This was also in my inbox this morning...from my dear friend Donna. 

A little more about children in church...

From Leigh Bortins (founder of ClassicalConversations). This is a recent newsletter article from the founder of Classical Conversations.

Good Morning!
One Sunday morning, in the first church I joined as a
new believer, a toddler got loose from his father and
ran up on the stage behind the pastor. Many of the families in that
church worshipped with their children. Our pastor took
the opportunity to tell us that the running child was a delight to him and to
relate the following story. He had recently been in
Africa and was mulling over a question a native man asked. “How can you stand to be away from your children?” As a modern American
father, he was usually away from his family, and he was touched by
the dedication the African men showed their families.
Two weeks ago, I was in Newark waiting to board my
plane to India and I too was similarly touched. There
were both Indian and American travelers waiting and the contrast
was astonishing. No American children were in sight
but there were lots of Indian children wandering around. I kept assuming
certain men were their fathers only to be surprised
when another couple eventually took charge of the wanderer. Indian business men in suits were playing with perfect strangers on their
laps. I observed this dedication to children everywhere I went. Of course,
the village tribes all worshipped with their children
(and goats and cows) around and the congregants willingly steered stray
toddlers back towards their parents.

This week my church elders asked our congregation a
serious question. Not enough adults are volunteering
for nursery duty and they wanted to know what the congregation
thought the solution should be. Then an elder read
from Matthew when Jesus rebuked the disciples, “Suffer little children, and
forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of
heaven.” So I humbly ask:

1. Why do we relegate our children to the basement
when they’ve been invited to the feast by the King?
2. Why do we let disciples who think children are a
distraction define our services as being only for
adults?
3. Why do we not teach moms to hold their infants to
their breast during services?
4. Why do we not trust our toddlers to wander
occasionally in the loving security of our
congregation?
5. Why do we not teach fathers to train their
preschoolers to sit still for long stretches?
6. Why do we not teach our 4-8 year olds to draw
picture notes of the sermon?
7. Why do we not teach our school age children (and
adults) to take written notes of the sermon?
8. Why are our teenage sons not standing with their
fathers as they usher, collect tithes, preach, and
lead prayer and communion?
9. Why do we not have the men corporately pray for
their wives and the women corporately pray for the
singles?
10. Why do we not have our adults corporately pray for
the children and the children corporately rise up and
call their mothers
blessed?
11. Why are we surprised most children in evangelical
churches stop attending church as adults?
12. Why are we surprised so few fathers lead daily
family devotions?
13. Why are we surprised that our youth turn to their
friends instead of their fathers for affirmation?
I applaud the many American pastors who have shared
these ideas with me. They understand that the church
is the family
of families, and that the Bible instructs parents to
pass on the love of obeying Christ in all things to
their children.

Dear Lord, I pray that every parent will love teaching
their children to worship in a congregation that
welcomes the opportunity to train parents to lead a family devoted
to your service. Help us to literally suffer the
little children, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Love, Leigh

Hmmm...something to ponder.