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Families' Fridays

Starting this week, I am hoping to include something for family support each Friday.  Today - an excellent help from Michelle Brock

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Rearing Children Who Love the Local Church


One of my long-term prayer requests is for my children to grow to love the local church and  experience the precious community that we see in the Bible. However, as children, they are limited in ways that they can be involved. How can I encourage them to be a part when people aren’t beating down my doors for their contribution?
I’ve learned a few things. First, small churches are fantastic places for children to feel valued and important. Parents may be drawn to the opportunities large churches provide serving our children, but small churches are pretty special for the opportunities they bring even our young children to serve others. It’s not that children can’t serve in big churches; they can and they should! However, they’re not exactly needed in large churches like they can be in a small church. Children know the difference when they are truly a part.
Let’s take a look at a few ways we can welcome children to serve, no matter what the size of our church.

Music Ministry

I am grateful for the godly man who is actually taking the time to teach two of our teens to run the sound system. Maybe that’s a small church perk. Obviously, not every church is able to accommodate a twelve year old, but in our church, he is faithful, listens to instructions from the head sound guy, and fills in when needed.

One church we were at had a children’s choir.  I was pretty sad when one of my children didn’t want to sing in the children’s choir. When I asked why, I thought her reasoning was good (1 Corinthians 12 comes to mind). So I let her stop, and then we had a good talk about different ways she could minister and serve.

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