It was Sunday morning. The kind where you’re just trying to get everyone to church without a fight over socks, cereal or what toy they’re allowed to bring in the car. You know the kind.

We arrived, we worshipped and someone shared a song—a beautiful solo that moved most of the congregation. As we sat in that quiet moment afterward, my son leaned over and asked in his innocent, unfiltered way, “Why don’t we clap for each other at church?”

I’ll be honest—I didn’t have an answer in that moment. I gave him the kind of smile that parents give when they don’t know what to say but don’t want to look like they don’t know what to say. You know that smile. But the question sat with me all week, stirring something deeper.

If you’ve been around church long enough, you’ve probably heard all the answers before: “We clap for God, not people.” “We’re not at a concert.” “It’s not a performance.” “We don’t want to distract from the worship.” “We want to give God the glory.”

None of these are wrong. In fact, I’ve said most of them myself. There is wisdom in being careful not to let worship become about us. There’s beauty in reverence. And yes, we are gathered to lift high the name of Jesus, not ourselves. But still … what if my son is on to something?

What if he’s recognized something in his childlike spirit that we’ve grown too old, too proud or too proper to admit? What if he sees something we’ve forgotten—that God isn’t threatened by our encouragement of one another? That clapping might not be about applause, but about affirmation? 

In Romans 12:10, Paul writes, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” And in 1 Thessalonians 5:11, he reminds us to “encourage one another and build each other up.” What if part of “honouring one another” is celebrating when someone uses their God-given gifts? What if “building each other up” includes clapping?

You see, in the world our kids are growing up in—where comparison is a sport and affirmation is scarce—what if church was the place where we were quick to cheer each other on? What if it was the one room where we didn’t hold back encouragement, but gave it freely and with joy?

Maybe we’ve confused clapping with performance. Maybe we’ve drawn such a hard line between worship and celebration that we’ve forgotten they can overlap. Maybe we’ve mistaken silence for reverence when sometimes, celebration is the most reverent response.

Here’s what I’m learning: our church culture matters (and the next generation can smell it!). We can give God the glory and honour the person who courageously stepped out in faith to sing, speak, serve or lead. We can worship God and celebrate each other.

Clapping isn’t just noise—it’s connection. It’s a way of saying: “I see you.” “Thank you for sharing your gift.” “God is using you.” “You’re not alone.”

I think of the child who finally sang their first solo. The teenager who gave their testimony, voice trembling. The senior who played that beautiful offertory after months of practice. The woman who preached her first sermon with knees shaking but heart full. Shouldn’t our hands be the first to cheer them on?

In the kingdom of God, no one is a one-man show. We’re a body. A family. A team. And in a family, we don’t just correct—we celebrate. We don’t just challenge—we cheer. And yes, sometimes we clap.

Now, this doesn’t mean we clap every time someone picks up a tambourine (though if that tambourine is played with passion, maybe we do!). It doesn’t mean we treat worship like a performance. But it does mean we consider what kind of culture we’re creating in our congregations.

Are we building a culture where people are afraid to mess up or one where people are encouraged to try? Are we cultivating a space where gifts are celebrated, growth is recognized and courage is cheered on? Because maybe, just maybe, when we clap, heaven claps, too.

 I still don’t have a perfect answer for my son. But I have a better one than before.

“Sometimes we forget to. But we should.”

There’s room for reverence and rejoicing in the church. There’s space for silence and celebration. And maybe the next time someone uses their gifts for God, our clapping won’t distract from the glory—it will echo it. Let’s be the kind of church that claps. Not for the sake of noise, but for the sake of love. Cheering you all on!

Captain Breagh Rowe is the community ministries officer, St. Albert Church and Community Centre, Alta. This is her last column and we are grateful for her contributions.

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