Our Sunday morning service is when Benoni Baptist Church assembles to worship together (Hebrews 10:25; 1 Corinthians 11). This includes believing men and women together with their children, as seen throughout Scripture (Deuteronomy 31:12; Nehemiah 8:2; Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20).

In the Old Testament, families worshipped together when Israel gathered before the Lord. Moses commanded that the Law be read to all the people—men, women, and dependents (Deuteronomy 31:12). Ezra read the Law to the assembly, including men, women, and all who could listen with understanding (Nehemiah 8:2).

In the New Testament, families worshipped together when the church gathered before the Lord. Paul includes instructions for children (Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20), assuming their presence in the assembly (Colossians 4:16). Jesus welcomed children into His teaching ministry, refusing to send them away (Matthew 19:13-15).

The primary responsibility of teaching and discipling children belongs to their parents (Ephesians 6:4). The church does not replace the family in this role but supports and equips it (2 Timothy 3:14-15). Keeping families together in worship allows children to watch and learn from their parents.

At Benoni Baptist Church, we affirm that families should worship together in the corporate gathering (Psalm 78:4-7). We encourage parents to disciple their children by including them in worship, teaching them to participate, and modelling a love for the Word of God (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). In this way, the home and the church work in harmony to raise the next generation in the fear and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

At Benoni Baptist Church, children join in the worship portion of the service because worship is both formative and participatory. It is formative, as children observe their parents sing the Word, pray the Word, read the Word, sit under the preaching of the Word, and witness the Word in the ordinances of communion and baptism (Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 22:6). It is participatory, as children are invited into the community—not as outsiders, but as part of the congregation.

For the time being, during the sermon, children are dismissed to age-appropriate teaching. This better facilitates their understanding of God’s Word (Nehemiah 8:8; 2 Timothy 3:15). Our goal is to faithfully teach the Scriptures in a way that is accessible to children. We desire to see them grow into mature members of the church who will soon sit under the preached Word with their families.

The elements of worship

Guidelines for serving