Family Worship in a Distracted Age

By Dave Jenkins

Theology for Life Magazine — October 2026

Clarity in Worship: Beholding the Glory of God with Understanding

Introduction: Recovering Worship in the Home

We live in an age of constant distraction. Our phones are rarely far from us. Notifications interrupt conversations. Social media competes for our attention. Entertainment is available at every hour of the day, and the demands of work, school, family responsibilities, and daily life often leave us exhausted.

In the middle of all this activity, one of the most important responsibilities of Christian families can easily be neglected: worshiping God together in the home.

Many Christian parents desire to raise their children in the knowledge of the Lord. They want their families to love Scripture, understand the gospel, and grow in godliness. Yet good intentions do not automatically produce faithful habits.

Without deliberate attention, the pressures of daily life can crowd out the very practices that help families grow in their knowledge of God.

Family worship is not a complicated program reserved for unusually gifted parents or spiritually mature households. It is the ordinary practice of gathering those in the home to read Scripture, pray, and sing praise to the Lord.

It does not require an elaborate schedule, professional musical ability, or extensive theological training.

It requires a commitment to place God’s Word at the center of family life.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 declares:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

God’s people are called to make His Word part of the ordinary rhythms of life.

The home should be a place where biblical truth is known, discussed, remembered, and applied.

In a distracted age, recovering family worship is not about adding another burden to an already busy schedule. It is about recognizing what matters most and ordering our lives accordingly.

The Biblical Foundation for Family Worship

The practice of family worship rests upon the broader biblical responsibility to teach God’s Word within the home.

Throughout Scripture, the Lord commands His people to remember His works, teach His truth, and pass His instruction to future generations.

Deuteronomy 6 is one of the clearest examples.

After declaring that the Lord alone is God and commanding His people to love Him with all their heart, soul, and might, Moses instructs Israel to teach God’s commandments diligently to their children.

This instruction is significant because it places the responsibility for spiritual instruction within the ordinary life of the family.

God’s Word was not intended to be discussed only during formal religious gatherings.

It was to shape daily conversations, decisions, and relationships.

Parents were to speak of the Lord’s truth when sitting at home, traveling, lying down, and rising.

In other words, instruction in God’s Word was to become part of the fabric of everyday life.

Psalm 78:4–7 reinforces this responsibility.

The psalmist declares that God’s people will tell the coming generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, His might, and the wonders He has done.

The purpose is that future generations might know the Lord’s works, set their hope in God, remember His commandments, and keep them.

The emphasis is not merely upon transferring religious information.

It is upon teaching the next generation to know the Lord and trust Him.

In the New Testament, Ephesians 6:4 instructs fathers to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This responsibility includes teaching biblical truth, modeling godliness, correcting sin, and pointing children toward Jesus Christ.

Scripture establishes the responsibility of parents to teach God’s Word diligently, while allowing wisdom and flexibility in how households organize that instruction. A regular time of family worship is a valuable way to fulfill this responsibility, but Christians should distinguish the biblical command to teach God’s Word from the particular schedule or format they choose.

Family worship is one practical way Christian households can pursue these responsibilities.

It provides regular opportunities to read Scripture, explain the gospel, pray together, and encourage one another in the faith.

Family Worship Begins with God’s Word

At the center of faithful family worship must be the Word of God.

Scripture is not simply one resource among many for Christian living.

It is God’s inspired and authoritative revelation.

Second Timothy 3:16–17 declares:

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

God’s Word teaches us who He is.

It reveals the seriousness of sin.

It explains the saving work of Jesus Christ.

It instructs believers in godliness.

And it equips Christians to live faithfully before the Lord.

This is why family worship should begin with Scripture rather than personal opinions, inspirational sayings, or religious entertainment.

Parents do not need to invent spiritual truth for their children.

They need to open the Bible and explain what God has already revealed.

This can be done simply.

A family might read a portion of a Gospel, a psalm, or a passage from an Old Testament narrative.

After reading, parents can help children understand what the passage teaches about God, humanity, sin, salvation, and Christian obedience.

The goal is not to deliver a lengthy sermon.

It is to help the family understand and respond to God’s Word.

