Taking kids into the assembly can be a very daunting experience. With children now ages 18, 15 and 12, we have done our share of time in the pew. I should mention that the entire burden has been mostly upon my wife and that she gets all the credit for raising three children who (mostly) pay attention and engage andriol in worshiping God. I am thankful for her diligent work with our kids. This article is meant to encourage young families who have children who may be grade school age and younger. First, please know that we are so thankful for you and your families. Know that we support you…

As a preacher, I get asked a lot of interesting questions. Often, people are just seeking my opinion on a matter, while at other times, they are questions about how certain things affect (or don’t) my work. One of the more common questions I get asked is along these lines: Do crying babies bother you when you are preaching? My immediate answer is “No!” I can honestly say that, probably only once or twice, has a child’s “disruption” disrupted me while preaching. Thankfully, I have been told that it wasn’t noticed by those listening. Instead, it was all in just my train of thought and trying to keep my thinking straight.…

If I am correct, 2022 marks the third time since I began preaching that Christmas Day falls on a Sunday. (If you haven’t bought gifts yet, you’ve only got a week and a half!) It is interesting to watch on those days to see how families–especially those with young children–handle this situation. (By the way, this article is assuming your congregation will still have services on Christmas Day. To cancel or move services off of the Lord’s Day just for a holiday is wrong and sad, and you need to find a congregation that will be meeting on that Sunday with which to worship.) What are some things to keep…

Some of us may remember a message that would appear on our television screens almost every (if not all) evening. As I remember it, just as the 10:00 pm news came on, these words would appear:  It’s 10:00. Do you know where your children are? I grew up in a home in which the parents did not need that “little reminder.” I guess that I kind of resented that at the time, but I’m very thankful now that my parents loved me enough to try to make sure they knew the answer to that question.   I’ve been doing some thinking lately about another question that might need to be asked. What would your answer…