by Megan Johnson
Family Worship. Discipling your kids. How to implement these things with your crazy crew of kids can be a daunting challenge that is easily given up on for fear of “doing it wrong”, feeling inadequate, lack of participation from the little people, or likely, simply the pure chaos that can make even the strongest parents utter foul words during Bible time. Amen?
All that being said, here at New City Kids, we hold in high regard and deeply desire to help you, as parents, disciple your kids; whether they are 16 months or 16 years old. So, we’re adding this section to the monthly NCK email, designed to help walk alongside you; giving you ideas, encouragement, and resources you can use.
I think the most important place we can start is by encouraging you to embrace the chaos – whatever that looks like in your house.
When it comes to implementing a family worship time, start with where you are and don’t expect it to look how you think it’s supposed to look. God is way bigger than that! His plans for your kids – his kids – are greater than yours and He will work through that one Bible verse, silly song, story in the Jesus Storybook Bible, and prayer you pray with, and over, your kids.
My encouragement is this: just start.
Here are just a few ideas –
- Grab a great children’s Bible (The Jesus Storybook Bible or The Big Picture Interactive Bible Storybook are great ones!) and start reading together
- Say the catechism question and answers around the dinner table (some are always listed in the 2-4’s take home guide)
- Re-read together, the story that your kids did in NCK that week
- Work on memorizing a hymn together (there is SO much great depth in hymns that has stood the test of time)
- Make a family prayer journal where you watch how God answers the prayers you pray
- Pick a Bible verse to memorize together (NCK has one every month per age group – do it as a family!).
Whatever you do, keep at it. Know that the Lord is doing something, however imperfect or messy it feels!
Resources
There are SO MANY I want to share, but here’s one my family LOVES:
The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New
by Marty Machowski