Mark Driscoll gives a realistic approach to doing family devotions at dinnertime:
Step 1. Eat dinner with your entire family regularly.
Step 2. Mom and Dad sit next to one another to lead the family discussion.
Step 3. Open the meal by asking if there is anyone or anything to pray for.
Step 4. Someone opens in prayer and covers any requests. This task should be rotated among family members so that different people take turns learning to pray aloud.
Step 5. Start eating and discuss how everyone’s day went.
Step 6. Have a Bible in front of the parents in a translation that is age-appropriate for the kids’ reading level. Have someone (parent or child) open the Bible, and assign a portion to read aloud while everyone is eating and listening.
Step 7. Parents should note key words and themes in the passage and explain them to the kids on an age-appropriate level.
Step 8. Ask questions about the passage. You may want to begin with having your children summarize what was read—retelling the story or passage outline. Then, ask the following questions: What does this passage teach us about God? What does it say about us or about how God sees us? What does it teach us about our relationships with others?
Step 9. Let the conversation happen naturally, listen carefully to the kids, let them answer the questions, and fill in whatever they miss or lovingly and gently correct whatever they get wrong so as to help them.
Step 10. If the Scriptures convict you of sin, repent as you need to your family, and share appropriately honest parts of your life story so the kids can see Jesus’ work in your life and your need for him too. This demonstrates gospel humility to them.
Step 11. At the end of dinner, ask the kids if they have any questions for you.
Step 12. If you miss a night, or if conversation gets off track, or if your family occasionally just wants to talk about something else, don’t stress—it’s inevitable.
Adapted from “Family Dinner Bible Studies” by Mark Driscoll in Trial: 8 Witnesses from 1 & 2 Peter, a study guide. (Mars Hill Church, 2009), pages 69-70.
(HT: Life Together)
4 comments:
Thank you!
I was brought up in a family where family devotions was practiced, my fiancee wasn't and now as we discuss out future home we realise how important it is! Lets keep in the word in our families. Thank you for this
Jason Ramsey
Presenter (Law Grace Radio)
www.lawgrace.co.uk
This seems like a compelling approach.
But practically, I wonder how doable this is if, as in my family, we have a number of young children, and much of our time is simply spent feeding and ensuring that children are eating, etc. And only one of our children is of reading age, and only two of them can really comprehend.
That said, I think I'm willing to give it a shot...
Lewsta sez:
It sounds fine on the surface..... but the major flaw I find in it is that now the family has two compelling and competing activities, and can give full attention to neither. Let mealtimes be mealtimes, a time of connecting with each other, delighting in each other's company and the good food. Have your time in the word either after dinnner, or some other time altogether. Mealtimes ought to be a time of building the family as family, along its own distinctives. Scripture study/devotional time ought to be that, and not distracted by things like food, and the inevitable discussions a family will have, which are healthy and needful in and of themselves. Sounds like an attempt at multi-tasking, both activities being of low enough priority they can share the timeslot. Make time for BOTH these critically needful activities, undistracted by competition. Healthier that way. But please, do NOT think I am minimising the importance of the study/devotion time. In fact, I value it so highly I am saying DO IT... all by itself so as to have everyone's undivided attention given it.
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