How to have a Worship Experience at Home

Leaders do you have family worship at home daily? If the answer is no, then there is hope, it is never too late to begin this beautiful practice that will bring your family closer together while drawing them closer to Christ. A Christ-like family is like a circle with God at the centre. Picture this, as each family member takes steps towards the centre of the circle (where God resides), each member of the family will grow closer together in the process. 

Does the Bible say anything about daily worship?

Psalms 92:1,2 says: "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night."

Duet 6:6-9 says These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates.

The Bible is telling us here that in the morning we should go to God with lovingkindness and in the night we should shew forth our faithfulness. We need to teach the laws of God to our children and write them on the doorpost of our homes. These scriptures imply that we have a daily morning and evening routine for worship.

Ellen White admonishes us to Let There Be Households of Prayer—"Like the patriarchs of old, those who profess to love God should erect an altar to the Lord wherever they pitch their tent. Fathers and mothers should often lift their hearts to God in humble supplication for themselves and their children. Let the father, as the priest of the household, lay upon the altar of God the morning and evening sacrifice, while the wife and children unite in prayer and praise. In such a household, Jesus will love to tarry.6 CG 518.4"

To many persons, having daily worship can seem daunting. However, the reason for this feeling could probably be that they cannot imagine the format worship should take. Daily worship doesn't have to be long and dreary, especially when you have children. You can start by singing a few upbeat songs or choruses, followed by scripture, then a review of the daily sabbath school lesson quarterly and then close off with family prayer. Alternately you could have songs, testimony and discussions on a biblical topic. Another format could be only singing and prayer or only scripture and prayer.

Worship can be as long or as short as your time would allow it. The important thing is to be consistent, timely and daily so you can develop a strong culture of praising God daily within your household. Worship should be an exercise in participation for all the members of your family. 

There are varied occupations within the church body, and this can present a challenge depending on your work schedule. Choose an appropriate time for worship that benefits most/all members of your family. Make a concerted effort to set aside time for daily worship, whether in your presence or absence. Encourage the members of your family to wake up together and worship and to do it together before bed. The members of the family need to worship together consistently and daily. 

The ideal scenario is for the priest or male head of the household to lead worship. However, in some families, the head of the home is not a Christian or willing to lead out. We would encourage the women to call your family to worship in cases like these. The sanctified wife can sanctify the spouse and by extension, her entire family. Be consistent and inviting to your spouse and, eventually, he may join and lead. Children can also lead out in worship and encourage their parents to have family worship.

The Barna Group researched Seventh Day Adventist families. The results showed that of active Adventists, 40% of families NEVER have worship at home, 33% have family worship once a week, and 27% have worship daily.

Let us discuss some benefits to daily family worship.

• Family worship fosters the formation of closer bonds between the husband and wife. A marriage counsellor once said he has never had to counsel a couple who are heading for divorce that was still having daily family worship. 
• Closer bonds between parents and children as well as between siblings. Family worship is an activity that encourages participation, conversation and should bring a better understanding between family members.
• It teaches the children and adults in the family about the Bible and Spiritual matters. Daily study of religious material not only imparts knowledge, but it also transforms the character of all who hear it.
• It teaches members of the family about prayer.
• It sets the tone and mood for godliness within the household throughout the day.

We encourage you to begin this practice daily within your homes and teach your members the same. Begin your day with Jesus and end the day with Him. This practice will lead to building more godly households, which will lead to more godly churches, and eventually a more godly society.