We have three great enemies, our flesh, the world, and Satan with all his minions. These enemies attempt to derail us in various ways: either through pollution, persecution, or distraction. Their objective in this invisible war? Failure to worship and acknowledge our God. So it would seem then that we must build our defenses against these foes. For if they succeed, then the effects are and will be devastating.

The carnage these enemies leave upon us, our churches, and our families are tremendous and devastating. Think of the countless hours we have spent counseling, praying, pleading, warning people and families left wounded by our enemies. Of course, there are many things we can do to bolster our defenses to protect ourselves, our church, and our families. One, out of the many, is spending time as a family worshiping together.

When I say family worship, I do not mean exclusively worshiping as a family in an attempt to replace private or corporate worship. I am not advocating forsaking the local church. I mean that family worship could also be called a family devotion time or a time of encouraging your family to love and serve the Lord. Family worship is beautiful, rewarding, enriching, and expected. It is the most appropriate thing you can do as a family and offers a great defense against our foes. So knowing the biblical reasons why we should do it and seeing that it is an expectation helps us make time for it.

Biblical reason #1: The biblical definition of worship naturally and logically points to a family worshiping together.
Before we examine the tree, we need to see the forest. What is worship? This is a rather tricky task, especially in the Christian world today. Not that the Bible is unclear, but we, as believers, use the term ambiguously. The word is used for singing songs, hearing a sermon, attending church, and many other things.

Several words are used in the Scripture that are translated as “worship,” and when we systematize these words, we get a biblical picture of worship. In the New Testament, two words are primarily used: proskuneo and latreou. Proskuneo means to kiss the ground before someone as an act of affection, submission, and paying homage. Revelation 4:10 uses this word to show the 24 elders bowing low to the ground. They speak of Christ’s worthiness with the backdrop of their unworthiness. Latreou means I am dedicated as I serve. Paul uses this word in Romans 12:1 in the context of “presenting our body as a sacrifice,” which depicts the image of a priest serving God in the tabernacle; the difference is that we are not Levitical priests, and we are offering ourselves as a living sacrifice.

These two words give us the idea of adoration, homage, dedication, service, and sacrifice; when these thoughts are added together, we are left with the real sense that worship is the believer's appropriate response of love to God. Worship is not limited to an hour a week but takes place every moment. You worship when you are alone, with friends, family, believers, at work, in the deer stand, playing golf, watching TV, and anything else you do. It's not limited to actions but includes our thoughts, attitudes, and speech. Worship consists of all things at all times, with no exceptions.

So if I am to worship all the time, whether formal or informal, doesn’t it follow that if I’m constantly around my family, then I should be worshiping with them? Whether this is informal and spontaneous, or something more formal and planned. Shouldn’t a family who understands worship encourage each other to worship?

Biblical reason #2: The biblical pattern of roles in a family point to constant and vibrant worshiping together.
I think God is brilliant and His ways are much higher than ours. Only He could leave us a pattern for a family that can stand the test of time. It is marvelous that this pattern speaks of greater realities like the relationship between Christ and the Church. He, in His infinite wisdom, made all people in His image. All people, therefore, are equal before our Creator in dignity and personality. Yet, though equal in dignity and personhood, differing in function. Here is the beautiful thing, the different functions complement each other. Isn’t that incredible? Sometimes, I lose sight of this reality because it is mundane and axiomatic. Yet, when you examine it and contemplate the brilliance of our God, you start to see that within the pattern is the built-in expectation of a family worshiping together.

This pattern is first mentioned in Genesis 2:18-25. God sees that it is not good for man to be alone, so He took a rib from Adam and made Eve from that rib. When Adam first sees his wife he acknowledges her as a human, but with a distinction, she is called a woman. Then we see that a man is to leave his parents and take his wife to himself; they shall be one flesh. This creates a new family unit with the implication that the man initiates the union — he leaves and holds. The man is the loving initiator, comforter, and protector. The second implication is that the woman is the helper of the man’s loneliness since she allows herself to be held by her husband. She runs into his arms, letting him take the lead, comforting him while accepting comfort from only him. It is clear after Adam and Eve are created that God blesses them and charges them to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28). This is the pattern: Man initiates the union, leaves his family, takes a wife who follows him, and with God’s blessing they are to be fruitful.

Then the problem starts — Adam and Eve's sin (anti-worship). They don’t respond appropriately out of love for God; they act inappropriately. With sin comes a curse, hope of a future Savior, and an ominous cloud of future war. God says in Genesis 3:18b that the woman will have this desire to control the husband, and the husband will control her. God is letting them know that the family dynamic is moving from bliss to bitterness.

God has a beautiful, pre-ordained plan to deal with the mess created. Paul explains it in Ephesians. First, He solves the problem through the gospel. Secondly, He transforms the believers through the power of the Spirit. In 5:18-21, we see that the Spirit must control a believer, and several things will occur due to that control — such as the way you talk to others, the joy in your heart, an attitude of thankfulness, love for others, and the willingness to be obedient to God. All of these could be defined as a worshipful attitude. The rest of the chapter deals with the family, and the sense is that through the gospel and the indwelling Spirit, the family will act in a way that is consistent with God’s pattern for the family.

