PAUL MSIZA from the

President

Let the Children Come to Me

How do we respond to the disruption by little children during the worship service? There are people who get disturbed when a baby cries, makes some noises or when children move around during the worship service. Even during that moment when the children are allowed to be in the main service, they are expected to be quiet. At times the little ones want to be part of this holy moment that is reserved for the youth and adults. Recently during our church worship services the music team

led the church in a song that moved worshippers to break into an African dance. At the end of the song it was very quiet as it is in most Baptist churches. But a little boy in the congregation wanted the song to continue. This is a three-year old. He innocently continued singing the song. In those few seconds of silence before the next item, everybody in the church could clearly hear the singing from the child. It was indeed nice, moving and emotional. I expected the choir to resume singing and join that little angel who was praising God. But my heart sank with sadness because the person who had the microphone continued with the program and totally ignored the singing from the child. I ask myself: How did those children behave while they were around the Lord Jesus? In Matthew 12:15 and 16 we read,

But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant. “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ‘from the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise?’”

The chief priests and teachers of the law were more concerned

about the words of the song the children were singing. In hindsight these temple leaders were indignant because their holy space was taken over by children. Worse, their frustration was that the Lord Jesus was allowing or giving an endorsement to this invasion by children. The children were disturbing the order and peace of the holy place.

The current tradition of worship service in most churches

has more emphasis on the smooth running of the program. Even when children participate, they are expected to do it like little grownups, without disruptions. In some cases children are drilled and made to perform like little human robots. But when children are allowed to come and worship as children,

their worship brings laughter, fun and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord. When they ascend the stage to bring music or recite the Scripture verses, we need to expect them to do it in children’s fashion. They confuse their lines and take a moment to wave to their parents and siblings in the pews. They pick their little noses and scratch themselves and in the middle of that disruption they will do their music or recite the verse and become so happy when

everybody claps and applauds them. This is worship by children. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ seem to come up loaded and strong: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these”(Luke 18:16). The disciples of the Lord did not include

children in his ministry. They thought that they were doing a service to their Teacher by ensuring that his program was not disrupted by children. They wanted him to continue to teach and to heal the sick but not to bless the children. The Lord Jesus rebuked his disciples and told them that the children are actually in the center of his ministry, the kingdom of God. The lesson that the Lord Jesus gave to his

disciples on that day still needs to be emphasized today. In most instances, the children are at the periphery of what the church is doing. They become only visible on special days for children when they should be at the center of the church’s mission. We do not do favors to the children by welcoming them but instead, we are doing the will of God. They may be noisy and disruptive for the order of the service but that is so sweet and lovely. Jesus Christ, the Door, says, do not hinder them. We know how much children are suffering in the world because of wars, hunger, diseases and domestic abuse. The church is the one place beside homes that must make an effort to make children happy. I wish the choir in my church had joined the

little boy and for a moment ignored the order of service and obeyed the Spirit of worship. The holy space of worship during the church service must be welcoming to all, more so to the little children. Let us obey our Lord and please him by placing the little children at the center of the mission of the church.

APRIL/JUNE 2016

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