Family worship
Worship During COVID-19
“God is to be worshipped everywhere in spirit and truth; as in private families daily, and in secret each one by himself”
-Westminster Confession of Faith 21.6
The gathered worship of Christ’s people on Sunday mornings cannot be replaced. But if our present circumstances frustrate those weekly gatherings, our private and family worship becomes all the more important. So while we continue to do the best we can with what we have, my hope is that we double down on our efforts to worship our Savior in our homes.
Privately, now is a great time to start (or restart) a regular Bible reading plan. There are many available for free online. I’ve really enjoyed the “5 Day Reading Plan” recently, but just pick one, and “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16).
As for family worship, I imagine that may be a new concept for many of you, but it is an historic Christian practice. From the ancient church, through the medieval period and Reformation, Christians have considered it not only their duty, but their great privilege to worship God daily in their homes. If this is a brand new idea for you, let me give you a few ideas to get started.
At our house, we try to sit down after dinner for “family time” (that’s right, it doesn’t always happen). We start with a song. I’ve found it really helpful to have the lyrics printed for everyone if possible. If someone has an instrument or wants to “play drums,” that’s great. We’re shooting for participation here. Then I read a short passage. Lately we’ve been using the Child’s Story Bible by Catherine Vos, and I usually read about a page from it. After that, we take prayer requests and pray. I let anyone that wants to pray, but if no one does, that’s fine, too. We end by singing either the Doxology or the Gloria Patri together. The kids like this because they all know it from church.
So my advice is to keep it simple (and fun). Read, pray, and sing. This is not the time for perfectionism. Just read a short section of scripture. If you have some comments to add, great. But don’t feel like you need to teach a lesson. Pray about what you read and any family concerns. This can be an excellent time to teach your children to pray, but simply getting used to hearing you pray is powerful as well. And then sing something. If you can harmonize Psalm 98, fantastic. “Jesus Loves Me” is great, too. So read, pray, and sing. That’s it. And if you’re trying this for the first time, I wouldn’t make it much longer than 10 minutes.
One other thing: aim for consistency. If you can, find a time that works every day. Many families will do this right after dinner, or even during the meal. I know some that have found breakfast time is the only thing that works for them. The point is, find something that works.
I’m not sure when we’ll meet again as a church. But I know that God’s worship is not confined to a place, or a preacher. So take advantage of this strange new territory. Open your Bibles and ask God to meet with you right where you are.
Matt Siple