From the Archives: The Liturgical Observer - Children's Sermons

Altar of Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark, late sixteenth century
© User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

New to the blog this week is a feature in which we revisit articles from print journals past. The following is from Vol. I, No. 4, Trinity XVII–Reformation 1993. In addition to the reproduction of print articles, the series will also strive to feature Lutheran art and architecture. Please refrain from squatting on your haunches to deliver a children’s sermon in front of an altar like that pictured above, or any other.

The Liturgical Observer: Children’s Sermons

Rev. Richard J. Waters

The arrogance of the late 20th century church which calls itself Christian has added another claim to its list - that it is the first to really reach children (also known as “doing children’s sermons”). Like the charismatic movement, which claims that the Holy Spirit is now working through them for the first time since the apostles, and the higher critics who claim that they have discovered for the first time in history the true nature of the Bible as an error-filled yet useful book, the proponents of children’s sermons are claiming that they are reaching the children for the first time and in a much better and more improved way than ever before.

Are children’s sermons just an innocuous practice and a harmless improvement upon the Divine Service? Is it just a matter of style that does not effect the substance of the faith? Any well trained theologian knows that sound liturgical practice requires an examination of the doctrinal foundation that underlies the practice (cf. Article X, Solid Declaration, The Book of Concord).

No clear-cut answer is ever offered, however, to the question of doctrinal reasons for this practice. Instead when asked why they have children’s sermons, the most common responses offered are “we want to include the children in our worship,” or “we want to reach them at their level” or even, “the people like it.” It appears that the doctrinal basis of this practice has been given very little consideration.

Perhaps this is why the introduction of this practice into our liturgy has been accepted by many in our own circles. Ignored is the origin of children’s sermons from the Baptistic practice known as “children’s church” refined and promoted through the church growth movement and evangelicalism.

Therefore doctrinally speaking, the origin of children’s sermons is to be identified with synergistic Sacramentarianism. It is a practice first used in this century by those who reject infant Baptism, infant faith, creeds, original sin, divine monergism in conversion, and the sacramental nature of liturgical worship. Why do we adopt a practice with such questionable doctrinal roots? Isn’t this simply picking fruit off a bad tree?

Some will then protest that all they are trying to do with children’s sermons is “reach the children at their level and include them in the worship,” as if the historic liturgical service “excludes” children. However if their protestation is given a doctrinal CatScan, it will reveal, an inconsistent, if not a faulty, view of Baptism and the efficacy of the Means of Grace. If we believe that we must involve the children “at their level” in order to provide spiritual value to their worship, are we not calling into question the efficacy of the Word in Baptism? Do we “baby-talk” at an infant Baptism, or do we simply believe, because the Scriptures teach, that faith is created through water and the Spirit via the adult words spoken? Article V of the Augsburg Confession says that the faith which God reckons as righteousness is worked through means, that is, through the Gospel and the Sacraments “when and where He pleases.”

Scripture clearly teaches that the Word provides spiritual nourishment at any age. The Apostle Paul, for example, says of Timothy that “from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, NKJV). The Greek word, (βρέφος, translated as “childhood” in the NKJV and as “infancy” in the NIV is defined as 1) unborn child, embryo and 2) baby, infant. There is no mention of baby-talking or engaging in infantile activities to reach Timothy at his level, but simply that from infancy or even in the womb he knew the Holy Scriptures and possessed saving faith. This is the result of the operation of the Holy Ghost through the Means of Grace and not the result of any man’s ability to produce meaningful communication experiences.

To imply that children are being left out or are receiving little from the sacramental activity of the Holy Ghost in the divine service unless they are “reached at their level” is to operate from a doctrinally suspect foundation. We can hold firmly to the fact that the Holy Ghost will work faith in the little ones through the Word and Baptism “when and where He pleases.” The 20th century practice of children’s sermons is nothing more than a commercial interruption of the feature presentation, and is at best a cute, yet distracting glitch in the Divine Service. Furthermore, if its doctrinal foundation is seriously examined and taken to its obvious conclusion, this practice calls into question the very efficacy of the Word in Baptism and promotes the misconception that the historic liturgy is of no value to children.