The Happy Meal Gospel at the McPlayland Church
My children LOVE McDonalds. They love it so much, like Pavlov's dogs, they salivate at just the sight of the golden arches. "I'm hungry!" or "I'm thirsty".."Can we just stop there to get water?"
Occasionally, I actually indulge them, but, I'd be a fool to think the trace amounts of nutrition they receive were any match for the fat and sugar intake. But it's convenient, it's fast, and it takes very little effort on my part. The kids are full and they are happy.
The kids are full, but not nourished. They are happy, but not satisfied. Even the toys they receive entertain for a moment, but are quickly Goodwill fodder at the next bedroom toy purge.
My children like Children's church too.
I love and respect all of the countless believers who pour their hearts and souls into children's ministries. But, at what point in church history did going to church with your family turn into driving to the same building on Sundays and going our seperate ways?
Why are families segregated? Is it because "big church" is too boring for children? My guess is, if its boring for a 10 year old, its boring for a lot of 40 year olds too. Breaking our backs trying to entertain the kids with flash and pizazz seem to leave little room for the still small voice.
Is it because children aren't ready for the "solid food" of the adult teaching? If that is so, why don't we send new Christians to "Kids Church" until they are ready? Is there some Junior Holy Spirit that goes to the children's service? I think not. Who better to teach children how to enter into worship than Mom and Dad?
How do we discuss what we've learned, if we don't hear the same message? Why don't I get to color a picture of Moses?
I know there are countless reasons people may give, but to cut to the chase, its because its the current paradigm in the Western Church, we don't respect the spiritual potential of our children.
How do we break free from this paradigm? I don't know.
Isaiah 11:6 reads,
"The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. "
I for one, don't want to be in trapped in "big church" when THIS happens.
Occasionally, I actually indulge them, but, I'd be a fool to think the trace amounts of nutrition they receive were any match for the fat and sugar intake. But it's convenient, it's fast, and it takes very little effort on my part. The kids are full and they are happy.
The kids are full, but not nourished. They are happy, but not satisfied. Even the toys they receive entertain for a moment, but are quickly Goodwill fodder at the next bedroom toy purge.
My children like Children's church too.
I love and respect all of the countless believers who pour their hearts and souls into children's ministries. But, at what point in church history did going to church with your family turn into driving to the same building on Sundays and going our seperate ways?
Why are families segregated? Is it because "big church" is too boring for children? My guess is, if its boring for a 10 year old, its boring for a lot of 40 year olds too. Breaking our backs trying to entertain the kids with flash and pizazz seem to leave little room for the still small voice.
Is it because children aren't ready for the "solid food" of the adult teaching? If that is so, why don't we send new Christians to "Kids Church" until they are ready? Is there some Junior Holy Spirit that goes to the children's service? I think not. Who better to teach children how to enter into worship than Mom and Dad?
How do we discuss what we've learned, if we don't hear the same message? Why don't I get to color a picture of Moses?
I know there are countless reasons people may give, but to cut to the chase, its because its the current paradigm in the Western Church, we don't respect the spiritual potential of our children.
How do we break free from this paradigm? I don't know.
Isaiah 11:6 reads,
"The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. "
I for one, don't want to be in trapped in "big church" when THIS happens.
posted by unquenchableworshipper at 2:46 PM
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