The Rights Of Your And My Children

Prof. G. van Groningen. Trowel & Sword. October 1965

Preamble: Children – They are a blessing from God, but how often do we see them as an inconvenience or, dare I say it, even a source of annoyance when it comes to church life and/or the worship service? Children misbehaving or babies crying are often seen as a distraction, or worse, barely tolerated by other worshippers. Over the years various solutions have been adopted. Creche or a “crying room” where the service can be followed by means of speakers, and for many churches, Sunday Schools during the service, which in some churches have also euphemistically been called “Children’s Church”. These all involve separating the children from the “adults” so that the “adults” can “enjoy” the worship service in peace. We suspect that these solutions would not have sat well with Prof. V.G. who, with his wife Harriet, introduced Cadets and Calvinettes into Australia and was passionate about his work with the youth of the day.

The Rights Of Your And My Children

In this article I want to centre our attention upon the RIGHTS OF YOUR AND MY CHILDREN IN THE CHURCH. Particularly, I wish to stress the rights of the children in regard to the ministry of the Word.

We hear of the duties of parents (and of their children) stressed far more than the privileges, rights and blessings that the children (and their parents) have. Now I immediately grant that every blessing, every right, every privilege, involves an obligation, a duty, a responsibility. It seems to me that as we stress the latter we forget the former too often. If we would stress the former, i.e., the rights, less attention, time and energy would have to be spent admonishing and urging parents and children to do their duties in regard to the instruction of the young. For the doing of duties really is nothing other than to acknowledge and claim one’s rights and privileges.

Your and my children have RIGHTS in the church of Jesus Christ. They have a right to attend and participate in the worship services. They have a right to join in the family visits. They have a right to the use of the church property. I want to stress here that children have a right especially to the TEACHING and the TEACHINGS of the church. That means our children have a right to claim the time and energy of the ministers who are particularly trained in the Word of God and who are trained to preach and to teach this Word.

The Church of Jesus Christ has given these rights to the children. It did so outrightly when the children were baptised and acknowledged as members of the Church and Kingdom of Jesus Christ on the basis of their covenant membership. Remember, it is not the session, nor the minister, nor the parents, but God Himself who has declared that children of those who believe are members of the covenant. Therefore they are baptised. As members of the covenant and of the church of Jesus Christ they are HEIRS to the riches of Jesus Christ. The children have a right to the blessings and treasures of God. I repeat, this is by divine ordinance.

So then, when the children were (and are) baptised in the midst of the congregation, the entire church, through the action of the session and the actual ceremony of baptism performed by the minister, says plainly and pointedly to all children; “children, we recognise you as heirs of great treasures”. And the church should say at the same time “and you have a share in all the treasures of God as given to us in His Word and through His Spirit and WE OWE IT TO YOU to make you an intelligent and active participant.”

In the Baptismal form and ceremony stress is laid on what the parents should do. I wish and so hope that before long our form for Baptism and ceremony will be altered, if only to include a direct statement of what the church and its ministry in the Word OWES the child that is baptised. Indeed, if the parents must repeat their solemn promise to instruct the child in the doctrines contained in the Scriptures, the church too should repeat its duty to teach and share the treasures of truth Christ Jesus Himself has committed to the church.

If we truly acknowledge the rights of your and my children in the church, then it follows that our attitude as parents, elders and ministers especially, to catechism work and youth work in general will be directly and powerfully effected. The Lord willing, I hope to make some remarks to this effect in later issues.

G. VAN GRONINGEN

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