1. Pray for a church full of children, and make sure your church has the best children's divisions it can possibly have.

2. Set aside at least one Sabbath a year on which children and youth plan and carry out the entire church worship service. Many churches include an afternoon program as well.

3. Encourage adults in your church to know each child by name. Get to know their parents.

4. Don't criticize. Don't criticize. Don't criticize. Too many youth have left, never to return, when admonished by a well-meaning adult.

5. Respect young people. Do not ridicule them or act shocked by their questions. Encourage open, honest discussion.

6. Encourage the natural spiritual gifts of each young person. Find a way for them to exercise those gifts in church life.

7. Encourage people who have noisy children. Smile at the weary parents as they try to manage their fussy children. Give them a toy instead of a dirty look. Compliment the child and parent: "It's wonderful to have your child here every week."

8. Be especially considerate and available to new members and guests visiting your church whose children are not used to the church environment. Make Sabbath bags available to young mothers.

9. Never shame children for coming late. Welcome and include them so they're glad they came to Sabbath school.

10. Make your family's Sabbath experience so attractive that there's no place children would rather be than in Sabbath school and church. Sabbath should be a time of joy, friendliness, and smiles.