Today you begin to learn the depths of my insanity. To this point I’ve mentioned typical topics that you might expect a preacher to revisit: preaching more about the love of God, prophetic preaching, and loving the church – loving God’s people more. So now a word from our sponsor (in the future): our children in every shape and size – little children, toddlers, infants, and newborns.

If I were to preach again I would pass an eleventh commandment and post it at the entrance of the sanctuary: “Thou shalt let the toddlers toddle and infants be make all their baby noises. And unless absolutely necessary, thou shalt not whisk them out of the worship assembly.” If your toddler waddles across the aisle to see an “aunt” or “uncle” (related or not), let them waddle. If they fall down in the middle of the aisle and decide to just sit there, let them sit. Or if they want to crawl under a pew and play with a truck, so be it. Or should they crawl under the pew and keep heading north (forward) or south (to the back), let them go. If your child is like my daughter when she was little and loves to dance while the church is singing, let her dance – let her dance out in the aisle if she needs more space. Let’s let the church be the full people of God, including our children: a church that receives children with joy – even when they suddenly appear from underneath their seat and look up with a big toothless grin. Let the church help you with your children and as for those who just can’t take it because it is too loud, they can move to a quieter location. If necessary, all the way to the funeral home far away from the life, energy, and joy of children.

If you have never had a baby, you will be surprised to learn that they make noise (and like to smile at the person behind you who is making silly faces). A baby is going to cry a little, fuss a little, and make some strange sounds. They might even need to nurse. If I were to preach again, when I saw a frustrated mom or dad about to stand up and take junior out because they cannot get him to act like an adult (you know, like an adult: listening quietly or sleeping) I would stop them and ask them to stay, please, it’s okay. Someone else might take the baby, all of us could give them a break and watch after the toddler. I wouldn’t even mind holding a baby while I was preaching.

I recall a story that Jack (not his real name) told me thirty years ago. While he was teaching at Texas A & M he and his wife attended a fund raising dinner, along with their small children (I don’t recall why). Young parents with young children at a long formal dinner is a challenge under the best of conditions: trying to keep them still, trying to keep them quiet, trying to keep them from spilling the contents of their water glass. It was an awful experience. The children would not settle in for the speaker. After some time of constant vigilance, about the time Jack and his wife were reaching the limit of their patience, a man from another table got up and came over. Gene Stallings (yes, the Gene Stallings who was coach of the Aggie football team at the time) came over, and told Jack and his wife, “The only people in this room these children are bothering are you.” And with that the coach took the children back to his table where he and his wife took care of them.

Here’s the truth: we need our children, not because they are the church of the future but because they complete God’s people now. We need them: their curiosity, their lack of filters to speak truth, their freedom from the party line to see and say what we can no longer see or will no longer say. If we would only elevate our view of these small members of God’s people, ask them good questions, and listen for more than a funny clip to put with others in a montage of “Kids say the Darndest Things.”™ Children also say the most unexpected and amazing things, if only we would listen.

I admit, as a preacher, I noticed children and babies (but I also noticed A LOT MORE too). My wish is that we would just relax and let them be. Sure, there are extremes that prompt a different strategy, even taking a toddler out (hopefully not screaming, “Someone save me please!” – from a true story). If I were to preach again I would add an amendment to the eleventh command: relax, let’s not take ourselves so seriously that we are unable to accept children and take them seriously as part of who we are as the people of God. I believe our children can and will transform us more into the image of our Lord; who held his arms open to receive children – dirty, squirming, laughing, crying, funny, full of life, and frightened children – and declared that they are the presence of the kingdom.

Until we meet again,

Glenn