“We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. ⁵ He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, ⁶ that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, ⁷so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Psalm 78:4-7

This is probably a familiar portion of Scripture, especially if you serve in children’s ministry. It’s a passage I reference often and even use as part of our mission statement for our children’s ministry. That’s our goal, right? We want to teach the next generations the things of God. But what about the other hours of the week? At most, we may have children in our churches for Sunday school, worship, and mid-week services. That’s only 3 hours of the week that they’re with us. You probably agree that parents are the primary disciplers of their children, but how do we, as children’s directors, encourage parents to own that? Specifically, how do we encourage them to have a designated family worship time in their homes, especially when family calendars are full of school, sports, extracurriculars and social gatherings? While I’m certainly no expert, here are some ideas about where to start.

“As we approach the subject of family worship it is helpful to be reminded that it is nothing more than our response in the home to God’s magnificent and infinite grace.” – Jason Helopoulos, A Neglected Grace

First, is family worship something you are doing in your home? Before we can encourage others to start something new, we should be practicing it ourselves. If you haven’t already, I suggest reading A Neglected Grace by Jason Helopoulos. He spoke at the LEAD Retreat in April. One of the most convicting things he talked about was how, as Christian parents, we think a lot more discipleship is happening in our homes than is actually happening. The intentionality that a set family worship time brings is unmatched by simply praying in the car and talking about what everyone learned at church. It is a shared family experience (also a Jason thought!) centered around Christ. It’s an opportunity to create memories around reading, singing, and praying together as a family.

Once family worship is established in your home, how can you invite families from your church to begin?

• Talk openly about your family worship time in the context of discipline or discipleship. These conversations may just open doors to further discussion about family worship.
• If you have a family over for dinner, invite them to participate in it with you. We recently did this with a sweet couple who are expecting their first baby. They were at our house during our family worship time (right after dinner), so we kept to our routine. We didn’t make a fuss about it or even discuss it with them. Modeling family worship helps people to see how simple and sweet it can be!
• If you’re able, plan a night where you invite parents to come learn more about family worship, and spend time discussing with these parents what this could look like in their homes. Include families you know who are already doing regular family worship or lead the talk and discussion yourself! Offer A Neglected Grace as a resource for families who attend.
• Talk to the tech team at your church about filming a short video for a service or social media to give a quick list of family worship tips. Invite pastors on staff to participate.

Some families may appreciate a resource to help them get started, though Scripture itself is enough. There are so many resources for family worship! I’ve listed a few below that you can find at the PCA Bookstore. Provide these resources to your families for free or at a discounted cost. When you promote them, make sure to talk about how they can be used during family worship. It may also be helpful to start seasonally. Start with an Advent devotional and then encourage families to continue doing something intentionally for the rest of the year!

Family worship is a practical way for parents to own their role as the primary disciplers of their children and is something we can encourage them to participate in. Remember that it can look different in every home. While we can’t directly influence every household, we can graciously encourage families to consider prioritizing family worship by coming alongside them.

Resources for Family Worship

Learn it. Love it. Live it. Teach it! – John Kwasny

Road Talk – John Kwasny

Meal Talk – John Kwasny

The Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible – Jared Kennedy

The Bible Is Not Boring – Lisa Updike