Children in Church: A Senior Pastor’s Heart for Including Children

Growth happens when children’s ministry leaders and senior pastors partner in welcoming and celebrating children in their churches. Spiritual growth occurs, and a congregation’s size can increase too! Most importantly, young and old alike have more unique opportunities to grow closer to God and each other. Read on to hear one senior pastor’s heart for including children in church.

God revealed his heart for children in the Bible. Sharing the Gospel from one generation to the next is the Lord’s will (Exodus 3:15). Caring for his “little ones” (Mark 9:37) is an intergenerational concern. God especially desires his church to be intergenerational.

For example, when Joshua led the people of Israel into the Promised Land, God called Joshua to instruct the children with a specific object lesson — a pillar made of 12 stones gathered from the Jordan River and constructed at Gilgal. The Lord called for this object lesson so all generations would know the good news (Joshua 4:24).

What can this look like in churches today? How can congregations authentically welcome children in church? Consider these three ways.

1. Empower children in church.

Regularly incorporate children into worship services — even children’s services!

For over 13 years, I served as pastor at The Family of Faith Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas. When the preschool children gathered for Chapel Time, ministry leaders recruited volunteers from the young student body to help with the service. All the students are five years old or younger. The volunteers lead the congregation in various aspects of the service and the accomplishment they feel in doing so is evident and remarkable!

While children helped less in the Sunday morning service, they were still involved in the worship service by serving as acolytes (or assistants), participating in the children’s message, and dancing to the final song using praise ribbons. These opportunities allowed the whole congregation to experience the blessing of children serving at church.

2. Show children in church.

For example, with parents and caregivers’ permission, take pictures of children participating in the life of the church and post them for everyone in your church to see.

At The Family of Faith, one of our church members was a gifted photographer. So, with permission, this person took pictures of children, youth, and adults serving the Lord. We enlarged the pictures and had them printed on canvas wraps. Then we hung the painting-like pictures in a prominent place.

Additionally, pictures of kids at The Family of Faith were featured around the church building on monitors, on the church website, and in various forms of social media.

Seeing photographs of children in church helps the whole church family develop a sense of affection and investment in the spiritual upbringing of kids.

3. Help children.

Encourage your church family to help kids in need. These may be children in your church, community, or around the world!

At The Family of Faith, we partnered with a Special Olympics basketball team. The team used our gym each year for its practice facility. We established other partnerships with local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts troupes, a nearby food pantry, Operation Christmas Child, and mission trips that included ministering with and to children.                                

So perhaps it’s time to meet with your senior pastor and church leadership to talk about how your church regularly and intentionally includes children in church. Together, discuss these questions:

• How has your church expressed God’s heart for children?
• How have those expressions of God’s love helped your congregation grow in varied, important ways?
• What can your church do to incorporate and celebrate children more?

For more ideas on involving kids in church, check out 6-Minute Messages for Children. In this book, you’ll find 52 creative sermons just for kids. Want more insights from senior pastors? Check out 16 Ways for Senior Pastors to Build Relationships With Children.

Pastor Doug Krengel has served for 30 years as an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. For the last 28 years of his career, Pastor Krengel has served in congregations which offered early childhood education and care. His education background includes a B.A. in Philosophy and English from Concordia University Chicago, a M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from CUC. He and his wife, Amy, are the parents of two adult children and grandparents of three grandchildren.