Family Worship

Introduction

A biblical case for Discipling your children

Discipling children is a way of life

Discipling children is a gift to them

Deuteronomy 6:4–9“4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

The obligation does not end with the end of the Old Testament

Proverbs 1:8–9“8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. 9 They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.”

An organized time of biblical instruction is not a biblical requirement but it is nonetheless prudent given the obligations and high stakes of godly parenting.

Ephesians 6:4“4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

Discipline for discipleship

Build a routine and keep it

Prioritize time to feed your family

Remember that you are building spiritual discipline into their life by exercising spiritual discipline in yours

Be flexible but not inconsistent

Make space for good questions

Your family worship can never replace the church

Prioritize church attendance

Don’t do those things which are reserved for the assembled body (communion, baptism, preaching)

PRACTICE

Read the Bible!

Read an accessible translation

NIrV Let kids read for themselves Give them Jesus not just morals

“How does our understanding of this (OT) passage differ from a devout Jew’s understanding?”

“What problem does this text present that Jesus solves?”

Encourage kids to think for themselves about the Bible

Summarize and present a text

Make good application

Journal

Mix private reading into your family reading

Use other helpful books

Theologically-minded Bible story books

Biggest Story Bible

Big Picture Story Bible

Gospel Story Bible

The Promise: The Amazing Story of Our Long-Awaited Savior

Other good kids books

Good News for Little Hearts series

The Radical Book for Kids

The Ology

Pilgrim’s Progress

Catechisms can also be helpful

New City Catechism

Heidelberg Catechism

Scripture memory is another valuable form of Bible reading

Fighter Verses

Prayer

Model Prayer

Welcome Children to Participate in Prayer

Pray with diversity

Pray like the Bible

Pray for your family

Pray for your church

Pray for the world

Singing

Singing is both corporate and personal

Singing well at home can equip your children to sing well at church

Choose a song which you sing in church and work on learning it with your children.

Recommended resources

Hymns of Grace

Our Hymns, Our Heritage