Make Families Great Again
In an age that often prioritizes efficiency and convenience over family integration, it is refreshing to see moments that reflect the biblical vision of generational faithfulness. Yesterday’s image of Elon Musk with his young son in the Oval Office captures this idea perfectly. Rather than keeping his child away from sacred spaces, Musk had him right there on his shoulders, fully present in the moment. This stands in stark contrast to the modern mindset that views children as distractions rather than integral members of all of life.
This principle is even more crucial in the sacred space of Lord’s Day worship. The modern church must reclaim the biblical vision: children belong in worship, alongside their parents, learning to love and fear the Lord. The Bible is clear—God calls entire families to worship Him, not just adults. To separate children from worship is to miss God’s design for communicating the faith.
Children Belong in Worship: A Biblical Command
The presence of children in worship is not a preference but a biblical mandate. Throughout Scripture, God commands that His gathered people include the entire community—men, women, and children.
One of the clearest commands for children to be included in worship is Deuteronomy 31:12-13:
“Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
This was not an occasional event. The expectation that children would be present in worship runs throughout biblical history. In Joshua 8:35, Joshua reads the Law before all of Israel, specifically including “the little ones.” In Nehemiah 8:2-3, Ezra reads the Law to all who could understand, including children. In 2 Chronicles 20:13, entire families, including infants, stood before the Lord in prayer. The pattern is unmistakable—God’s design for worship includes children.
The New Testament Assumes Children Are in the Assembly
This biblical principle does not change in the New Testament. The early church followed the same pattern—families worshiped together, and children were present to hear God’s Word.
This is evident in Ephesians 6:1-3, where Paul directly addresses children:
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.”
Paul assumes that children are in the congregation when this letter is read aloud. If they were routinely dismissed to a separate setting, this instruction would have been unnecessary. The same assumption appears in Colossians 3:20, where Paul again speaks directly to children. Additionally, in 1 Thessalonians 5:27, Paul commands that his letter be read to all the brothers and sisters, which would certainly include children.
If the apostles expected children to be present in the worship assembly, why should the modern church do otherwise?
The Dominion Mandate: A Multiplying People
From the very beginning, God’s design for humanity included fruitfulness and dominion. In Genesis 1:28, the Lord commands Adam and Eve:
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
This dominion mandate was not revoked but reaffirmed in Christ. The church is called to fill the earth with worshipers, making disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). One of the primary means by which God grows His kingdom is through faithful parents raising children in the fear of the Lord (Psalm 78:4-7).
Yet, modern society and even some evangelical churches treat children as obstacles rather than blessings. Many adopt a pragmatic mindset, viewing children as hindrances to a “smooth” worship service. This is a failure of both theology and vision. Psalm 127:3-5 declares:
“Behold, children are a gift of the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They will not be ashamed When they speak with their enemies in the gate.”
Children are not interruptions to worship; they are a fundamental part of God’s kingdom-building plan.
A Call to Welcome Children in Worship
If we truly believe that Christ is King and that worship is the highest calling of humanity, we must shape our churches accordingly. This means:
Rejecting the mindset that children are a distraction. Jesus Himself rebuked the disciples for trying to keep children away: “Allow the children to come to Me, do not forbid them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)
Training children to worship rather than entertaining them. Rather than separate children into entertainment-driven programs, parents should teach them to sit under the Word, sing praises, and participate in worship.
Encouraging families to embrace multigenerational faithfulness. The church must see the presence of children as a sign of covenant blessing.
God’s design for marriage and family is ultimately aimed at raising up generations of worshipers. The church must support and encourage families to fulfill this calling.
Conclusion: A Culture of Generational Faithfulness
The presence of Elon Musk’s son in the Oval Office was a striking reminder that children belong in places of importance. If even the world’s most powerful men can grasp the significance of including their children in great moments, how much more should the church embrace this truth?
The presence of children in worship is not a secondary issue; it is central to the biblical vision of faith and dominion. Churches that welcome and integrate children are churches that understand God’s covenant purposes. If we desire to see a revival of true worship and a renewal of Christendom, we must start by ensuring that the next generation is present, engaged, and trained to love the Lord.
Let us, therefore, make families great again—not as a slogan, but as a biblical conviction. Let the church be filled with the sounds of children learning, worshiping, and growing in grace. This is the vision of Scripture, the expectation of the dominion mandate, and the promise of a lasting heritage in Christ.
Christ is King!
This article was orignally published at jerrydorris.substack.com
