Hello Grace Family!

It's time for our next Resource of the Month!  This month, we are highligting two resources that can help us deepen our daily worship:

(1) The booklet Family Worship by Donald Whitney.

(2) The daily devotional book Be Thou My Vision by Jonathan Gibson.

With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, family is on our minds and our schedules. Speficially for families with children, did you know that God wants parents to not only be worshippers themselves, but also to teach their children to worship (See Deut. 6:4–9; Eph. 6:4)?

Of course, this includes regular participation in corporate worship with the church on the Lord's Day. But aside from this, there is simply no better way to teach our children to worship than to develop a regular habit of family worship at home. This is where Donald Whitneys' booklet Family Worship is so helpful.

Whitney recommends a very simple three-step plan that every family can adopt: Read, Pray, Sing.

First, read and talk about scripture together. You can use a scripture reading plan, a devotional book, or even a children's Bible for younger kids. Teach children that God's Word is a lamp to our feet and a light on our path! Second, pray together. Invite the children to share prayer requests for themselves and others, and to participate in the prayer. Consider using a prayer guide or calendar, and letting the scripture you read inform and guide your prayers, as well. Third, sing together. Choose one song that the family can learn and sing. If your family is musically gifted, don't hold back. This is also a great way to introduce more hymns and songs. 

"Read, Pray, Sing. Sounds simple enough, except when on earth could we possibly find the time to do this? We are so busy, and so tired!"

Believe me, I can relate. Whitney recommends finding the most natural time for your family, which will probably be one of three windows: (1) with the morning meal; (2) with the evening meal; (3) just before bedtime. 

I confess that in our home, we are far from perfect in our family worship routine. Some days, it simply doesn't happen. But when it does, when we conclude our family dinner by opening God's Word, praying togehter, and signing praise, it is truly special. It's Deuteronomy 6:4–9 unfolding in front of our eyes. It's making disciples. And it's honoring to the Lord.

I highly encourage you to give family worship a try. Pick up a copy of Whitney's booklet to help guide you.

What if you don't have kids at home to teach, but still want to deepen your daily worship? This next resource is for you.

Daily worship is a blessing and a joy, but it can sometimes be a struggle. Maybe you run out of steam with your Bible reading plan, or you open the Word and can't grasp what it's saying, or you start to pray and your mind begins to wander. Have you been there? I know I have.

After wrestling with these challenges himself, Pastor and Professor Jonathan Gibson created Be Though My Vision to help. He calls it "a liturgy for daily worship." To put it more simply, it's a guide to walk you through Bible reading, prayer, and praise each and every day. Each day follows a simple pattern based on Reformed liturgy. It includes things like: a call to worship, a scripture reading, a confession of sin, an assurance of pardon, the Lord's Prayer, and more. The liturgy provides enough structure to keep you moving, while also giving plenty of flexibilty to incorporate your own prayers or Bible reading plans. 

Personally, I have found this book to richly rejuvenate my own personal daily worship in a few seasons over the past two years. Although I am naturally wired to be more spontaneous and to go with the flow, I must admit that there is something about following a liturgy which deepens our interactions with the Lord through his Word and through prayer. It forces us to get out of our comfort zones, and to embrace a more fully orbed approach to our discipleship. I am so grateful to have discovered this resource, and I hope it will be a blessing to you. 

I would love to hear from you. Which resources help you to worship God each day? 

Email me: tom@gracestamford.org

Thank you for reading the Resource of the Month email! If you have any questions about these resources, please reach out. Look for our next recommended resource in a few weeks.

Sincerely, your brother in Christ,

Tom Hansen, Senior Pastor