The Legacy of Family Worship: Discipleship Displayed

A friend of mine regular points out that "life is shaped by significant emotional events," and I recently experienced one so profound that I had to share it with you.

Over Labor Day weekend, my wife, daughter, and in-laws made the trek to Nashville, TN to attend the annual SING! Conference put on by Getty Music. Led by Keith & Kristyn Getty, the conference featured artists, pastors, and other ministry leaders in three days of singing and learning how our worship in singing can take part in fulfilling the Great Commission.

On the first day, our family eagerly took our seats in Bridgestone Arena, filled with excitement and anticipation for what we would hear. In no time, the lights dimmed, the musicians filed onstage, and they kicked off the conference with a wall of sound, playing a medley of music from around the world. The arrangement was woven with sacred themes that musically depicted a diverse set of cultures united in a common goal: to advance the cause of Christ.

You might think the stirring of passion in my heart is what was emotionally significant—and you'd be mostly right—but it's what came after the opening number that truly touched me.

After the opening medley, Keith and Kristyn invited their daughters to the stage, along with singer-songwriter Skye Peterson. (You may not know her, but you've heard her father Andrew's songs—like "Is He Worthy?"; listen to it here.) I'd never heard Skye's music before, but I was aware that she was up-and-coming as an artist. The band segued into her song "I Am Not My Own" (listen to it here), and when she began to sing, the experience I had was truly one of God.

In this young woman's voice, I could hear legacy. Her voice carried a heritage of tone, delivery, phrasing, and perspective, indicative of her parents' pouring into her through discipleship and nurturing her creativity. 

As a relatively new father, hearing the similarity in Skye's voice in relation to Andrew's as I held my own daughter in my arms transported my mind to a hopeful future of nurturing her in her faith and talents, much like I envision Andrew did for his daughter throughout her life. Coupling that mental picture with the gathering of the Getty girls with Keith and Kristyn, all worshipping together, moved me to tears among the thousands of attendees that day. 

In the days after partaking in this profound experience, the words of Proverbs 22:6 have been reverberating in my soul: "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." These words speak to the faithfulness to which we are called in nurturing the generations that come after us, especially in our own children. I saw and heard the fruit of this in action that day at Bridgestone Arena, and I welcome the days ahead of my wife and I raising our daughter to know, love, and serve the Lord, worshipping Him with all we have, do, speak, and think. I pray you're encouraged to do the same for your own family, or for the ones you call the same.

If you're looking for resources for family worship, I highly recommend checking out liturgies written specifically for families. A great place to start is with Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson. Published by Crossway, this volume contains readings, prayers, and more, all designed to be read over a month, 15 minutes a day. You can purchase it here.

Be blessed 👊✌️