When discussing the worship of children, there seems to be three main approaches that churches follow. The first assumes that children worship in the same manner as adults but in a different style that is unique to their world. These churches will typically have a separate service for the children with great variance; from flannel graphs and a single teacher to a full production with teams of dancers, drama and more. The second assumes that children worship or should be made to learn how to worship, in the same manner and style of adults. These churches typically have children present during the service times along with their parents or guardians who are encouraged to keep the children quiet and still as much as possible. The third approach assumes that children worship in the same manner and style as adults and includes them in the presentation of the main service. These are typically more artistic churches that seek to be inclusive of all ages and will allow children to read a poem, scripture or dance.

All three models have one thing in common which is the assumption that children worship in the same manner as adults. Children, by their mere existence give praise to God and they do it as well through their play, their imagination and their conversations. The question that has been going around in my head recently is: if we simply observed children in their day to day life, would we in fact conclude that they do worship in the ways we assume they do? Or have we made our children express worship in the methods that are most comfortable for adults and then conclude if they go through the motions correctly, they have in fact, worshiped?

I have never been too comfortable with children raising hands and singing words to a song that adults have written for other adults. Sometimes these are songs that were often born out of a struggle and resolution, songs whose words could not be internalized without the life experience to actuate them. Even if we put a stronger beat and add children’s voices to the mix and production – does this make it more relatable in substance or is it only in style? Likewise, if we include children in our main service presentations by having them read a poem or scripture, do they have the depths to know what they are saying? Can we honestly conclude that our children are worshiping because they go through the hoops that we have provided? Will our children assume as they grow older that they know what worship is, simply because they can accurately go through the appropriate motions even if the depth of life experience and character did not open the door for a real connection between heart and words?

Jesus’ desire of “Let the little children come to me (Luke 8:16),” was not a dictate to allure children to Him. They are naturally drawn to Jesus and the point was to not prevent that gravitational force, to not stand in the way of that movement. To “let” them come means we are aware of the ways in which they do already come to God, the ways in which they do already worship.

To find these ways would require us to be willing to deconstruct all three previous models mentioned, to assume the natural worship of children and to observe how this may be. To incorporate these into our services would obviously require prayer in which we allow the Spirit of God to show us ways we may have forbidden the natural coming of children and teach us ways in which we can let them come. I am not suggesting that we need to throw away all present forms of children’s worship in churches. The end result may only be a tweak here or there, a lifting of the net only to be thrown on the other side of the boat in the same lake. I am suggesting simply that we ask the question, how do children worship?

Father Vinnie blogs at: http://vincedonnachie.blogspot.com/