Comments on: Training Children To Sit in Church

By: Word Warrior

Word Warrior — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:26:20 +0000

Oh I do pray the Lord will guide you. We always fought against others trying to pull our children from us too until we joined a family-integrated church.

By: Adam Gray

Adam Gray — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 14:22:58 +0000

I am an Associate Pastor and serving in a non-family-integrated church. My wife and I are blessed with 5 children outside of the womb and one still being “knit together”. We have kept our children in the worship services and since my arrival at this church in July of last year have received less than a warm reception for doing so.

We are currently seeking God’s guidance as to whether to seek minstry elsewhere but through this process are showing other receptive parents the importance of having children in the service.

I would appreciate your prayers as we strive through this period of sanctification. After being led to the NCFIC website, reading through Scott Brown’s book and the numerous articles I can clearly see the biblical precendence for the re-intrgration of family back into the services of the church.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 20:47:12 +0000

I have always believed that children should be present during worship. For years we worshiped in our home where my boys learned to participate and love to worship God. We now attend a congregation which actively supports a children’s home with 8 cottages (which my husband works for). The children are very respectful and love to participate when appropriate. I would much rather have the occasional insertions of tears and a small child’s voice. The children’s prayers are taken seriously and are heard and voiced.
Keep speaking up for our families and how to train our children to love and serve their God and Savior.

By: Word Warrior

Word Warrior — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:16:15 +0000

GFGrace,

So glad to have you!

By: Grateful for Grace

Grateful for Grace — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 05:07:48 +0000

It’s really funny. We thought we believed and lived the idea of family worship: our children sit with us only in worship, not with friends or other families; baby and toddlers in the nursery; PRE-K in children’s church. Not until a year and a half ago did I hear of family integrated worship. I’m in love with it. We desire it now BUT… 1) we have some serious training to do. Not with the PRE-K and up, but with the almost two year old. Egad. That’s where lap training stepped in. I heard of it from a friend. I’m having a dickens of a time with it. It’s so new to me. I feel like a first time mom (he’s number 6, though). We have started attending a home church some now (in addition to our ‘regular’ church) and lap training is a necessity.

I love how you posted this. This week was already hard core week (getting a handle on lap training and some other things we’ve let slip) for Wee Babe, so this encouraged me.

2) our church is not interested in this at.all. It makes me sad. I don’t know how much longer we’ll be there.

I am sooooo glad I found your site via Amy’s Humble Musings. What a treasure find!

By: Nadine

Nadine — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:39:26 +0000

Amanda, we have a child with developmental issues (and food sensitivities)as well as four other children. It can be very humbling when people make assumptions about our parenting (or so we think), but we remind ourselves that he is a blessing and we were chosen to be his parents. It keeps us focused on the Lord and not our own abilities (to train them etc…). Having said that, do your best and be flexible to do what you need to do in your unique situation. Remember, we are to please the Lord not others (Galations 1:10) We spent way too many years beating ourselves up!

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:45:51 +0000

There can definitely be some rough weeks when you’re working on training them to sit through church. If we ever had to take our little one out of the service we made it a point to never go to the nursery. We didn’t want our child to learn that if he misbehaves long enough he’ll be rewarded by playing.

I would just take him out and have him sit somewhere with me and work with him on obeying my voice when I tell him to sit still and be quiet. And I practiced at home. I would turn on some tapes to listen to and have my son practice sitting in my lap.

Yes it can be intense, but it is definitely worth the effort.

By: Word Warrior

Word Warrior — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:39:43 +0000

Amanda,

I certainly recommend special consideration for different circumstances. This is a general idea that works in most cases. And while I still believe even children with special needs can be taught to sit, you may change things for this season of life (especially while taking the meds) or make adjustments if necessary. God bless your efforts!

By: Beth

Beth — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:23:38 +0000

don’t know if anyone has mentioned this, but I believe in The Hidden Art of Homemaking she suggests drawing pictures during the sermon for the little ones (let them watch) of what the sermon is about.

By: Amanda L

Amanda L — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:01:00 +0000

here’s our issue…I have 4 children, the older two are 8 and 10(they have always done well in church)and want to pay attention, we have a 3mo nurser, and a 5dd with down syndrome AND leukemia. some of her chemo meds make her irritable, some make her wild, and some wipe her out. Add that to down syndrome, and church can be a real adventure;) We have her sit on a lap or in between us with a book, but sometimes all that’s left is letting her hang out in the hallway for a few minutes until she can sit still again