Just this past week, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to pass a resolution on the importance of family worship. I am greatly encouraged that among all the important issues to address in our day, our convention leaders and messengers saw fit to make this a priority and pass this wonderful resolution affirming and encouraging biblical family worship. I encourage you to read it below.
Matthew Henry, the great Puritan preacher and author, wrote these words: “I know not any thing that will contribute more to the furtherance of this good work than the bringing of family religion more into practice and reputation. Here the reformation must begin. Other methods may check the disease we complain of, but this, if it might universally obtain, would cure it. Salt must be cast into these springs, and then the waters would be healed.”
This message is designed to help fathers (and parents generally) fulfill their high calling and privileged blessing of leading their families in worship and discipleship. Our age is one which professionalizes Christianity and calls on the clergy to do the work of ministry. But God has not ordered it so (Eph. 4:12
)! The command to transmit God’s Word and make disciples in the home is given to parents directly (Dt. 6:4-9; Eph. 6:4). They are the teachers, trainers and worship leaders of their children. Therefore, if we are to recover biblical ministry and biblical church life, it must begin with a reformation of family worship. I pray that this message and these resources will help us all be more faithful to raise our children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). May Christ get all the glory in every home!
Here is a short video from John Piper about how he got his children started in private devotions:
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). It is my hope that mothers are encouraged and challenged by the example of Hannah that we see in 1 Samuel chapters 1 and 2. It is also my hope that husbands and children will rise up and honor their mothers on this day, praising God for the work that they never cease do! Thank you Miranda, for being a godly mother in our home. I love you!
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The Virtues of a Godly Mother: Download
“Here the reformation must begin.” Those were the words of Matthew Henry on April 16, 1704 when he preached an abundantly practical sermon entitled, “A Church in the House, A Sermon Concerning Family-Religion,” as an encouragement to fathers to develop the spiritual life of their families in their homes. Henry exhorted that “every house should be a little church.” His point was not that the home should replace the church, but that the home should become a fountain of blessing for both the local church and the community at large.
His precedence is thoroughly biblical:
“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons 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 up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children, that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children, that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments (Psalm 78:5-7).
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)
It’s time that modern fathers listened to the ancient words of Scripture and the wisdom of godly men of old who raised their children in the ways of Jesus Christ. Let’s stop pointing fingers at the public schools, the fractured government, and weak youth ministries. Parents - God has called YOU to be the primary disciplemakers in your home! I urge you to look at the attached document, Family Worship Resources, and begin the journey on leading your own wife and children in the worship of Jesus Christ. Let’s band together and encourage one another to live and lead worship in our own homes. Let’s make “every house a little church.” Soli Deo Gloria!
Parenting is a tough job in today’s society. We live in a culture that reinforces and encourages sexual sin, idolatry and busyness to the extent that our children’s lives are totally devoid of gospel focus. If we are going to fulfill the basic commands of Scripture in Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (and numerous other passages), then we must be radical, serious and focused in the way we raise our children. This passage in Ephesians is a great place to start to give us the theological foundation to raise our children in “the way they should go” (Prov. 22:6).
Spirit Filled Parenting Part 1: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Spirit Filled Parenting Part 1: Download Spirit Filled Parenting Part 2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Spirit Filled Parenting Part 2: Download
First Samuel chapter one relates the story of Elkanah and his wife Hannah, who became the mother of Samuel. We are told in verse two that Elkanah had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah, and although Elkanah loved Hannah, she was barren (verse 2, 5, 6). This barrenness caused severe depression and hardship for Hannah, so much that she stopped eating (verse 7). This was compounded by the incessant provocations of Elkanah’s second wife, Peninnah, who would “provoke her bitterly to irritate her” (verse 6) each year as they made the journey to worship at Shiloh. Can you imagine the heartache that Hannah must have experienced? Not only was she barren in a society where barrenness is considered a punishment from God, but she was provoked by a another wife who was bearing children for her own husband! Some of you may relate to the horrible sorrow and anguish of Hannah’s condition.
It is in this particular context that Elkanah enters and performs a common blunder of husbands who are dealing with a hurting wife. In 1 Samuel 1:8, it says that “Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep and why do you not eat and why is your heart sad? Am I not better to you than ten sons?’” Wow! That sounds like so many husbands, myself included. Elkanah foolishly thought that he could satisfy the God-given and innate maternal longings of his wife with this simple statement. What a typical man! He thought he would be a good husband and simply remind her of what a wonderful man he was (“Am I not better than ten sons?”) and all that sadness would simply vanish. What a fool! Elkanah failed to realize that women are designed by God to bear and nurture children, a value that was heavily reinforced by Jewish society and seen as disgraceful if it was not fulfilled, even because of barrenness. He failed to discern his wife’s real needs at that moment and treated her situation like a logical problem instead of an intensely emotional and difficult situation.
Now the Scripture says in 1 Samuel 1:3 that Elkanah worshipped God regularly, so he must have been a devout man who loved God. Therefore it is safe to assume that his intentions were good in speaking to his wife in this way. Yet sometimes a bitter message proceeds from the good intentions of an ignorant husband, and such is the case here. Elkanah would have done better to comfort her with sympathetic presence, compassionate empathy, and a simple hug without words, rather than trying to ‘fix’ her emotional state with the reassurance of his own love. How often do we as husbands, with the best intentions, fail to give our wives what they really need by trying to ‘fix’ their grief, problems and pain? Let Elkanah’s poor example gently correct (or perhaps strongly rebuke) other husbands (beginning with the author) who choose to ‘fix’ their wives’ emotional state rather than walking with them through it in a spirit of empathy and grace.
And yes, Miranda, I have already repented of my many sins in this regard and will try to do better in the future! I love you!
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