God Answers Prayers - Ready or Not

One of the key areas of our Matthew 25 invitation is building congregational vitality. It focuses on strengthening the church by deepening faith and engaging with the community. This also involves a radical welcome to families with children in our worship spaces.

Recently, I attended a worship service that opened my eyes to what true welcome looks like. At the front, towards the left, of the sanctuary sat a small table surrounded by child-sized chairs, scattered with colorful markers and papers. Children worked quietly and happily on coloring Bible stories and creative projects while the worship service continued around them.

At first, the atmosphere felt unfamiliar - perhaps a bit noisier than I was accustomed to. But as I watched these young ones, completely at ease in God's house, I found myself appreciating the lively energy they brought. While I have always championed including children in worship, I had never witnessed it implemented quite like this.

Truth be told, if I were a child, I would have reveled in such an atmosphere. I could see that these children were doing exactly that - reveling in worship, feeling not only welcome but loved, celebrated, and safe. 

The Gap Between Prayer and Preparation

Many churches earnestly pray for young families to join their congregations. Week after week, these requests rise to heaven: "Lord, send us families with children to revitalize our church." Yet in my experience, I've discovered a troubling pattern - little preparation is made to actually receive the answer to these prayers.

I have ministered in churches where such prayers were faithfully offered, but when children and families actually arrived, the congregation was utterly unprepared to receive these new disciples of Jesus Christ. The very thing we had all had prayed for became a source of disruption rather than celebration.

When Prayers Are Answered Poorly

In one congregation, I witnessed ruling elders become visibly upset because children sat in the "wrong" place. These young ones simply wanted to be near the adult who had invited them to church - someone who happened to sit with the choir. The children naturally gravitated to that section, though they weren't choir members themselves. Rather than celebrating this display of connection and comfort, church leaders were more concerned about proper seating arrangements.

In another church, when a group of youth arrived seeking spiritual growth, abundant resources that could have enhanced their development were withheld. Perhaps it was because these young people didn't match the main demographic of the congregation. Perhaps their arrival was so unexpected that the elders couldn't see past their own assumptions. Whatever the reason, these eager young souls were met with reluctance rather than open arms.

A Vision of What Could Be

But in that sanctuary with the small table and colorful markers, I witnessed something beautiful. I saw young people being genuinely welcomed, loved, accepted, and included. The experience left me deeply inspired and compelled me to pray that all churches would prepare themselves—truly prepare—to welcome children, youth, young adults, and their families.

If our sincere prayer is for God to send young families to revitalize our congregations, then we must be intentional about creating spaces where they can thrive. This means more than just praying; it requires examining our hearts, our facilities, our programs, and our attitudes.

The Challenge

Simply put: be careful what you pray for, and be prepared for God to answer your prayers. Because God does answer prayers—ready or not.

When we pray for growth, for new life, for the energy and enthusiasm that comes with young families, we must ask ourselves: Are we truly prepared to embrace the beautiful chaos that children bring? Are we ready to adjust our comfort zones, our traditions, and our expectations to make room for the very blessings we've requested?

The children who sat at that small table taught me that worship doesn't have to be silent to be sacred. Sometimes the most profound worship happens when we create space for all of God's children to encounter God in their own authentic way.

As we accept the challenge of Matthew 25 invitation, and pray for congregational vitality in our churches, be aware that God is able to answer your prayers.

Surely, the question isn't whether God will answer our prayers for growth, renewal and congregational vitality. The question is whether we'll be ready to receive the answer with open hearts and open arms.

My hope is we will be ready!

Yours in Christ,

Bobby Musengwa

Transitional General Presbyter