Performing monkeys

Today Ange retold the story of her second week at Northbridge.

On that fateful morning the kids had to sing "Touch the Earth Lightly." In short, it traumatised the poor kiddies. I can still get cringing responses from them by just uttering the opening lines of the hymn.

I despise it when kids/teens are told to perform stuff they don't want to do and hate. I think it's one of the greatest disservices we can do for children's ministries.

At the core, the performance is for the momentary thrill of the oldies but with the kids paying the price.

In my mind, church for kids should achieve a few simple aims. First is to teach them what God commands and how he has worked through the Bible. Second, i think kids should receive positive experiences of God's people meeting together.

When kids are told to preform like monkeys, i think it majorly desecrates the second aim.