Simple Guide to Family Worship

Family, family worship 2 Minutes

Family worship is missing in many Christian families. This is concerning, considering passages like Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Ephesians 6:4 which make it clear that father’s are expected to lead their families in discipleship and worship.

The thought of leading family worship can be overwhelming, especially if it was not modeled by your parents.

The following is a short and simple guide for family worship.

  • Set Aside a Time – There is no wrong time to have family worship. Set aside a time that works for you. Our family has family worship after breakfast and dinner. Once we are finished eating, we remain at the table and typically start with catechism. Setting aside time for family worship is essential to persevering in it.
  • Make the Purpose Clear – State the purpose for family worship. Restate it often. For example: “We are setting aside this time to learn about God then respond to God in worship.”
  • KISS: Keep It Simple Sam! – Overcomplicating things will lead to burnout. While a simple format may not seem like much in one day, the long-term benefits will be meaningful. Five minutes of family worship each day for five days each week seems small. However, if you do the math, your family will have set aside 1,300 minutes for family worship in one year.
  • Read the Bible – Again, don’t overcomplicate it. This is not a race to get through the Bible. Try a simple Bible reading plan, or work slowly through a book of the Bible. If you have small children choose a Gospel-centered story Bible or children’s book.1
  • Memorize Scripture – Have a simple plan. Perhaps choosing a short Psalm to memorize would be helpful. Try Psalm 117 for starters (TWO VERSES!). Our family currently uses The New City Catechism.
  • Sing – Be regimented or more casual but sing as a family. Gospel-centered choruses and kid’s songs are a good place to start. “The Doxology” is always a rich and helpful starting place. Try “Jesus Loves Me.”
  • Pray – Pray as a response to what you have learned. Share prayer requests with one another. Pray for your church family, missionaries, and like-minded churches.
  • Involve Other Family Members – Have others in your family participate in age and ability-appropriate ways. Ask others to read, pray, or sing. Ask them questions. Let them ask questions.
  • God Is Gracious – Be Gracious to Yourself and Family – When you fail do not fall into despair! Instead, look to the Lord Jesus whose love for you is eternally the same.

Blogger Note: This is an edited version of a post that was originally published on January 23, 2021; Previously updated: June 2022, October 20, 2023.

  1. Some our family has used and I recommend: ↩︎
  • The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago
  • The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm
  • The Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook by the Gospel Project
  • The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New by Marty Machowski
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