For younger children, explanations may need to be brief and concrete.

Older children and teenagers may benefit from more detailed discussion.

Whatever the ages represented in the home, the emphasis should remain upon understanding Scripture faithfully.

Family worship should teach children that the Bible is not merely a collection of moral lessons.

It is God’s revelation of His redemptive purposes, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Keeping Jesus Christ at the Center

One of the dangers in teaching children the Bible is reducing Scripture to moral instruction.

Parents may read about David and Goliath and conclude that children simply need to be brave.

They may read about Daniel and emphasize courage without explaining God’s faithfulness.

They may read about Joseph and focus exclusively on perseverance.

These lessons may contain legitimate applications, but they can become incomplete when separated from the larger biblical story.

Jesus taught that the Scriptures testify about Him.

In Luke 24:27, following His resurrection, He explained to the disciples on the road to Emmaus the things concerning Himself in Moses and the Prophets.

Later, Luke 24:44–47 connects the Old Testament Scriptures with His suffering, resurrection, and the proclamation of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Family worship should therefore help children understand how the whole Bible points toward God’s saving purposes in Christ.

Children need more than instructions to behave.

They need to understand their sin and their need for a Savior.

They need to hear about the holiness of God, the seriousness of rebellion against Him, and the grace offered through Jesus Christ.

They need to know that salvation is not earned by good behavior, religious participation, or obedience to parents.

Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not a result of works.

Parents should regularly explain the gospel.

Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh, lived in perfect obedience, died for sinners, and rose again.

Everyone who repents and believes in Him receives forgiveness and eternal life.

The gospel should not be treated as a message children hear once and then move beyond.

It is the foundation of the Christian life.

Family worship provides an opportunity to return to this truth again and again.

Prayer as a Regular Part of Family Life

Prayer is another essential element of family worship.

Through prayer, Christians acknowledge their dependence upon God and bring their needs before Him.

Jesus taught His disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9–13.

The Lord’s Prayer provides a helpful pattern for families.

It begins with the glory of God.

It expresses submission to His will.

It asks for daily provision.

It seeks forgiveness.

And it acknowledges the need for deliverance from temptation and evil.

Parents can use this pattern to teach children that prayer is not merely asking God for things they want.

Prayer includes praise, confession, thanksgiving, and petition.

Families can pray for their local church, pastors, missionaries, neighbors, and friends.

They can pray for those who are suffering.

They can give thanks for God’s provision.

They can confess sin and ask for help in obeying His Word.

Prayer also teaches children that Christians depend upon the Lord in every area of life.

They learn that concerns about school, friendships, work, illness, and family responsibilities can be brought before God.

Philippians 4:6 instructs believers not to be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to make their requests known to God.

Parents should model this dependence.

Children benefit from hearing their parents pray honestly, reverently, and biblically.

Family prayer does not need to be lengthy or eloquent.

It needs to be sincere and grounded in the truth of Scripture.

Singing Together as a Family

Singing is another valuable practice in family worship.

Colossians 3:16 instructs believers to let the Word of Christ dwell richly among them, teaching and admonishing one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

Although this passage addresses the corporate life of the church, the principle of using biblically faithful songs to teach and encourage believers can also serve Christian families.

Music helps Scripture and sound doctrine remain in our memories.

A child may remember the words of a hymn long after forgetting a particular family discussion.

Songs about God’s holiness, Christ’s sacrifice, the resurrection, and the Lord’s faithfulness can help children develop a vocabulary of biblical truth.

Families do not need musical talent to sing together.

The purpose is not performance.

It is worship.

Parents can begin with a familiar hymn or a simple Scripture-based song.

Over time, families may learn songs that communicate more substantial theological truths.

It is also helpful to explain the meaning of the words being sung.

Children should understand that worship is not simply repeating religious phrases.

It is responding to God according to His truth.

Singing together can also provide encouragement during difficult seasons.

When a family experiences grief, uncertainty, or hardship, familiar hymns can remind them of God’s promises.

The goal is to cultivate hearts that rejoice in the Lord because they know who He is and what He has done.

The Responsibility of Fathers and Mothers

Scripture places significant responsibility upon parents for the spiritual instruction of their children.

