John Piper Answers Whether Your Congregation's Kids Should Sit in 'Big Church'

Most parents want a break and thus desire the separate time for children while the adult service is going on, yet the children workers wish they were in the adult service and feel limited in their ability to control the behavior of the children. What should we do? (Getty Images)

Robert from Columbia, South Carolina wrote to desiringgod.org to ask: "Pastor John, I'm wondering if there are situations in which a separate children's time—in Sunday school rooms, completely apart from the Sunday gathering—are necessary. Our church is wrestling through this issue, as many families have infants, some have wandering and noisy toddlers, there are rambunctious 5-year-olds, and we have three children of varying ages with special needs (like autism and Down Syndrome). The struggle is: Most parents want a break and thus desire the separate time for children while the adult service is going on, yet the children workers wish they were in the adult service and feel limited in their ability to control the behavior of the children. What should we do?"

Piper responded: "I hope there is a strong leader in your church, because weak leaders will never be able to stand up against the onslaught of criticism that is going to come if you try to do what I am going to suggest."

Click here to read and listen to the rest of Piper's response.

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