Spring brings a change of wardrobe, typically. Lighter, shorter, brighter. Kids show up for church wearing everything from shorts and flip-flops to frilly dresses. Others dress for the season in uniforms: soccer, baseball. The hallways are full of little players, wearing shirts with numbers, ready to hurry straight from church to a game.

As leaders, I suppose we should be grateful that they show up at all. Because sometimes they don't. When faced with a schedule conflict between sports and church, most kids who play competitive sports don't even see it as a conflict—they go to their game.

For many families, church takes second place during certain seasons of the year. The kids may or may not have a say in it. A dad may decide that extra batting practice on Sunday morning, and the opportunity to start in the big game that it brings to his eight-year-old, is more important than attending church.

Our church has studied attendance patterns, and we've concluded that on average, kids make it to church about two Sundays out of four. Most churches find similar statistics hold true. Where are the kids half the month? Sleeping in? Doubt it. Families have become so busy, even on Sunday mornings, that church sometimes gets crowded out.

Before we moan too loudly, though, think about it: how regularly do you attend church?

You're there every week to serve, perhaps. If you're on staff, you show up at the church building every day—sometimes even on your day off—for a meeting that was somehow scheduled.

But do you make it to worship service every week? Are you ever a participant rather than a leader? You feed others, but do you feed your own soul by spending time in the pew? How often do you simply receive the replenishment and teaching that attending a service, worshipping God, will provide?

Guilt is not my objective. Rather, self-examination that leads to change. Do you make it more than half the time when your church gathers for worship? I hear you: "I'm too busy serving and helping, and no one else is helping me. I'm teaching Sunday School while the service is going on."

It's easy to wonder about the commitment or spiritual depth of the families that trade church for sports. But before you do that, take an honest look at your own patterns. Do you trade your Christian work for worship?

It's very tempting to rationalize—I'm here working all the time; it's not the same as missing church for a game. I'm doing it for God. But if we're only showing up at church to give, serve, and expend our spiritual energy, while never allowing ourselves the luxury of receiving and being refilled spiritually—we're in danger. We'll get caught in a cycle of burnout and exhaustion. Too tired of working or serving at church to actually attend a service, we'll go only when we are obligated to. And that will tire us out even more (and perhaps inspire some guilt). Both factors make us feel less like going to worship service. So, we don't go. Like the kids who choose sports over church, we have more important things to do.

Jesus said that before we point out other people's faults, we ought to look at ourselves and notice where we have some things to work on. That may include the work of saying no, or working to change the way things are done at your church.

God desires to meet with you, to fill you with his love and truth. He wants you to sit at his feet and listen to him. That's why you want those little athletes in your ministry to show up—so that they can be filled with God's love, equipped with his truth. You want them to know that being too busy for church can shrink your soul. God wants, I think, the same for you.

If we're too busy doing God's work to give him an opportunity to work in us, how effective will we actually be? And what will we say to the kid who says he won't be in church next week because he's too busy with sports? There's not much we can say, without feeling a little hypocritical.

As leaders, we need to care for our souls. Making time to attend a worship service that refuels us, teaches us, encourages us—that's essential for our spiritual health, and ultimately, the health of those we lead.

Keri Wyatt Kent is an author, speaker, and children's ministry volunteer. Learn more at www.keriwyattkent.com.

Copyright © 2006 Keri Wyatt Kent.

Read more from 'For Your Soul'

Words Kids Need to Hear To Help Them Be Who God Made Them to Be by David Staal If you could choose just seven statements to share with children, what would they be? Each chapter in this compelling book focuses on a single statement elementary-age kids need to hear from parents, children's workers, and other close adults. These seven statements are simple to share, yet guaranteed to profoundly impact children. They are: I believe in you. You can count on me. I treasure you. I'm sorry, please forgive me. Because. No. I love you. will educate, equip, and motivate parents and children's ministry teams to carefully choose words that building up kids' hearts, to say them frequently, and to do so in creative ways. What children hear from trusted adults significantly influences their self-image, their current relationships, and future relationships—including that all-important relationship with God.