On Family Worship
Family worship is near and dear to my heart.
It is something our family has practiced since our oldest kids were little, and
Anna and I still follow. Here are two principles and some practicalities to
encourage you in taking up family worship. There are two rules-of-thumb: (1) Simplicity; and (2)
Persistence.
The first
principle to
always keep in mind is simplicity. Family Worship is not a seminary class.
Instead, it is meant to aid everyone in the home to: (1) glorify and enjoy God; (2) draw near and know God
better; and (3) worship God.
Here are
some practical considerations: (a) The capacities of the family at this moment.
Normally (but not always) the older the family members, then the weightier the
material. (b) Find the best time of day for your family. Are most of you night
owls or morning people? When do most of your bodies begin to wind down and
become drowsy? Once you find the time, make it the usual, steady arrangement.
(c) Have a regular, and consistent time of day when you settle down for family
worship. Even your pets will get used to it and “participate.” (d) Have a
regular, consistent place in your home to always set up family worship.
Comfort, lighting, the least amount of distractions, etc. (e) Have Bibles for each family
member that have the right size print. Also, consider obtaining a copy of the
Trinity Hymnal for each member of the family, one they can call their own, and
take with them when they move on into adulthood.
A simple format
is best. 1. Scripture Reading. 2. Sing a hymn or Scripture song. 3. Prayer (the
church’s monthly prayer calendar can help). 4. Extra Credit: Scripture and/or
Catechism memorization.
A.
For families with young children, bible story books and kids devotional material that are
short are usually fine. Also, take time to help the children memorize the
Doxology, the Gloria Patri, the Lord’s Prayer, and even the Apostles’
Creed. It will warm your heart when they sing and recite during the worship
service right along with the congregation. It warms my heart when I hear your
children!
B.
For families with older kids, or with only adults: (a) For one season, take time to
read through the whole Bible, a chapter a day. It’ll take about 3-5 years, but
it’s worth it. (b) Devotional/Doctrinal books. Have a copy for each member so
they can underline and mark up their own copy. (c) A Bible study book on one
Bible book. Again, have a copy for each member of the family that they can make
their own, mark up, etc.
C.
For families with Middle School kids on up through adults, take at least one season to read
through the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Catechisms. Again, each
person should have their own copy. Our family read the Confession one or two
paragraphs a night and discussed them. When we got to the catechism, we might
do three questions a night with discussion. There are more alternatives to
this, and you will easily figure out what works best for your family.
D.
Regarding hymns, once in a while try to sing one new-to-you hymn for a whole week. Also,
take a hymn, memorize it as a family and talk about the meaning of each verse.
E.
The goal
is to make Family Worship a daily routine. But don’t sweat it if you miss a day
or two. Just pick up where you left off and keep going. No guilt.
And again, always remember: Simplicity!
The second principle is Persistence. Have the long game in view. Even after your children have grown up and moved out, continue to practice regular family worship with you and your spouse. This is not just for the “child-raising years” but all of our years. Not only will our plodding persistence enrich us, but it will be infectious to our children (even when they’ve grown and moved on and come to visit), grandchildren, and others who know that we are pleasantly persistent in Family Worship.
Pastor Mike
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