Raising Giants: Chapter 4: The Family Altar – Reclaiming Worship at Home
- Dr. Layne McDonald
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." , Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
The Resurrection of the Domestic Sanctuary
There is a quiet crisis unfolding in the modern Christian home, and it isn't one of outward rebellion or scandalous sin. It is a crisis of absence. It is the slow, steady evaporation of the sacred from the mundane spaces where we eat, sleep, and play. For too long, we have outsourced the spiritual formation of our children to the "professionals" at church, treating the sanctuary as the only place where God is truly met, and the home as merely a staging ground for school, sports, and screens.
But the "giants" of the faith, those men and women who stood immovable against the winds of culture, were not forged in forty-five minutes of Sunday school. They were forged in the heat of a daily furnace. They were raised at the "Family Altar."
The concept of the family altar sounds antiquated to the modern ear, perhaps conjuring images of dusty hymnals and stern Victorian fathers. But the family altar is not a piece of furniture; it is a rhythm. It is a daily, intentional interruption of the secular world to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the King of this house. It is the reclamation of the home as a primary place of worship. If we want to raise giants who can stand in the public square, we must first learn to kneel in the living room.
The Joshua Declaration: A Line in the Sand
When Joshua stood before the tribes of Israel at Shechem, he was not making a polite suggestion. He was issuing a high-stakes ultimatum. He understood that neutrality is an illusion. You are either serving the God of the Covenant, or you are serving the "gods beyond the Euphrates", the cultural idols of your heritage or the "gods of the Amorites", the cultural idols of your current environment.
Joshua’s declaration, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," is often framed and hung on the walls of Christian homes. But Joshua wasn't looking for a piece of decor; he was establishing a jurisdiction. He was asserting that his home was a sovereign territory of the Kingdom of God.
To "serve the Lord" in the Hebrew context ('abad) implies a total lifestyle of worship, service, and liturgy. It wasn't just about what Joshua did at the Tabernacle; it was about the culture of his tent. For the modern parent, this means moving beyond "taking the kids to church" to "being the church with your kids." It means realizing that you are the primary pastor of your children’s hearts. The family altar is the place where that pastoral work happens most consistently.
Why the Altar Has Fallen
Before we can rebuild the altar, we must understand why it fell. In most homes, the altar didn't collapse in a single night of apostasy; it was buried under the weight of "the good life."
The Tyranny of the Urgent: We are a people addicted to the hustle. Between soccer practices, dance recitals, homework, and late-night emails, we feel we simply don't have ten minutes to spare. We have prioritized the extracurricular over the eternal.
The Myth of Professionalization: We have been conditioned to believe that we aren't "qualified" to teach the Bible. We fear our children's questions. We worry we aren't "spiritual enough." So, we leave it to the youth pastor, forgetting that God specifically gave the mandate of Deuteronomy 6 to parents, not institutions.
The Digital Invasion: The "altar" in most homes has been replaced by the screen. The flickering light of the television or the blue glow of the smartphone is where we receive our daily "liturgy" of entertainment, news, and comparison. These screens are not neutral; they are discipleship tools that are constantly shaping our children’s desires.
The Fear of Awkwardness: Let’s be honest: starting family worship feels weird at first. It feels forced. The kids might roll their eyes. You might stumble over a prayer. Many parents stop before they start because they can’t bear the perceived clumsiness of the moment.
Reclaiming the family altar requires a holy stubbornness. It requires us to look at our schedules and say, "This one thing is non-negotiable."
The Anatomy of the Altar: Read, Pray, Sing
Reclaiming the family altar does not require a seminary degree or a pipe organ. It requires a Bible, a heart for God, and a little bit of time. The historical "liturgy" of the home can be distilled into three simple movements: Read, Pray, and Sing.
1. Read: Planting the Seed
The Word of God is the foundation of the home. When we read Scripture together, we are telling our children that there is an authority higher than their feelings, their friends, or their father.
Keep it brief: For younger children, a few verses or a high-quality story Bible is enough. For older children, a chapter or a cohesive section is ideal.
