stillness or quietness. I could have taken him to a doctor, I'm sure I could have convinced them he had ADD and I could have sedated him but really what sort of solution is that? He wasn't sick just very lively, some children are. Church was therefore a problem. The church we went to at the time was considered contemporary and went for at least an hour and a half, the sermon went for about 40 minutes. It was assumed that children would be quiet so that others could hear. (I remember an occasion where the pastor complained that he had tried to write down a prophetic word from the audio tape of the morning service but could not hear it properly because of the noise of the children.) Sometimes I sat in foyer with him (along with other mothers of active children) since he didn't qualify for the children's program until he was 3. I objected to punishing him for simply being a kid. Sometimes I just gave up and took my kids home. I would also like to say 30 years ago, when there were no children's program, many mothers of small children did not attend church regularly. They stayed home until their children were old enough to sit still. Seriously I would like to know where did I go wrong?
I have never been to a service like you describe, though I would certainly like to, it sounds wonderful. But my question is would a mum with three children under 4 feel comfortable enough to stay?
1:30 PM
Susan: I should have mentioned that we DO have a nursery for kids under the age of 5. So moms can either keep their kids in the service (and people would help her watch the kids) or they can drop them off in the nursery. Some moms keep their babies and toddlers with them until the young ones get restless or need to be fed, and then go to the nursery. They have the option.
That said, our nursery has its own small group (cell) on Wednesday nights, so it is not your average nursery. Our "babies" are learning to worship, etc., just like the rest of the church.
RE: your experience - all I can say is I'm sorry. It is a shame you were treated that way in the "family" of God. If that happened in our church (a child becoming loud, etc.) our pastor would not respond the way yours did. [ He would definitely not complain about something a child did that was CHILDISH! In fact, he would probably respond to it with JOY! And even laugh about it! ] It's sad that churches expect the kids to be adults in their services.
There are many other factors here RE: my church that people may not understand, simply because we have done our best to break FREE from the bondage of church "traditions" and "systems" that hold many churches captive.
For example, you may see a kid playing his gameboy on the front row of the service while the pastor is speaking. That's okay with us. In fact, we have found that those very kids are still listening to every word he is preaching and may even respond out loud to a question he poses. It is very cool, and "allowed" at our church.
It was for FREEDOM that Christ set us free! Not so that we could control people and their children. Do we want parents to teach their kids respect? Obviously. But we also want them to ENJOY coming to church and have the FREEDOM to be a kid.
So, yes - "a mum with three children under 4" would DEFINITELY feel comfortable enough to stay at my church.
6:22 PM
Thanks Paul
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