LCMS Convention Workbook St. Louis, Missouri — 1998, Page 30

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30 , SYNODICAL REPORTS

3. A typical feature of many children’s sermons/messages is the
object lesson. The commission wishes to offer a caution con-
cerning this approach because of its failure to recognize the au-
dience. Considerable research related to child development has
demonstrated that children younger than 10 or 11 do not readily
think in the abstract. This, however, is the primary requirement
of an object lesson, which demands abstract thought to make
the point of comparison. The result is that children can leave the
service remembering the object but failing to grasp the point
that was intended.

a. Illustrations that are found in the Scriptures (e.g., Jesus as the
Good Shepherd or the Light of the world) are certainly of
value in teaching the children. Though the younger ones may
not fully grasp the point, upon repeated hearing of these bib-
lical texts, they will, over a number of years, grow into a
deeper understanding.

b. The interest that adults show in the object lesson during a
children’s sermon/message suggests that perhaps many of
them are missing this type of illustration in the regular
preaching. As pastors prepare sermons, it is important that
they work hard at incorporating appropriate illustrations to
elucidate their message.

4. The medium that is best suited to children is that of telling the
story. Given the fact that Scripture is filled with the stories of
our salvation, it should be obvious that this is the way to speak
to children about the faith. We should never assume that chil-
dren already know the biblical stories or that they are bored with
them. Rather, the church should strive to tell these stories again
and again, remembering that these things were written for our
instruction (] Cor. 10:11; Rom. 15:4).

Pastors who are going to “tell the story” to children should
realize that this will require careful preparation. If no thought
is given until just before the service, the story will either fall
flat or else the pastor will have to resort to theatrics to keep the
children’s interest.

5. When a children’s sermon/message is to be included in a ser-
vice, the commission recommends that it be viewed not as an
add-on or interruption, but rather that it be designed to flow from
the liturgy.

a. The Old and New Testament stories that are included in the
lectionary are an obvious place to begin in choosing the sub-
ject matter for a children’s sermon/message. On those occa-
sions where the lectionary does not provide an appropriate
story to retell to the children, another biblical story related to
the theme of the day may be appropriate.

b. In addition to biblical stories, the children’s sermon/message
can serve as an explanation to some aspect of the liturgy. In
this case, it is an opportunity to tell another “story,” namely,
what we do in our worship and why we do it. Another ap-
proach would be to focus on a portion of the Catechism (per-
haps again on a topic related to the theme of the day).

6. Regarding the logistical question of the placement of the chil-
dren, it is most in keeping with the “flow” of the liturgy for the
children to be facing the same direction as the congregation with
the pastor facing the entire assembly. This arrangement will re-
inforce the understanding that the message is not focusing on
the children but on God and that it is a time of proclamation.

7. While there are various practices as to who delivers the chil-
dren’s sermon/message, the fact that the message is the procla-
mation of the Word of God implies that it is the pastor who
should deliver the message. Exceptions to this practice would
fall under the same guidelines as situations where a pastor is not
available.

It is taught among us that nobody should publicly teach or preach or
administer the sacraments in the church without a regular call. (AC 14)
The following are several practical suggestions based on the

preceding guidelines:

1. When the children’s sermon/message is a story based on the
Gospel or Old Testament reading, consider inviting the
children forward to hear the reading, perhaps with the pastor
standing at the center of the chancel. This would help to

reinforce the understanding that the children should pay close
attention whenever the Word of God is read.

2. If the message is based on the Gospel, the children should
stand for the reading (like the rest of the congregation) and
then sit down to hear the pastor tell the story. Following the
message, the children should stand with the congregation to
confess the Creed before returning to their seats. (The children
should be taught the Creed at home and in Sunday School
and/or the Lutheran Day School so that they can participate in
this part of the service.)

Appendix R2-02B
Reflections on Contemporary/Alternative Worship
Introduction

In Revelation 5 the apostle John records a wondrous vision of
heaven in which the whole heavenly host is gathered around the
throne of the triune God. In joyous song they proclaim the work of
salvation accomplished by the Lamb of God—our Lord Jesus
Christ—and raise their voices in thanksgiving to Him who has
made them to be a “kingdom of priests” to serve their God (Rev.
5:10).

Although we do not directly experience the splendor of St.
John’s vision, the worship of God’s people in every age is no less
profound. Where the Word of God is purely proclaimed and the
Sacraments faithfully administered according to Christ’s command,
there God is surely present to save. In worship we are in the throne
room of the triune God to receive His gifts and respond to His
grace. Our voices are joined to that heavenly host as we acknowl-
edge our Savior and Lord: “To Him who sits on the throne and to
the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and
ever!” (Rev. 5:13).

In recent years a significant debate has emerged in our Synod
concerning our way of worship. Partly out of a desire to communi-
cate the Gospel more effectively both to members and to the
unchurched, a number of congregations have altered the orders of
service provided in our hymnals. For some this foray into what is
commonly called “contemporary worship” entails substituting new
materials for various parts of the liturgy. For others the services go
well beyond altering existing worship patterns; rather, they have
chosen to design services that clearly depart from the historic pat-
tern of worship that has been handed down to succeeding genera-
tions of Christians for nearly 2,000 years.

A topic as crucial as worship demands careful thought and re-
flection, for the church’s worship is the place where God Himself
distributes His life-giving Word and Sacraments. Certainly the
church has a great responsibility to act faithfully in its worship as
God’s gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation are bestowed on His
people.

The following reflections are not intended to be an exhaustive
response to the debate on contemporary/alternative worship.
Whether a congregation is presently using a “contemporary” ser-
vice, is considering adding such a service, or has no intention of
moving in this direction, it is the commission’s hope that the fol-
lowing comments will draw the Synod into a serious study of the
significance of these matters.

Worship and Liturgy: Some Definitions

By definition Christianity is salvation-centered. That is the clear
biblical witness, that God in Christ came to save sinners (1 Tim.
1:15), Certainly the church’s worship can be characterized in the
same way. It, too, is salvation-centered as the people of God gather
to hear the Word of life and to eat and drink the holy meal of
Christ’s body and blood. Hence, worship could be described as a
lively interchange between the God who saves and sinners in need
of salvation.

Without God’s gracious intervention, however, we would be in-
capable either of receiving His good gifts or of uttering any praise
of His goodness and mercy. As the psalmist succinctly puts it: “O
Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise” (Ps.
51:15). Any definition of worship, therefore, must go beyond the
one-sided perspective that defines it essentially as something we
do, as an act of “reverence offered a divine being or supernatural