Ephesians 6:4 specifically addresses fathers, commanding them to bring up their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

This command should not be minimized.

Fathers are called to exercise loving spiritual leadership in their homes.

They should not assume that their wives, pastors, Sunday school teachers, or youth leaders will carry the entire responsibility for their children’s spiritual instruction.

A Christian father should seek to model faithfulness to Christ, love for Scripture, commitment to prayer, and participation in the local church.

At the same time, mothers play an indispensable role in teaching and nurturing children.

Second Timothy 1:5 acknowledges the sincere faith of Timothy’s mother, Eunice, and grandmother, Lois.

Second Timothy 3:14–15 reminds Timothy that he had known the sacred writings from childhood.

These passages demonstrate the profound influence faithful family members can have upon a child’s spiritual formation.

The responsibility to teach God’s Word should never become a source of competition between parents.

Husbands and wives should work together in seeking to raise their children in the instruction of the Lord.

In households where only one parent is a believer, that parent can still faithfully teach Scripture, pray, and model godliness.

Single parents, grandparents, guardians, and other caregivers may also have significant opportunities to provide biblical instruction.

The Lord knows the circumstances of every household.

The absence of an ideal family structure does not place faithful spiritual instruction beyond reach.

What matters is a sincere commitment to making God’s Word known.

Family Worship Is Not a Guarantee of Conversion

An important distinction must be maintained when discussing family worship.

Parents are responsible for faithfully teaching their children the Word of God.

They are not able to produce regeneration.

Salvation is the sovereign work of God.

Jesus explained in John 3:3–8 that a person must be born again through the work of the Spirit.

No amount of family devotion, religious instruction, or parental effort can replace the new birth.

This truth should shape how parents approach family worship.

We teach because God has commanded us to teach.

We pray because we depend upon His grace.

We proclaim the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).

But we do not assume that regular participation in family worship automatically makes a child a Christian.

Children need to repent of sin and trust personally in Jesus Christ.

Parents should therefore avoid treating family worship as a formula that guarantees a particular outcome.

Instead, they should faithfully plant and water the seed of God’s Word while trusting the Lord for spiritual fruit.

First Corinthians 3:6 reminds us that while one plants and another waters, God gives the growth.

This understanding protects parents from both pride and despair.

They cannot take credit for the saving work of God.

Nor should they conclude that every spiritual struggle in a child’s life proves that their efforts have been worthless.

Their calling is faithfulness.

The results belong to the Lord.

The Challenge of Digital Distraction

One of the greatest obstacles to family worship today is the constant presence of digital technology.

Smartphones, tablets, streaming services, video games, and social media compete for attention throughout the day.

Technology itself is not inherently sinful.

It can be used for communication, education, work, and ministry.

But technology becomes spiritually harmful when it dominates our attention and displaces responsibilities God has given us.

Families may spend hours consuming digital content while struggling to find ten minutes to read Scripture together.

Parents may encourage children to limit screen time while remaining constantly distracted by their own devices.

The problem is not merely technological.

It is a matter of priorities and habits.

The question is not simply how much time our devices consume, but what our habits reveal about the desires of our hearts. Parents must examine their own example before expecting their children to develop disciplined habits of attention.

Ephesians 5:15–16 instructs believers to walk carefully, making the best use of the time because the days are evil.

Christians should consider how they are using the time God has entrusted to them.

Family worship requires intentional attention.

That may mean placing phones in another room.

It may mean turning off the television.

It may mean choosing a consistent time when the household can gather without unnecessary interruption.

These practical decisions communicate something important.

God’s Word deserves our attention.

The Lord is worthy of more than the leftover moments of our day.

Consistency Matters More Than Complexity

One reason families struggle to establish regular worship is that they imagine it must be elaborate.

Parents may think they need to prepare detailed lessons, answer every theological question, or lead lengthy devotional sessions.

When these expectations become overwhelming, family worship may never begin.

A better approach is to start simply.

Read a passage of Scripture.

Explain its central meaning.

Pray together.

Sing a hymn or psalm when appropriate.

For many families, ten to fifteen minutes may provide a useful starting point.

Some households may benefit from longer times.

