Being Challenge Kids: An 11-Day Challenge to Be Like JesusSample

Habit 5: We Choose Church

When we praise God every week at church, we too are magnifying Him. That’s why it’s so important to choose to meet together as a church.

“But wait!” you might say. “I don’t get to choose church for myself. My grandma just tells me I have to go to church! Sometimes I wish I could sleep in.”

Someone else might say, “I wish I could go to church more often, but my dad won’t go, and my mom works at the hospital on Sundays and can’t take me. So, I can’t choose to go by myself. I only go when my aunt takes me.”

If other people are the ones who choose whether you go to church or not, you are not alone. Did you know that Jesus had someone else Choose Church for Him the first time He went? Jesus was only eight days old when he first started going to church.

Luke 2:22-40 tells how Joseph and Mary brought baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem. They sacrificed a pair of doves and two young pigeons because they were too poor to afford a lamb. This sacrifice was a sign that Jesus had joined a church family.

When they returned home, Jesus regularly went to synagogue—the Jewish Church. Even though He was too young to decide to go on His own, God put people in His life to help Him Choose Church. Their decision made a huge difference in His life.

You, too, have people in your life to help you choose church. On mornings when it might feel nice to stay in your cozy bed, some people will get you moving. They know there is so much that God wants to show you. They know this truth: For God to show you His wonders, you must show up.

Jesus doesn’t tell us the exact number of times we should attend church every month. But He tells us we should gather together regularly as a people.

Challenge: Even on weeks when you can’t attend, think about how you can still choose church. For example, if you get sick or the weather is terrible, find a way to choose church at home. Listen to a Bible app, watch the performance of a popular worship song or hymn on YouTube, pause to pray, or seek solitude.

Call-to-Action: If you or your child enjoyed this 11-day challenge to grow in your relationship with God, consider taking it a step further with the 40-day Being Challenge Kids book available here. Or talk to your pastor, children's minister, or teacher about using this 40-day resource with an entire church, ministry, or school. More info is found here about using this resource in this powerful way.