Children in the Church

            Children are the pillar of the church of tomorrow but they are part of the church today. They are not growing to be a church, but growing as a church. What makes a child grow as part of a church? A few questions surfaced as I pondered this issue in relation to church curriculum and its implications: why was I as a child part of the church? Did my parents force me or did the church attract me? Why did I enjoy church? Where did I get the knowledge of the Bibles as I grew up to be a Christian? How did I come to know my “religion’? How did I come to know how to live Christianity? Who taught me? Who disciplined me? Did someone teach me faith? Strangely, I have no accurate answers to any of these questions. The only two things I remember about Christian education, if one can call it so. First, my mother’s teaching every night asking me to repeat the prayer she uttered for me, and second, the activities in the church that gave me a sense of belonging.

            As a child I enjoyed my church. I enjoyed my friends at church. I do not remember participating in a Sunday school. The joy of being together with my friends was enough to pull me into church. Moreover, I liked the stories the pastor told us in his sermons. They were true stories from his own life or from the lives of men and women of God in history. I liked the music in church and it felt good to play some simple musical instruments during the worship. Other children like me were part of this singing alongside the pastor and other adult believers. We, as children took pleasure in it. I also remember times of fellowship, when the whole church would come together for a meal on Christmas, Easter, or other special days, such as someone’s wedding. These occasions were only excuses, for the real thing was the fellowship that we enjoyed as we sat together, shared jokes, served food and teased each other with eagerness. In fact, these are the qualities that still attract me to the church. Alas, I can’t seem to find a church that sincerely embodies these qualities.