Children's Worship And The Cornerstone Family

September 5, 2006

Dear Cornerstone Family,

One of the most foundational ways in which we have seen God’s blessing to Cornerstone is the arrival of many new families to our community and the arrival of a lot of new babies. It has been so cool to see God blessing our Cornerstone family at large as He blesses individual families within our community. This blessing also comes with increased challenges. Today, I am writing to you as parents and church family in order to reference a particular issue.

Children’s Worship
A few weeks ago, we had a Sunday morning service dedicated solely to how we serve and are served by the children in our Cornerstone family. On that Sunday, one of the teaching workshops focused on the banners that many of our children use to worship on Sunday mornings. It was good, biblical teaching and the concept of worshipping the Lord through the waving of flags and banners is a beautiful form of worship.

Children need to be led into worship. Left to themselves, children will begin to be children and become easily distracted. Last week during the service, I counted thirteen children who were flying banners! What a magnificent joy! Without being led through the worship experience though, it often resulted in a lot of distraction for our little worshippers as they began playing with one another, walking back and forth across the front of the sanctuary to exchange one banner for another, and flying their banners very close to lit candles.

Now, hear this loud and clear, we do not want our children to stop flying banners in worship. We believe the Lord delights in our kids as they worship Him. We do want to lead our kids into worship and help them focus on what worship means for them, even at their young age. Therefore, we are asking that if your child desires to fly banners in worship, at least one parent or guardian needs to join them in that worship and help lead them into and focus on our time of worship as a community.

Here is what I fear: I am afraid that we, as adults, will be filled with the fear of man and project that fear on to our children. Our kids will want to fly their banners, and because we, as adults, are afraid of what other people think, we will the quench the Spirit of God within our children and discourage their expression in worship.

Hear this warning, my brothers and sisters,

Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea (Matthew 18:3-6).

If a child wants to fly banners in worship and you actively or passively prevent him/her from doing so based on your fear of man, you have caused that child to sin. Jesus’ words are crystal clear. You do not have to stand in the front of the sanctuary. You may get your banners and take your child anywhere in the sanctuary that you would like to be. As worship leaders, we love to see the banners in the front because as we view them, they remind of us of our God and our calling in Him, but please do not feel that it is mandatory to remain in the front.

It is my true feeling that in this, God is trying to teach the adults of our community something about letting go of our pride and becoming unabashed and without shame or fear in our worship of Jesus, and He is using our kids to get our attention.

Again, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Pastor Tim or Pastor Jay at the church office.

Peace to you all,
Pastor Jay