I know a male Christian who participates in two worship services every Sunday, one in the church, and the other in his family. Born into a large family, he is a fifth-generation Christian. Since the days of the Republic of China, his family held family worship every Sunday afternoon.
In the service, after leading family members in singing hymns, elders share a passage of scriptures, followed by a lively discussion. There have been several generations of participants for a hundred years without interruption.
Family worship is very common in many predominantly Christian countries. For instance, many families of spiritual giants hold such meetings every week. John Wesley and Robert Morrison both mentioned family services in their memoirs. In China, it also exists in some Christian families, like the famous Soong family that was heavily involved in the political course of China during the 20th century.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, churches suspended their in-person activities due to the requirement of pandemic prevention. Listening to online sermons, many believers found that it lacked solemnity. So, when the pandemic was under control and they were able to go outside, some called their relatives together to hold family worship. Members with a good foundation in the truth led the family of about a dozen persons in reading the Bible, praying, and sharing.
Although it does not have the depth of Sunday services in sermon and worship, they all feel good, as after praising God and listening to His words, they hold a lovely family banquet. Some families continued these activities after churches reopened.
In addition to improving the faith of believers during this special period, family worship also has positive significance in promoting the relationships between family members. Some relatives do not contact with each other for several years, as the traditional concept of family is gradually indifferent under great pressure and competition in contemporary society.
Family worship plays a positive role in building a harmonious family and society, allowing members to have more contact and resolve conflicts they may have had before.
It is a valuable model of gatherings, as it can not only improve believers’ spiritual life but also enhance the neighboring relationships, as they can invite other Christians in the same community to participate in activities in their own homes. Besides studying the Bible, they can sing hymns and share various testimonies together. In some cases, they cannot conduct worship between their family members, since some work in distant places or are non-Christians.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
