Running in Church
Margaret Broersma
Often throughout my lifetime, I have puzzled over the fact that while I grew up in the church, loved the church, made the church my life; while other people who grew up in church don’t love it and haven’t made it their life. Perhaps they didn’t have the kinds of experiences that made me love church. Perhaps they weren’t allowed to run in church.
I first thought of writing a story called “Running in Church” several years ago at my grandchildren’ Christmas Program. All three kids in the family had a part. They read, they played instruments, they sang. All the children up front seemed so eager, so happy to be there. Of course not all of them did the things my grandchildren did, but every single child in that church had something to do for that program, and after the program, they ran around, happy and proud.
At first I thought, “Should these children be running in church?” But their beaming-with-joy faces at the importance of what they had just done assured me: These are children who love this church. These are children who are comfortable in this place. These are children who likely will grow up loving church because the people of this place are proud of them, and give them freedom to be children in a place they feel almost as comfortable as their own homes. They just told the Christmas story. Now they surely will not forget it.
At Hillside, we are kind of known for our children’s programs. Not only is there something for every aged child to do, at the earliest possible age, they can become part of “running church.” There are older children who have aged out of Sunday school helping younger children in Sunday school. If you go to Kid’s Rock, you will see kids upfront during their worship time leading the singing and taking part in what happens there.
There was a time when Hillside teachers brought each class to the prayer room so they would be comfortable coming in there for prayer. It worked! I was in the prayer room three different times when some children came for prayer. I was upfront just a few weeks ago when a mom came for prayer with her school-age son. And I keep thinking, “Let the children run…let the children come.”
All of these are ways that make the children feel like this is “their comfortable place.” No wonder when they go into worship service, they know how to act - they act like they belong.
When I was a kid, I always had a speaking part in the programs, and singing parts with everyone else. And as a teen, I sang in the choir and began to teach Sunday School as well. In fact, I preferred church to school because at church I had a place, I knew who I was and was confident in what I could do. This never left me. When I was only 11, I professed my faith in Christ and became an “active member” of my family’s church. I was a little young maybe, but when questioned, I knew who my Savior was; I knew that he died for me; and I knew that my sins were forgiven. There was more to my testimony than that, of course, but of those core things I was sure.
After Women in the Word, a year or so ago, a little boy (who also happens to be a neighbor) would run in to get a hung from ‘Miss Margaret.’ I’m an old lady now, my arthritic legs and feet don’t even work well enough for me to help with Sunday school or nursery. But I can give my precious little friend a hug. And I can send him on his way as he runs full speed to his mom. I’m so happy that no one tells him not to run in church.
If Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, for such is the kingdom of heaven,” how could I possibly tell a child not to run in the place where one day we pray that he is running straight to the Savior who loves him? I love him! Many other receivers of his hugs love him. Will it not follow that God loves him?
Let the little children come, and don’t tell them not to run. We never know - they may be busy running straight into a relationship with the Savior and a place in His church.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
- Matthew 19:14