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
笔者认识一位弟兄，他每个主日都会参加两场礼拜，一个是在教堂举行的主日崇拜，另一个则是他们家族开展的家庭礼拜。这位弟兄成长于一个大家族，是五代基督徒了。从民国时期开始，他们家族都会在每周日的下午举行家庭礼拜。
礼拜由长辈带领，带着家庭成员唱赞美诗，分享一段经文，并进行热烈的讨论。这样的礼拜换了几代人，百年来如一日从未中断。
家庭礼拜在很多基督徒为主的国家里，都是非常普遍的。不少属灵伟人的家庭，每周都会举行这样的活动。比如约翰·卫斯理、马礼逊都在回忆录中，提到了家里举行的礼拜活动。而在中国一些基督化家庭，也存在家庭礼拜，像近代著名的宋氏家族，家庭礼拜就一直延续。
然而自从去年新冠疫情爆发后，教堂出于防疫的需求，纷纷停止了活动。虽然很多信徒通过网络方式聆听讲道，可总是感觉有所缺憾，没有礼拜的庄严氛围。于是有的肢体在疫情得到一定控制后，大家可以出门活动时，把家族成员召集起来，举行家庭礼拜。这类活动人数基本在十几人，由真理根基较好的家族成员带领大家读经、祷告、分享。
尽管家庭礼拜在讲道上、敬拜上没有主日崇拜的深度，但一家人在一起共同赞美神、聆听祂的话语，并在结束后举行家族爱宴。大家感觉非常不错。有的家庭在教堂重新开放，主日礼拜恢复后，仍延续了家庭礼拜的活动。
家庭礼拜除了在特殊时期促进了弟兄姐妹的生命外，对于促进家族成员之间的关系，也有着积极意义。当代社会竞争日益激烈，人们的工作、生活压力很大。而传统的家族观念在这样的时代背景下逐渐淡漠，有的亲戚甚至好几年都没有往来。
可家庭礼拜的举行，让不少多年未见的亲人走到了一起，并通过家庭礼拜，密切了彼此的联系。有的人曾因一些事情与亲人发生了矛盾，可随着参加家庭礼拜，在一起敬拜中冰释前嫌，修复了亲戚关系。可见家庭礼拜，对于构建和谐家庭、和谐社会，有着积极意义。
当前中国基督化的家庭并不多，又加上不少家庭成员在外工作，因而这种模式很难惠及多数人。但是弟兄姐妹可以采用类似的方式，比如可以邀请同一小区的弟兄姐妹到自己家里参加活动，彼此学习《圣经》，吟唱赞美诗，分享各种见证等等。这既可提升肢体的灵命，又能促进邻里关系的发展，是很有价值的聚会模式。
https://www.christiantimes.cn/news/34998/%E5%AE%B6%E5%BA%AD%E7%A4%BC%E6%8B%9C%E7%9A%84%E9%87%8D%E8%A6%81%E6%80%A7
家庭礼拜的重要性
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
Benefits of Family Worship
