Engaging Children in the Spiritual Practice of Worship
When we use the word ‘worship,’ we usually think of the gathered body of Christ—the place where we come to sing praises to God, pray, read scripture, offer our gifts, and hear the word proclaimed. However, worship is also affirming the reality and Lordship of God, confessing our dependence upon God, and celebrating our life with God. This can happen anytime and anywhere.
Because children are made in the image of God, they have a natural propensity to sense the presence of God, accept the reality of God, acknowledge their dependence upon God, and commune with God. They are ready to engage in their relationship with God and we can help them in this journey beginning with these five practices.
- Celebrating God (Praise)
Throw a God party: Use balloons, noise makers, music, and dance to celebrate God and God’s love for us. Celebrate God who made us, loves us, died for us, is always with us, guides us, and lives with us. Invite children into regular gatherings of celebrating God.
- Resting with God (Surrender)
Jesus often spent quiet time with God. Resting with God is not about sharing a lot of needs. It’s helping children to quietly wait with God. This can happen at bed time but can also happen any time. Invite children to enter a relaxed posture. Help them visualize relaxing their head, neck, shoulders, arms, torso, legs, and feet. Then focus on feeling or sensing God. Help children visualize resting in the arms of the One who made them and loves them.
- Sharing with God (Communion)
There are a lot of thoughts milling around in a child’s mind. Encourage them to share their thoughts with God, whether they are nervous, excited, worried, mad, happy, or sad, but to always end with thanks that God is with them, loves them, and hears them.
- Listening to God (Seeking)
Explain to children that just as we can share our words with God, we can receive words from God. But to hear God, we must quiet our minds and focus on God. Begin with thanking God and expressing love for God and sensing God’s love for you. In the quiet we may not always hear God, but we may still sense God’s loving presence. When we think we have heard from God, we can share what we heard with parents and church teachers. Parents, teachers, and pastors can tell you if what you have heard is from God when it matches with what God says to us in the bible.
- Living for God (Following)
Living for God is an act of worship. It demonstrates our love for God. It’s important for children to learn that one of the best ways to glorify God is to follow God by loving others. Discuss with children some ways they can love others. Then encourage them to act on that love and share the ways they have loved others. Finish by thanking and praising God for the opportunity to love others and share God’s love with others.
Some of these practices—resting, sharing, and listening—begin as individual practices but can be shared as a body as well. Celebrating and living both begin corporately but also incorporate an individual response. Jesus engaged in both kinds—Going away to pray, lifting up words of praise, worshipping in the synagogues, and following the will of God. These practices help to remind children that worshipping is showing our love for God, acknowledging our need for God, and celebrating our life with God.
