why it’s important to take kids to church

I have a confession to make.

I sometimes dread Sunday mornings.

That’s a terrible thing to say, isn’t it? Sundays should always be bliss, right? After all, it is God’s day.

But of all the days of the week, Sunday mornings have always been the most stressful for my family.

Whatever can go wrong does. Everyone seems to wake up just a little bit slower and a whole lot grumpier.

I’m convinced that Satan works overtime on Sundays to do everything possible to keep us in our beds instead of in a pew.

But knowing that just makes me even more determined to get everyone there. If the enemy is fighting it this hard, there must be some tremendous benefit to getting my family into God’s house.

Certainly, not every Sunday is a thunderbolt experience. Some Sundays I’ve seriously wondered if all the morning hassle is worth it.

My kids are in their late teens now and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt, taking my kids to church regularly has been worth every battle with the enemy. Worth every bit of pushback I’ve ever received from my kids on occasion. Worth every “I’m going to lose my mind” Sunday morning.

[Tweet “Satan works overtime on Sundays to keep us in our beds instead of in a pew.”]

Here are three reasons why it’s important to take kids to church:

It tells them we think faith is important.

We have to send our kids to school. The law says so. Church, on the other hand, is optional. How we choose to spend our time communicates a lot to our kids about what we value.

Certainly, going to church isn’t going to get us or our kids to heaven. However, it sends a message that being in God’s house and setting aside time to worship and gain encouragement and strength from other believers is vitally important.

Repeated exposure to Truth adds up.

It’s always good when our kids can hear about faith from others besides us. Especially as they become teenagers. Every time they hear God’s Word and hear the gospel communicated, it makes an impression. The Holy Spirit can use those messages, repeated week after week, to penetrate their hearts and minds. He can bring those truths back to their minds and hearts at pivotal times in their lives and journeys.

They have opportunities to serve.

Real church shouldn’t be just about receiving. We don’t go just to feel better about ourselves. We’re meant to serve others — both inside and outside of church. My kids have served in the nursery, preschool classes, Kids Church, as well as in a number of church-led projects that reach out to our community. Every single time they get a glimpse of the heart of Jesus. They experience God working through them. And that’s powerful stuff.

Weary mama who’s struggling to get her kids to church, you are not alone.

But rest assured, Sunday mornings may not always be bliss. But they will always be blessed.

Today’s Challenge: If you’ve been spotty in getting your kids to church, make a commitment to start making it a priority. If you already take your kids to church regularly, renew that commitment and ask the Holy Spirit to work through the words they hear and the people they interact with there.