Family worship can be daunting. Thankfully, the Lord has blessed His church with a vast array of gifts, and He does not intend for His people to walk alone. You may not be a gifted teacher, but God has given gifted teachers to the church. You may not be a gifted musician, but God has given those to the church as well! Through these brothers and sisters, we have access to an amazing treasure trove of books, music, and other resources that can help parents instil the truths of Scripture into the hearts of their children. Here are a few of the very best—

Bibles

Reading Scripture is at the very core of family worship, and many bibles have been specifically developed for this purpose. The Jesus Storybook Bible and The Big Picture Story Bible are two of the best for young children and point to Jesus in every story with care and winsomeness. For families with older children, the The ESV Family Devotional Bible includes 1 to 2 page devotionals—along with application questions—to help parents lead their family who might otherwise struggle to lead discussion on their own.

Music

Singing is another primary component of family worship, and while some families are musically gifted, others are not. If you happen to be paralyzed at the thought of leading your children musically, you have reason to rejoice! The Lord has gifted many musicians who love to provide rich worship songs to Christian families. Both Rain for Roots and Seeds Family Worship offer songs that are deeply rooted in Scripture; in fact, many of their songs are simply bible verses set to music! Paradoxically rich and yet simple, this music can be streamed for free or purchased online and can also be found on Apple Music and Spotify.

Books

Apart from Scripture itself, many families receive great benefit from books that teach biblical ideas and instill a foundation of truth in the hearts of children. For younger children, The Ology is a captivating storybook which aims to teach the concepts of systematic theology in an accessible way—it even comes with a fantastic musical companion album. Older children can get lost in worlds of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Pilgrim’s Progress which represent some of the finest Christian literature ever written and provide rich opportunities for questions and discussion. Well-produced audio versions of these books are also readily available, and these add to already immersive stories with narration and music that bring these worlds to life.

One could easily fill entire bookshelves with excellent resources from our gifted brothers and sisters. The above represent some of the best, but there are many more to be found. If you have interest in discovering more, talk with your church leaders, and we would be thrilled to point you in new directions. Family worship does not need to be daunting! Let these resources encourage your family towards greater faithfulness in seeking the Lord together through Scripture reading, singing, and prayer.

 

All the best,

Luke

 

Missional Action Plan: If your family does not have a consistent pattern of family worship, consider how one of these resources might help you begin. If your family does have a consistent pattern of family worship, consider how one of these resources might be able to enrich your time together.

Missional Action Prayer: Lord, thank you for gifting your church in a variety of ways, and thank you for the many resources you have made available to families who desire to seek you more faithfully. Help my family to grow in our devotion to you. Amen.

As we gather for Sunday worship, we want you to meet with God and be transformed by the Word. Prepare your heart by reading the passage and listening to the songs for Sunday.
Click here for more info.