Why Family Worship Matters
By Ryan Bush
Several years ago, I took stock of where I was investing my time and energy. Among other things, two truths about my role as a husband and father rose to the surface. First, I was struck by the fact that I would be held to account for how I shepherded the little flock over which God had placed me (my wife and five children). Second, I realized that my faithfulness in shepherding my family came down to the choices I made day by day.
I completed a two-year assignment on the foreign mission field, pastored local churches for years, earned a Master's and PhD, and led a missions organization, but still wasn’t taking the care of my family’s souls as seriously as I should have been. We were faithful in church, I was vigilant to guard their hearts and minds from harmful outside influences, and we would spend some time reading the Scriptures together and praying. But, I knew God offered more. I knew deep down how precious their souls are to their heavenly Father and how weighty a responsibility it was to shepherd them. After putting so much effort in spiritually training and equipping others, I only had ministerial leftovers for my own family.
I have been inspired by stories from D. A. Carson who remembers his father as a man of earnest prayer; and Joel Beeke who cherishes memories of his father reading Pilgrim’s Progress aloud to his family every Sunday night. I wanted my children to remember their father as a man who gathered his family together daily to worship the one true and living God. I wanted my children to cherish memories of times we read Scripture, sang spiritual songs, and prayed together. More than that, I wanted to be a shepherd who consistently leads his little flock to green pastures and quiet waters.
I decided we would begin practicing times of family worship (almost) every day. That set me on a quest to find some sort of help that would give structure, accountability, and depth as we gathered around our kitchen table each day. I wanted to lead my family in a daily time of worship that consisted of Bible reading, prayer, and singing, which also included basic theological development. Sadly, I couldn’t find an aid with which I was satisfied. So, I began compiling my own. It took almost two years of trial and error, with ample feedback from a covey of kiddos, to finally produce a family devotional guide.
A Guide to Family Worship is the result of that work. It’s a simple and practical guide I believe can help families be more consistent and fruitful in family worship. It has certainly helped me.
The guide works for our family because of its simple, à la carte nature. At its fullest, the guide contains:
Scripture Reading (one chapter)
Memory Verse (one per day, 30 total)
Catechism Questions and Answers (from “A Catechism for Boys and Girls”)
Confessional Reading (a short section from the 1689)
Prayer (a modernized prayer from a Puritan writer)
Hymn (a theologically sound hymn, all stanzas included)
Now, most mornings, we gather around our kitchen table and I lead my little flock all the way through this guide. If you are just starting family worship, or have a very young flock, here are some ways to approach it.
I am thankful for the kindness of the Lord that led me to repentance and set me about the business of watching for the souls of my wife and children in this way. My hope and prayer is that you will also shepherd your little flock faithfully, no matter the size God has entrusted to you.
If I can be of help to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me through Media Gratiae. Email any comments or questions to info@mediagratiae.org and they will be delivered directly to me.
Ryan Bush, PhD is married to Amanda and together they are raising 5 children. Ryan serves as president of International Church Planters | Didache Institutes, an organization that focuses on training pastors and leaders across the globe on-site and online for the glory of God and the good of the church.