Family Devotions is very important to our family. We finished reading Revelation 22 this morning, which means we have read, studied, and discussed every verse in the entire Bible as a family. This whole project has taken us something like 5-6 years to complete. We often include Bible maps, commentaries, supplementary videos, church history, word studies, and even music (playing Handel’s Messiah for example when we read passages that are set to music). Our ideal is to get through an entire chapter per day, but this rarely happens because I encourage my children to ask questions as we go. It isn’t uncommon for us to spend the entire 30-45 minutes on a half dozen verses.
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I discuss our approach to “Bible Time” in my book, Raising Them Up – Parenting for Christians, in a chapter entitled, “How I Taught My Children to Sit Still and Be Quiet.” I also discuss the importance of teaching through the entire Bible on a cycle of at least every seven years (three times before your children leave home — as outlined in Deuteronomy 31), in my chapter, “The Seven-Year Teaching Method.”
I can’t possibly say strongly enough how important I believe it is for fathers to lead their families in daily family worship time. I know this is intimidating for many men because their fathers have not led them in teaching the Scriptures, so they have little to no example from which to draw. But we have to start somewhere.
For single mothers, or wives who have unsaved husbands, or husbands who, for whatever reason, are unable or unwilling to lead family devotions, you need to serve as the sanctifying spouse in that situation and lead the children in family worship time yourself.
It isn’t the job of the church to teach and disciple your children in the Scripture (although they certainly can assist and supplement!). It is the responsibility of the parents. Please take your calling seriously.
Here are some resources we enjoy and use as a family.
Israel Wayne is an Author and Conference Speaker and Director of Family Renewal, LLC.
Photo credit: Foter / CC BY-SA
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