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Let the Little Children Come: Family Worship on Sunday
In Let the Little Children Come, Scott Aniol strives to convince church leaders and parents that children best grow into faithful, mature worshipers of Jesus Christ when they are led to Jesus by their parents in the context of intergenerational church gatherings and in daily worship at home. In Part 1, Scott presents biblical and theological reasons families should worship together both on Sundays and the other six days too, addressing common objections and suggesting some practical ways family worship might be recovered. In Part 2, Scott then offers practical tips and myriads of resources for engaging children in church worship as well as family worship at home.
EndorsementsLet the Little Children Come approaches a sizable modern problem in the church with biblical wisdom. Children must not only be pointed to the Son for salvation. They must also be pointed to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the proper objects of their worship. This cannot occur when children are always separated from the worship of the gathered church. Scott Aniol’s timely book helps parents teach their children in a practical way to worship, both on the Lord’s Day and the other six days of the week.– Sam Waldron, President and Academic Dean, Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary
Scott Aniol should be commended for helping parents to teach their children to worship, both in public worship with the church and in family worship at home. Drawing from Reformed and Baptist traditions, he not only instructs but warmly encourages parents, by the Spirit’s grace, to point and bring their children to Jesus. This is an excellent resource for small groups and classes as well as for personal study by pastors and parents.– Joel R. Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
For many parents, the question of children and worship, both public and family, is a vexing issue. We know it is important, but we struggle to know how to think clearly and practically about it. And yet I have heard it said, and believe it true, that one big reason the church loses young people is because parents fail to teach them how important worship is. That is why Scott Aniol’s book is he not only provides a biblical, theological, and historical framework for thinking about children and worship, he also provides tools—a catechism, a Bible reading scheme—and helpful specifics on different types of worship services. This is a small book but a really useful addition to the libraries of pastors and parents.– Carl R. Trueman, Grove City College
About the AuthorScott Aniol, PhD, is an author, speaker, and teacher of culture, worship, aesthetics, and church ministry philosophy. He is Associate Professor and Director of Doctoral Worship Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he founded Religious Affections Ministries, he lectures around the country in churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries, and he has authored several books and dozens of articles. Scott is the Editor of Artistic Theologian, a scholarly journal of worship and church ministry, and serves as chair of the Biblical Worship Section of the Evangelical Theological Society. He also serves as an elder at his church in Fort Worth, TX.
EndorsementsLet the Little Children Come approaches a sizable modern problem in the church with biblical wisdom. Children must not only be pointed to the Son for salvation. They must also be pointed to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as the proper objects of their worship. This cannot occur when children are always separated from the worship of the gathered church. Scott Aniol’s timely book helps parents teach their children in a practical way to worship, both on the Lord’s Day and the other six days of the week.– Sam Waldron, President and Academic Dean, Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary
Scott Aniol should be commended for helping parents to teach their children to worship, both in public worship with the church and in family worship at home. Drawing from Reformed and Baptist traditions, he not only instructs but warmly encourages parents, by the Spirit’s grace, to point and bring their children to Jesus. This is an excellent resource for small groups and classes as well as for personal study by pastors and parents.– Joel R. Beeke, President, Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
For many parents, the question of children and worship, both public and family, is a vexing issue. We know it is important, but we struggle to know how to think clearly and practically about it. And yet I have heard it said, and believe it true, that one big reason the church loses young people is because parents fail to teach them how important worship is. That is why Scott Aniol’s book is he not only provides a biblical, theological, and historical framework for thinking about children and worship, he also provides tools—a catechism, a Bible reading scheme—and helpful specifics on different types of worship services. This is a small book but a really useful addition to the libraries of pastors and parents.– Carl R. Trueman, Grove City College
About the AuthorScott Aniol, PhD, is an author, speaker, and teacher of culture, worship, aesthetics, and church ministry philosophy. He is Associate Professor and Director of Doctoral Worship Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, he founded Religious Affections Ministries, he lectures around the country in churches, conferences, colleges, and seminaries, and he has authored several books and dozens of articles. Scott is the Editor of Artistic Theologian, a scholarly journal of worship and church ministry, and serves as chair of the Biblical Worship Section of the Evangelical Theological Society. He also serves as an elder at his church in Fort Worth, TX.
152 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
15 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 13, 2023
This book is really closer to 80 pages the other half is resources for family worship. Both sides are very good. A great argument doe family worship and poses a strong argument for our methods mattering in how we raise our children.
The most new concept to me was thinking about "corporate worship as formative" for our children. Aniol says that "children learn how to worship long before they learn whom to worship." We must train our children to worship God and through doing this we are also introducing them to the living God.
