As a mother of three young kids, I have come to appreciate how precious, fleeting and challenging the early years of our children’s lives can be. It takes a great physical, mental and emotional toll on a parent to nurture something so tiny and frail – a newborn baby; to grow to an incredibly mobile (and hazardous) ball of energy – a preschool toddler. The learning curve is steep for the new parent.
And yet, God has given us the capacity to nurture these little ones — human beings created in His image.
It takes a church to raise a child
As the saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child”; we know parenthood should never be a journey alone into the unknown. For the Christian though, it takes a church to raise a child. The church is vital in being the life source for parents as they raise their kids in the instruction and discipline of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6), with the clear goal of raising godly offspring for the Lord (Malachi 2:15).
As parents, we need to start by making sure we ourselves have a clear gospel understanding that we can impart to our kids. Our own discipline in the reading and study of Scripture, in absorbing and reflecting upon weekly spiritual food from the pulpit and within Growth Groups, are not optional extras. They are essentials to thriving in our marriage and parenting. Ultimately, it is to build a family that is pleasing to the Lord and concerned about God’s kingdom.
That’s why our church takes seriously the providing of a crèche designed for parents with babies and toddlers (0-2 years old). It is a space that allows mothers to feed on God’s word while they feed their babies and settle their children.
Picture the room: couches for the nursing mothers, playmats for babies’ tummy time and crawling, toddler-friendly bookshelves and toys, a nappy-changing station, a dark and quiet cot room with nursing chairs, and foldable glass doors to keep the noise contained.
Why a functional crèche matters
Of course, if you’re a parent, you would know that it is almost impossible to pay 100% attention to anything when you’re with the kids. Anyone who ever tried to work from home while watching the kids would know this to be true!
Yet, as Christian parents, we should understand the importance of sitting under the preaching of the word and gathering with God’s people weekly, despite our struggles with divided attention.
Two new mothers (Jo-Ann on the right)
Jo-Ann once shared with me her thoughts as a new mother in the crèche, “I’m encouraged by my fellow mums as we try not to be distracted during the sermon and at the same time, as a new mum, I’m learning to be comfortable (but not using it as an excuse) with the normal ‘distractions’ that come with having a newborn — getting used to the crying, casually breastfeeding, rocking baby to sleep, and asking each other repetitively without getting annoyed… what was the discussion question again?” I heartedly agreed.
In the end, while becoming a new parent does take a toll, we must never be short-sighted in seeing just our current struggles and fall into status quo. Our perspective must be kingdom-focused, such that we realise the weight of the incredible task of raising children for the Lord.
Faithful parenthood starts today
Modelling for our kids a love for the church and the Scripture starts from the time they are in the crèche with you, and this love should grow and grow until it impresses on our children so much. Let our children remember not just their parents, but many men and women in church who loved the Lord, gathered faithfully with His people, and served Him at home and church alike. May we be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks—always pointing them to Scripture and to Christ.
Of course, we all fail. We lose our temper, we fail to exercise self-control, we are lazy or afraid to address our children’s sin – especially when we see their behaviour reflecting our own hearts. But this is sanctification. And it is for our good and for God’s glory. And at the same time, there is grace for the humble, and strength for the weak.
Remember, our children are a gift from God – we are to steward this gift well. And if the Lord wills, He saves. So, our faithfulness starts today. It starts with being faithful on Sunday mornings in the crèche, how we view our children, and with us modelling a true love for God and His church. By God’s grace, together we raise the future of the church.
