In today’s evangelical church, many adolescents become nominal members with mere notional faith or abandon evangelical truth for unbiblical doctrine and modes of worship. I believe one major reason for this failure is the lack of emphasis upon family worship.

Joshua 24:14-15 says,

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Notice three things in this text: first, Joshua did not make worship or service to the living God optional; second, Joshua enforces the service of God in families with his own example; and third, the word serve in verse 15 is an inclusive word, which is translated as worship many times in Scripture. Surely every God-fearing husband, father, and pastor must say with Joshua:

As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. We will seek the Lord, worship Him, and pray to Him as a family. We will read His Word, replete with instructions, and reinforce its teachings in our family.

Given the importance of family worship as a potent force in winning untold millions to gospel truth throughout the ages, we ought not be surprised that God requires heads of households do all they can to lead their families in worshiping the living God. Our families owe their allegiance to God. God has placed us in a position of authority to guide our children in the way of the Lord. Clothed with holy authority, we owe to our children prophetical teaching, priestly intercession, and royal guidance.

Heads of households, we must implement family worship in the home. God requires that we worship Him not only privately as individuals, but publicly as members of the covenant body and community, and socially as families.

Here are some suggestions to help you establish God-honoring family worship in your homes.

According to Scripture, God should be served in special acts of worship in families today in the following three ways:

1. Daily instruction in the Word of God. God should be worshiped by daily reading and instruction from His Word. Through questions, answers, and instructions, parents and children are to daily interact with each other about sacred truth (Deut. 6:6-7; Eph. 6:4).
    
2. Daily prayer to the throne of God. Jeremiah 10:25 says, “Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name.” As Thomas Brooks said, “A family without prayer is like a house without a roof, open and exposed to all the storms of heaven.”
    
3. Daily singing the praise of God. Psalm 118:15 says, “The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.” That is a clear reference to singing. The psalmist says this sound is (not simply ought to be) in the tents of the righteous.

Have your Bibles, Psalters, and other materials for family worship ready ahead of time. Establish a stated time and place in your home where family worship will be held.

During family worship, aim for brevity, consistency, and hopeful solemnity.

For the reading of Scripture, have a plan, account for special occasions, involve the family, and encourage private Bible reading and study.

For biblical instruction, strive to be plain in meaning, pure in doctrine, relevant in application, and affectionate in manner. Be sure to require attention.

For praying, be short, be simple without being shallow, be direct, be natural yet    solemn, and strive for variety.

For singing, we advise that you;

1. sing doctrinally pure songs,
2. sing psalms first and foremost without neglect­ing sound hymns,
3. sing simple psalms if you have young children, and
4. sing heartily and with feeling.

After family worship, pray for God’s blessing. Let the eternal welfare of your children, the satisfaction of a good conscience, the shortness of time, and the love for God and His church all motivate you to make serious efforts in leading family worship.

Some people object to regular times of family worship. Don’t indulge excuses to avoid family worship. In short, fight every enemy of family worship.

Let us remember that God often uses the restoration of family worship to usher in church revival. As goes the home, so goes the church. Family worship is a most decisive factor in how the home goes. We pray that you will find as so many others have experienced throughout the centuries that serious family worship may greatly assist you in rearing your children.