First, Paul deals with the wife, who is asked to submit to her husband. Paul gives the wife a theological reason for this — marriage resembles a more excellent relationship between Christ and the church. So the wife is like the church, which submits to Christ.

Second, Paul deals with the husband who is asked to love his wife. Paul also explains this because marriage resembles a more extraordinary relationship between Christ and the church. So the husband sees Christ as his example in loving his wife. How does Jesus love the church? He gives His life for the church; His desire is the church's sanctification, and He cleanses her by the washing of the Word. In verse 28, husbands are called to love their wives similarly. Notice that part of the husband's love for his wife is sacrificial and he is concerned for her sanctification. Indeed, a husband can’t die on the cross for his wife's sins, but he can desire her sanctification, and he can “wash her with the Word.” This washing with the Word refers to the purification of the wife by pointing her towards the Savior and the scriptures which cleanses her. For a husband, the implication is clear: he encourages his wife with the Word. This points to the constant time of worship together.

Third, Paul deals with children in 6:1-4. He tells them to obey their parents in the Lord for this is right. Then Paul returns to the fathers and encourages them to bring up the children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Once again, we see that the father is concerned about the children's spiritual life, which means a constant time of worship together. I must point out once again that this is not the replacement of worship with the local church, but this is a family worshiping in addition to their time in the local church. Some may even advocate for a time together that resembles a church service. The father must make an effort and determine what this time looks like since he is the head.

Biblical reason #3: The Bible gives examples as instructions for later families, which show the expected normative pattern and benefit of families worshiping together.
When I was about 11, my father took me to a synagogue to learn Hebrew. My father was a gospel minister but needed some help with his Hebrew, and he asked if I wanted to learn the language. I thought it would be fun. Of course, I was wrong; the class was on Monday night, and I missed Monday night football. I also learned that it was work. But I learned many things; the one thing I learned was the synagogue's dedication to Deuteronomy 6:4-7. It was everywhere and for excellent reason. It was a great reminder to the people attending.

As good dispensationalists, we understand that things said in the Old Testament are for our benefit and example. We believe that all scripture is inspired and profitable, even if it isn’t perfectly applicable. We can look at a text, see the principle and add the principle to our life, like a text like Deuteronomy 6:4-7. This text instructs the Israelites to love God with all that is in them and to remember God’s Word. They were to teach them diligently to their children. When do you teach your children? When you are sitting, lying down, walking, going to bed, and in the morning — the sense is ALL THE TIME. The point was that the children would learn to be dedicated and devoted to the Lord. As a believer, the principle is pretty straightforward; the parents are to talk to their children all the time. We are to encourage each other to be dedicated and devoted to the Lord. The source of this instruction is the Word. This was a regular part of family life; the text normalizes families worshiping together.

We learn from good examples and also bad examples. The book of Judges is filled with the latter. Early in the book, families stopped worshiping God altogether (Judges 2:10-12). We are told that a generation rose who did not know the Lord or what the Lord had done. Now the blame cannot be solely placed at the feet of the parents; it does seem that the parents did not follow the example of Joshua. Joshua was devoted that he and his family would serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15). Joshua even warned that the people could not serve the Lord (Joshua 24:19) and that the consequence of disobedience would be harm and judgment. Joshua had doubts about the people because he told them to put away the foreign god among them (Joshua 24:23). So it seems like that generation who ended the promised land had a mixed allegiance and the desire to serve the Lord. The result in Judges is that the parents passed on the idols, but failed to pass on a desire to serve the Lord. The result was catastrophic as the nation spiraled into chaos and civil unrest. Even though the Lord rescued them from their enemies, there never seemed to be a strong and vibrant devotion to the Lord. Parents could pass on their idols but never pass on worship to the Lord. They jettisoned Deuteronomy 6.

When we look at the New Testament, we see the example of Timothy. Here is a young man that learned the Scriptures from an early age. By God’s grace he grew into a very mature and faithful believer to the point that Paul took him along on his trips. Of course, Timothy is a product of God’s grace, the local church, Paul, and the other apostles, but also from his family (2 Timothy 3:15). The teaching Timothy received from all these influences were normative, systematic, and scriptural. Because of these influences upon him, he became a colossal ministry asset to Paul and the church at large. But Paul notes that the things he teaches now were learned from a very young age. Therefore, family instruction was immensely beneficial to Timothy and the church.

Conclusion
When I first sat down to write this article, I thought, “Why do we need an article defending something that seems so obvious?” I wondered if anyone was against family worship, so I texted fellow pastors from the Pacific Northwest. I was shocked at their response; most of them had run-ins with people who stopped attending the local body in the name of family worship. After I clarified, the overwhelming response was generally, “I don’t know anyone who is against it, but I know many who neglect it.” Let us not kid ourselves; it is easy for even us (IFCA members and church leaders) to neglect it.

As I have already mentioned, we are engaged in a great spiritual battle. Our enemy is crafty, and he can tempt us and persuade us away from worshiping with our own family. Knowing why we should have family worship bolsters our defense against that temptation. It is my prayer for you, which should be your prayer for me, that we worship Jesus passionately. We should pray that we worship Jesus privately, publicly, and with our family.

Caleb Hilbert is the pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon, He is married to Krista, and they have three children.