I suspect we have 200+ children under the age of 12 in our congregation, and among those, probably around 100 under the age of 3, which means that between our two services, there is lively discourse from all four corners of our sanctuary.

This past Lord’s Day worship was filled with the sound of a host of them making joyful noises. Some folks hear that and think “distraction.” The Bible hears that and thinks “warfare.”

James B. Jordan once observed that children in worship are not interruptions to the liturgy, but part of the liturgy itself. They are covenantal participants in the praise of God. Their voices matter because God delights to use weak things to shame the strong. I think it was also Jim who once stated that every time a child cries in church, a demon loses its wings.

Psalm 8 is not sentimental about children. It is militant:

“Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger” (Ps. 8:2, NKJV).

The praises of children are one of God’s chosen weapons against the kingdom of darkness. The worship space is a sanctified nursery, and that space is not a neutral zone. It is an armory. The squeals, whispers, cries, and little amens are reminders that the Church is alive and that God's covenant promises continue from generation to generation.

For those of us in the CREC, a church with no children is far more frightening than a church with noisy children. In fact, I'd be more uncomfortable preaching in a silent building. Children's sounds have become my background music for each sermon.

The modern world prefers sterile silence. The Kingdom of God sounds more like a family meal. It sounds like inheritance. It sounds like future generations learning, however imperfectly, to join the song of the saints.

So yes, there was an angelic host of little ones making noise throughout worship this past Sunday. And every one of those noises was a small declaration that the enemies of God will not inherit the earth. The little ones are already learning to psalm before they can fully speak. The foe and avenger should be deeply troubled.