The fact that you are reading this means that you are interested in family worship. Perhaps you are even a little cautious as well. You’re not alone. Evangelicals are beginning to rediscover the great blessing of family worship. Family worship is simply coming together as a family and worshipping God in the home. In the same way we come together for a time of corporate worship in the church, we also come together in the home for a time of family worship that involves prayer, reading scripture, and singing songs.

I admit that it may seem a little intimidating at first, but don’t let it be. The key is to start small and finish big. It’s worth it because your children really do want to know about God. The truth is your home is like a little church. Christian parents can lead their home in family worship. It’s really not that hard. Teaching your kids about your faith and sharing in a time of family worship isn’t just for trained theologians or pastors with kids. It’s for all of us, including single parents, working parents, and parents who are new to the faith. Trust me. If my wife and I can do it, you can do it too.

Don’t Leave Family Discipleship Up to the Church
Many Christians believe that it is the church’s responsibility to raise their children in the faith. Too often, people think that the church is more like a baby-sitting service to watch our kids for a few hours a week. Nothing could be further from the truth. While church is important, the Bible tells us that the home is the primary place of learning the Bible and giving moral instruction. More than ever, it is time for us to step back and rethink the importance and value of worship in the home.

The call to “make disciples” begins in our homes first. It is our spiritual responsibility as parents, to teach our children about the faith. The Bible tells parents, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). As Christian parents, we should desire for our children to have a firm foundation and grow up to love Jesus and know what the Bible says about our lives.

Using This Study
This little book has been prepared as an introduction to family worship and to help you teach your children basic Christian beliefs and to memorize Scripture. This can be both fun and educational. The first section has short Scripture passages for you to learn with your children. The next section has longer passages such as the Ten Commandments and the 23rd Psalm. There is a sample Catechism for Boys and Girls with questions and answers that will help you learn basic Christian doctrine with your children. Lastly, there is a list of family prayers and songs that can be used at various times of the day.

Advent is a time of preparation, beginning four Sundays before Christmas. The word comes from the Latin adventus, which means coming or arrival. Similar to the Lenten season, which prepares us for Resurrection Sunday, Advent is a season of reflection and longing for the coming King. As our awareness for the first coming of Christ is heightened, our longing and expectation for his second advent increases as well.

The great proclamation “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14) assures us that God has entered into human history through the incarnation of the Son. The season of Advent, a season of waiting, is designed to cultivate our awareness of God’s actions–past, present, and future. In this season, we hear the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming as addressed to us–people who wait for the second coming. Our sense of anticipation is heightened as we look for the day when the lion will lie down with the lamb, death will be swallowed up, and every tear will be wiped away. In this way, Advent highlights for us the larger story of God’s redemptive plan.

A deliberate tension must be built into our practice of the Advent season. Christ has come, and yet not all things have reached completion. So we remember the longing of Israel, we give thanks for Christ’s birth, and we anticipate his return. For this reason, Advent began as a penitential season, a time for discipline and intentional repentance in the confident expectation and hope of Christ’s coming again.

Throughout the centuries, the Church has adopted many themes by dwelling on a specific idea during each week. We will use perhaps the most common themes by focusing on hope, peace, joy, and love.

We pray that when Christmas Day arrives and you are finished with this devotional, you will join the early Church with the word, Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Many churches have a linear discipleship program where they try to funnel everyone through the same process. Sadly, many times churches simply use the latest program or book in hopes that what works for a large church across the country in a different context will work for them. I have learned that discipleship is usually the opposite. What works in California or New York might not work in Tennessee. You need to find out what works in your culture and context. Being organic means that you begin with the gospel and let the people grow naturally, right where they are. This is growing disciples naturally.

The Organic Nature of the Church

You may be asking yourself the question, “Why organic?” The answer is in the Bible. The Old and New Testaments are based on an organic worldview. The Bible uses various organic metaphors to describe spiritual growth such as sowing and reaping (John 4:37; 2 Cor. 9:6) planting and watering (1 Cor. 3:6), growing (1 Pt. 2:2; 2 Pt. 3:18) and bearing fruit (Mt. 7:17-20; John 15:16; Gal. 5:22). The church is spoken of as a family (for example the use of terms such as brother, sister, mother, father, bride, etc.). The church is also the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:12 Paul talks about the whole body as a distinct metaphor for Christ’s church. In Paul’s body metaphor, every part has an important role to play in the whole.

