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Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind... Romans 12:2

Family Worship

For cherishing piety, maintaining unity, and avoiding chism and division.

Adapted from The Directory for Family-Worship, approved by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, for piety and uniformity in secret and private worship, and mutual edification, Anno 1647.

In addition to public worship, private and family worship is essential to advance reformation in our nation.

In private worship: it is necessary that each of us give ourselves to prayer and meditation. Those who most pursue this, best know the benefits of so doing. They have communion with God and are well prepared for their many duties. It is necessary for not only pastors to encourage people to fulfill this duty morning and evening, but also for the head of every family to take care that they themselves, and all within their charge, be diligent in daily worship.

Family worship should include, first, both praises to God and prayers for the Church of Christ, for the nation, and for the special needs of each member of the family. Next, the Scriptures should be read and explained so that each family member might be better able to profit from public worship, and better able to understand the Scriptures. During family worship there should be candid talk for the edification of all, and when necessary, admonition and rebuke from the head of the family.

The office of interpreting the holy Scriptures belongs to the ordained ministers of the church, and thus in family worship it is good for the Scriptures to be read and for the family to discuss and make good application of what has been heard. For example, if any sin be reproved in the portion of Scripture read, the head of the home should warn and encourage the family members to be watchful against the same. If a judgement be threatened, all the family should be encouraged to fear lest the same or worse befall them should they fall into the sin that caused it. Or, if any duty be required, or any comfort held forth in a promise, the family should be stirred up to look to Christ for strength to enable them to do the commanded duty, and rest in the offered comfort. In all this the head of the family ought to lead, and any member of the family may ask questions.

The head of the family must take care that each family member takes part in family-worship. Ministers should stir up those who are lazy and train those household heads who are weak. On the Lord’s day, each family member individually, and the whole family together should seek the Lord in preparation for public worship. As the church assembles, the master of the family ought to take care that all within his charge join with the rest of the congregation in public worship. After public worship, it is edifying for the family to spend time in catechising, listening to and reading the word of God, meditating on it, and praying.

All who can pray should use this gift of God, stirring up in themselves the spirit of prayer which is given to all the children of God in some measure. These exercises ought to be performed with great sincerity, laying aside worldly business. We ought to confess to God how unworthy we are to come into His presence, how unfit to worship His Majesty; and therefore earnestly ask of God the spirit of prayer. We should confess our sins, and the sins of the family, and seek grace to repent, to believe, and to live soberly, righteously and godly, taking joy and delighting in our walk before God. We are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to His people and to us, especially for His love in Christ and for the light of the gospel. We should pray for our particular needs, and for the persecuted church. We ought to pray for the church of Christ in general, for the reformed churches, and for our church in particular. We should pray for our superiors, the government, the judges, and the leaders in the church. Our prayers should be closed with an earnest desire that God may be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of His Son, and that His will be done, and with assurance that we are accepted in Christ, and that all we have asked according to His will shall be done.

Besides the ordinary duties in families, which are mentioned above, extraordinary duties, both of humiliation and thanksgiving, are to be carefully performed in families, when the Lord, by extraordinary occasions, calls for them.

The word of God requires that every member of the church ought to stir up themselves, and one another, to the duties of mutual edification, by instruction, admonition, and rebuke. We are to exhort one another to manifest the grace of God in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and in living godly, soberly, and righteously in this present world, and by comforting the feeble-minded, and praying with and for one another.

The purpose of these directions is that all impiety, schisms, and mocking be suppressed, and that the power and practice of godliness may be cherished and advanced amongst all the ministers and members of the church.

Return to Volume 9, Number 2.