Family Worship best takes place within the rhythm of your home when
your family already gathers together, maybe before everyone leaves in
the morning, before bedtime or at a meal. Historically, Family Worship
occurred twice, once in the morning to prepare the family for the day
and once in the evening.
The length will vary depending on the age of the children and the
practice. It might be shorter with families with toddlers than with
teenagers. The morning might be a quicker time of reading a psalm or
proverb and prayer (5-10min), with the evening being a more intentional
time (15-20 min).
Read God's Word
The Scriptures teach that only Christ has the
words of eternal life, and these words are found throughout the Bible
(Jn 6:68). The Bible instructs us that it is His Word that revives our
souls, enlightens our eyes, and brings joy to our hearts (Ps
119:7-11). Moreover, the Scriptures clearly demonstrate that we are to
diligently teach the truths of God to our families, meditating on them
day and night (Deut 6:4-9, Ps 1:1-2). For this reason, reading
and teaching God's Word is an essential component of Family Worship. Below is a example of how to use God's Word in Family Worship.
Sample of Family Worship
Pray God's Word
As believers, we recognize God as our Heavenly
Father, and we express our reliance on Him through prayer. The ACTS
acrostic - Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication -
provides a useful framework to guide our families in prayer. These
prayerful moments offer valuable opportunities to teach our loved ones
about the greatness of our God and to lead them in worshiping His name.
Sing God's Word
God has gifted us with singing as a powerful means to teach and encourage one another with the truths of His Word. The Scriptures exhort us to sing of the Lord's steadfast love and faithfulness, making them known to future generations (Ps 89:1). They also instruct us that singing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs is one way for God's Word to take root deeply in our hearts. By hiding Scripture in our hearts through song, we can effectively impart its truths to our families.
A few resources to help you in this element, we've provided a playlist made up of songs that we sing or even desire to sing on Sunday morning as well as a digital Song Book that can be used in Family Worship.
'Songs we Sing' on Spotify
View Song Book
