Family devotions, also known as family worship, are times when families gather together to read the Bible, pray, sing hymns, and teach biblical truths. While not expressly commanded in Scripture, family devotions can be very beneficial for passing on faith to the next generation.
The Bible places great emphasis on parents teaching children spiritual truths. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Proverbs 22:6 also instructs, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Family devotions provide a dedicated time for impressing biblical truths on children.
In addition to instructing children, family devotions build habits of daily Bible reading, prayer, and worship. Psalms 92:1-2 says, “It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.” Developing these spiritual disciplines at a young age can nurture a lifelong walk with God.
Family devotions also provide opportunities for families to spend quality time together centered around Christ. Acts 2:46 describes believers as “continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart.” Family devotional times can create an atmosphere of joyfully pursuing God as a family unit.
Praying together as a family also brings unity. Matthew 18:19-20 states, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Jesus promises His presence when believers pray together in His name.
Family devotions are a great way for husbands to exercise spiritual leadership in the home. Ephesians 5:25-27 instructs husbands to love their wives and present them holy and blameless before the Lord. Leading family devotions allows husbands to lovingly teach and prepare their families for eternity.
While family devotions are beneficial, they should not become legalistic rituals. Religion without true relationship leads to dead formalism. Times together as a family should produce joy and draw families closer to Christ and each other.
In setting up family devotions, parents should aim for consistency, but not perfection. Starting small and being flexible to adjust as needed can help make family devotional times sustainable long-term. Keeping them simple, creative, and age-appropriate can aid participation.
When it comes to frequency, many families find once or twice a day to be ideal. Common times include morning, evening, and/or dinner time. Even just a few nights a week can make a major spiritual impact. Any family devotional time should work within the natural rhythms and schedule of the specific family.
While there is no one-size-fits all family devotional, common elements include:
- Reading a passage of Scripture together
- Discussing the passage to understand it better
- Praying together as a family
- Singing hymns or worship songs
- Memorizing Scripture
- Catechism recitation
When choosing Bible passages to read together, working through a book of the Bible is often most beneficial. Parents should prepare ahead to understand the passage and think of application questions. Letting children participate by taking turns reading aloud helps them stay engaged.
Prayer time might include thanking and praising God, confessing sins, interceding for others, and sharing personal requests. Closing by praying the Lord’s Prayer or reciting a benediction sends everyone out equipped and blessed.
Singing together bonds the family and reminds of biblical truths. Hymns or worship songs reinforce theology. Playing recordings if no one is musical can facilitate this element. Memorizing short passages of Scripture solidifies God’s Word in hearts and minds to meditate on continually.
Reciting elements of a catechism provides a question and answer summary of biblical doctrine that aids recall and application. The Shorter Westminster Catechism or New City Catechism offer time-tested options. Children can master catechisms incrementally according to age and ability.
Family devotions lay a spiritual foundation through life’s transitions and turmoil. Whether children are away from home, busy with activities, or facing trials, those roots ground them in relationship with Christ. The memories created shape family bonds and values for generations.
With all the busyness and distraction in today’s culture, family devotional times may require sacrifice and commitment. But the eternal rewards far outweigh any temporal inconvenience. God uses them to instill faith and nurture discipleship.
Deuteronomy 11:19 instructs, “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Whenever and however families can gather around God’s Word, great blessing follows. Family devotions help answer the call to whole-hearted spiritual discipleship in the next generation.
Though not commanded, family devotions – done well and with grace – prove a wise investment of time and energy. The habits formed and truths explored shape families for eternity. More than just tradition, they become a treasured avenue where God forms hearts and homes into His image for His glory.
Additional Bible passages about family discipleship and teaching children God’s Word:
Proverbs 1:8-9
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.
Psalm 78:5-7
He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
2 Timothy 3:14-15
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Psalm 103:17-18
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
Exodus 12:26-27
And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’”
Deuteronomy 31:12-13
Assemble the people, men, women, and little ones, and the sojourner within your towns, that they may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, and be careful to do all the words of this law, and that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, as long as you live in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.”
Psalm 34:11
Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Psalm 78:1-7
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.
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.
He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children,
so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments;
Proverbs 1:8
Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching,
Psalm 44:1
We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: