Book Review : God Made Me for Worship

By James Jeffery

Lately, I have been giving thanks to God for the recent influx of Biblical and Reformed children’s resources. As a parent of two young children, I am always on the lookout for tools that can help me disciple my son and daughter in their relationship with Jesus. Being a big fan of Kennedy’s The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible, I was excited to hear of his shorter work, God Made Me for Worship: Helping Children Understand Church. 

In a nutshell, God Made Me for Worship shows children why gathered worship on Sundays is central to the Christian life. More than this, it shows how the gospel transforms the way we view not only the service, but also God’s people, and God Himself. 

The book traces a fictional excursion of fourth graders to Pastor Barnabas’ church. The children are all busting to ask Pastor Barnabas questions about why we gather for church, and what each part of the service means. God Made Me for Worship is structured around this dialogue.

What follows are some examples of these comments and questions:

• “I love going to church! ... but sometimes it’s confusing.”
• “Why are there so many different parts to a church service?”
•  “When we come to church each week, it’s sometimes hard to pay attention.”

The first section explains how the gospel shapes every element of the worship service, from start to finish. He then explains all the elements from the ‘Call to Worship,’ through to the ‘Benediction.’ This includes a section on why God is worthy of our praise and adoration, why confession and lamentation are necessary for sinners, and why we need a sacrifice for our sins. He also explains the importance of being assured of Christ’s forgiveness through the ‘Assurance of Pardon.’

Pastor Barnabas also shares why welcoming is so important, how God works through the ministry of the Word, why we have communion, and what the function of a ‘Benediction’ is. He also shares what Christian obedience looks like, and why it is a proper response to Christ’s love for us. While I was familiar with Reformed liturgy prior to reading this book, it reminded me just how rich and beautiful it is when God gathers His people together to worship and be blessed by Him. 
Kennedy includes interactive questions to discuss with your child at the end of each chapter. These encourage little ones to engage with the content they have heard, and to reflect on how it applies in their own lives. 

• “Who did you talk to during the welcome time at church this week?”
• “Is there a sin you need to confess today?”
• “What good news did you learn today about how Jesus saves us?”
• “Worship begins with God. What did you sing about God in church this week?”
• “What did you learn from this week’s sermon? How does the good news you heard on Sunday change the way you live?”

I am an advocate of any resource that seeks to equip and encourage parents to nourish and edify their children in the fundamentals of the faith. God Made Me for Worship is no exception. It is Scripturally rich, gospel-centred, and accessible for children aged 4-12 (But certainly not limited to these ages, given that most parents will probably enjoy reading it too!). 

My hope is that God Made Me for Worship will encourage Christian parents to see the preciousness, dignity, and necessity of Sunday worship for their families. By doing so, my prayer is that our generation would have an increased reverence and appreciation of the Lord’s Day as a consecrated time of joyful, Christ-centred worship.