Family Worship

One of the most frequent questions I have is one of the most important questions that I believe needs to be addressed in our day. It concerns the practice of family worship. I truly believe that this is one of the things that will determine the future of Christianity in our nation.

You remember those fearful words from the OT, "There arose a generation that did not know the Lord." The book of Judges shows a cycle of people who feared God, and the next generation who slips away. We are seeing today a generation rising like that.

The practice of piety in the home is essential because the family is the most basic building block of the church. One of my professors in seminary emphasized this when he said that evangelism should always be done biologically.

I plead with you reader, give the Bible a place in your house. Don't just shove your children in a youth group or Sunday school. These are good things, for sure. But parents are the roots for the spiritual lives of their children. (Look up Proverbs 1;8-9).

When asked about how to conduct family worship, I always answer by giving my practice with my family. Not that we are perfect or that it is the premier model, but it is something you can use, adjust, and/or build off of.

My family time starts with dinner. We eat together. It is a family event. That makes it the perfect time to worship together. After dinner, and before dessert (which always gives some incentive to family devotions!!) we bring out the Bible. I read a passage, and I read it in a way that my 4 year old daughter can understand. I ask questions along the way ("Do you know what a serpent is?") or summarize ("that's just saying...") to make sure things are being comprehended.

After reading a passage (not too long, not too short to answer that question), we go over the catechism together. Singing and prayer also accompany our time.

A concise format goes like this: Prayer, praise, and Scripture.

Another thing we do is have devotions with our daughter before she goes to bed. This we hope will turn into her personal time with the Lord when she gets older.

Before bed we read some books from the library and then finish with a story from her own Bible. After prayer (I always ask if she has any prayer requests) it's time to sleep. Whenever we pray we encourage her to pray too. Sometimes I will say, "OK, you go first, then I will finish." I like doing that rather than asking, "Do you want to pray?" as she doesn't have the option of saying no.

It has been a tradition among Christian families to begin and end a day with family worship. This may seem impossible to someoene just starting out or to those families whose daddy is out the door before the sun rises. I suggest shooting for one good family time. My wife is in the habit of praying with our daughter on their way to school. I find that very good.

As a final encouragement to you, let me give one last bit. My daughter is 4 years old and she knows more theology at this point in her life than I knew by the time I was 18. Family devotions can do so much for our children's spiritual nurture!

See also the Westminster Directory for Family Worship