A United Time of Family Worship
September 13th - October 25th 2008
Alexandria’s First Baptist Church
Vision: During our Fall Push (Sept 14 – Oct 26) to create an intentional, scheduled and shared family worship time. Due to using the approach of Sat Family Worship our dates will be Sept 13 – Oct 25th.
Goal: We would get re-acquainted or strengthened in spending time as a family reading the Bible and praying. *Give thought to the Bible version that would be best understood by your family’s ages.
Purpose of this small guide: To have all our families involved in family worship at the same times (if possible), give a shared outline for family worship as well as some direction for those new to family worship.
Note: For those such as single adults/widows who may not be in a traditional home (parents, kids etc) please follow the guide as your devotional time during the Fall Push.
Section 1 ‘Adding Family Worship to the Overscheduled’
One of the first knee jerk reactions will be ‘family worship is a great idea. How am I going to squeeze it in between….’
As we approach family worship during the Fall Push we are generally talking about 10 minutes at the minimum of once a week. Your intelligence will not be insulted by giving you ideas to find 10 minutes in your schedule. It is an issue of being intentional not an issue of scheduling.
Section 2 ‘Introducing Family Worship’
For many in our church, family worship may sound like an odd and uncomfortable idea. It may conjure up ideas of Dad acting like a preacher as the family sits as a little congregation. Rest assured that is not the concept.
It is a time to sit down with your family, preferably around the kitchen table for shared Bible reading and prayer. Simply break the passage into ‘bites’ for each person to read. At the end take prayer requests and have each person take turns praying around the table. If you have ever read a story to your children or prayed for your meals family worship will not be a stretch for you.
Section 3 ‘Why Have a Family Worship Time?’
It isn’t intended to be a church gimmick. The teaching of family worship is clearly rooted in the Bible. You can read Deuteronomy 6:6-9 and see the command to engage in family worship. Judges 2:10 illustrates the lack of family worship.
On a more personal level the following is universally true:
A) All Christians desire a genuine Christian home. Joshua 24:15.
B) All Christian parents wants to raise children who come to faith. 2 Tim 3:15.
C) All Christian parents wants their Christian children to have a committed
walk with Christ. 3 John 4.
D) All Christians need structure to grow their spiritual life. Daniel 6:10.
Sept 13th (Week One)…Proverbs 10.
As with many of Solomon’s proverbs these are short sayings filled with life lessons, spiritual truths and practical advice.
Sept 20th (Week Two)…I John 2.
John reminds us that even in our sin the Christian has Jesus as an advocate (defense lawyer). It talks about practical love and not loving the wrong things.
The word, ‘propitiation’ in verse 2 means Jesus satisfied God’s demand that our sins must be punished. Now God can deal with the Christian through mercy.
The word ‘unction’ in verse 20 speaks of the assistance the Holy Spirit gives the Christian.
Sept 27th (Week Three)…Phillipians 4.
Paul speaks of unity, taking charge of how we think as well as being grateful.
Oct 4th (Week 4)…I Samuel 25:10-34.
Samuel records David’s nearly tragic decision of obliterating Nabal’s family. God used the wisdom of Abigail to bring David to the right decision.
The background is David and his men had done security work for Nabal. When it comes payday Nabal claims he never hired David. David is heading to Nabal’s house to kill him and his sons when Abigail intercepts David.
Oct 11th (Week 5)…John 19.
We need to come to the Cross often to see Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins.
Oct 17th (Week 6)…Isaiah 6.
This OT chapter shows God’s holiness, our sinfulness and a need for people to
be ‘go-ers’ in our service to Christ.
Oct 25th (Final Week)…Revelation 19.
In a Christianized society where Jesus is presented more as moral than mighty we need to refresh ourselves with King Jesus.
Additional Resources:
On Family Worship…www.hnrc.org/files/FamilyWorship.pdf
Bible Study help…BlueLetterBible.org.
9Marks.com…Their Sept/Oct issue addresses family and children.
Let’s not forget…
"The primary responsibility for teaching your children about God is yours, dear parent. It is not the Sunday school’s, the Church’s, nor the Pastor’s. God has entrusted this important work to you. If you do not invest your time and effort to teach your children about God, be assured someone else will. The television and the theater will teach them that God, if He exists at all, is an irrelevant, indulgent being that is little more than a nice kindly old man. If you do not teach your children truth and righteousness, be assured that there are a multitude of teachers in this world who would deceive them into thinking that "truth" and morality are relative ideas and can be shaped to fit anyone’s beliefs or standards." ~ Pastor Tom Ascol