At our church we have Sunday school classes for the kids. The kids with Special Needs are buddied with another child, starting at age 4 and thru.... (I don't know, hmm)....HS?
I love this buddy idea, so this has nothing to do with that.
With that said, the thing that I am struggling with is what is the purpose of children's church, or Sunday school, or whatever you may call it, in the lives of believers.
When you have kids coming from the neighbor"hood", or friends, or any other "unchurched" kids, I think that it does serve a purpose, somewhat. These kids are not learning the foundations at home and we want them to learn the basics, right?
However, when it comes to my family, where we are believers, and teach my kids at home through actions, words, walking the Bible, etc... is Sunday school the right choice?
When you look back through the Bible, when Jesus was around, and other times, the children and adults were all present. I don't know of a single place, nor does the Pastor, where it says the kids went elsewhere while the adults were taught....
I could put scripture after scripture where it talks about the kids always being around for teachings and that was just expected.
So, the idea of seperate teachings is something new(er)? The same goes with other "programs" in the church, they are fun, Sunday school is fun, but do we just send them so they are "out of our hair"? So we can get the teaching without worrying about crying, or discipline? If our kids learn that there is a certain amount of expectation from them throughout service, and there is follow-up after service, and everyone can go home discussing the same things and learning how to apply these teaching to all their lives, why do we need Sunday school?
I am in no way saying this thinking is correct or putting down CC, Sunday school or other church programs. Two of the Littles take part in the buddy-CC, and Jesse has a teen buddy for his program, as well; it is just something that has been rolling around in my brain, bouncing out of my rolodex! Before you ask... that leaves Niky and Andy with me. Andy loves worship and sits, fully as attentive to Pastor as he is to Derek Jeter in the final inning of a game with "Baawstun."
It is just another of those strange things that fall from my rolodex at 2:30 in the morning..... what does anyone else think about this?????????
Apr 25, 2009
Children's Church
Posted by deanie at 9:50 PM
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1 comments:
I can see your point and I agree to a certain extent. I also see the benefit of children meeting with their peers and fellowshipping on their level. Our children are always taught at home, but maybe others aren't as much?, even within our own churches.
Our children stay with us during service and sit very well, but we also have an "option" for children 3rd grade and younger "with their parents permission" to go down stairs and have children's church.
That is not encouraged, but is available for those that feel their children would do better downstairs.
Our Sunday School and Wens. fellowships are to be geared on the same topic as the adults, so that family fellowship can continue at home on the same material, but was given at different age levels.
I'm not saying one way is better than another, like you, it's just something that flits through my head at times. But our children are with us as much as possible in the adult fellowship, just our choice as well.
Blessings
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