Worship: God's Conversation With His People

August 31, 2024

I remember sitting in church as a kid with usual thoughts like, "Why didn't we sing this other song that I like?" "Is the pastor still talking?" or "I wonder what the snack will be after church." It was not until I was in college that someone pointed out how church services have a conversational flow: “God speaks, and we listen. We speak, and God listens.” Suddenly, the songs we sang made more sense, and I began to understand better why some things in the service were placed where they were.

Here are some things that I have found helpful as I think through worship services:

Walk through it. Make time to think through the main parts of the service with your kids: What did those songs say about who God is? What was the main point of the sermon? What part of the service did you appreciate? What part of the service did you have questions about? After going through the individual sections of the service, try to come up with one main theme for the entire service. Where was this point clearest?

Engage During the Service. Keep the conversation about the service with your kids while it is happening. Answer their questions, and don’t worry about others around you. They might have the same questions!

There is a lot to see and hear during the service. Ask them about the banners that might be hanging in the church, and ask them to design their own based on the verses from the worship service that day. Encourage them to stand on a chair to see and be seen by other worshipers.

Draw an arrow on an index card or use your finger to show who is speaking during that part of the service ("↓ God's Greeting" or "↑ Offering"). Your kids can quickly see who is talking during that part of the service. Is God speaking to me? Am I talking to God?

Read through the lyrics. Most of our time "talking" in church is usually spent singing. Find the lyrics to some songs you sang this past Sunday and read through them with your kids. What phrases stand out to them? What does the song say to God? You could even use one of your favorite worship songs and share why those words carry such a deep meaning for you.

Invite your kids into your conversations. Just like Eli helped Samuel talk with God by guiding him in what to say, you can help your kids in their relationship with God by inviting them into some of your conversations with God, like something God spoke to you when you were doing your daily devotions, or it could be reflecting on something the Holy Spirit brought to mind during a worship service.

Talking about worship with your kids can seem overwhelming. Thankfully, 1 Samuel 3 reminds us of God's mercy and that he speaks to us today. God did not stop talking to Samuel after he missed him, but he continued to call him. Also, God used Eli, a priest with his own list of things to work on, to instruct Samuel. God is big enough to give you the words to say and is patient enough to keep talking even when we get our words wrong.

Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Why Worship?