Robbie F. Castleman - Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship

parenting in the pew

guiding your children into the joy of worship

robbie f. castleman

www.IVPress.com/books

InterVarsity Press
P.O. Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com
E-mail:

Revised edition 2013 by Robbie Castleman
Preface and appendixes 2002 by Robbie Castleman
First edition 1993 by Robbie Castleman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

While all stories in this book are true, some names and identifying information in this book have been changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.

Cover design: Cindy Kiple
Images: Tim Nyberg

ISBN 978-0-8308-6647-2

DEDICATION

For my childrens children

Tyler, Ebenezer, and Tate,

Anastasia, and Zoe

Psalm 103:17

Robbie F. Castleman (D.Min., University of Dubuque) is professor of biblical studies and theology at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She previously served for several years as a staff member with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, specializing in ministry to graduate students at campuses in and around Tallahassee, Florida.

She is the author of the Fisherman Bible Guides Miracles, Elijah, David and King David (Shaw/Waterbrook) and the IVP Connect LifeGuide Bible Study Peter, and she is a contributor to the book For All the Saints (Knox/Westminster).

If you enjoyed Parenting in the Pew, you might also like:

	The Danger of Raising Nice Kids By Timothy Smith 978-0-8308-3375-7, $15.00
	Parenting (LifeGuide Bible Studies) By Richard Patterson Jr. 978-0-8308-3131-9, $8.00

Y ou might want to a ten-week Sunday school class or home study group to read Parenting in the Pew together and then discuss what works, what is challenging and what new tools can help children worship within the context of your congregational worship. We need to help cheer each other on in this adventure of parenting children.

Consider inviting empty-nest older people who love you and your children to join you in reading and discussing the book. These extra loving hands can pray for you and your children and can even help parents (especially parents with several children or children with particular challenges) on Sunday mornings.

1. What makes worship with your toddler/grade-schooler/teen most difficult? What do you find most distracting?
2. Reflect personally or share with the group your memories of church in your childhood. What are your most endearing memories? Did you have any regrettable experiences or times that were dreaded?
3. If you were to invite an interested but unchurched person to worship with your congregation, how would you describe your church and service?
4. Identify both the things that help you and the things that hinder you from preparing for worship in contrast to just going to church. Brainstorm ways parents in your congregation can help each other learn to worship as an intergenerational community of faith and value the contributions of a wide variety of people of different ages and life situations in the congregation. How can you help children express their respect of and appreciation for others in worship?

Read the entire psalm aloud for personal reflection or as a study group.

Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring offerings and come into his courts. (vv. 7-8)

How does your family give to the Lord in worship? What family and church traditions provide opportunities for your child(ren) to be a part of giving to the Lord?

Pray for the pastor, worship leaders, parents and children in your congregation.

1. Why is worship important to your personal life of faith in Jesus? What do you consider most meaningful to you in a service of worship?
2. Reflect on a time when Gods presence in a worship service was particularly meaningful or life changing. What made this time poignant and memorable?
3. How has your worship experience changed since ad began for you? How can others in your church family help you as a parent in the pew?

Read the entire Scripture selection aloud for personal reflection or as a study group.

Because of the Lords great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (vv. 22-23)

How can the faithfulness of the Lord as a patient Father encourage your own faithfulness and patience as a parent? How can the example of the Lord help you be a better worship coach for your child(ren)?

Pray for the pastor, worship leaders, parents and children in your congregation.

1. Reflect on times when children have had spiritual insights that helped you in your own understanding of the Lord. What things have your own children taught you about the life of faith?
2. How have you or others helped explain deep issues of life, death and the Christian faith to toddlers/grade-schoolers/teens? How did you gain an understanding of these things?
3. What can you, other parents, pastors and worship leaders do to help the congregation as a whole appreciate the value of including children in worship?
4. How does the idea of worship as servicean invitation to workinfluence your sense of needing to be more intentional about preparing for and participating in worship? (The word liturgy literally means the work of the people.)