Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Preaching and Children

Yesterday, as I was listening to “positive and encouraging K-Love,” I was blindsided by a commercial with an implicit and dangerous message about preaching – a message which reflects the overall attitude of Americans who have made a god of the entertainment culture and fundamentally do not understand the vital importance of practicing the discipline of hearing the spoken Word of God in community with other believers.

Admittedly, I only heard about half of the blurb, but what I heard was enough. The announcer boasted that the event would not only include great preaching but fun and games for students and kids as well.

The implication is clear. Great preaching is not enough these days, and it most certainly is not what our children need.

This is a far cry from what we find in Nehemiah 8:1–3 where, “all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law.”

There was no consideration of “how to keep the kid’s attention.” The subject – God’s Word – was riveting enough! If they were old enough to understand, they were old enough to listen respectfully as the Word of God was proclaimed for half the day. These days, a sermon is considered too long if it strays longer than 30 minutes.

Of course, the dilemma we find ourselves in is not entirely the fault of those in the pew. Some preachers have a special penchant for preaching about themselves, culture, politics, leadership, vision, or pop psychology while barely touching the unfailing truths in the Word of God. In this case, fun and games are better for our children.

But, we must not judge the value of preaching by looking at bad preachers. Both history and the Scriptures demonstrate that the health of the church is inextricably linked to its preaching. Indeed, the church was born following Peter’s rousing sermon (Acts 2).

David L. Larsen in The Company of Preachers, v. 1, is not overstating the case when he declares, “the history of the Christian church is the history of preaching” (13). P. T. Forsyth has said, “With it’s preaching, Christianity stands or falls.” (quoted from Larsen, p. 13).

As Christians, we must remember that God works by the hearing of His Word. Because this is true, we should not seek to delay our children’s exposure to good preaching but to introduce it as soon as understanding is possible! This does not mean complete understanding – just an ability to pick up the gist of what is being said. If we continue diluting our teaching and lowering our expectations for a child’s behavior and attention span, we should not be surprised when older kids drop out of church when it is finally time to “go to big church.”

Sermons do not stop when the invitation is given. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, writes “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.”

Real sermons – those which explain the written Word and exhort the human heart – stick with you. They stick with kids too! But, sermons only stick when people listen intently – seeking to receive the Word of God and let the Holy Spirit work the Word in and through them. Indeed, "there is no such thing as great preaching if there is not great listening" (Larsen, 15).

When we adults are once again eager to hear and receive the Word, perhaps the children who look up to us will be eager as well.

What does this mean for "children’s church?" Stay tuned.

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