Theological reflection on children and worship

Last week I said
"I will post some theological thoughts on this another day".

Some folks have said, both publicly on their blogs and in other public fora, that there seems to be controversy/challenges/issues around the inclusion of kids in worship. Why is this? Please do post your ideas anonymously if you like, in the comments below.

In my eschatological framework this issue will be one of the things that is changed and will be unrecognisable from that which some of us may see now; I love it that there will be thousands upon thousands singing praises to God idea....love him, worship him. Not sure if your age will be checked before you can join in!

Anyway, I digress.
Most of my thoughts on children and worship can be essentially distilled to the following points.

Do children have a contribution to bring to worship in the body of christ? - yes
Can children worship "in Spirit and in truth" - oh yes, yes, yes, yes.
Can they learn from adults in worship? - undoubtedly yes
Can adults learn from children in worship? - undoubtedly yes
Should all of their worship times be within their own peer group - in my opinion, no.
(That might make me unpopular. I understand clearly why some churches don't and I agree that it's better to have a well constructed worship/teaching time in a separate peer group than an altogether worship time done for the wrong reasons. As long as that's not used for an excuse for not re-examining it. I've now alienated all my N American readers - sorry John S!)

try the following:
* get children to draw something to illustrate God's greatness. Don't feed them too many lines. I asked our partnership nursery preschool kids to do this 3 years ago and we scanned and then projected their pictures on the big screen during a worship service. Wow - what they had drawn at age 3 and 4.....it was worship (without a song being sung!)

* let children pray - I feel there is a danger of tokenism so please be careful with this one in your situation; it's got to come from a place where inclusion and nurture and encouragement is fostered. Oh...unscripted prayers are awesome. A fairly new 11 year old was blown away by what a 4 year old prayed out in our monthly "kids only" worship time - pure adoration towards her Father God. Another 3 year old expresses he loves God so much that he feels as if his heart is going to burst.

I'm actually weeping as I type this - God, oh that we expressed our deep love for you with such abandon, not for public show but because we simply love you as daddy.

* journey together with kids. That may not sound very clear and I would need to probably explain this to you in person. But to say succinctly - be real, be honest, don't go for funky shows with a myriad of puppets just for the sake of it if its not you (its not me for example!) - put your passion for God on display. Love God with all your heart and you lead by example.

I organise an annual residential weekend away for 10s and 11s and last year we found ourselves in an amazing experience of worship, about 20 of us. The 5 adults journeyed with the kids in the Psalm 95 experience of worship described in an earlier post. Together - not with any one leader - we entered into the presence of God.

Turning now to a very quick theological examination, we are probably all very familiar with Psalm 8:2 about children and praise but I also find the verses on praise and worship from generations very stirring {reference to follow; it's on my work laptop!}

I've now been formally taught to pay careful attention to what I read in OT as it will have an application for today (oh the joys of a formal theological education, it's been so good for me. I need more, I know!) But in the NT I pick up the words of Jesus in what must surely be one of the most noteworthy passages on children and worship. Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey......

The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.

"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
" 'From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise?"

I find it deeply significant that the chief priests were indignant at the children shouting out their worship. Religious spirits are offended! And even more significant that they knew who Jesus was; they seemed to have a knowledge of his greatness. Also, the indication in scripture is that these children were simply there, "hanging aboot" we might say; they weren't part of the Sunday School movement; nor Metro Ministries flock; nor are we told that their mums and dads are also present shouting praises. And Jesus himself reminds his listeners of Psalm 8:2. Time for me to use my favourite quote again (Judith Gundry-Volf ROCKS!):

“Children are not mere ignoramuses in terms of spiritual insight in the Gospel tradition. They know Jesus’ true identity. They praise Him as the Son of David (Matthew 21:14-16). They have this knowledge from God and not from themselves and because they do, they are living manifestos to the source of all true knowledge about Christ as from God.”

And I have seen this and heard this with my own eyes in the prayers and praise of unchurched kids summer after summer - they praise God with abandon, they just "know in their noah" that he's who he says he is; that his word is true; that he has power; that God's love is great (surely one of the best praise and worship songs EVER written: Great Big God vol 3 by Vineyard Music) How can we learn from these children? I sure know we can.

I'm ploughing my way through the reformers' various views of children (it's getting quite depressing!) and in some ways we (ALL of us) have come so far. Let's not give up valuing each other's contributions and let's be encouraged for there is a move in this country and others to recognise the importance of our children in worship.