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Some churches cancel children’s Sunday school

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  • Some churches cancel children’s Sunday school

    Some churches cancel children’s Sunday school

    Pastor Scott Brown, director of the North Carolina-based National Center for Family-Integrated Churches and author of the book, said many of its close to 800 affiliated churches have either stopped or reduced traditional Sunday school classes.
    https://www.baptiststandard.com/news...sunday-school/

  • #2
    Originally posted by Chuckz View Post
    Some churches cancel children’s Sunday school



    https://www.baptiststandard.com/news...sunday-school/
    Many are having trouble conducting regular church services

    I'm always still in trouble again

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    • #3
      My take on that article is that it isn't just children's Sunday School: It's all age groups. That, and eliminating Children's Church during the worship service so that children can sit with their parents. This has nothing to do with the current pandemic, which has shut down many church functions.

      Churches are gradually returning to conditions as they were a year ago. Hopefully those churches that previously still had Sunday School and Children's Church will restore them. And no just Zoom meetings, but actual classroom interaction.
      When I Survey....

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      • #4
        After reading the link, I agree with the premise. I agree that the current Sunday school model has led to too many youth leaving the church. Sometimes, I think its just a baby sitting service. I don't recall growing a lot in my childhood Sunday School years. Having a more family oriented model which gets the parents to teach their children seems better. It forces the parents to realize what they really believe and gives the kids a good example to follow.
        "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

        "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

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        • #5
          I assumed this was a Jonathan Aigner blog. One of his (many) pet issues that the entire church should sit together during the entire service, and no children's church.
          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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          • #6
            As I think about it, having the children in church more is probably a good idea. Certainly, I would have and staff a nursery and probably something up to about age 12 or so. It's a long time ago now, but I seem to remember as I was growing up, Sunday School was before the service and by about 5th or 6th grade, I was expected to stay through the service instead of going to the nursery. Sure I didn't get everything that was going on but it helped.
            "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

            "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

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            • #7
              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
              I assumed this was a Jonathan Aigner blog. One of his (many) pet issues that the entire church should sit together during the entire service, and no children's church.
              I still struggle with that - mostly, at "what age" should children's church end - at some point, they need to be learning how to sit still in Church, but...
              • the fact is, that many times they are so disruptive the parents can't focus on worship
              • they may not be mature enough for the topics at hand
              • if you have a WELL DEVELPOED Children's Church - not just a babysitting service - they may learn more than than "in big Church"
              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                I still struggle with that - mostly, at "what age" should children's church end - at some point, they need to be learning how to sit still in Church, but...
                • the fact is, that many times they are so disruptive the parents can't focus on worship
                • they may not be mature enough for the topics at hand
                • if you have a WELL DEVELPOED Children's Church - not just a babysitting service - they may learn more than than "in big Church"
                As I said in the post I was posting while you were posting your post (how many posts would a Twebber post if a Twebber could post posts?), my memory from going up in about teen years I was expected to start going through the whole service. I still think that's a good age.
                "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post
                  As I said in the post I was posting while you were posting your post (how many posts would a Twebber post if a Twebber could post posts?), my memory from going up in about teen years I was expected to start going through the whole service. I still think that's a good age.
                  I think by the time they reach 1st or 2nd grade, they should have learned to sit in class in school.

                  The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                    I think by the time they reach 1st or 2nd grade, they should have learned to sit in class in school.
                    Agreed. I'm not quite sure they have the educational maturity to learn from the service yet. Maybe more 4th grade?
                    "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                    "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Thoughtful Monk View Post

                      Agreed. I'm not quite sure they have the educational maturity to learn from the service yet. Maybe more 4th grade?
                      That's why I'm still giving this a mull.
                      We had suspended Children's Church because of Covid, and have started it back up again.

                      I think a really good idea is to coordinate with the Children's Church leaders what's being preached in "Big Church" so the parents can talk to the kids on the way home from Church or at Sunday Dinner about what Sunday Morning was all about.
                      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                        I assumed this was a Jonathan Aigner blog. One of his (many) pet issues that the entire church should sit together during the entire service, and no children's church.
                        I suspect that "children's church" originated as a general concession by non-liturgical churches that children cannot reasonably be expected to sit still during a sermon which lasts 45 minutes or so, and which is mostly over their heads. I don't recall seeing children's church when I attended or visited liturgical churches.
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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                          I still struggle with that - mostly, at "what age" should children's church end - at some point, they need to be learning how to sit still in Church, but...
                          • the fact is, that many times they are so disruptive the parents can't focus on worship
                          • they may not be mature enough for the topics at hand
                          • if you have a WELL DEVELPOED Children's Church - not just a babysitting service - they may learn more than than "in big Church"
                          And I wouldn't want the preacher to feel like he has to dumb down the content so as to keep the attention of younger people, or to have to throw in more pop culture references/etc. That sort of falls under your second point too. Ultimately, the preacher tailoring the message to the lowest denominator doesn't work. (Consider the book of Hebrews, written as an early church homily; it uses advanced logic/speaking techniques.)

                          The church I attended that closed in the pandemic took an interesting tack. Once a month, children's church would close so the entire church would worship together. But the kids were brought up mid-sermon for the preacher to directly address them on the topic being presented. I don't think it's a bad thing to have the kids in there for the entire service at least some of the time; it creates less of a separation between them and the greater church body.

                          I grew up in a mainline church more than an "Evangelical (TM)" Church, so I was not used to sermons being that long. I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of 45 minute sermons. I think sermons that long are a good thing, and probably not the best place for kids.
                          Last edited by KingsGambit; 03-18-2021, 11:47 AM.
                          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post

                            And I wouldn't want the preacher to feel like he has to dumb down the content so as to keep the attention of younger people, or to have to throw in more pop culture references/etc. That sort of falls under your second point too. Ultimately, the preacher tailoring the message to the lowest denominator doesn't work. (Consider the book of Hebrews, written as an early church homily; it uses advanced logic/speaking techniques.)

                            The church I attended that closed in the pandemic took an interesting tack. Once a month, children's church would close so the entire church would worship together. But the kids were brought up mid-sermon for the preacher to directly address them on the topic being presented. I don't think it's a bad thing to have the kids in there for the entire service at least some of the time; it creates less of a separation between them and the greater church body.

                            I grew up in a mainline church more than an "Evangelical (TM)" Church, so I was not used to sermons being that long. I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of 45 minute sermons. I think sermons that long are a good thing, and probably not the best place for kids.
                            Yeah, our kids stay in "big church" with us for the first few songs, opening announcements, prayer.... then they come to the front and the pastor has a "sit down on the steps" talk with them - usually an object lesson or something, then after praying with them, they are dismissed to children's church.

                            A few years ago, one of my deacons came to me and said, "hey.... when you do thing where you're sitting on the steps talking to them.... you're not really talking to THEM, are you? you're talking to US!" I just leaned in and whispered "don't tell anybody".
                            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                              I grew up in a mainline church more than an "Evangelical (TM)" Church, so I was not used to sermons being that long. I'm still wrapping my head around the idea of 45 minute sermons. I think sermons that long are a good thing, and probably not the best place for kids.
                              The standard joke among us is "the preacher only works one day a week, and then he works WAY too long!"

                              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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