Have you ever been in a service like this?

With both parents there, I think the pastor was out of line. If he had to stop his sermon and say anything at all, he should've spoken to the parents, not the children. Most parents will take the children out, if they act up too much and won't stop, but regardless I don't think that was right.

 

I do not feel like he should have said that. But I do feel like the family should have removed the kids from the sanctuary too.

Sherrie

 

Um, no, and I never want to be.

I think the best thing would have been for the parents to take their children outside and stay outside. But for the pastor to threaten the kids is inexcusable. I don't particularly like the "you shut your mouth" comment, either, but that's not the point of this thread, maybe.

Was there not a deacon that could have said something to the parents, perhaps asking one of them to stay outside with the children?

I understand parents who want their children to learn about behaving in church, but I also can envision tensions mounting to a point at which the "lesson" becomes fruitless.

How old were the children, by the way?

 

Sort of. I have been to church services in Honduras and little kids and even some adults just sort of wandered around the entire service including the sermon. They weren't being disruptive or anything and noone said a word about it. I asked the missionary about it and he said that it was just the way they did church.

In our church we had a poor Mexican family attend for awhile. They had several small ones that could not sit still or be quiet during the sermon. The pastor stopped preaching and politely asked another member to help take them to the nursery. While this family was new and apparently didn't know the "rules", most parents know when their children are disruptive and take them out.

We also had another family that refused to take theirs to the nursery because they were trying to teach them to behave in church. And since a three year-old and a five year-old cannot possibly sit still or be absolutely quiet for more than a minute, this just made anyone sitting around them miserable during their "lesson".

 

So,

Did he go ahead and whip the kids? One ought not make threats they are not willing and ready to follow through on.

Joseph Botwinick

 

Hmm. Then even more inappropriate, if such a thing is possible. What a way to teach children to fear church and their pastor!

It seems as though it's a fairly laid back church (in that the pastor addressing congregants from the pulpit is okay, anyway), so I can't see a reason the pastor could not have gently asked the parents to remove the children. My parents' pastor once did that, and their church is on telly.

 

If a pastor ever said he was gonna whip my kids, I'd shove the pulpit down his throat.

 

No, he did not. </font>[/QUOTE]Well then,

I would say this pastor has made himself as irrelevant as the UN. He was probably afraid of international opinion...

Joseph Botwinick

 

I would have no problem with it, provided he knew the family and the kids very well.
Do you know if he did? Were they perhaps his relatives, or good friends of his? Or did he say it in a joking manner? Is this a continual thing and it's obvious that the parents can't control them on their own?
Gina

 

...among other things.

If any person ever talks to my kids that way, he can expect a major hurtin' in the mornin'.

If a pastor ever made that comment, I would tell him to shut his Bible and get an honest living.

Threatening is for cowards. Discipline and training are what children need. Good grief.

 

i guess no one was concentrating on the sermon?

looks like those kids have no fear of authority, not their parents, not the pastor (another adult, since they probably don't recognise the office).
if by this age (6) they are still unable to control themselves or listen to their parents, i fear for what they'll be like in teenhood!

I don't think the pastor did what was best but the parents really should have brought the kids out till they were quiet. That's only fair for everyone who wants to listen to the sermon!

 

We had a liberated deacon, years ago, tell my brother to "knock it off" from the pulpit. I don't even remember what he was doing, but, knowing him, it had to have been bad.

My mom used to hang a belt on the front porch rail at the church. She knew that my brother would be seeing it at least once during services. I never did anything like that. I was a perfect angel.

BTW, I don't think it was appropriate to chastise from the pulpit, but I would have said something afterwards, if it bothered me that much.

I don't know how many times we have been whipped by church members. MANY!!! The church is supposed to be a large family. If an adult sees a kid do something wrong, provided the parents aren't nearby, they should be allowed to discipline the child. That is how I was raised and that is how my children will be raised. If they need a good whipping, what does it matter who gives it to them, as long as the reason is given to the child, along with the words, "I love you."

The only person who should ever spank a child is someone who loves that child. I would see any other person as abusing the child. Thankfully, there have always been many loving and disciplined families in our church over the years.

God Bless. Bro. James

 

I will open and honest here, I've had many a church service, meeting, Tupperware party, (you name it) ruined by unruly kids. If I could, I would avoid sitting near any small kids for that reason. Same goes for restaurants and theatres. However, I do believe this minister was totally out of line in making threats to these kids. It is the parent's responsibility to discipline their kids and I see way too many just NOT doing this.

I agree that smaller children need to be in a nursery for a lot of the sermons. They are not going to get anything out of an adult worship service. And really, Mom or Dad get nothing out of it if they have to continually contend with a child who won't stay seated and quiet. I pity parishoners who attend churches without facilities for smaller kids, but this minister stepped over the line in my opinion.

 

[ May 26, 2003, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: 3907 ]

 

Yikes...I would not even talk to my own children that way,I do spank,but not in anger,and I never use a threatening harsh tone like that....he was way out of line.

1)he is not the children's parents
2)It was very mean sounding
3)The parents should have dealt with it before it disrupted service.

Molly