The Tri-Moms want to delve into a conversation about family worship this week. Our family has not regularly attended a church for five or six years. It was a tough decision, but it is our conscious choice (not a default decision). Though I can discuss our reasons sometime if anyone is interested, today I want to address the insecurities of Christ-following families who do not attend a church building.
It seems as though more and more of us are, for a variety of reasons, are choosing to leave the establishment to bring our worship into the home. Others are new to an area and searching for a church but have not yet found a church family...and some are not new to an area, but have chosen to find a new church home for another reason, but the search is stalled. This is for all of us!
We did not make this decision lightly or without great thought and prayer. These are the two big issues for us (and maybe for you):
1) Can you be a Christian but not go to church?
The New Testament is clear that The Church is not a building, The Church is His people-- The Body of Christ. Paul paints a beautiful picture of this Body in Corinthians. When we are tempted to think that by not going to church we are somehow not a part of this Body, we look to I Corinthians 12: 14, 18-21, 26-27:
Even so the body is not made up of one
part but of many. But in fact God has placed the parts in the body,
every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?
As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to
the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I
don’t need you!” If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one
part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of
Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
This is illustrated daily in our own family. Some of us are ears: good listeners. Some of us are mouths: gifted peacemakers. Some of us are hands: dinner makers. {Wink.} Within our family unit, we are examples of the Body every day and when we meet with others, we naturally continue.
...which leads into our next insecurity:
2) What about where the Bible says not to stop meeting with other Christians?
This is sort of the like the thinking that if a child is homeschooled, he therefore is not socialized. If we learned at home and worshiped at home and stayed at home all the time, maybe this could be a valid concern. But we don't live in a box. We meet with friends and welcome friends into our home. We fellowship with family and people of all ages. We meet and share with like-minded folk in our homeschool group and co-op. We take meals to those in need. We pray and discuss Scripture with others in our home and theirs.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 says:
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but
encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
It says not to give up meeting together. It doesn't say meeting
must occur in a church building.
Choosing to worship at home may be a short season for us or it may be a longer one. We are open to the Lord's leading, but while we wait, we are encouraged by the words of Matthew 18:20:
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.
Two or three. He promises to be with us even if our group is small. That means He is with us when we sing and pray as a family. He is with us as we cry with a hurting friend on the phone. He is with us when we share a meal with other believers. What a promise!
(This week I'll share a little about our family devotions time and
how we worship in our home so be sure to stop back in.)
In the meantime, hop over to
Kathi's blog and
Suzanne's blog, too, and read what they have to say about family worship. And of course, hop back here and link up to your blog post about how or why you worship at home.
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Up next: August 2
Summer Fun on a Budget
How do you entertain your family with limited expense?
Do you have a great list of family movies?
Not got a lot of time, but want to share a picture of your family's cheap fun?
Consider linking up!
Coming Soon:
August 16: Clothing a Bunch
and asks a few questions about the passage. On nights when he's not home, I'll sometimes read a chapter of Missionary Stories With the Millers.
or a chapter of Encyclopedia Brown. 
Okay. Let me be honest right up front here at the beginning. This is a product review...and yes, I did receive it for free in exchange for my opinion on the product, but there is a reason I'm doing this review at all. I'm totally in love with the concept and the vision behind this series. 
at the library because it looked like a fun read, but was not prepared for the depth of his story. It was truly the best book I read all summer so when I first heard about Phil's new company and new video series, I was intrigued. 
For about a year now, Brian has been working with them through Shirley's Dobson's My Bible Coloring Book. Each page lists the Bible reference for a particular story and he reads to us straight from the Bible (either the NIV or the NLT). We all discuss it and Brian usually asks questions and asks someone to tell the story back to him. After we are done, we pray together and then the kids run to the table to color their picture. 
