As a Christian dad, you’ve been told that discipleship begins at home. You’ve heard that you are the primary spiritual mentor of your children. You’re challenged to learn how to start family devotions as a way to lead your family spiritually.
And you really do try your best, even as you wonder if your best is good enough.
If this sounds like you, please know that you’re not alone. Those of us who wear the title “dad” understand the challenges of spiritual leadership. And more than a few of us have felt the frustrations of launching family devotions, only to be met with crickets from our kids.
But, with God’s help, you can learn how to lead a family devotion. And the Bible studies you initiate can make a lasting difference in the lives of your children.
Key Takeaways
- Family Devotions Start with the Dad: Your kids are not going to put it on the calendar, which means if it is going to happen, you are the one who makes it happen.
- Bible at the Center, Always: Devotional resources can help a dad get started, but the goal is to keep Scripture at the center of every family Bible study, not a curriculum.
- Consistency Beats Length: A short, regular family devotion done faithfully every week is better than an occasional long one.
- Make It a Conversation, Not a Lecture: The moment a dad turns family devotions into a one-man show, he loses the room, so ask questions, involve everyone, and let the discussion do the work.
- Age Awareness Matters: A mixed-age household requires a dad who knows his audience, keeps things accessible for younger kids, and does not water things down so much that teenagers check out.
How to Get Kids Excited About Family Devotions
I’m not going to sugarcoat things. Most kids aren’t begging their dads to lead family devotions. They aren’t making lists of family Bible study topics or leaving sticky notes on their parents’ mirror about potential passages to examine. They probably aren’t investing much mental energy into family worship.
But here’s the thing: They will appreciate it. First of all, time with family is precious to kids, even time in family devotions. It’s been said that love is spelled T-I-M-E; so, if you’re taking the time, they’re going to notice.
Also, because family devotions are not on your kids’ radars yet, they have to be on yours. Part of knowing how to lead your family spiritually is paying attention to what matters and pouring into those areas. It might take a while, but your kids will come to see family Bible study as important if you see it as important.
How to Make Family Devotions Fun
But you also need to figure out ways to make family devotions fun for your kids. Mary Poppins was right when she said a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Your children will get more excited about family devotions when you make them appealing to them. For that, you need to focus on these characteristics:
1. Be Biblical
A quick internet search will yield dozens of potential family devotion resources, and I believe those resources have their place, especially for dads just starting out. But remember that your goal is to help your family members become more like Jesus. For that to happen, your family Bible study really needs to keep the Bible at the center of all you do.
2. Be Consistent
Set a regular time and place for family Bible studies. Then, stick to it as best as you can. One great option is integrating it into your family dinner. This doesn’t diminish the value of spontaneous teachable moments. It highlights the power of consistent time with your family around God’s Word.
3. Be Aware
As you plan your family devotions, pay attention to your context. Every family is different, so every family devotion will look different. This is especially true if you have a mix of children and teens. Each age group has different itches, so prayerfully reflect on the best ways to scratch them. Involve your wife in this planning conversation because she’ll probably have some great insights on sharing in a way that doesn’t overwhelm children or water down passages for teens.
4. Be Conversational
The temptation will be to find a family devotion guide for dads, read it, and be done with it. But that short-circuits the process of spiritual growth. Instead, involve every member of the family as much as possible. Let your kids read passages. Encourage your wife to lead the study some days and to ask questions along the way. This also eliminates the pressure of having everything depend on you.
5. Be Brief
While Scripture should be your primary text for addressing family devotion topics, you don’t need to cover a whole book of the Bible in one sitting. Focus on smaller bites. Dig deeper into a few verses. You’ll get more out of it, and your family will enjoy the experience more.
6. Be Relevant
As a Christian adult, you’ve seen how the Bible touches real life. Your kids haven’t had the time or life experiences to connect those dots. That’s where you come in as you start leading family devotions. You can help them see that the Bible is not just an old book with some interesting stories. It’s a guidebook for daily living. So, focus on questions and application. This will help your kids relate Scripture to their personal situations and to act on it each day.
