Worship is an Acquired Taste

In the life of many American churches children are invited to leave the sanctuary at a certain part of the worship service. Often the pastor will dismiss a certain age group (usually before the sermon) to gather in another part of the building. Recently our Bishop called us to re-think this "tradition" and instead find ways that children can stick it out through the entire service. She reminded us that, "Worship is an acquired taste." In other words, worship not a "normal" activity, and it involves a process of acculturation similar to learning to a foreign language or culture.

Worship does indeed take some getting used to. The Nairobi Statement on Worship and Culture claims that some aspects of our worship should be counter-cultural. That means that when our liturgies and activities are true to scripture, then they will confront idolatries in our culture. One of the biggest idolatries in the US today is a need for constant entertainment. So if parts of a Sunday service are boring to a child, that's probably a good thing. James K.A. Smith is a philosopher at Calvin College who teaches that the rhythms of worship -- the ordering of its songs, prayers, readings, baptisms, etc. -- form us into better human beings. These week-in and week-out rituals actually change us and mold us into disciples of Jesus Christ, creating new habits and patterns of thinking. Worship can change our mindset and worldview, and that is why it is necessarily uncomfortable at times.

Photo from wikimedia.

Parents and pastors: let's find better ways to give our children a "taste" of worship. It will serve them well as they grow up. Why are there many Millennials who were raised in the church that have not continued as active adult members? Is that partly because we segregated an entire generation from our Sunday morning services, separating them from the rhythms and patterns of orderly corporate worship?