Nowhere in the New Testament do we find the word church referring to a building. In its earliest expression, the church meant a group of individuals who had come together in the name of Jesus Christ. The Greek word for church is ecclesia, which literally means ““the called out ones.”” Interestingly enough, the English dictionary describes church as, ““A place of public worship.”” Over the ages, the concept of church has shifted from being a body to becoming a building. People have gotten it backwards. Followers of Jesus must get back to an organic understanding of what it means to be the church.

The church is the spiritual and living Body of Christ. Like all healthy organisms, it requires numerous systems and structures that work together to fulfill its intended purpose and overall health. Just as the physical body has to have an organic structuretoholdittogetherwhileallowingittogrow and develop, likewise the body of Christ must have an organic structure that can do the same. As a new church continues to grow and change, it will out grow it sold systems and structures. Leonard Sweet says, “We must develop ministries that continually adjust and change with our continually changing culture.” In a similar way, a church’s discipleship strategy must be structured enough to maintain order, but organic enough to change with the ongoing needs of the church as it grows or it will hinder its growth. Therefore, the church’s discipleship strategy must be organic.

Organic Discipleship is an organic understanding of the spiritual formation that begins and ends with the gospel. Organic means growing or developing in a manner of living organisms. Anorganicunderstandingofthediscipleshipwill requirechurchleaderstorethinkcurrentchurchsystemsand structures in Biblical terms. Alan Hirsch argues that an organic image of the church and mission is theologically richer than any mechanistic and institutional conceptions of church that we can devise. Organic discipleship is not a program or curriculum; rather it is about learning the natural rhythms of discipleship within your church context.

Who is the Holy Spirit? Christians have asked this question throughout the ages. There have been many different opinions as to the personal nature of the Holy Spirit. Some have wondered if the Spirit was a created being, while others believed that the Spirit was an energy force. We can learn a lot from the Bible‘s descriptive title the Holy Spirit.

 The, is an article that stresses the particularity and uniqueness of the Spirit. There are many spirits but there is only one Holy Spirit.

 Holy, stresses the sacredness and purity of the Spirit. Holy also stresses the majesty and glory of God.

 Spirit, implies immateriality, no flesh, or material substance.

1. The Divine Nature of the Holy Spirit
Most religions and cults deny the deity and existence of the Holy Spirit. Sadly, even many Christians believe that the Spirit is not fully divine. The writers of the Bible clearly emphasized the deity of the Holy Spirit. The Bible also shows that there is a unique relationship between the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. This interrelationship is often called the Trinity, which refers to three distinct divine Personalities, each wholly God, yet one essence.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been defended by the Christian church for nearly two thousand years. One of the earliest doctrinal statements of the Christian faith called the Nicene Creed (325) beautifully describes the divinity of the Holy Spirit, ―I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.‖ It cannot be overestimated that the Holy Spirit is divine. There are several divine attributes ascribed to the Holy Spirit.

Divine Attributes Ascribed to the Spirit
a. Omnipresent- The Holy Spirit is everywhere at all times (Psalms 139:7-10).
b. Omnipotent- The Holy Spirit is all-powerful (Luke 1:35).
c. Omniscient- The Holy Spirit has all knowledge (1 Corinthian 2:10-11).
d. Eternal- The Holy Spirit has no beginning and no end (Hebrews 9:14).
e. Holy- The Holy Spirit is wholly pure, perfect, and sacred.

2. The Personal Nature of the Holy Spirit
Many Christians also find it hard to understand the personal aspect of the Holy Spirit. Too often we think of Him in a symbolic and impersonal manner. What we will find, however, is that the Holy Spirit is also a person. Jesus has many times referred to the personal nature of the Holy Spirit. Jesus called the Holy Spirit the ―Paraclete,‖ which means one called alongside. It is one who is an advocate, comforter, or counselor. The word Paraclete implies a distinct personality. The Bible ascribes Him personal characteristics such as a will (Acts 13:1, 1 Cor 12:11), mind (1 Cor. 2:10-11, Romans 8:27), and emotions (Eph 4:30).
Personal Treatment of the Holy Spirit

a. The Holy Spirit can be lied to (Acts 5:3).
b. The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Eph. 4:30).
c. The Holy Spirit can be quenched (1 Thess.
5:19).
d. The Holy Spirit can be resisted (Acts 7:51).
e. The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed (Matt.
12:31-32, Mark 3:28-29, Luke 12:10).

3. The Names and Titles of the Holy Spirit
The Bible uses many different names, titles, and symbols to paint a portrait of the Holy Spirit, each representing what He does and who He is. For example, The Bible uses symbols such as Fire, Wind, Water, Wine, and a Dove. The Biblical names and titles of the Holy Spirit can be divided into three categories: Who the Holy Spirit is, what the Holy Spirit is, what the Holy Spirit does.