Through the history of the church, spanning back to the days of Deuteronomy and probably before then, family worship has been essential to the covenant people of God. Why? God Almighty has three authority structures that he has instituted for his glory; they are the church, the family and the state (Romans chapter 13, Ephesians chapters 1 and 5, Genesis chapter 1-2). It is always problematic when we confuse the three of these spheres of God's authority and the outworking of his decrees. A family is not the church, the church is not called to run the politics of a nation, a church is not to overtly intrude into family life, and so on. Church history is littered with historic mistakes where confusion exists concerning this matter. For example house church structures commonly confuse the difference between the church and the family to the detriment of both. State church institutions commonly blur the distinction between church and state. Let us be aware of this.
However, this blog is aimed at stirring our thinking regarding the recovery of the joy of family worship. Listen to 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".
What should be the ingredients of family worship? What should be the best time for family worship? Commonly, a time after the main meal of the day is a good time. The giving of thanks for our food by the head of the household should be normal as the Bible requires this: 'Foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer' (1 Timothy 4:3-5).
The ingredients of our family worship includes:
The Reading of the Bible
Going through the Westminster Larger and Shorter Catechism: often we would do one question per night.
Singing a psalm and or a hymn
Praying together and for each other
Explaining spiritual truth
This is a marvellous way for a family to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), seven days per week. Family worship is not a substitute for worship in the church, it does not replace personal devotions but it is a valuable part of Christian doctrine in action.
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