THE NOISIER THE BETTER

Mackey Nazarene Church: "A church with a future"!

After the service she came to me and said how sorry she was for all the noise during the service.  "We must be the noisiest church you've ever been in."  She wasn't talking about the folks shouting and running the aisles.  She was talking about the noises that came from the many infants and children who were in the service.

There are some noises during services that do bother me.  Noises like people snoring, like cell phones ringing, like the alarm on some one's watch going off right at 12 noon, like people whispering during the message, or the sound of people leaving the sanctuary during the altar service.  However, the noise that comes from a church filled with children doesn't bother me at all.

I am old school enough to remember the days before children's church and the segregation of the ages into their own special place and experience.  As a matter of fact, I really like it when the family worships together.    
First of all, everyone should remember that kids are kids and not just small adults.  They will squirm and wiggle, giggle and cry.  They will crawl under the pews and, as was the case this past week, mimic the preacher and repeat in a loud voice what the preacher just said!  They are children.  They are children who are being molded into adults.  They are children who are learning what it means to worship.  They are children who are watching their parents respond to God's Word.  They are special.

"Let's have a Revival" 

The Mackey, Indiana Church of the Nazarene is a "noisy" church.  They are blessed with a number of young families who love the Lord and don't let the fact that they have small children keep them home from revival.  In a community that's population is 200 and where the "Winky Dink's Corner Store" is the only business in town, they run well over 225 in attendance are are growing almost weekly.  They also have a strong youth group and a caring youth pastor.  They are poised for great Kingdom building days.

Karen and Lisa

They are also "noisy" about their faith in Christ and their salvation stories.  I heard from a young man about how he was doing nothing but drinking himself to death before the Lord stepped in through the church and changed his life.  I heard from two sisters how exactly 12 years ago on April 7 the younger one led her older sister to the Lord and how the very next day the new Christ follower met her husband to be.  All these young adults are now praising God together in this "noisy" church.

Let the noise continue!