Children in Church

When my first son was very small and I was expecting my second, two very different approaches to child training, specifically pertaining to reverence in church, were cast at me by two sweet and well-meaning women.

The first school of thought was that children ought to be still and perfectly quiet during church. They should be taught early not to utter a peep. It’s what the Lord requires, she said.

The second belief was that children are children and ought not to be repressed. They’re naturally wiggly and not naturally quiet. If the pastor can’t speak over them or preach undistracted by them, he probably needs to find a different job.

I wasn’t particularly convinced by either of these clearly opposing views.

And so I prayed and studied the best I knew how and came to my own conclusion of how my children should behave in