Unison Parenting Blog: Kids and Church Go Together

My preacher dad never minded disruptive children during sanctuary worship. He just talked louder.

More importantly, he saw the kid noise as an inevitable by-product of a beneficial process: getting your kids used to church.

I don't think he held any special research to back his claim, but my dad would say it takes ten years for a kid to acclimate to church. You can start the clock at two years old, five years old, or twelve years old. But it's going to take ten years for them to really "get it."

In this space, I have given impassioned pleas and reasons for getting your teen involved in church activities. That process becomes easier if you have started your child in the church process well before the teen years.

Let me step back a moment to emphasize why church is important for anyone. The biggest reason is Jesus formed the church. His disciples started meeting together to pray, worship, and even share food. While we each develop a personal relationship with God, Jesus always intended for his followers to be in community. Even the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Spirit is an example of community and relationship.

As a lifelong churchgoer and preacher's kid, I know well the problems with churches. But to me, the benefits far outweigh the issues. And if you don't like your church, that's OK. There are literally thousands to choose from. Find one that fits you.

What I have just said should also be shared with your child. Make church attendance a priority early in your child's life. As much as possible, do not give in to the world's entreaties to disrupt your Sundays for other events, especially those involving youth sports and activities. I get it - when my daughter's gymnastics meet fell on a Sunday morning, we missed church. We also fought to not slide into the habit of skipping church.

One could and should argue the most important thing in life isn't youth sports, or money, or pleasure. It's a relationship with God. The church is the best way to develop that relationship with fellow believers who can guide you, support you, and love you. And your child.