Sunday Worship Guide for Children

Currently, South Charlotte Baptist Church does not have “children’s church” during the Sunday morning church service which means that, if you have children, you will need to prepare your children for the worship service.

Our hope is that you would not just endure Sundays, but that you would find joy in worshipping together with your children and the rest of the South Charlotte Baptist Church family.

A big piece of that is your child becoming a participant (not just an observer) in the worship gathering. To help, we have prepared a few suggestions that might help you lead your child to joyful worship.

Psalm 100:4 "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Be Prepared

Sunday morning starts on Saturday night.

1 Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently and in order."

Have your children showered, bathed, and in bed at a decent time so that they will be able to get a good night’s rest in preparation for the Sunday morning service.

As you put your child to bed, talk with them - excitedly - about what is going to take place in the morning. (“Guess what tomorrow is? We get to go to church tomorrow and learn about God!”)

Have your child’s clothes laid out on Saturday night. Possibly make this part of the Saturday night “going to bed” ritual having your child help you pick out the clothes that they would like to wear on Sunday. This is an excellent opportunity to teach your children about modesty and how to please the Lord in even the “small” things of our lives.

If a passage of Scripture has been given to read ahead of time, read it together as part of your child’s bedtime routine.

Put together a special bag or small backpack containing paper, crayons, Bible, etc. Gather everything you need to bring with you before Sunday morning.

Keep Sunday mornings simple - make a simple breakfast and leave the house with time to spare. Don’t rush into the service at the very last minute.

Listen to Christ-honoring music on the way to church that will prepare not only your child’s heart but also your heart for the service to come. Choose to listen to music that would be in keeping with the style of music used in the services at South Charlotte Baptist Church.

Psalm 13:6 "I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me."

Be a Role Model for your Child

1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

You - mom and dad - set the tone for Sunday! Start your morning with a positive attitude, a cheerful tone, a spirit of anticipation and enthusiasm, and a heart for worship.

Psalm 122:1 "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

Remind your child of your expectations of his/her behavior while at church and during the service but then be sure that you are setting the example for your children. Don’t expect your child’s behavior/participation in the service to be better than yours!

Walk Your Child Through the Worship Gathering Before it Starts

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

If the above verse is true, than it stands to reason that Satan is going to do everything that he can to keep you and your child from listening to the preaching of God’s Word. Therefore…

Before the service begins, have your child go to the bathroom and get a drink of water. Remove any possible “excuses” that your child might have for getting up during the service once it has started.

Assuming you have been in one of our services before, talk your child through the service explaining to them what is going to happen and how they can (and should) participate.

Pray with our child before the service begins.

Encourage Your Child to Participate During the Service

Don’t assume anything - be ready to explain things like why we sing together, why we pray together, why we read Scripture, why someone preaches, etc. The more your child understands what is happening, the more engaged he or she will be.

By teaching your child hymns and choruses at home he or she will be able to participate during the gathering. While there is much Christ honoring music that you can listen to in your home, give some attention to listening to music that is in keeping with the style of music used at South Charlotte Baptist Church.

Use the hymnal and teach them to look up the hymn and following along as the congregation sings. Or…

Help your child to follow along with the song lyrics on the screen. Even if your child is a nonreader, these things will help him or her focus his attention and encourage them to pay attention to the words.

Although many adults now use a Bible on a digital device, it would be best to have your children use an actual Bible to begin with. Help them find the passage of Scripture in their Bible and follow along. (This might also help you as many adults have difficulty finding the “chapter and verse” in their Bible which may be why some adults prefer to use a digital device.)

Expect (don’t just suggest) your child to sit and stand at the appropriate times.

Help Your Child Become an Active Sermon Listener

For the Littles:

Have some paper and crayons ready and accessible for them.

Help your child focus on the sermon by quietly whispering instructions - i.e. “Listen to this story,” or “Can you draw a picture of... ?” This is not a time of long instruction from you, just very short statements to focus their attention.

If you notice your child has taxed their ability to focus on the sermon, you may want to direct your child toward another quiet resource or simply stroke their arm or back to help their body calm itself.

For the Older Kids:

Encourage your children to take notes. At first this may simply consist of writing down the speaker’s name and the passage of Scripture that is being used for the message. As they grow older they can begin to take additional notes such as the main points of the message.

For older children, though, be cautious in allowing them simply to doodle and draw. Older children should be able to pay attention, follow along, and gleaning truths from the message.

If there is a handout, walk them through the it in preparation - clue them in on the things the handout is pointing them to listen for.

You may need to give them simple pointers as the sermon is going on - i.e. “Did you hear when the pastor mentioned...?”

Stretch Your Child’s Ability to Sit Still and be Attentive

If you have an active child, you may need to take your child out of the service part way through. No shame! For younger children, though, do not simply allow your child to leave the service unaccompanied. This is a matter of safety. Even if you allow your older child to leave the service unattended, be sure to instruct them to leave and return quietly and to be "quick" in taking care of business.

If you do leave the service with your child, especially if you leave during the message, it may be best, and least distracting, for you both to finish the service in the lobby.

Keep stretching your child until he/she can sit through the whole gathering. You may need to be firm. Be sure to affirm positive behavior and follow through with discipline for clear rebellion.

Talk About the Worship Gathering After It Finishes

After the service, have your child greet the pastor and thank him for the message.

As you leave, speak positively with your child about the service. On the ride home or while you eat lunch, encourage them to share what they remember, or their “notes” or drawings.

Ask them questions about the service. Ask them how they (and you) can put into practice what they just heard and learned from God’s Word.

3 John 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

May God Bless you with patience and grace as you lovingly parent your child and teach him/her the joy of worshipping the living God!

Remember, one of your main responsibilities is to “…bring [your children] up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)