The 5 million dollar question. It can make or break your decisions.

Our answer? It depends.

Before you stop reading, close your browser window, and write us off as nuts and insensitive let us explain. Because every House Church is different with a different number of children in different age groups, it would be impossible and insensitive to assume that one answer would work for every House Church’s situation. For this reason we have a number of different suggestions and rules of thumb when it comes to children and House Churches. The following are some that we’ve compiled. 

Balance: Parents need to feel comfortable about sharing their lives with one another. Sometimes this can be difficult with children present. We know you don’t have it all together, and aren’t the perfect parent (we won’t tell your kids). We want parents to be able to openly ask for prayer and share life’s challenges. For this reason it is necessary to provide some time away from the children (kids need their space too). We’ve come up with a few options for this "kids time" (let’s admit it, it should be called parents rest time) below. However at the same time, children need to see their parent’s faith lived out. They need to be taught by Mom and/or Dad that God is real and we can trust Him.  For this reason we recommend that you not use the below options for your whole House Church time. There must be a balance of freedom and responsibility. 

Options: We offer the following options to aid your House Church in the growth of children. 

• Hire Help - this is probably the most common thought of answer when it comes to children and sometimes it is the best. Be sure that whoever you hire is trusted and able to care for your children’s age appropriate needs. Sometimes it is good to ask them if they have medical or first aid experience. Soma Community will provide a background check for anyone asked to provide childcare for a HC. Additionally Soma will help defer the cost of childcare for the House Church up to a certain amount. (click here to download the childcare expense form)

• Rotate Members - second to external childcare is the concept of members of the House Church taking turns watching children during the study time. Members might even choose to cover a Bible lesson with the children. For this reason Soma will provide a different weekly lesson that corresponds directly to what the child is learning at the large gathering each week. It is asked that no one individual be left alone with children for the sake of legal liability.  (To download this weeks Children’s Packet click here)

• Involve Kids - ok, so not for everything, but creating a short story time for kids before the parent’s study might be an option when combined with childcare.

• Mix It up - Some House Churches might choose to creatively schedule each week of the month. For example: Week 1 might be hired child care. Week 2 the women might meet and the Dad’s would get time at home with kids. Week 3 might be a family HC. Week 4 the guys might meet and the mom’s would get time with children at home. Or possibly and combination of the afore-mentioned suggestions. Your HC might want to throw them in a hat and pick one at random for the following week. (just kidding)

These are just some suggestions. We realize that nothing can totally alleviate the responsibility parents feel for children when in another’s house. We encourage both parents and non parents in House Churches to consider one another with patience and love. Help one another grow our children into Godly men and women.

For even more suggestions and resources on providing for children in House Churches please click here.

For information about our weekly child care during our large gathering or for our philosophy of children’s ministry please click here.