Inspiring Families - Family Worship Seminar

Pastor Nick Kennicott, the minister of students at Ephesus Church in Rincon, GA, and author of the blog Reforming Students, recently posted the follow-up to a Family Worship Seminar held at his church. Ephesus is working to equip their parents with the attitude and tools to become missionaries in their own homes.

In his blog, Nick shares the take away points he received while listening to three men from his church discuss how their families hold devotions. I think they’re worthy of posting here, so you can see how other Christians are attempting to reach their children for Christ in obedience to God’s Word. Here are Nick's points:

• Family worship does not need to be a burdensome, lengthy worship service complete with hymns, preaching, prayer, or extended Scripture readings. Most families that are consistent in family worship limit their time to 15-30 minutes maximum, depending on how many children are in the home.
• A father’s ambition for solid family worship most often outweighs his ability and availability to prepare for the daily responsibility.
• Family dynamics are noticeably different when the family is, and when the family isn’t, worshiping together.
• Momentum is a key factor — if you miss a day, don’t get discouraged but pick it up again immediately. Otherwise, it gets easier and easier to not do family worship.
• Dads: Don’t be afraid to delegate the task to mom when you can’t be home because of other obligations, but don’t make it a habit. Family worship is your responsibility.
• Moms: Don’t be afraid to lovingly suggest to dad that he might need to consider shortening the prayer because you and the kids are not always able to “hang in there” for such a long period of time in the evening. Remember also that you’re your husband’s partner — he needs your encouragement to keep it up and not fall off the track.
• Family worship for the Christian family is vital. Its value is worth getting rid of the TV, excluding the kids from some extra-curricular activities, or even denying a job promotion if it means you’ll be able to maintain your time with the family on a daily basis.
• Resources are helpful. You’re not expected to be an expository genius to lead your family in worship. Use books, catechisms, stories, etc.
• Get creative. One family reads through the Bible and has the kids act it out with costumes and all! Family worship can be fun, and that will make it memorable.
• Sing, talk, pray, and ask lots and lots of questions.
• Don’t let family worship be limited to once per day in the living room. Remember to pray with the kids in the car on the way to school, review memory verses and catechism questions at the dinner table, and pray and read together just before bedtime.

I would’ve loved to have attended Ephesus’ seminar. It sounds like it was a wonderful opportunity to learn from others, gain perspective, and glean encouragement. Remember, it’s nigh on impossible to walk alone in our faith. We need the edification and support of our brothers and sisters. Perhaps if we ask our pastors to consider putting on such a seminar (with our help, since we brought it up), we, along with other families in our congregations, will receive the same kind of blessing the folks at Ephesus received.