Take Your Children to Church
Occasionally, I will read an article on Facebook that has to do with something I find interesting. A few weeks ago, I read one that cited a Harvard Study about the role of religion in the lives of children. I hope you will forgive me when I tell you I can’t remember who posted it or really much of what it said. It had to do with them growing up and leading healthier and happier lives.
One of the comments made after the article has stuck in my mind ever since I read it. Someone made this statement, “Take your children to church.”
Now most of us would agree that taking our children to church is a good thing, but as I have thought about that statement I have come to a different conclusion.
You see, when our children were sick, or needed their vaccinations or school physicals, we took them to the doctor because he was qualified for all of those things. We were not physicians.
When we wanted them to learn how to play a musical instrument, we took them to someone qualified to teach them how to play. We were not music teachers.
Many of us who did not home school, took our children to school on a daily basis because we wanted them to be educated by well-qualified teachers. While Jim and I were both teachers for several years, we didn’t feel qualified to teach our children some of the subjects they needed to learn at a higher level.
We have taken our children a lot of places, and I do believe their lives are richer because of it.
So why would I think that “taking your children to church” would be different?
I see it differently because we are the church.
If our children grow up thinking that the building we take them to is the church, they misunderstand a very important spiritual lesson.
If the only religious training they get is in a Bible class once or twice a week, we misunderstand our responsibility as parents.
If attending worship services is merely a ritual we do on a weekly basis, we do our children a great injustice.
If we look forward to and prepare for every kind of secular meeting or gathering we attend, but neglect to focus on and prepare for worship, we fail to teach our children the importance of worship.
If we are happy and full of joy when going to some earthly event, but somber and sleepy when we are on our way to “church,” we set a poor example concerning what we love most.
This list could go on and on, but hopefully, you get my point. Let me sum up what I wish that comment at the end of that article had said: “Be the church.”
If we would realize the importance of being the church (1 Peter 2:9) and living like we should, our children will grow up and lead healthier and happier lives.
Is it important to attend worship services? I would answer with a resounding yes! It is not only important – worshipping God is a commandment. (Read Matt. 4:8-10; John 4:23-24)
So, take your children to worship, but be the church you should be while your children are with you in those important formative years of life.
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut. 6:6-7).
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AUTHOR: Donna Faughn
