Facilitating Family (Generational) Worship
What does your church do to promote Family* Worship?
Do you see any problems with compartmentalizing every age group into a worship environment designed ONLY for them? Benefits?
Can children and teens “sit through” and participate in family oriented worship?
Are we asking too much of them to learn from and participate in generational worship?
Is Generational Worship something that we should pursue during our weekend gatherings or is it something we should promote and teach for people to pursue during the week with their OWN FAMILIES? Or is it something we should try and blend into both?
Please feel free to respond with answers, insight, and questions of your own. This post is not meant to be antagonistic, but I truly desire to learn more about WHY we have such segmented times of worship every weekend.
* By Family Worship I mean environments that creates opportunities for families to worship together. And in a larger more general sense environments that creates opportunities for worship to happen with more than one generation present. And I’m not only referring to musical worship.
At GLCC, when we created our Sunday KidzPort ministry, we specifically left the kids in the sanctuary with their families during worship time. We wanted worship to be a family event, and feel that it’s important for kids to see their parents worshipping.
We try to involve the parents as much as possible with the kids’ church life. (although we have several children who come to our church whose parents don’t.) When we have special events, we often have the children worship, and we encourage special music across generations.
Of course we want folks to worship at home. Part of the reason we do such a variety of music is hoping people find something they like. It’s also the reason we decided to cut a worship album – to give people something to share at home.
@Mike Mahoney: When I was younger, I hated the idea, but as I’m growing older I think it’s very important for parents (and older generations) to not only model a lifestyle of worship, but to model worship activity as well. And I think one of the most common sense places to do that is in the actual collective worship gathering.
I wish we had more opps for the KIDS to model worship to the ADULTS. It never ceases to amaze me, some parent brings in their toddler to worship – they are smiling, raising their hands, dancing around – expressing themself, swaying to the music …. and nobody “schooled” them in proper responses to worship … they just KNOW it ….
We could learn a lot from the KIDS.
@Fred: GREAT point! I think it’s definitely important for parents to train up their kids in worship lifestyle and worship activity, but let’s not overlook the BEAUTY of kids modeling worship activity to adults! Love it!
So maybe in essence, a better way to describe what I’m asking about would be Cross-Generational Worship? Where every generation has something to add and can learn from the others.
OK Russ – here is my eexxppaannddeedd tweet! Sorry for the length…
I think families should worship together as much as possible – at and away from our brick & mortar “churches.” Churches should offer environments that promote this – giving opportunities for this as it fits their size and culture. I can’t recall any defined or implied children or teen programs in the bible; but, to the disciples rebuke, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. “ (Mark 10:13-16). To me that is somewhat of a model…
At our church, we keep everyone in the service through the music worship portion and have a children’s message before dismissing them to their own ”service” (0 to 5th grade) [given attention spans, message content, and distraction avoidance.] Our size allows for the children’s message – it is an East Valley distinctive that was started by our current pastor (when I went as a kid this was not offered). During this time, I always think of the Mark 10:13-16 passage when the kids run and sit around Pastor John on the steps of the platform. Their innocence, wonder, and honesty are convicting at times – OK, many times. When you think about it – aren’t we all supposed to approach God with that child-like innocence, wonder, and honesty? In this case, I think the kids model worship for the adults!
As the worship leader at our church, it is so cool to see families singing praises to God with their kids – they are modeling worship. Each week I see a mix of dads holding their kids and clapping and singing, moms praying with them during prayer (ok, I peeked one time), Jr. and Sr. High student standing with their friends and/or family, basically families being families before God and imparting a key part of following Christ: gathered and celebratory worship.
Bottom line: Family (Generational) Worship / Cross-Generational Worship ROCKS! It’s biblical and the way to go!
@Dennis: thanks! I can see the scene now! I love it!