Three Ingredients For Family Worship

by Pastor Victor Chen

This past Sunday felt unusual. 

Rather than gathering together in the sanctuary for the worship service, we gathered around a screen in our homes to worship as a church. It was a new reality that may take some getting used to.

And though this experience is just for a season, my hope is that the worship in our homes would continue. Whether among roommates, parents and older children, married couples, or families with young children, my hope is that family worship becomes the new normal in our homes.

Contrary to what you may think, family worship is actually quite simple. In his book “Family Worship”, Donald S. Whitney highlights the three ingredients of family worship. 

First, you read scripture together. For younger children, this could mean reading a chapter from a children’s Bible. For older children and adults, this would mean reading a passage from the Bible. I would recommend starting with narrative passages like the gospel of Mark or the book of Genesis. The key is not coming up with a profound lesson to teach or an in-depth discussion to guide, but allowing the Word of God to speak for itself. 

Second, you pray together. This can be in response to the scripture you just read. This can be praying for each other. This can be praying through prayer cards, as recommended by Paul Miller’s book, “The Prayer Life”. The key is to intentionally pray together.

Finally, you sing together. This can be the most intimidating aspect of family worship, even though an instrument is not required (which may make it more intimidating). But many of us remember singing lullabies to our children, so we can sing a song of worship together. It can be a verse from a well-known hymn or a chorus from a more modern worship song. I personally recommend The Gospel Song, which is simple enough, yet profound with gospel truth that can be repeated every day.

These three ingredients — read, pray, and sing — together comprise family worship. It need not be overly complicated or elaborate. It need only happen regularly in our homes. 

This season of “Safe at Home” shall surely pass. 

My prayer is that the family worship would not. 

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” - Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

*For recommended children's Bibles and more ideas about family worship, feel free to contact Pastor Victor at vchen@evergreensgv.org