This is a book I'll likely purchase for my pastors desiring for our church to continue to grow in a vision of the whole family together in the house of God. We currently only have a children's space for 4 and under kids, but Aniol is convincing in saying that kids are already being taught and trained in things before they reach 5. Everything we teach they will either continue in or have to unlearn.
Resources in the back include
- resource recommendations for reading with different age kids, family worship guides, catechism, and prayer
- bible reading plan
- A shortened catechism drawn from the Heidelberg, Westminster shorter, and Keachs catechism
- children's sermon notes worksheet
-Liturgies for church and home (Aniol describes in the book something similar to Covenant renewal worship as espoused by Douglas Wilson and Jeferrey Meyers in his book The Lord's Service)
- a collection of Historic Christian prayers
- Readings for advent
The most new concept to me was thinking about "corporate worship as formative" for our children. Aniol says that "children learn how to worship long before they learn whom to worship." We must train our children to worship God and through doing this we are also introducing them to the living God.
This is a book I'll likely purchase for my pastors desiring for our church to continue to grow in a vision of the whole family together in the house of God. We currently only have a children's space for 4 and under kids, but Aniol is convincing in saying that kids are already being taught and trained in things before they reach 5. Everything we teach they will either continue in or have to unlearn.
Resources in the back include
- resource recommendations for reading with different age kids, family worship guides, catechism, and prayer
- bible reading plan
- A shortened catechism drawn from the Heidelberg, Westminster shorter, and Keachs catechism
- children's sermon notes worksheet
-Liturgies for church and home (Aniol describes in the book something similar to Covenant renewal worship as espoused by Douglas Wilson and Jeferrey Meyers in his book The Lord's Service)
- a collection of Historic Christian prayers
- Readings for advent
February 19, 2025
Que livro bom. Foco em como a criação de filhos ocorre sob a responsabilidade dos pais, mas no contexto da vida na igreja. Destaca também o caráter formativo das liturgias dos cultos públicos.
A parte prática é muito útil. Expõe como os princípios bíblicos moldaram seus hábitos nas devoções em família e na sua rotina com as crianças no culto. Anotei várias ideias boas para aplicar. É muito bom ler quem não tem medo de expor essas aplicações.
Muito encorajador para pais.
"- Pode ser difícil para mães e pais ouvirem o sermão enquanto cuidam de uma criança mais nova? Absolutamente. Mas mesmo isso é transformador. Não apenas aprender a ouvir a Palavra pregada é importante e transformador para as crianças, trabalhar para treinar pacientemente as crianças a ouvir a Palavra pregada é santificador para seus pais. Os seres humanos se distraem facilmente? Pode apostar, especialmente em uma sociedade cada vez mais voltada para o entretenimento e para o fast-food. Então, talvez me forçar a me envolver cuidadosamente com o sermão enquanto do outro lado do corredor uma criança se agita enquanto sua mãe vasculha sua bolsa procurando os biscoitos de peixe seja santificador para mim também. E talvez meu sorriso encorajador e reconfortante para a mãe frenética seja o corpo de Cristo em ação."
A parte prática é muito útil. Expõe como os princípios bíblicos moldaram seus hábitos nas devoções em família e na sua rotina com as crianças no culto. Anotei várias ideias boas para aplicar. É muito bom ler quem não tem medo de expor essas aplicações.
Muito encorajador para pais.
"- Pode ser difícil para mães e pais ouvirem o sermão enquanto cuidam de uma criança mais nova? Absolutamente. Mas mesmo isso é transformador. Não apenas aprender a ouvir a Palavra pregada é importante e transformador para as crianças, trabalhar para treinar pacientemente as crianças a ouvir a Palavra pregada é santificador para seus pais. Os seres humanos se distraem facilmente? Pode apostar, especialmente em uma sociedade cada vez mais voltada para o entretenimento e para o fast-food. Então, talvez me forçar a me envolver cuidadosamente com o sermão enquanto do outro lado do corredor uma criança se agita enquanto sua mãe vasculha sua bolsa procurando os biscoitos de peixe seja santificador para mim também. E talvez meu sorriso encorajador e reconfortante para a mãe frenética seja o corpo de Cristo em ação."
November 4, 2024
This was an extremely thoughtful read! Aniol raises some interesting points on how the notion of family worship has almost been forgotten in Christian communities. However, he argued in favour of family worship along with intergenerational worship on the Lords Day.
As someone who grew up going to Sunday school and therefore receiving separate teaching from the adults in the church, I found it very intriguing learning about the reasons behind keeping children in the main service. I am now more confused than ever about the place of Sunday school within the church.