Others, especially those with very young children or demanding schedules, may need to begin with shorter gatherings.

The important issue is not the length of the gathering.

It is the regular, faithful use of God’s Word.

Consistency helps establish patterns.

Children learn that Scripture is part of everyday life.

Prayer becomes familiar.

Biblical conversation becomes more natural.

Over time, these practices can contribute to a household culture in which God’s truth is valued.

Families should also remember that missed days will happen.

Illness, travel, emergencies, and changing responsibilities can interrupt routines.

The appropriate response is not guilt-driven perfectionism.

It is simply to resume the practice.

Family worship should be a means of encouragement rather than a source of constant anxiety.

A Simple Pattern for Family Worship

Families who are uncertain where to begin can follow a straightforward pattern.

First, read Scripture.

Choose a manageable portion of the Bible and read it aloud.

Families might work through a Gospel, a New Testament letter, selected psalms, or another biblical book.

Reading consecutively through Scripture helps children encounter passages that might otherwise be overlooked.

Second, explain the passage.

Discuss what the text teaches about God, humanity, sin, salvation, and obedience.

Ask questions appropriate to the ages of those present.

Avoid forcing every passage into an unrelated moral lesson.

Seek to understand the text in its context.

Third, connect the passage to Christ and the gospel.

Explain how the passage fits within the larger biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation.

Help children see that the Scriptures ultimately direct us toward God’s saving purposes in Jesus Christ.

Fourth, pray together.

Give thanks for what the passage reveals about God.

Confess sin where appropriate.

Ask for help in applying the truth.

Pray for the needs of the family, church, and others.

Fifth, sing when possible.

Choose a biblically faithful hymn, psalm, or spiritual song that reinforces the truth being considered.

This simple pattern can be adapted according to the needs and circumstances of the household.

The goal is not to complete a religious checklist.

It is to grow together in the knowledge of God.

Teaching Children to Think Biblically

Family worship should do more than familiarize children with Bible stories.

It should help them develop a biblical worldview.

Children are constantly receiving messages about truth, identity, morality, relationships, success, and happiness.

These messages come through entertainment, education, social media, friendships, and the broader culture.

Christian parents have a responsibility to help their children evaluate these messages according to Scripture.

Romans 12:2 commands believers not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewal of their minds.

Family worship provides opportunities to cultivate this kind of biblical thinking.

When reading Scripture, parents can help children understand how God’s truth applies to daily life.

What does the Bible teach about honesty?

How should Christians respond when someone treats them unfairly?

What does Scripture say about forgiveness?

Why does human life possess dignity?

How should believers understand their identity in Christ?

What does it mean to love God and neighbor?

These conversations help children recognize that Christianity is not merely a collection of religious activities.

It is a comprehensive way of understanding and living in God’s world.

The goal is not to raise children who can merely repeat correct answers.

It is to teach them to understand, love, and apply biblical truth.

Family Worship and the Local Church

Family worship must never be presented as a replacement for the gathered worship of the local church.

God has established the church as the community in which believers receive the ministry of the Word, participate in the ordinances, pray together, and encourage one another.

Hebrews 10:24–25 instructs Christians to consider how to stir one another up to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together but encouraging one another.

Parents should therefore teach their children that participation in the local church is an essential part of Christian life.

Family worship and corporate worship serve complementary purposes.

The home provides regular opportunities for personal instruction, prayer, and biblical conversation.

The local church provides the gathered ministry of the body of Christ under the shepherding care of qualified elders.

Children benefit from hearing the Word preached.

They benefit from observing the fellowship of believers.

They benefit from seeing Christians of different generations worship together.

They also benefit from learning that the Christian life is not lived in isolation.

Faithful family worship should strengthen a family’s commitment to the local church rather than weaken it.

Parents can reinforce Sunday sermons during the week.

They can discuss passages preached by their pastors.

They can pray for church members and ministry needs.

They can encourage children to serve others and participate appropriately in congregational life.

The home and the church should work together in the spiritual formation of the next generation.

Modeling What We Teach

Children learn not only from what parents say but also from what they observe.

A parent may teach about the importance of prayer while rarely demonstrating dependence upon God.

