At first, it seems like kids are stealing from your worship time.  But with a little effort, worshipping with kids can be a deeper experience than having the time “all to yourself”.

For some of us, worship is our time to meet God.  To let go of that is an incredible sacrifice.  Bending down to wipe a nose or correct a behaviour issue hardly leads to a transcendent experience.  But, like everything when following Jesus, we find that when we let go a little, God gives more than ever. 

Sometimes we have stop doing things at our “level” and start engaging them at their level.  If we do, we can gradually bring them in the same experience with God that we’ve had.  Below are just  a few ideas that have worked for me.  I’ve put them into four categories:  Singing, praying, drawing, and dancing.

Singing

v  Ask:  “Do you know what this song is about?”  Explain the lyrics to them in kid language. I have been surprised at how much more profound a song can be for me when I explain it to my child in their language. 

 v  Read off the words for them just before you sing them.  If your child can’t read, they can’t sing a new song.  Make it easier for them to sing along by feeding them the lines.

Praying

v  Pray for your kids.  I hope you pray with for your kids all the time, but there’s something special about praying in the midst of the assembled saints.  The Spirit of God is there to a greater measure, and your child will feel honoured by you when you take time out to specifically bless them in the presence of others.

v  Your kids can pray for others.  Encourage siblings to pray for each other. 

v  Do ministry outside of the family.  Our church is filled with people who would love to have a child pray for them.  Pick one of those people and do some prayer.  Or, if you’re on the ministry team, go pick up your child at the end of the service and have them do ministry with you.

Drawing

v  Ask them to draw a picture for God.  If they are uncertain what to draw, tell them to ask God what to draw. If this is a new thing for your child, here are some pointers:

a.     Remember that God loves them and actually wants to talk to them.

b.      Tell them that when they ask God for a picture, they should assume that whatever pops into their heads at that time is from God.  Don’t worry about discernment right now. Discernment is important, but you’ll squelch their flame if you try to do that right now.  Besides, in the long run, you’ll know if it’s from God by the fruit that comes out of it. 

c.      Tell them that as people draw, God will often tell them why He wanted that picture. If He doesn’t, you can either interpret it for them, or you can say “sounds like God ‘s going to tell you later.”  If you communicate that you expect God to speak to your child, then your child will listen for Him.

Dancing

·       Here’s the trick for enjoying dancing:  Be free.  The freer you are, the freer your child can be.

·       Actions.  Kids love actions, so encourage your kids to follow you, as you create actions that are meaningful to both you and the child.  Stop and explain a song when you think it’s not clear.

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Conclusion

So should you sing, pray, draw or dance?  The key is to do whatever you believe the Spirit is telling you to.  Show your love for Him by following His prompting!  You children will follow your lead if you tell them to.