Youth and Childrens Ministries
Why We Don’t Have Youth Groups or Children’s Ministries
Unlike many contemporary churches, Highlands Reformed does not have special ministries for children or teens. Instead, we emphasize regular Family Worship as the most Biblical way to bring our covenant children up in the “discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:1-4).
We believe that God has entrusted the family with raising His covenant children. The church’s ministry is to ASSIST the family in this duty, not replace them. Thus, we teach the fathers that as the heads of their own households, they have a divine obligation to teach and catechize their children (Deuteronomy 6:6ff).
We also do not offer “Children’s Church” or even “Nursery Services” since we believe that the worship of God is for ALL His people, children included. We offer instruction on how to teach children to sit quietly through the service.
We also do not have “Youth Groups” but rather believe that the best way that teens can grow in their own relationship with God and others is through having loving parents who take personal responsibility to teach and train them. Sure, our “teens” have friends, go to Christian concerts, and enjoy fellowship together, but always under the supervision of their parents.
And, we do not do “Sunday School” for children, as we believe that the best, most effective way for a child to learn about God is from the family. Sunday school was originally intended as an outreach to un-churched children by offering basic literacy classes. By teaching such children to read and write, using the Bible as a text book, it was hoped that they could also be evangelized. Many Christians objected that it would undermine the father’s duty as spiritual leader in the home if children were segregated and taught separately. These concerns were dismissed because “Sunday School is for unconverted children.” However, within just a few decades, Christian parents began sending THEIR children to these same programs; and the duty of the father to conduct family worship declined almost to extinction.
Our views here may shock many Christians who have never thought about these issues before. However, simply ask yourself this; are children and young adults today HOLIER than they were BEFORE such practices as Sunday school and youth groups were invented? Do these programs actually help our children grow in grace, wisdom and love for God? At Highlands we sincerely want what is BEST for your children; and we can think of nothing better than giving them, godly parents who take their domestic duties seriously by teaching them God’s Word at home.