“Where’s Billy’s other shoe? Why didn’t you wake up when I told you to? Everybody hurry up and get in the car or we’re going to be late for church… again!” Any of this sound familiar?
Sundays are important for any family. But they are especially important for Christian families because of who, how, and why we worship. Because Sunday is not the end of a week, but the beginning of a new one as we live out the principle of giving God the first and best of us.
But let’s be real. As parents, Sunday mornings can sometimes be one of the most stressful mornings of all. Our enemy enjoys discouraging families from prioritizing God’s house on a weekly basis in any way that he can. And it’s no secret that he often succeeds.
However, here are some tips (or not-so-secret secrets) for successful Sunday mornings with kids: before, during, and after church.
1. Prepare your house and your hearts in advance.
Sometimes the reason Sunday mornings are so stressful is because we haven’t done any preventative maintenance before Sunday morning. There are multiple things you can do to prepare your family for a successful Sunday before your tires ever hit the church parking lot.
Here are a few:
-
Go to bed on time Saturday night. Late bedtimes are an enemy of successful and happy Sundays.
-
Set out Sunday clothes on Saturday night. We did this for years when our kids were little, and it’s so easy yet so helpful. No last-minute outfits to pick or missing shoes to find.
-
Give behavior expectations in advance. Whether they’re sitting with you or going to class, make sure your children know how you expect them to behave and the consequences if they don’t. Clear expectations and consistent follow-through go a long way.
-
Pray as a family for God to bless your Sunday and speak to each person’s heart. A simple prayer Saturday night before bed or Sunday morning before getting out of the car can be powerful to set the spiritual tone for successful Sundays.
2. Have your child bring their Bible to church, and leave their device at home.
Recently a student in our Sunday kids class was watching the NFL football game on his smartphone in class. The same phone he brought to use as his Bible.
There is a generation of children who may never know what it’s like to bring a physical Bible to church. As parents, we can change that. Of all places for a child not to need a personal device, church can be at the top of the list.
Kids with devices are easily distracted. (Adults with devices are easily distracted.) While I’m not against using a Bible on a device (I do it often), I discourage it for children at church. Why? The benefits of a child having a physical Bible in church far outweigh the distractions of having a smartphone in class.
The Word of God is central to everything we do at church, so let’s teach our children its value, starting with our own example, of bringing our Bible to church. Here are 6 ways to help your kids fall in love with the Bible.
3. Engage with your kids before, during, and after church.
A great place to start your successful Sunday each week is on the drive to church. Encourage everyone to be prepared on the way home or over lunch to share what they learned and how God spoke to their heart that day.
In addition, based on your church structure and culture, find ways to worship together as a family, rather than just exclusively in your age-appropriate environments. Both are necessary.
While I’m a huge fan of children’s ministry programming, I’m also a huge proponent of kids and parents worshipping and doing church together as well. (Keep my preschooler seated in church? You want me to do what?!) Children need to both see and join in with mom and dad engaging in collective worship, prayer, and communion.
Make church more than just a weekly event to mark off on your family checklist. Make it a fun, engaging, and memorable experience that your kids look forward to each week. Remember, we’re not just trying to raise future weekend church attendees. We’re trying to raise lifelong passionate Christ-followers.
How you engage with your kids around church has a huge impact on its weekly effectiveness. If church is just routine to you, it will be to them. But if it’s kept fresh and special to you, it will be more likely to be the same for them too. Parents who prioritize church are more likely to raise children who do.
I think there is a lot of truth in this quote recently shared by a pastor friend,
We are raising a generation of children in the church who, because of how little their parents prioritize the church, are growing up believing that the church is of little significance. This will have greater harm on their future, the future of their families, and the future of our society, than any other positive things we might try to re-enforce.In practical terms, this looks like making sure you are an identifiable and active member of a local church. Meaning, you know you are a member of the church and the church knows you are a member. You attend regularly, giving sacrificially, participating in the church’s mission, and have an identifiable area of ministry in which you are serving. It means that your family knows that the local church matters and is a priority. And not out of a sense of drudgery or duty, but out of an awareness that the local church is the body and bride of Christ Himself. – Josh J. Smith
What is your weekend routine speaking to your kids about the priority of church in your lives as you strive for successful Sundays? While there could certainly be more than just these three things, I believe they’re a good starting point for successful Sundays in your home.
What other things does your family do to facilitate successful Sundays?
