First Baptist Church keeps families together. We want all people of all ages to attend with us to the great Triune God. We want families to worship together, sing together, hear the Word together. While we affirm that the Bible advises us that there are times to give instruction specific to different seasons of life (for example, see Titus 2:3-5), we believe that we ought to be one body as much as possible. It is good for children to see their parents singing to the Lord and to observe them listening to the preaching of God’s Word.
We resist the impulse of our age toward religious entertainment. Although there are certain exceptions, it appears to us as if many churches believe that the best way to disciple children by entertaining them. We are concerned that an entertainment-driven approach to youth ministry (of whatever age) is teaching children to want an entertainment kind of religion even when they reach adulthood. We are humbly trying to prevent this.
Therefore, here at First Baptist, children are welcome in our worship services. For the convenience of parents whose children are unable to participate without disrupting worship, we do have a “crying room” and nursery at the back of the sanctuary. But as soon as children are old enough to join us without disrupting worship, we encourage their attendance. This allows them not only to worship God with us, but to learn how to worship him.
We treasure the time our children have to gather with the “grown-ups.” We take children seriously. Likewise, we take the elders among us seriously, and treasure the wisdom they have for us all.
Read more about how we keep families together by taking children seriously.