Kid's Church Altar Times

We started our series in Kid's Church yesterday on Thanksgiving. We talked about being thankful before God did something. Told the story in Daniel 2. We talked about how we control our decisions but God controls our situations. I told them we can trust God in all situations because he is in control. We need to thank God because he is always going to do us right. Then, I asked the kids if they had something they were praying for like a unsaved family member or friend. I had them respond for prayer to give thanks for things they believed God was going to do. We had 20-25 kids respond. They came filing out of the bleachers and I told the rest of the kids if they had friends down they could come pray for them too. We had about 40 kids in the altar praying for the next 20 minutes. There is something special seeing kids praying for other kids. I know in many situations, "Altar" time is lost because of time or small groups or many other reasons. Altar times are important to the spiritual growth of kids and the church in general. 

Salvation, healing, baptism in the Holy Spirit, forgiveness, and any number of other supernatural things can happen in an altar setting. I see it happen at camp every year. I see it in our kids church all the time. Altar times teach kids three major things though. 

1. It is okay to pray for someone. 

I try and specifically tell kids that worship time is between them and God. So often, kids will start hanging or hugging on each other during worship songs. We tell them all the time that isn't the time for that. That time is designed for them to sing to God themselves corporately. If we don't create altar times for kids then they never understand the importance of laying hands on someone as they pray for somebody. 

2. It creates a community.

It is impossible to get mad at someone when you have to turn around and pray for them. We want to create communities inside our church. Altar times where kids pray for kids can create that. Many times, kids will let barriers down to pray for others. Kid's that may have thought no one cares about them will completely change their minds when someone prays for them. 

3. It teaches intercession. 

It is important to create times where kids are not rushed through a prayer. Times to cry. Times to wait on the Lord. Create times to sit in the Lord's presence. Way to often our prayers for meals and even in service for offering or service opening become robotic. Intercession becomes lost on kids in this instant gratification society. 

Many times pastors are bad about saying something is important to them but never take valuable time to put toward it. I believe kids innately understand this. My own kids understand they are important because I take time for them. The kids in our kids church will pick up on that too. We must find times to allow the altar time for kids or it will be lost on this generation and that would be a shame.