(4 min read)
OK, first off… I’m not a pastor. I did not consult with any Grace Chapel pastors in the writing of this post, and I’ll probably have to apologize for parts of it later. But hear me out…
Crying babies belong in church.
I have to imagine that no pastor on earth enjoys their Sunday sermon being interrupted by a crying baby and as a new father, I know that no parent enjoys hearing their baby cry.
That interrupted pastor may be frustrated for the disruption to their carefully constructed message. That parent is suffering doubly because their child is upset and they’re embarrassed for being “that parent.”
But stick with me here… crying babies belong in church.
OK, fair clarification, if your baby is SCREAMING in church… they may need a fresh diaper, and you should probably check on that.
But long before Kidstown and nurseries and Student Ministry were part of the Christian lexicon, babies were in church with their mothers. And I’m sure they cried on occasion.
Once more - I’m not a pastor. I am not an exemplary Christian. I used to be that person who couldn’t stand when someone’s kid was crying out during service. “Control your kid!” is unfortunately a thought that went through my mind at times years ago.
But now as a parent, when I hear a baby crying during service, my first thought is, “Oh that poor baby…” followed immediately by, “I’m SO glad that baby’s parents brought them to church!”
The Next Generation
The next generation of believers is the future of the church. Period. End of sentence. If we don’t make a space for them in our worship, we are doing a disservice to the future of the church in our communities.
Since becoming a parent, I have become much more compassionate to fellow parents in the crowd who’s little one cries out during service, or who discovers that their baby loves to sing about 20 minutes after worship ended.
There will inevitably be services at your church where a baby cries out in the middle of the sermon, and my hope is that rather than look around wondering who “that parent” is, you simply thank God that that young family is committed to being at church that morning.
Who Else Belongs at Church?
But while you may have thought this article was about babies and church… well, it’s not.
Crying babies belong at church. But who else belongs at church?
It's not that big of a stretch to extend a little sympathy and understanding to parents who are trying to raise their children in the church. Babies can be loud, but they're cute. What about someone who makes us a little, well... uncomfortable?
Last year, Grace Chapel hosted a community event and discussion. Hundreds of folks attended, and there were great discussions at each table.
At my table, there was a woman who looked a bit disheveled. She was wearing dirty clothes, and seemed to have not showered in a few days. She looked as though she had lived a rather hard life. And I must confess, I shied away from her at first.
But as we talked at the table, I came to learn that she was an incredibly thoughtful and kind person. Shame set in quickly, for me. I saw in that moment that I wasn’t the compassionate, welcoming Christian that I like to think I am. I saw that in that moment that I had failed to be welcoming to someone who had come to our space looking to engage with a loving, compassionate, living God.
That moment sticks with me to this day, and is something I revisit often.
Jesus Really Is for Everyone
When I read my Bible I believe TO MY CORE that the good news of Jesus is meant for everyone. LITERALLY everyone.
So the disheveled person in dirty clothes? They belong in church.
That guy who you suspect may be hungover or strung out on Sunday morning? They belong in church.(And may need other kinds of help, which is why Grace Chapel offers Care ministries for all kinds of struggles.)
The LGBTQ+ person who walks through the doors wondering about the love of Christ? They belong in the church.
The atheist just wondering how all of you can believe? They belong in the church.
I am ashamed of how I initially reacted to the woman at my table that day. I keep that memory in my mind to remind myself constantly of the need to be better. To be more like Christ. To be more welcoming to anyone who seeks to hear the love of Jesus.
So forgive me being a little over the top here in my writing.
Every. Single. Person. On. This. Earth. Has. A. Place. In. Church.
Every. Single. One.
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners”
~Mark 2:17
Photo by Zachary Kadolph on Unsplash
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