The Power of Children in Corporate Worship for Faith Retention
By Cameron S. Shaffer
If you want kids in your church to grow up Christian, then include them in the church’s corporate worship.
Children’s presence in corporate worship is one of the greatest influences on faith retention, though not nearly as high as direct parental and family influence. But these two things go hand in hand. If children are segregated from the rest of the church in worship, including their parents, kids in their formative stages don’t see how much their parents value worship. Rather than accommodating children, churches ought to strive for their integration into worship.
Handing Down the Faith in Family Integrated Worship
For handing down the faith, the two most critical channels are church worship and community.
American churches are great at accommodating children in many formats, including:
- Nurseries
- Sunday school
- Youth group
- Children’s church
These are just some of the myriad ways that churches work to accommodate children so that both they and their parents can freely attend worship services. This spirit of accommodation is well-intentioned but, when it comes to ensuring that kids grow up Christian, misguided. Intergenerational worship in the life of the church, rather than a siloed accommodation, should be the church’s strategy.
Demonstrating the Importance of Corporate Worship
Parents prioritizing corporate worship with and in front of their kids communicates the value of faith to their children by actions, not just words. Parents attending worship services alongside their children (the channel) teaches both that parents walk the walk enough to set aside time and devotion to a public expression of faith, and that this isn’t something reserved just for one generation (either children’s church or “big” church) but for all followers of Jesus.
Rather than merely accommodating children in church life, pastors and congregations should strive for their full incorporation into its gathered worship. Worship is not an experience reserved for adults; it is the shared life of God’s people, and children are no exception. Including children in the corporate worship of the church is a vision that needs pastors and congregations alongside parents. Pastors and church leaders must recognize that what parents truly love, they pass down to their children—including a love for worship. Fostering that love is invaluable for lifelong discipleship. Scripture provides both principles and examples that affirm the presence of children in corporate worship, yet many churches hesitate due to common obstacles and objections.
Modeling Worship for Our Children in the Intergenerational Church Setting
I’ve been a loyal fan of the Minnesota Vikings since I was four or five years old, through gut-wrenching seasons and multiple state moves. Now, my son’s favorite team is the Minnesota Vikings. Why? Because his dad loves them and gets excited whenever they play.
Parents have no problem passing down their sports loyalty. Their kids become fans of teams or schools long before they can reason through which team they should support. The love of the team is taught by their parents’ enthusiasm and caught by the children. And when parents watch games, they don’t send the kids out of the room or to a different, age-segregated section of the stadium; they watch together. Just because the kids don’t understand all the rules doesn’t mean they’re not really rooting for their team. Their participation in sports as spectators gives them ownership of the team.
Worship is the same. When children witness their parents worshiping and worship God alongside them, the gospel is taught and kids catch the love of God. Fathers and mothers worshiping God with their children is the demonstration that what is said the rest of the week has merit, that it really is believed. Otherwise, it’s like talking up a team but never watching the game. Kids’ participation in the worship of the church gives them a loyalty to the faith, not as spectators but as worshipers.
Consider for a moment the profound impact of shared experiences. Sporting events capture this perfectly. A family gathered around the television, donning team jerseys and cheering in unison, creates bonds that endure for a lifetime. Even if a child doesn’t grasp the intricacies of the game—the strategies, penalties, or rules—they know this: They belong. They are part of something bigger than themselves, something exciting and deeply meaningful. Over time, that sense of belonging and shared enthusiasm shapes their identity. They become Vikings fans or Cowboys fans because it’s more than a preference; it’s a legacy woven into the fabric of their family life.
In the same way, worship is a shared experience that can leave an indelible mark on a child’s heart. It’s more than singing hymns or listening to sermons; it’s about participating in a covenantal act of devotion to God. When children see their parents singing joyfully, praying sincerely, and engaging wholeheartedly in the worship of God with the rest of the church, they learn that worship is not merely a ritual but an expression of genuine faith. They catch their parents’ enthusiasm, just as they would for a favorite team, and it shapes their spiritual identity.
Children Benefit from the Whole Church in Intergenerational Worship
One of the benefits of children participating in corporate worship is that kids are worshiping alongside both their parents and other adults (and kids) of the church. When mom or dad is less than enthusiastic about being there, the fellowship of the saints provides a safety net of sorts in communicating the value and joy of worshiping God together.
Children notice when their parents prioritize worship, even when it’s inconvenient or challenging. They see that faith is not merely a Sunday morning activity but a core part of life. And as they grow, they are more likely to emulate that commitment, making it their own.
The value of this family dynamic in worship is crucial for lifelong discipleship, and pastors and congregations should strive in light of that to encourage kids and parents to be together in worship.
This article has been adapted from Cameron Shaffer’s Keeping Kids Christian: Recovering a Biblical Vision for Lifelong Discipleship, published by Baker Books. In it he challenges church leaders to prioritize parental influence, involvement in corporate worship, and intergenerational connections as the means of effective discipleship that creates lifelong Christians.
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Cameron S. Shaffer (PhD candidate, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is the senior pastor of Langhorne Presbyterian Church in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and serves on the board of directors for the World Reformed Fellowship. He has written for a number of online magazines and journals, including Reformation21 and Mere Orthodoxy.
