Family Worship
“In family worship, be brief, be regular, and be flexible.” -Donald Whitney
Family worship is one of those ideas that I have been fascinated and compelled by for some time, but I have severely lacked in execution. The excuses are bountiful; fatigue, the idea that my kids are “too young” to understand, the lack of familiarity with it all—those are all poor excuses, but that doesn’t stop me from using them. But here we are. There are no corporate worship services in our congregation this week or next and we don’t know when we will see each other again. So, in the Lord’s providence, it is my family that I will be worshiping with for the foreseeable future. What a gift. Instead of looking at this time as a break from the normal rhythms of life, I pray that as a body we will think of this time as an opportunity to form our children and families, and take that opportunity seriously.
Organized ministry to children and youth in local churches is valuable. There is real gain to be had through a quality ministry to children and youth ministry. I believe that. But these ministries are supplementary. Your home and what happens in it is primary. Ministers to children and youth, if they are good at what they do, will remind you often that their job is to equip you as a parent to better lead your family. We know this in theory. The truth though is that we often depend upon these ministries and ask them to carry a load that they can not bear. The most skilled minister to children or youth can never replace the value of parents teaching their children to worship. Perhaps one of the Lord's designs during these strange times is to rekindle a burning passion for family worship in the home.
In a 2016 episode of the "Ask Pastor John" Podcast, John Piper said, "You cannot calculate the cumulative effect of 650 worship services spent with Mom and Dad — between the ages of four and seventeen — in authentic communion with God and his people." You and your children currently can't be with God's people, but that doesn't mean you can't worship, and it doesn't mean you can't teach them to long for the coming reunion of our local body. Use this time to create a new habit and rhythm for your family in which you come together, disconnect from distraction, and worship the living God.
So, this Sunday, gather your family and pray. Then, through the wonder of technology, engage with the body and our God in worship. Don't watch the live stream like you would watch your favorite show on television. Don't be a consumer looking to be entertained. Be a participant resolved to worship. Push through the strangeness of it all and sing, pray, listen, and respond to the Word of God. These are strange times, but this is a wonderful opportunity.
In the coming days we will send out some content to serve your family in worship. But for now, if you have a Bible and you know Christ, you are able to lead your family in real worship of the true God.
"Here the reformation must begin"-Matthew Henry
Family worship is one of those ideas that I have been fascinated and compelled by for some time, but I have severely lacked in execution. The excuses are bountiful; fatigue, the idea that my kids are “too young” to understand, the lack of familiarity with it all—those are all poor excuses, but that doesn’t stop me from using them. But here we are. There are no corporate worship services in our congregation this week or next and we don’t know when we will see each other again. So, in the Lord’s providence, it is my family that I will be worshiping with for the foreseeable future. What a gift. Instead of looking at this time as a break from the normal rhythms of life, I pray that as a body we will think of this time as an opportunity to form our children and families, and take that opportunity seriously.
Organized ministry to children and youth in local churches is valuable. There is real gain to be had through a quality ministry to children and youth ministry. I believe that. But these ministries are supplementary. Your home and what happens in it is primary. Ministers to children and youth, if they are good at what they do, will remind you often that their job is to equip you as a parent to better lead your family. We know this in theory. The truth though is that we often depend upon these ministries and ask them to carry a load that they can not bear. The most skilled minister to children or youth can never replace the value of parents teaching their children to worship. Perhaps one of the Lord's designs during these strange times is to rekindle a burning passion for family worship in the home.
In a 2016 episode of the "Ask Pastor John" Podcast, John Piper said, "You cannot calculate the cumulative effect of 650 worship services spent with Mom and Dad — between the ages of four and seventeen — in authentic communion with God and his people." You and your children currently can't be with God's people, but that doesn't mean you can't worship, and it doesn't mean you can't teach them to long for the coming reunion of our local body. Use this time to create a new habit and rhythm for your family in which you come together, disconnect from distraction, and worship the living God.
So, this Sunday, gather your family and pray. Then, through the wonder of technology, engage with the body and our God in worship. Don't watch the live stream like you would watch your favorite show on television. Don't be a consumer looking to be entertained. Be a participant resolved to worship. Push through the strangeness of it all and sing, pray, listen, and respond to the Word of God. These are strange times, but this is a wonderful opportunity.
In the coming days we will send out some content to serve your family in worship. But for now, if you have a Bible and you know Christ, you are able to lead your family in real worship of the true God.
"Here the reformation must begin"-Matthew Henry
Posted in Christian Living