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In my last blog, I ended by saying, “Our job as parents is to train them in the way of the Lord. Are you truly training them today?” If you missed that post, you can read it here: November Blog. In this blog, I want to give you a very simple and practical way to train your children today. But first, let me remind you of the importance of training your children at home.

Having your children here at our school is excellent for their training, but it isn’t enough. Taking your children to a Bible-teaching, gospel-centered, Christ-worshiping church is vitally important, but it isn’t enough either. Listen to what the Lord says to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

The Lord is telling Israel that they need to teach their children continually about how to love Him. Israel was not just the people of God but a theocratic nation whose entire governmental system was focused on God. If they needed this instruction, how much more do we—living in a largely Godless society intent on stealing our children’s hearts and minds—need it?

One of the best ways to obey the Lord’s instructions and teach your children to love Him is through family worship. You might ask, “What is family worship?” You may have heard it called other things, like family devotional time or family Bible time. Whatever you call it, it is a time to gather together as a family and worship the Lord through Bible reading, prayer, and singing.

Bible Reading
This is exactly what it sounds like: choose a book of the Bible, open it, and start reading. You could also choose a quality, gospel-centered devotional (just make sure it is based on Scripture). The great thing is you don’t need to prepare ahead of time—just pick up the Bible or devotional and start reading. Simple as that! Below are some recommendations.

Prayer
After reading, take some time to pray together. You can pray about what you just read, use a list of ongoing prayer requests, or follow whatever method works for your family. One person can pray, or each person can take turns, or you can mix it up each time. The main thing is to pray together.

Singing
When my family sings during family worship, I usually find a song we know from church or school and play it on my phone so we can all sing along. You could also display the lyrics on a TV. When my children were younger, we used online Seeds Family Worship videos with actions, which was a fun way to get the little ones involved. Whatever method you choose, it’s valuable to spend time worshiping the Lord through song.

Some of the best conversations about biblical truths have happened during family worship. Topics we read about have sparked questions that lead to rich and fruitful discussions. I have cherished every opportunity to gather and worship as a family!

Donald Whitney, in his book Family Worship, offers three helpful reminders:

1. Be brief – around 10 minutes, or less if you have young children.

2. Be regular – set a devoted time; daily is ideal, but start with 2-3 times a week and work your way up.

3. Be flexible – adjust your schedule to fit your family’s needs, but ensure flexibility does not lead to inconsistency.

This time of year is an excellent time to start family worship. Many of you may already be reading an Advent book—why not add praying and singing as well?

I highly encourage all parents to read Donald Whitney’s Family Worship. It is only 56 pages and is an excellent resource. I also have a few copies here; if you would like to borrow one, please let me know. And if you want to hear more about my experiences with family worship, just ask—I’d be happy to share.

I’ll leave you with this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

“They that pray in the family do well; they that pray and read the Scriptures do better; but they that pray, and read, and sing do best of all. There is a completeness in that kind of family worship which is much to be desired.”

Questions to consider:

What is more important than training your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord? (Eph. 6:4)

What is stopping you from starting family worship today?

Will you commit to starting family worship today?

Recommended devotionals:

Little Pilgrim’s Big Journey by Tyler Van Halteren (written by a PCS alumni!)

The Ology by Marty Machowski

The Biggest Story Bible Storybook by Kevin DeYoung

New Morning Mercies for Teens: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul Tripp