A parent may emphasize the authority of Scripture while refusing to submit to its correction.

A parent may speak about Christian love while treating family members harshly.

Such inconsistencies can undermine the very truths being taught.

This does not mean parents must be perfect.

No Christian parent is without sin.

Rather, parents should seek to model repentance, humility, and growth in grace.

When parents sin against their children, they should be willing to acknowledge wrongdoing and ask forgiveness.

When disagreements arise, they should seek to respond according to biblical principles.

When hardships come, they should demonstrate trust in the Lord.

When blessings are received, they should give thanks.

Deuteronomy 6:6 places an important emphasis upon the hearts of those responsible for teaching.

God’s commandments were first to be upon the hearts of His people.

Faithful instruction begins with personally receiving and obeying God’s Word.

Parents cannot give their children spiritual life.

But they can provide a consistent example of what it means to live under the authority of Scripture.

Family worship should therefore be accompanied by a broader pattern of Christian discipleship.

The goal is not simply to conduct a daily devotional.

It is to cultivate a home increasingly shaped by the gospel.

Family Worship During Difficult Seasons

Not every household experiences the same circumstances.

Some families are caring for aging parents.

Others are navigating serious illness, disability, financial hardship, grief, or demanding work schedules.

Some parents are raising children alone.

Others have family members who do not share their faith.

These realities can make regular family worship difficult.

Christians should approach such circumstances with wisdom and compassion.

The Lord does not call His people to pretend that their limitations do not exist.

He calls them to faithfulness within the circumstances of His providence.

For a family caring for someone with serious health needs, worship may involve reading a short psalm and praying together.

For a single parent balancing work and childcare, a brief devotional before bedtime may be the most realistic pattern.

For a household experiencing grief, family worship may consist of reading a passage about the resurrection and bringing sorrow before the Lord.

For an older couple whose children have left home, worship may involve praying together and discussing Scripture.

In households where some family members do not share the Christian faith, believers should pursue opportunities for biblical instruction and prayer with patience, gentleness, and wisdom. Family worship should never become a means of coercion or unnecessary conflict. Our calling is to bear faithful witness to Christ while trusting the Lord to work through His Word.

The form may vary.

The central purpose remains the same.

God’s people gather to hear His Word, pray, and encourage one another in the faith.

The Lord is not impressed by elaborate religious performances.

He calls His people to trust and obey Him.

Family Worship and the Next Generation

One of the most sobering realities of Christian parenting is that children do not remain children forever.

They grow.

They develop their own convictions.

They encounter competing worldviews.

They make decisions that shape the direction of their lives.

Parents cannot control every influence their children encounter.

Nor can they guarantee that their children will embrace the faith.

But they can faithfully teach the Word of God while they have the opportunity.

Psalm 78:6–7 speaks of making God’s works known so that future generations might set their hope in Him.

This is the great aim of Christian instruction.

We want the next generation to know the Lord.

We want them to understand the gospel.

We want them to recognize the authority of Scripture.

We want them to love the church.

We want them to develop discernment in a confused world.

And we want them to place their hope in Jesus Christ.

Family worship provides a regular opportunity to pursue these aims.

It reminds children that the Christian faith is not merely something their parents practice on Sundays.

It is the truth by which the family seeks to live.

The lessons taught through years of Scripture reading, prayer, and singing may remain with children long after they leave home.

Parents should therefore approach this responsibility with both seriousness and hope.

The Word of God is powerful.

The gospel remains the power of God for salvation.

And the Lord is faithful to accomplish His purposes.

Guarding Against Legalism in Family Worship

Whenever Christians emphasize an important spiritual discipline, there is a danger of turning that discipline into a measure of personal righteousness.

Family worship is no exception.

Parents may begin comparing their households with others.

They may feel spiritually superior because they maintain a consistent routine.

Or they may become discouraged because their family worship does not resemble the practices of another household.

Such comparisons can distract from the purpose of the practice.

Family worship does not earn God’s favor.

It does not make parents righteous before Him.

It does not guarantee that children will become believers.

Christians are justified by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Spiritual disciplines are responses to God’s grace, not substitutes for it.

Family worship should therefore be practiced with humility and gratitude.

