How to Make Family Devotions Work for You

Long before God instituted the church (or any other corporate gathering), He built the home and the family. That should remind us that what happens in our homes matters to Him. And that’s one reason family devotions are such an important tool for dads to have in their spiritual toolbox.

Yes, the church has a responsibility to teach kids about God and His Word, but the biblical model doesn’t emphasize pastors and Sunday school teachers. Those godly servants simply supplement what should already be going on under your roof. Passages like Deuteronomy 6 and Psalm 78 focus on parents as the primary spiritual mentors of their children. And, as heads of the household, dads should take the lead. 

Of course, family worship isn’t the only way parents should disciple their children, but spending time with God as a family is one piece of the puzzle. And it’s a piece you don’t want to miss.

5 Tips When Starting a Family Devotion

As a dad, you may already have a handle on family devotions. You may already be leading your kids to dig into the truths of God’s Word and seeing a difference in their lives as a result. If so, that’s awesome! Keep up the excellent work!

More likely, you’re a dad struggling to figure it out. Or, maybe you tried and got frustrated when things went off the rails. Either way, don’t despair. God has called you to this task, and He will equip you to lead your family’s time with Him. If you’re open to taking the step toward family devotions, understand that there’s no single formula for success. Every family is unique, so every family’s devotions will look different. But there are a few things that every family can build on. Let’s call them the “The Be’s of Family Devotions.”

1. Be simple. You don’t need a complicated order of worship for your family’s time with God. Keep things streamlined: Read some Scripture, ask a few questions, and pray. Find one key point to emphasize and help your kids see how it plays out in real life. It really can be that simple.

2. Be intentional yet flexible. Find a time that works well for your family and put it on the calendar. Make it a priority. Just remember that some nights won’t go exactly as planned—and that’s OK. Follow where God leads! And give yourself plenty of grace. If you miss a night, make sure you don’t miss the next one.

3. Be creative. In other words, keep things age-appropriate. If you have toddlers, stick with picture books that tell biblical stories. Just remember to emphasize that these stories are true because they are from the Bible. As kids get older, adjust your methods to include activities for younger kids who like to move and object lessons for older kids learning to think abstractly.

If you’ve got a mix of ages, skew toward the older kids. For one thing, younger kids can adjust up more easily than older kids can adjust down. If things get too elementary, older kids will shut down and lose interest. Also, your time with your older kids is more limited, so share in a way that reaches them while you can.

4. Be biblical. This sounds obvious, but family devotions need to focus on the Bible. The goal is to point our kids toward God, which only happens when we point them to His Word. It’s fine to use other tools and activities to share a truth, but make Scripture the centerpiece of our family worship.

5. Be aware. Discipleship in the home doesn’t end with an “amen.” Think of family devotions as a springboard to teachable moments. Look for times during the week when you can reinforce your family’s time with God with real-life situations.

As you think about building your family’s devotions, try to avoid two pitfalls. First, don’t bite off more than you can chew. If daily devotions don’t work, it’s all right to do them once a week starting out. The point is spending time with God, not keeping a checklist.

Second, don’t slack on your own personal devotions. You can only take your family as far as you travel yourself, so make one-on-one time with God a priority in your life. Resources like Manhood Journey’s free daily Bible reading plans can help.

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

(Isaiah 55:11)

Family Devotions You Can Start Today

A quick internet search will reveal plenty of possibilities for family devotional books and guides. Some are free from churches or organizations, while others can be bought at sites like Amazon or Lifeway.com. Here are a few options from a variety of sources that might get you moving in the right direction:

• YouVersion. You may know already that YouVersion puts tons of Bible translations into the palm of your hand. But it also has many devotional plans, including several for families. This is a good option if you want to start with something short and free just to get your feet wet.
• Websites like Family Worship Initiative, Keys for Kids, and Seeds Family Worship offer a variety of family devotions and activities, as well as parenting tips, music, and blogs.
• The Very Best, Hands-on, Kinda Dangerous Family Devotions by Tim Shoemaker. This book takes family worship to another level by providing ideas for creative object lessons that drive home biblical truths. For example, you can retrofit a leaf blower into a toilet paper launcher to explain the power of the Holy Spirit.
• You can use more traditional family devotion books like Long Story Short by Marty Machowski, Foundations by Ruth Chou and Troy Simons, and Grace for the Moment by Max Lucado.
• For dads who want to nurture their sons in a more personal way, Manhood Journey also offers our 1 on 1 Studies. If you’re interested in encouraging other fathers and sons, check out our Group Studies. 

The Bottom Line

The idea of leading family devotions may push you way outside your comfort zone. But let me encourage you with two truths. First, you don’t have to be perfect. You simply need to point your kids toward the God who loves them and who has called you to this task.

Second, it will make a difference. God has promised that His Word would never be wasted (Isa. 55:11). He’s also said that when kids are exposed to His ways, the truths will stick with them over time (Prov. 22:6).

You can do this—and it’s absolutely worth the effort!