Megachurch leader Andy Stanley made headlines recently when he called parents "selfish" for wanting a smaller church. Stanley claims that megachurches help pass along Christianity to the next generation because they offer opportunities for children and youth to connect with others their age. While Stanley did offer an apology for his offensive remarks, it is worth asking: do megachurches offer a biblical pattern of worship for families on Sunday morning?

American megachurches generally follow pragmatic trends to create a fun Sunday morning experience. Whatever seems to work with the fastest growing churches is usually adopted by other megachurch leaders.

One characteristic that many megachurches share is the segregation of children from their parents for an hour on Sunday morning. Parents arrive, drop off their kids to some energetic church volunteers, pick up their coffee, and then get comfortable for an energizing Sunday experience.

But is this biblical?

Does this honor God?

Sunday worship is the primary activity of the people of God. Evangelism, parenting classes, and Dave Ramsey courses are not the primary activity for the church. Gathering together for worship is the high point of the Christian week (the word we use for church comes from the Greek word, meaning "to assemble"). Worship is the primary activity for God's people.

God calls his people to worship him together as one spiritual family. The record of the Old and New Testament demonstrates that families worship God together. There is no biblical precedent for removing children from worship and placing them in a room with a volunteer you don't know in order for them to watch religious videos or color pictures of Jesus, Moses, and maybe your visionary church leader.

Moreover, Christians believe that the risen Lord Jesus Christ meets with us Sunday morning. He is present as his Word is preached and as his Supper is observed. God's people receive his grace through his Word and Sacrament. Why would you remove your kids from worship where the risen Christ is present? Why would you want your kids absent from worship as God pours his grace out upon his people?

Often it seems the reason children are removed from worship is personal convenience. Children can be distracting and they often need attention from their parents. But removing them from corporate worship fails to recognize that children are called by God to worship with the family of God. Your children have spiritual needs and are members of the covenant community of faith Jesus Christ died to redeem.

I'm glad Andy Stanley apologized for his statements. But more damaging than his thoughtless remarks are the plethora of megachurches that remove children from the presence of the Lord and from his grace simply out of pragmatism and convenience.

Perhaps the best way to ensure that children know the Lord and worship him when they get older is to have them in worship with God's people each Sunday.