Statistics say when both parents attend Bible study (in addition to the Sunday service) seventy two percent of their children attend Sunday school when their grown. The benefits of regular active church involvement include for children include:
- A dramatic reduction in the risk for
committing a crime.
- A dramatically lower risk of suicide.
- A rebound from depression by seventy percent
faster.
- A significant reduction in a child's use and
risk of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.
- An increase in the average life expectancy of
children by eight years.
- It gets them to wear their seatbelts more
often.
- It improves their attitude at school, and
increases their school participation.
- It improves their odds for a happy life.
- It provides children with a caring extended
family.
- It provides them with a life-long moral
compass.
- It reduces the likelihood that they will
binge drink in college.
- It reduces their risk for rebelliousness.
- It will statistically improve the odds that they
will lead an active church life in their adult years.
Getting a family ready
for church on Sunday morning can often be a comical task of biblical
proportions as described in the lyrics of Alana Allen’s song, “The
Sunday Morning Late for Church Blues.”
Chorus
Singing the Sunday morning
The Sunday morning late for church blues (2x)
Verse One
Wake up Sunday morning to the sound of the alarm
But I fell asleep again
I didn’t see where it would do any harm
But that was where my trouble began
From then on everything was going wrong
If you’ve been through it to
Feel free to sing along…
Chorus
Verse Two
Woke the kids up
Pulled them right out of bed
Comb your hair
And wash that face
Get your clothes on
Grab your Bible
I tell you
We had our own Indy 500 Race
Ran to the kitchen to scramble some eggs
The hot grease in the frying pan
Popped me on the leg
And now I’m singing…
Chorus
Verse Three
Pulled in the church yard,
And parked the car
Wearing frozen smiles of delight
I’m so glad you couldn’t see us up the road
We had a knockdown, drag out,
Punch your lights out family fight
And we hurry into place
Open up the hymn books singing “Amazing Grace”
Instead of …
Chorus
Verse Four
The message was a blessing
From beginning to end
My nerves are feeling calmer
So next week we’re coming again
And we’ll be…
Chorus
Getting to church on time is an important task for
families (especially families with many children and young children). If structure
and order cannot be applied to your Sunday morning routine, maybe you
desperately need a makeover for this area of your family. Here's how to do it
all simply:
1.
Set the alarm clock
2.
Simplify Sunday
breakfast
3.
Designate places for
everything needed for Sunday worship
4.
Identify a few rules
about Sunday clothes
5.
Simplify Sunday meal
preparation
6.
Make a schedule for each Sunday
morning activity
7.
Teach your family the
importance of and process for being at church on time.
8.
Prepare throughout the
week for Sunday morning
God is calling us to practice on Monday
the truth that we said “amen” to on Sunday.” (Tony Evans)[i]
 |
| Alana and John Allen and family |
[i] Sources used:
·
“How to Never Be Late to Church Again” by Susan Elzey
·
“The Impact on Kids of Dad’s
Faith and Church Attendance”
(https://nickcady.org/2016/06/20/the-impact-on-kids-of-dads-faith-and-church-attendance)
·
“The Life Benefits of Regular Church
Attendance” by Neil MacQueen
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