Question

My child is not only unable to understand the sermon but also cannot sit still in his/her seat. Is it that important to attend worship service with my children? What should I do?

Answer

The attitude you have towards worship is essentially the fundamental attitude of life. The attitude an individual brings to worship service provides a clear window into how he or she approaches life. In other words, when a child is trained to distinguish between when to worship and when to play, he or she will not only learn to fear God, but will also assume an appropriate attitude when studying, eating or working, for example. Therefore, it is very important to nurture your child to have the proper mindset toward worship. How can we do that? The answer is clear. We can make it possible for ourselves and our children to worship together through teaching and training them. Unlike human beings, plants and animals thrive and grow to their limit even without being taught. For example, puppies grow up by themselves without any special instructions and become equipped with the habits of a dog. However, us human beings, who are given the “freedom of choice,” are different. Only through the process of instruction and learning can we become persons of decent character. In the end, all forms of education are intended to make people human. We educate our children so they can grow up to be decent human beings. In order to instill in our children a proper attitude toward worship and train them to act appropriately in any situation, we must educate them. Mental growth cannot be expected without education. Even if it seems difficult, we must not delay to train our children according to the goals and methods suggested in the Bible.

The training God gives us is intense. When we make our children undergo strict training, they become energized and also realize the love of parents. The reason why kids lose heart is because they are rarely taken seriously - they are treated as troublemakers and laughingstock wherever they go, albeit unintentionally. As a result, children become increasingly less self-confident in their words and actions. Good social skills, such as responsibility, cooperation and kindness, are acquired by domestic upbringing. Therefore, if a child grows up not feeling loved by their parents, misjudging himself based on insincere compliments and without proper education at home, he or she will end up becoming disheartened and rebellious. The Bible says that it is God’s way of loving to train His beloved children without overlooking a single thing. Then when do children begin to think their parents do not love them? Though favoritism and abnormally harsh flogging play a part, leaving a kid to do whatever they want despite the fact that they are ill-mannered is a factor that will eventually make him or her think their parents did not love them. If you listen to the testimony of missionaries who do work in prison, children who grow up without ever being reprimanded start to rebel against their parents once they hit adolescence, and as adults, they resent their mothers who merely loved them without correcting the things they did wrong when they were young. Therefore, we have to train our children in the same way God trained Israel and just as the eagle trains its young. That way, they will be brought up as the salt of the earth.

Education on behavior should start from the moment a child is born. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). The word “child” here, does not mean “a young person,” but “a person in an unmatured state.” For example, King David called his eldest son Absalom, who declared to kill him and overtake the throne, a child. The best time to educate a child is when he or she is not yet mature. Therefore, the younger the child, the better and more effective education gets. As the child grows older, it becomes increasingly difficult to educate your child. If you think your kid is too young to learn and so you wait until they’re mature enough and able to distinguish between good and evil, it is already too late. Educate your children now, no matter how young they are. Now is the best time. If your child cannot distinguish between when to worship and when to play, you should admonish your kid. Those who have taught their children to fear God and to attend worship service with a reverent heart will find it easier than before to educate their children in everything else. We must never forget that the attitude we have toward worship is the basis of our mode of life.

A Christian education aims for holistic human development. It develops and advances not only the spiritual but also ethical, moral, social and cultural aspects of an individual. Therefore, it is extremely important to train a child how to worship at church. This is basic and highly necessary education that must be done regardless of how difficult it is. Because sports and academics have high educational value in society, many parents stress academic success and pressure their kids to play sports starting from a young age. We must understand that training a child to have a reverential attitude toward worship is of great educational value before asking whether it is unreasonable to demand a child to worship like an adult. Surely God will take care of everything if we do not delay to boldly and consistently abandon the claims of worldly scholars who do not know God, and educate our children according to His Word.