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The Importance of the Church in Your Child’s Faith
By Rev. Justin Wyckoff
In a busy world, church can easily slip into the category of “optional activity,” right beside sports leagues, music lessons, and weekend trips. When schedules fill up, church is often the first thing to go. As parents, though, we need to pause and ask what message that sends to our children about following Jesus.
The Bible does not present the church as a hobby. It presents the church as a family, a body, and a temple where God’s presence dwells among His people. Our kids need more than a private, individual faith. They need a church family where they can belong, grow, and serve.
Why does this matter so much?
First, your children need spiritual “aunts and uncles.” Other adults in the church can speak into their lives in ways that complement your voice. A Sunday school teacher, youth leader, or older member who takes an interest in them can model what it looks like to follow Jesus at different stages of life.
Second, they need to see faith lived out across generations. Watching older believers worship, serve, suffer, and persevere over decades gives our kids a long term picture of what it means to walk with Christ. They see that Christianity is not just for kids or for one season, but for an entire lifetime.
Third, they need a place to use their gifts. The church is not only a place to receive. It is a place to contribute. Even from a young age, children can learn to serve: helping set up, greeting, assisting with younger kids, singing, or participating in other ways. Serving helps them see that they are part of something bigger than themselves.
Practically, this might mean that you choose to prioritize Sunday gatherings, even when weekends are busy. There will be times when you have to say no to good things in order to say yes to the best thing. It may also mean encouraging your children to build friendships within the church family, not just at school or in other activities. You can invite families from church into your home, attend small groups, and show your kids that church is not a building but a community.
At The Crossings, we do not see children as a distraction from ministry. They are part of the ministry. They are not the church of tomorrow. They are part of the church today. As a pastor, I am grateful every time I see a child worshiping, serving, or simply soaking in the presence of God among His people.
Your parenting journey is not meant to be walked alone. God has given you a church family to support, encourage, and partner with you. Let us lean into that gift together, both for our sake and for the next generation God has entrusted to us. |
