Penna Dexter

After months of online worship services, many Americans are happy to get back to in-person church.

But parents with young children, who would love to return to church, may find that their church is open, but Sunday school isn’t. Churches that offer nursery care often haven’t ramped up classes for kids beyond age 3.

Many moms and dads have never considered bringing their squirmy little ones into the service.

Perhaps now is a good time to rethink this and have your kids sit with you in church. Jared Bridges, a vice president at Family Research Council, has 4 children. He says introducing kids to the worship service “can be a difficult transition,” but he and his wife began taking theirs at age 4. His article “4 Reasons Why Your Kids Should Sit with You on Sunday” first appeared five years ago.  It’s particularly appropriate now.

Reason 1 is discipleship. Jared Bridges cites the Great Commission, and points out that, “Hearing the gospel preached and seeing its effects in the worship of a local church family is a powerful way to make disciples.”

Reason 2 is education. In Deuteronomy 6 Moses tells God’s people they must teach God’s word to their children. “A corporate worship service in which Scripture is read, sung, prayed and preached,” writes Mr. Bridges, “helps us as we educate our kids.” In church, young children can acquire the art of listening, “an invaluable skill for any Christian.”

Reason 3 is tradition. Jude exhorts his readers (v.3) to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Tradition can be a safeguard to keep us from uncritically accepting “novel teachings” that arise.

And finally, even if kids don’t understand everything about the worship service, they will have their parents beside them to “explain what they don’t grasp.”

Having little kids in church with you is distracting. But, Jared Bridges concludes, you’ll give your child “a taste of the eternal.”