Parents should seek consistency without becoming harsh or legalistic.

Children should be encouraged to participate without being taught that outward religious activity automatically produces salvation.

The gospel must remain central.

When a family misses a day, the answer is not despair.

When children become restless, the answer is not necessarily a longer lecture.

When parents struggle to explain a passage, they can acknowledge their limitations and seek help from faithful biblical resources and their local church.

The goal is not religious perfection.

It is faithful dependence upon the Lord.

Worshiping God Beyond the Family Devotional

Family worship should not be confined to a scheduled gathering.

The formal practice of reading Scripture, praying, and singing together is valuable, but the biblical vision for spiritual instruction extends throughout daily life.

Deuteronomy 6 emphasizes speaking of God’s Word during ordinary activities.

Parents can discuss Scripture while traveling.

They can pray with children before difficult situations.

They can give thanks for God’s provision during meals.

They can address conflicts according to biblical principles.

They can talk about the sermon after church.

They can discuss how Scripture speaks to the challenges their children encounter.

These ordinary moments provide opportunities for discipleship.

They also help children see that Christianity is not merely a religious compartment within life.

God’s Word speaks to every area of human existence.

Our work, relationships, decisions, entertainment, speech, and priorities should all be brought under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

First Corinthians 10:31 declares:

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Family worship should help cultivate this understanding.

The household gathering is not the entirety of Christian discipleship.

It is one important expression of a larger commitment to live faithfully before the Lord.

A Call to Begin Again

Some Christians reading this article may have practiced family worship faithfully for years.

Others may have started and stopped repeatedly.

Still others may never have established a regular pattern.

Whatever your circumstances, the appropriate response is not to dwell upon past failures.

It is to consider how you can begin faithfully now.

You do not need to develop an elaborate plan before opening the Bible with your family.

You do not need to answer every theological question.

You do not need to create a perfect schedule.

Begin with what is manageable.

Read Scripture.

Explain what it teaches.

Pray together.

Sing when possible.

Then continue.

Over time, these ordinary practices can become meaningful parts of family life.

The Lord often works through simple, faithful obedience rather than impressive programs.

Parents should also seek encouragement from their local church.

Pastors can recommend suitable Bible reading plans, catechisms, hymns, and other trustworthy resources.

Older believers can provide wisdom.

Families can encourage one another without creating unrealistic expectations.

The goal is not to compete with other households.

It is to honor Christ in the home.

Conclusion: Building Homes Anchored in God’s Word

We live in a distracted age, but the fundamental needs of Christian families have not changed.

We still need God’s Word.

We still need prayer.

We still need the gospel.

We still need the fellowship and instruction of the local church.

And we still need to teach the next generation the truth about Jesus Christ.

The world will continue competing for our attention.

Technology will continue changing.

Schedules will remain demanding.

Responsibilities will multiply.

But the Word of God remains true.

Isaiah 40:8 declares:

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Christian, do not underestimate the value of ordinary faithfulness in your home.

A short passage of Scripture read with care matters.

A simple prayer offered in faith matters.

A hymn sung together matters.

A conversation that helps a child understand the gospel matters.

These practices may appear small when compared with the constant activity of modern life.

Yet they direct our attention toward eternal truth.

Parents, teach your children the Word of God.

Fathers, take seriously your responsibility to lead your households in the instruction of the Lord.

Mothers, continue faithfully encouraging your children in biblical truth.

Grandparents, use the opportunities God provides to speak of His faithfulness to another generation.

And every Christian, remember that the goal of family worship is not to build an impressive religious routine.

It is to know, love, and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

May our homes be places where Scripture is treasured, prayer is practiced, the gospel is proclaimed, and Christ is honored.

May the next generation learn that the Lord is worthy of worship not merely on Sunday mornings but throughout every day of life.

A home shaped by biblical worship should never become a substitute for the gathered church. Rather, faithful instruction in the home should deepen our love for Christ’s people, strengthen our commitment to the preaching of God’s Word, and prepare the next generation to participate faithfully in the life of the local church.

And may God, by His grace, use the ordinary faithfulness of Christian households to strengthen His church and make His truth known to generations yet to come.

“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.” — Psalm 78:4