[Biblestudent]

Parents in my church used to let their children roam around the church. They like to watch their children get the church's attention even when the service or the preaching is going on. So when we have special occasions in church, all the children would drown out the service with noise.

Now, I am young, single pastor. When I told the church to teach children the right way to behave in church, some overreacted and all who have little children stayed outside to "take care" of them so as "not to disturb the preaching". In some of their minds, I have not yet earned the right to correct them since I don't have children; others even dared to criticize Paul's writings (1Cor.7) since they assume he never had a "wife". (What if he's a widower, and so what if he's single. Jesus was single.)

I gave a testimony that I remembered when I was 3 years old, or 5 years old, or even 12 years old, my parents made me sit quietly in church. Then I told the church that had not I been disciplined and admonished in the Lord, they would "never have a pastor" (referring to myself) that day.

By God's grace, I'm glad that church members obeyed - and they were HAPPY. They're "proud" that their children, as young as they are, are "well-disciplined".:-)

"There's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey."