Often, coming to church as a parent of a young kid means a disruption to nap time, a change in routine, and sometimes a grumpy afternoon. Even as we leave the fussy newborn stage we still have fussy or grumpy or sleepy or uncooperative kids. Parents of teenagers I know tell me teens can be more than "fussy."
So why come to church with a fussy kid?
1. Gathering is An Act of Worship
When we simply see church as an experience for us, we’ll miss that coming to church is an act of worship. In fact, Peter describes the church as a “temple” offering spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2), and that includes our gathering. When we think "This is is a waste of time" we find encouragement that no act of worship is wasted.
2. Gathering Sets Our Life Rhythms
Ten years after our first infant we’ve learned that every stage has its own challenges. Toddlers have accidents. School age kids can’t find their shoes. Older kids sleep late. But we persevere until those efforts become a habit and until those habits become a life rhythm. As I read the Old Testament I see that so much of Israel’s life had patterns for worship set in it, regardless of what was going on in any individual’s life.
3. Gathering Teaches Our Kids
Our kids pick up more than we think they do and much of what they pick up comes through what we do, not what we say. We can tell them Jesus is important to us, but when we rearrange our weekend around Jesus they see just how important he is. We can tell them they should go to church when they grow up, but when we go to church even when it’s difficult and inconvenient they learn how deeply we believe it.
4. Gathering Often Strengthens Us As Parents
There have been many times I’ve asked Jenn about our Sunday service and she’s said she was fighting through some distracting child related parenting challenge. But even still there’s often something that strengthens her – a line from a song, an encouragement from a friend, a nugget of biblical truth. Often God surprises us with what he does even on tough Sundays.
So take heart parents of fussy kids. When you gather you're doing more than you think.