Pomp & Circumstance
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Graduation season is in full swing. From high school to colleges, Facebook is a flutter with graduation celebrations across the nation.
This year has been especially sentimental for me as many of my daughter’s friends are graduating and beginning the next phase of their lives. Next year at this time, it will be my family graduating our oldest daughter.
Along the way I have watched Facebook feeds of decorations and celebrations. Senior pictures. Display boards. Graduation hats. Huge celebration ceremonies. Simple homeschool group celebrations. In some cases the pomp and circumstances are in full swing. In other cases, simple and small is the order. Truth be told, if I have it my way, full on pomp and circumstance will be our way next year.
While all this graduation stuff is taking place, my oldest daughter got her drivers license. One of the first things that she did was to visit a new youth group at a very large church in our area. Several graduates had attended and she knew several kids who went there. She was thinking this youth group might be how she wants to finish out her year in school.
Here is a small backstory. Our family has typically attended larger Southern Baptist churches in our area. We have been members at a particular church for eight years. However, my kids never connected well with the youth program. So as a family, we decided not to participate in youth groups. After a couple of years of pastoral changes in this church, we decided to visit other churches and look for a new home. The funniest thing happened. We were invited to visit a small Presbyterian church by a mutual friend. This little Presbyterian Church was working through the five Solas and the Doctrines of Grace leading up to the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation. This church is total opposite any church we have attended. While the other churches were full of pomp and circumstance, this one was not. No elaborate stage. No new music, only hymns. No band. No worship team. No fancy PowerPoint.
What it did have was pure exegetical Biblical preaching. We loved the preaching. We weren’t so sure about anything else but absolutely loved the preaching.
Finally after a few months the kids began going to the youth group. Where other groups around us have 100s of kids on average, this church is thrilled with 30! I guess it isn’t uncommon to want to see if the grass is greener at a larger group. I was shocked that my oldest was not impressed with the large church youth group. This past Sunday she went back to the small youth group and loved it so much better than the big one.
With all the pomp and circumstance some churches employ, it is refreshing to find something that relies on the simple truth of God’s word. Real Biblical preaching and teaching, on Sunday and in youth, is way more fulfilling than theatrical performances.
While I’m not ready to jump the SBC ship yet, and we have not joined this little PCA affiliated congregation, I am encouraged to see our family finding good teaching. I’m especially encouraged to see my children want to participate in youth activities. I once again look forward to Sunday mornings and a time of learning.
Graduation season this year serves me as a reminder that I only have one year left with my oldest. This time next year, she will be a homeschool graduate who will begin to make her own decisions about church. Her chosen career path will unfortunately involve a lot of Sunday and holiday work. If she gets a job in her field, she most likely won’t be able to attend church regularly. I want this year to count. I pray this year will close out the foundation I hope I have laid well in our years of homeschooling so that when she is on her own, she won’t succumb to the Already Gone statistic.
This is also a good time to reevaluate where our priorities are. For us as a family, it is learning to not focus on the “pomp and circumstance” to woo our children to Christ. Hebrews 4:12 says,
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
Thank God His word is alive and active! I’m thankful for it, for a church that preaches it, for a youth group that teaches it and for times to re-evaluate pomp and circumstance. Prayerfully, you will be encouraged as well.
Great message, Dana. I think it is important to find a church where you feel at home and His Word is preached. I am glad you found one that suits your needs.