A Pattern for Family Devotions

In yesterday's article, "Family Devotions," we looked at some of the reasons for and practical results of family worship. You can read that article here. Today, we are going to look at what family devotions should look like.

Every family is different, so everyone's family devotion time will look slightly different. A single person's "family devotion" may just be a time of prayer and Bible study. For a married couple that has no children, it may reading the Bible together, studying biblical doctrines, and prayer. Families with children may have devotions of Bible reading, prayer, questions and answers, and singing. Families with older children might let the children lead the family devotions from time to time, lead the singing, or lead the prayer time. Extended families, that have one or more grandparents (or other relatives), living with them will want to include these members as we.

With all of that in mind, I want to offer you the pattern we a currently using. We are not perfect by any means, but this pattern works for us. It is easy to remain consistent, and the time is enjoyable.  Let me lay out the reasons we do it the way we do, and then we'll look at the pattern.

There are several reasons I chose the pattern I did. Beyond the fact that I felt compelled to practice family devotion, I wanted to influence my children for the Lord. I want them to grow up knowing not only knowing what I believe and why I believe it, but to believe it for themselves. I have struggled with the spiritual disciplines since I have became a Christian. I have always wished that my mentors  would have been able to give me more.

Family devotions give me the opportunity to weave spiritual discipline into the fabric of my children's lives. Solomon urges, "Train your child in the way he should go, and when he is older he will not depart from it" (Prov. 22:6). This verse is a warning and an encouragement. It doesn't guarantee success, but it does make it much more likely.

I'm not only concerned with why they learn, but also what they learn. I want them to know the Bible, because it is the sole authority for the Christian life. I want them to have a firm understanding of the things we confess to believe. I want them to understand why we confess to believe (and where to find those reasons in the Scripture). I want them to be equipped to pray, and to know that everyday they are prayed for. I want them to develop a passion for the glory of God that will motivate them to serve him with unflinching devotion. I also want them to have the Scriptures in their hearts and minds.

With these things in mind, here is the pattern we follow:

We start by reading a chapter out of a Bible story book. We are currently working through The Big Picture Story Bible. We have worked through The Jesus Storybook Bible, and will probably work through it again in the future.We are also considering other Bible story books.

• Then we read through a couple of chapters in the Bible. We read one from the Old Testament and on from the New Testament. Currently, we are reading Psalm 19 everyday, and we rotate through Philippians one chapter a day. We haven't put a time frame on how long we'll keep read this passages.

• We practice a memory verse. Currently, it's Psalm 19:1, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky proclaims the work of his hands." When Sophia can repeat it without prompting or mistake, we'll pick another verse to work on.

• We pray. I try to pick some part of what we have read to inform my prayers. For example, we have offered praise to God for making the stars that reveal his mighty power. I try to follow the ACTS model of prayer (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication), but I stick to it. I pray for Sophia (and her future siblings). I pray for her growth in strength and wisdom, for her conversion, and for her safety.

• We work through a catechism. A catechism is a series of doctrinal questions and answers. Catechisms have been used throughout Church history, in both Catholic and Protestant traditions. Even Baptists used catechism throughout the first 200 years of their existence. Currently, we are working though a modified version of A Catechism for Boys and Girls. Traditionally, the catechism is to be memorized word for word. However, I'm more interested in Sophia learning what the answer means.

• Then we read a book. We are working on the Big Thoughts for Little Thinkers series. We read Joey Allen's The Scriptures. This little book explains the importance of the Bible. Eventually, we will get the other books and read through them.

• Occasionally, we sing.  Since we don't have musical accompaniment, we find it difficult to maintain daily singing.

That's the pattern we follow, although some days we switch up the order. It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes depending on whether or not Sophia is cooperative. Most days, she is cooperative. Some days other events make it difficult for us to our devotions. Occasionally, Sophia falls asleep before we get to do them. In these events, we just pick up where we left of the next day. In the future, I'll post some more resources to help guide you in family devotions.