For a sampling of the teachings, go to the sermon download portion of the site to listen in.

Our church has a strong emphasis on growing healthy families, and to that end we strive for a family-integrated meeting of the saints.  We encourage fathers to lead their families in communion, for example, and that holy communion be observed as family units.  We also don’t mind if children are present throughout the worship, and even through the preaching as long as the little ones don’t cause distress to their parents and distractions to those around them. We do provide a nursery and children’s church ministry for little ones up to 9-years-old or so.  Older kids usually stay with their parents in the meeting.

We allow for age-integration because:

1.This is the Biblical model. In every instance in Scripture where it describes the worship and instruction of the saints, all age groups were present, including small children.

2.While children may not grasp everything being taught intellectually, they will nevertheless grasp some concepts, and what they see in terms of their parents participating in the service prepares the way for them in their own observations of worship and learning to be instructed in the Word.

3.There is an element of family-togetherness that we feel is healthy and beneficial for all involved.

4.Age-segregation is a fairly modern influence of evolutionary philosophers.

Once again, we do not prohibit childcare, because we know that everyone is in different places in terms of their ability to control young children in a setting where noise can be distracting.  So while we strive for family-togetherness in the church as much as possible, we also know that there are benefits to children’s ministry.  So once again, we do provide a fun and enriching kids ministry for children up to 9 years of age for those who wish to use it.  And those who do not wish to use it will not be coerced to do so.

Below are links to resources to learn more about family-integrated church and why we lean slightly in that direction. The second link provides a brief overview and description of family-integrated church, and the third link by John Thompson provides detail on the potential challenges of modern church practices where the family is concerned.  BLF does not necessarily endorse all the views expressed in these links, but they do provide some details about what we are striving to do with encouraging family togetherness.

What is Family Integrated Church? (article)Age Segregation in the Church (YouTube)