Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
As we continue our series on covenantal fatherhood, I am sharing some examples from my own experience, having been raised by a father whose life taught me to honor the Lord our God. There are prominent lessons deeply rooted in me through the life and ministry of my earthly father. These truths inform one another, coalescing to form a comprehensive portrait of godly living.
An essential lesson I learned from my earthly father is the importance of families worshipping together in the assembly of the saints. While our whole life is to be lived in worship, there is something special about our assembly together as the people of God. That is, when the eternal breaks in upon the temporal. That is, when the church on earth becomes a picture of our eternal destiny. We are destined to assemble around the throne of God and worship Him forever and ever.
The Scripture is clear on the priority of corporate worship. It is a privilege to gather with the saints in corporate worship: “I was glad when they said to me, Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1). It serves to keep us focused as we await the day of Christ’s return: “…let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). It is in this environment that Christ’s Word flourishes within us: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16).
While we certainly profit from corporate worship, the goal is not about how we benefit but the glory God receives. Assembling for worship glorifies God (Colossians 3:16-17). The elements of corporate worship such as prayer, confession of sin, the public reading of Scripture, singing unto the Lord, feasting at the Lord’s Table, administering the sign and seal of the covenant (baptism) and the preaching of the Word are either directed to God or intended to make God’s voice known among His people. Biblical corporate worship is preoccupied with the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In effect, corporate worship is not “all about us;” it is “all about God.”
While we certainly profit from corporate worship, the goal is not about how we benefit but the glory God receives.
As the above passage in Deuteronomy shows, worship is a family affair. One of the downfalls of today’s church is segregating children from corporate worship. “Children’s church,” where children are separated from their family to participate in their own distinct service with their peers is a recent innovation. While I do not doubt the good intentions of those organizing such programs, there is no biblical support for this approach. The letters Paul wrote to the churches were to be read during their regular assemblies. He sometimes addresses children directly (e.g., Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:20), expecting that they would be in attendance with their parents. Covenant children are not “the church of tomorrow,” they are a part of the church today. Sinclair Ferguson was once asked his opinion as to why so many children leave the church when they become adults. He said that you cannot leave that of which you were never a part. Many young people are kept segregated from the rest of the body of Christ with a greater emphasis on entertainment than God-centered worship.
Covenant children are not “the church of tomorrow,” they are a part of the church today.
I was raised by a father who emphasized the importance of corporate worship. Throughout my childhood, we sat with my parents during worship where he could keep an eye on us, making sure we participated. We were never allowed to “skip church” for some fun activity. This is not legalism. It is a matter of priority. What we choose to do reveals the priorities of our heart. Are others able to look at our lives and see evidence of the Psalmist’s heart – “one day in the place of worship is worth more than a 1000 anywhere else” (Psalm 84:10)? There is nothing more important than coming into God’s presence to give Him glory. There is no greater privilege than assembling with the people of God to worship our Great God and Savior.
My father’s emphasis on corporate worship was instilled in him by his father. He told us of the days when they lived on a farm when attending worship often required a great deal of planning and ingenuity. His father never let obstacles stand in the way. As children, my father and uncle had a standing joke. One would ask, “Are we going to church today?” The other would reply, “Is dad breathing?!!” This is the way my father raised me and the way I have raised my children. The cycle continues as my son has raised his children the same way. I thank the Lord for this godly heritage from my father and grandfather.
In our next post, I will share the lesson my father taught me on seeking first God’s Kingdom.
