A familiar worry stirred in me—one that many parents know all too well— the quiet fear that your child is a distraction, not only to others but to your own worship. My frustration grew—until something shifted. I heard a soft melody. My son was humming, almost unconsciously, a hymn we had just lifted together in worship. His music drifted through the air, faint but familiar:
“How marvelous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be.
/ How marvelous! How wonderful! Is my Savior’s love for me!”
In that moment, frustration gave way to clarity. His noise, his movement, his boundless energy—none of it was a disruption after all. It was beautiful foreshadowing, a glimpse of the Church’s future pulsing through the present. It was a living, breathing sign of faith taking root in the next generation.
Jesus never saw children as interruptions or obstacles to his ministry. He welcomed them with open arms, and in doing so, he set an example for all of us. As communicated in Luke 18:15-16, “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.’”
Throughout the Gospels, children were never viewed by Jesus as a burden, but as precious members of God’s Kingdom, full of potential, joy, and promise. His heart for children stands in stark contrast to the increasingly negative attitude toward children in Western society, where they are often viewed as inconveniences or even barriers to a life of personal freedom. This attitude permeates the Church, too.
Sunday mornings have become one of the most segregated times of the week for families. We separate ourselves into different spaces—infants in one room, children in another, teenagers in another, and adults in still another. It’s almost as though we view the presence of children as an obstacle to true worship, as if their energy and curiosity are things to be contained or quieted to maintain the sanctity of the service.
This is not to say that children’s ministry, age-appropriate teaching, and classes designed for younger generations are unnecessary or unimportant. Certainly, it is crucial for children to learn at their own level and to engage with the Bible in ways that resonate with them. But we should also make every effort to include children in adult worship, allowing them to experience and participate in the life of the congregation. While they may not grasp every theological concept or understand the full significance of the sermon or the worship lyrics, they are absorbing more than we realize. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
As parents, we often underestimate the long-term impact of these early moments in church. The sounds of worship, the rhythms of prayer, the patterns of communal life—they sink in, even when they seem to be lost among the coloring pages. The truths of the Gospel take root, often in ways we don’t expect, and, in the years to come, those foundational moments will flood back into their hearts. As our children grow older, they may look back on these moments not just as fond memories, but as the very foundation of their faith. When they face struggles, they will carry with them the truths they heard and experienced in those early days of worship.
What we might perceive as distractions or inconveniences in the moment are, in fact, opportunities—opportunities for our children to witness the life of the Church, to experience God’s presence, and to be shaped into the followers of Christ that God intends them to be. And so, I remind myself once more: My son’s restlessness, his humming, his lively presence in the service—none of it is a disruption. It is a reminder that the kingdom of God belongs to such as him, and in his boundless energy, he is a living testament to the future of the Church.
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