Growing Faith Together: Parents, Kids, and the Church Family

November 8, 2025

Today, churches are one of the few places where all generations come together consistently and interactively. Community worship can become more meaningful when children connect with other church members who aren’t their parents or pastors. These children are more likely to retain their faith when they grow up because faith development isn’t just head knowledge; it's also strong community and growing relationships. Spending time with people from other generations also benefits everyone emotionally and mentally. It’s also important to God (Acts 2:38-47, Deuteronomy 31:12-13, John 6:8-11, Matthew 18:1-5, 19:13-14, and 21:16).

Worship Together 

What does this look like? There are four key things that parents can do or talk to our church leaders about implementing intergenerational worship:

1. Advocate for children. Talk to church leaders about the importance of always welcoming children into a service. As a traveling military family, I love it when we go to new churches and the pastors gush about how they love hearing children during the sermon.
2. Be a pew whisperer. Help your children be present in the moment by talking to them during the sermon. Ask them if they’re following along or explain anything they might not understand. It will help them, and, by describing it, you’ll retain the message better too.
3. Get them involved. Explore what’s possible and age-appropriate.
   • Have Bible studies for all ages.
   • Involve them in the different jobs you might do around a church service. Invite children to be on the greeting team at the front door, help set up for the church service, help out in the kitchen, or clean up after the service.
   • Encourage children to lead worship by reading Bible passages or playing church hymns. Do some on-the-job training by focusing on the learning and participation that is happening with these opportunities. Don’t take their willingness and courage for granted.
4. Support children’s church with your presence. If your church has a separate children’s service for all or part of the service, consider volunteering to help support the church’s efforts and encourage your child. That way, you can sing and learn alongside them while you help.

Having kids in the service might not be your church's practice, so adjustments may be needed. Be patient. You have the support of the worshiping community around you. Once your children are comfortable, you will witness them spouting profound statements you never thought of before. And if you’re feeling discouraged, remember this commandment: “Everyone must come—men, women, children, and even the foreigners who live in your towns. And each new generation will listen and learn to worship the Lord their God with fear and trembling and to do exactly what is said in God's Law” (Deuteronomy 31:12-13).