How to Lead a Family Devotion
For many dads, the problem with leading family devotions comes down to the nuts and bolts of building out a study. But it’s really not as hard as it seems. You can find some helpful devotional resources to get started. You can also adapt some common personal Bible study techniques to your family devotion context.
For example, the LEAD method outlines a four-part process for listening, exploring, applying, and doing. In a nutshell, listening involves reading the passage. You can use one translation or maybe read from a couple of different translations. But the key is reading the Scripture aloud. Once your family has listened to the Scripture, you can explore what it says. Take some time to discuss how the original audience would have heard the verses and how that might be different from readers today. This is a prime opportunity to integrate questions into the family Bible study.
After exploration comes a focus on application. This is where Scripture intersects with everyday life. Here, the question shifts from “What do the verses mean?” to “How can I obey what I’ve learned?” Finally, you can turn to doing. This is a prayer time that asks God to help family members have the strength and courage to live out what they’ve learned.
As you might expect, LEAD is not the only Bible study roadmap you can use as a family devotion guide. Other popular acronym methods include SOAP (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) and ASAP (Acquire, Summarize, Apply, Pray). There’s even a plan based on your fingers. Since most focus on the same aspects of family devotions, the key for success comes back to consistency more than any outline.
The Flow of Family Devotions
I work with students in my local church. As I teach, I like to focus on two primary questions: What does this passage tell me about God/Jesus? and How should I respond to what I’ve learned? You can use these questions to shape your family Bible study experience, even if you’re using one of the acronyms listed above.
Here’s a basic format:
Talk About the Day
Use an icebreaker to get things rolling, something like a “high” and a “low” from each person. Then ask someone to say an opening prayer. You can model this prayer to show family members what is expected.
Introduce the Verse(s)
You might ask a leading question or just jump into reading the passage.
Lead a Brief Discussion
Talk about what the verses say and why they are important. Most questions in this section will relate specifically to the text.
Move Toward Application
This is where you can ask the two questions I mentioned:
- What does this passage tell me about God/Jesus?
- How should I respond to what I’ve learned?
Assure family members that everyone is different, so it’s all right if their answers don’t match what someone else says. In fact, it can be great when family members draw different applications from the same passage.
Spend Time in Silent Prayer
This allows each family member to talk with God personally about what He is teaching them. Close in prayer.
Again, keep things age-appropriate. If your kids are younger, focus on narratives. If your kids are older, you can get into some deeper passages. Know your audience and adapt as needed.
5 Family Devotion Study Ideas
Now that you’ve got a quick outline, here are five possible topics from different parts of the Bible that can kickstart your family devotions:
1. God Creates Light (Genesis 1:1-5)
Focus on God as Creator of all things. Light is just the first thing He brought into existence. Remind family members that all He has made is good.
2. God Calls Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-10)
Explain the background of how Samuel ended up in the tabernacle. Point out that Samuel had never heard God speak before, so he wasn’t sure what was happening. Emphasize that He was open to God’s message once he understood who was speaking.
3. The Shepherd’s Song (Psalm 23:1-6)
Talk with family members about why sheep need a shepherd and why it’s important for God to lead us. Point out the way God provides for His people, even when things seem dark. Affirm God’s presence in every circumstance of life.
4. Jesus Heals Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-18)
Explain that leprosy was a terrible disease in the first century, both because of its physical effects and because it isolated people from worship in the synagogue/temple. Highlight the gratitude of the one man who came back to Jesus. Talk about how that man found physical healing and spiritual healing because of his faith in Jesus.
5. The Love Chapter (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)
For younger children, you might want to focus on verses 4-8a. Explain that Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth because the Christians there were having trouble loving one another well. Highlight the various ways Paul described what love is and what it isn’t. Talk about why love is superior to faith and hope. Note that when Jesus comes back, faith and hope won’t be necessary anymore, but love always will be part of God’s kingdom.
