Milk or Meat?

Yesterday, I got very frustrated as we walked out the door to church.  We have been visiting a different church for the last few weeks and we have visited a couple of different churches over the last few months.  We have encountered this issue at every church we have visited (and even at the church which we have attended for the last 8 yrs)

When we walked out the door, I noticed that 3 of my children did not have their Bibles with them.  I mentioned it and told them they needed to go get them.  They quickly responded, "We don't need them. They give us the verses we need to read on a paper." 

I was NOT a happy momma!

I am trying to teach my children that reading their Bible is important.  Why should the church (of all places) not be reinforcing this idea? 

When my boys go to Boy Scouts, they take their Boy Scout Handbook.
When my kids take their piano lessons, they take their music books.
When my kids need to learn their math, they use their math books.

Why, oh why, when they go to church to learn about God, do they NOT need to take their BIBLE!?!?!??!

I think I know the answer I will get when I raise this issue with the church staff.

I think they will say they need to be "sensitive" to the seeker/newcomer and not make them feel uncomfortable.

I have a problem with this.  Did Jesus soften his message to the seeker/newcomer so as not to make them feel uncomfortable?  No.  He said things like:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. " Matthew 16: 24-25

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. "  Luke 14:26

I am afraid that the church has become so "seeker sensitive" that we are raising a generation of Christians on spiritual milk and not solid spiritual food.

Why doesn't the church set the standard for being a Christian and teach us how to live up to it, rather than lowering the bar so anyone can get in, but no one ever grows up in Christ?

I want to eat spiritual meat and I want my kids to eat spiritual meat too.

Hebrews 5: 11-14  Warning Against Falling Away

 ¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.