Would definitely recommend this read to anyone who wants to learn more about family worship!
As someone who grew up going to Sunday school and therefore receiving separate teaching from the adults in the church, I found it very intriguing learning about the reasons behind keeping children in the main service. I am now more confused than ever about the place of Sunday school within the church.
Would definitely recommend this read to anyone who wants to learn more about family worship!
July 22, 2025
Forgot I was reading this…
4/5. Practical book for bringing kids into corporate and family worship. Full of helpful suggestions. Aniol also offers a brief, convincing argument for why all the modern, entertainment-based worship methods were invented and why they have produced the exact opposite of what they intended. And why the traditional way is better for young families.
4/5. Practical book for bringing kids into corporate and family worship. Full of helpful suggestions. Aniol also offers a brief, convincing argument for why all the modern, entertainment-based worship methods were invented and why they have produced the exact opposite of what they intended. And why the traditional way is better for young families.
May 18, 2025
Love it,
Get it read.
Get it read.
November 16, 2021
Aniol covers the why and how of desegregating Sunday worship well. The book is short and full of resources for parents, making it perfect to give away to church members for edification. I especially love how Aniol argues for children in worship as the way forward to consistent and fruitful family worship the rest of the week. He also rightly explains how Sunday morning worship is about literary learning, the shaping of our affections, not data transfer. 5/5!
December 27, 2021
If you care about the spiritual well being of any child/children, I believe reading this book is a must.
He explains his thinking in the first part of the book, gives resources in the second, and tell you practical ways to use resources in the third.
Children need to witness our worship, both in our everyday lives and our corporate worship.
This book does a great job of explaining how and why biblically.
He explains his thinking in the first part of the book, gives resources in the second, and tell you practical ways to use resources in the third.
Children need to witness our worship, both in our everyday lives and our corporate worship.
This book does a great job of explaining how and why biblically.
April 14, 2022
Buy for parents, pastors, children's workers! So many of our modern practices come from secular sources, including how we segregate and educate on Sunday morning. This book puts forth biblical history of family worship and how the family worshipping together is solid training ground for a child's instruction into a life-long worship of our Savior.
January 16, 2023
Short, easy read. Though I have some minor disagreements with the author I do heartily agree with his premise and found the book to be largely helpful.
August 25, 2021
The “issue” of what to do with the children of the church has become a fairly recent problem that we find churches grappling with as those raised in age-segregated ministries leaving the church in droves claiming that they have no faith in Christ. This book provides a Biblically-sound look at the roles of both the family and the church in the rearing of children in the body of Christ and most importantly…the family. I look forward to implementing some of these suggestions with my young children as they grow! Especially with ways to disciple them in corporate worship from a young age. Highly recommend for the person just exploring family worship for the first time or for the seasoned family. Scott Aniol provides a wonderful compendium of resources for all stages of life.
January 3, 2023
I love this little book! It's so encouraging and offers tons of practical advice for teaching your children how to worship both at church on Sunday and in your home during the rest of the week. I love the idea presented that it is good to teach our children how to worship even before they understand why we worship or the importance of worship. We don't wait to teach our children how to do other things until they fully grasp the reason that those things are necessary to learn. More often than not, learning HOW comes before the deeper understanding of why. Why would worship be different? And what better way to learn than by example coupled with instruction!
October 4, 2021
This is a book for every Christian parent and pastor. Excellent resource to have to lead in family worship. Super practical and is good for ongoing use.
June 13, 2022
Thought provoking, helpful and needed.
October 7, 2023
Easy to read, deeply thought-provoking, and immensely practical for Christian families, church leaders, and church members. I definitely recommend this book!
January 3, 2022
A Quick Read and Gets To The Point
This book is packed with wonderful insight and practical ways that parents can incorporate bringing their children back into Sunday Worship Services. Not only focusing on Sunday, but also on the other 6 days of the week. Aniol shares his personal family worship structure, not as a form of "this is the only way", but as a guide to encourage families to establish a Family Worship Time that best fits within their schedule.
This book is packed with wonderful insight and practical ways that parents can incorporate bringing their children back into Sunday Worship Services. Not only focusing on Sunday, but also on the other 6 days of the week. Aniol shares his personal family worship structure, not as a form of "this is the only way", but as a guide to encourage families to establish a Family Worship Time that best fits within their schedule.
August 31, 2023
Really good! A short read arguing for the inclusion of children in corporate worship, rather than separating them into age-specific “children’s church.” The historic summary was helpful. One third of the book is full of great resources for families.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews