Children & the Church

By Ps Danny Chua

Over the past weeks, Singapore’s declining Total Fertility Rate (TFR) has once again become a subject of national debate. Conversations about why fewer couples are having children have been taking place. The Church across various social media platforms has also engaged with the issue: 

Why should Christians even think about children? Does Scripture instruct us on this? 

How should Christians think about children? What about all my worries and concerns about bringing children into this fallen world? 

What about Christians among us who desire children but are wrestling with not being able to have children of their own?

As these questions flood my mind, I found myself strangely… Not looking for answers (some of which I may have already known and embraced from God’s Word). 

I found myself not really looking for arguments or counter-arguments for that matter, as I read emotionally-charged comments and responses online. 

I found myself thinking of names, people, real faces of fellow believers in my life – Christians who pondered these issues. 

I found myself remembering Christians who are still grappling with these questions, with no easy answers year after year.

I found myself thinking of so many brothers and sisters in our church family wrestling with God about all the sacrifices, pains, helplessness that can come with thinking about children, or family, or fertility. 

I found myself recalling God’s exhortation to us, when it comes to a huge issue like this, to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15).

So, dear brother or sister, if you are someone who has been struggling through these questions, we hope to listen to you, sit with you, pray with you, even grief or lament with you.