Why Church? Part II
Hebrews 10:25, NKJV, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Children are very perceptive, and they pick up on more than you know. If you do not have a good attitude about church, or church leadership, neither will they. If you are having difficulty making church a priority, you need to pray and ask God to reveal to you the problem. Maybe you just need to make a new solid commitment to attend church, or you may have had a bad experience in church, or with church leaders. You need to release forgiveness towards them and ask God to help you overcome any offense you have received, so you can be an example to those in your household. We lead by example. There are so many Christians today who do not attend church for one reason or another. It’s true, “The Church,” is not a building, it is the people. But we do congregate in a building with a Pastor as leader and the TEAM of others ministers that help host the presence of God. There needs to be a leader to impart vision, encouragement and keep everyone moving forward in the things of God. When you get off by yourself, you can easily get off track. If you are not making church a priority, there is a void in you and in the church body. Ephesians 4:16, NASB, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. We need the ENTIRE body…the head, the neck, the arms, legs, hands, feet, etc.
Now let’s talk about children. They were created from birth to learn and it’s a lifelong journey. They have the ability as little recorders to inwardly store what they hear, see, say and do. In the beginning children learn most of their responses by watching others around them. They are little sponges, and will soak up the good, the bad and the ugly. They become a mirror of their parents as early as 1 year of age, wearing mommy or daddy’s shoes, jewelry and hats. They begin repeating their words, and actions. Just recently I witnessed one of my grandbabies at just barely one year old, place her hand on her hip, JUST LIKE HER MOMMY! It was hilarious as she walked so intentional with that hand on her hip! The Bible says we are to be imitators of Christ. Placing an infant or toddler in the nursery takes faith, and trust that your church has trained leaders and can take care of your baby. That means you can get the break YOU need as well as the teaching you need in a peaceful environment. Every parent needs a break, and an hour or two away from your infant or toddler would do you BOTH good. I encourage you to take that step of FAITH, allow your child to grow at their age level, and you grow by going to your adult service. Then you can better steward your children from a heart refreshed and FULL of the POWER of God! And God has this AMAZING thing He does, when you go to church and get filled up, your children many times will be taught in their classroom on something you have been working to instill in them. That’s how He confirms His Word, by repeating from someone else’s mouth what you have also been teaching them. That’s the HEART of your Heavenly Father!
Stay tuned and catch our next blog that will give more detail on the “how-tos” of getting your young children to love their Sunday classrooms, so they don’t want to leave!