Family worship is a favorite time of day in our house. It’s our special time when we read Bible stories, memorize scripture and share our prayers with Jesus.
If you’re already having regular worship with your family — great!
If you’re just getting started with Jesus time, you’ll want to agree about a good time to have worship. Some families like to wake up with worship time. Other families like to have worship just before bedtime. Still more families like to have worship after a meal, in the evening or even throughout the day thanks to family chats and text messages.
There are lots of ideas for family worship! Here are ten ideas for you to try with your family.
- Bible ABCs: Starting with "A" and going through the alphabet, challenge each family member to come up with a Bible-related word, character or place for each letter.
- Bible Hide and Seek: Choose a Bible verse or passage and write the passage on small cards, one word on each card. Then hide the cards around your house or yard and have a family scavenger hunt to find them and piece the scripture passage back together. Take time to pray and discuss the meaning and application of the verse.
- Family Bible Journal: Journals are places to record thoughts, sketches and milestone memories. In an individual or family journal, record your thoughts or doodles about a particular scripture passage. Write down reflections, questions and prayers.
- Character Study: Choose a Bible character (David, Ruth, Peter, Esther, etc.). Read their life story in the Bible, then dig into Bible commentaries to learn about the history, culture and timeframe when this person lived. See what life lessons you can learn from your chosen Bible character. Examine their strengths and weaknesses and how God called them to grow. Pray about how God wants you to grow.
Bonus challenge — dress up like your favorite Bible character to act out short scenes or dialogues. - Praise & Worship Night: Sometimes you just need to lift up your voice in praise! Choose your favorite praise songs or hymns to sing as a family, ask the adults at home to search for YouTube music videos by Christian artists or even write your own family praise song. After the songs are over, take turns sharing what you’re grateful for and then pray together as a family.
- Prayer Pictionary: Have a Pictionary-style game where family members draw prayer requests instead of regular words. Guess the requests and pray together for the mentioned needs.
- Family Scripture Memorization: Choose a Bible verse each week to memorize together as a family. Write it on sticky notes to place in visible places around the house, make scripture artwork or create small posters. Quiz each other during meals, car rides or worship time.
- Family Prayer Walk: Put on your walking shoes and go outside for a walk around your neighborhood or a nearby park. If your neighborhood isn’t safe for walking, you can walk around your house or walk in place while listening to or singing a prayer song. While you walk, pray for your family, friends and neighbors.
- Scripture Art: Have a craft session to create colorful scripture cards, posters or notebooks. Write an encouraging scripture verse and illustrate it with stickers or sketches. Display the artwork around the house, send it to grandparents or church members who need encouragement, give it to a neighbor or use it for your own personal or family encouragement.
- Worship Idea Jar: Brainstorm fun family worship ideas together, write them on slips of paper or wide popsicle sticks and place them in a decorated box or jar. When it’s time for worship, remove a slip of paper or a popsicle stick for your worship prompt for that day or night. Use your imagination for fun ways to share family worship time together.
Activity
Write down and illustrate a Bible verse for your family to memorize. Use strong, bold colors and even add some stickers. Tape the finished Bible verse to a mirror or another place where you’ll see it every day.
Want to share your Bible verse with the Gleaner team? Have an adult in your home take a picture of your Bible verse artwork and send it to talk@nwadventist.com.