Keep it interactive: Don't just lecture. Ask questions. "What does this tell us about God’s character?" "Why do you think the person in this story made that choice?" "How does this point us to Jesus?"
Keep it consistent: Walking through a book of the Bible over several weeks creates a sense of narrative and continuity.
2. Pray: Creating a Connection
Family prayer is where children learn that God is not a distant concept, but a present Father who listens.
Model honesty: Pray about real things, the stress of the day, the needs of a neighbor, the gratitude for a meal.
Invite participation: Give everyone a chance to pray, even if it’s just one sentence.
Track the answers: Keep a simple list of things you are praying for as a family. When God answers, celebrate it! This builds a "memory of God’s faithfulness" that will protect them when they face their own giants later in life.
3. Sing: Tuning the Heart
Music has a unique way of bypassing our intellectual defenses and lodging truth in our souls.
Simple choruses: You don't need to be a professional musician. Use a worship playlist or just sing a simple hymn or chorus together.
Doctrine through melody: Songs like "Amazing Grace" or "In Christ Alone" contain more theology than many sermons. When children sing these truths, they are "catechizing" their own hearts.
The "Family Altar" in a Modern Schedule
One of the most frequent objections I hear is, "Dr. McDonald, you don't understand our schedule. We are literally never in the same room at the same time."
I understand. But the family altar is about prioritizing the presence of God, not necessarily creating a 30-minute formal service. Here are some practical ways to reclaim the altar in the margins:
The Breakfast Altar: Start the day with one verse and a one-minute prayer before everyone heads out the door.
The Commute Altar: If you drive your kids to school, use that time for an audio Bible or a guided prayer. Turn the minivan into a sanctuary.
The Dinner Altar: This is the most natural fit for many. Once the plates are cleared, spend ten minutes in the "Read, Pray, Sing" rhythm before anyone leaves the table.
The Bedtime Altar: For younger children, the moments before sleep are the most tender. Reading a Bible story and praying over them is a powerful way to seal the day in grace.
The goal is not perfection; the goal is presence. God isn't looking for a flawless performance; He is looking for a family that acknowledges Him.
The Role of the Father: Leading with Grace
In the Assemblies of God tradition and within the broader biblical framework, there is a clear call for the father to be the spiritual head of the home. However, "headship" is often misunderstood. It is not about dominance; it is about responsibility.
Fathers, you are the "Altar-Builders." Your children need to see you valuing the Word of God. They need to hear your voice lifting up prayers for them. They need to see you repent when you lose your temper or make a mistake. When a father leads in worship, it provides a spiritual "covering" for the family that is difficult to replicate.
If you are a single mother or a parent whose spouse is not yet a believer, do not be discouraged. The grace of God is more than sufficient. You are the "priest" of your home in this season. Lead with confidence, knowing that the Holy Spirit is your partner in this work. Your faithfulness is planting seeds that God will surely water.
Discipleship Beyond the "Service"
While the family altar is a focused time of worship, its real power lies in how it spills over into the rest of daily life. Discipleship is not a compartmentalized activity; it is a lifestyle.
Deuteronomy 6:7 tells us to teach God's commands "when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." This is "lifestyle discipleship." The family altar provides the vocabulary for these conversations. When you are walking through a difficult season, you can reference the story you read at the altar on Tuesday. when your child is struggling with a friend, you can remind them of the prayer you offered together on Thursday.
We are raising giants by teaching them to interpret all of life through the lens of Scripture. We are teaching them that God is not just the "God of Sunday morning," but the God of their chemistry test, their social media feed, and their Saturday afternoon.
The Eternal Stakes
Why does this matter so much? Because the world is currently "altar-building" in our children's lives every single hour. The culture is discipling them through advertisements, peer pressure, and secular ideologies. If we do not intentionally build an altar to the Living God in our homes, the world will gladly build an altar to itself.
Raising a giant is about more than just "good behavior" or "moral choices." It is about a heart that is captivated by the glory of Jesus Christ. It is about a child who grows up knowing that in their home, God was the most important reality.
When your children are grown and they face the giants of doubt, grief, or temptation, they will reach back into their memories. They won't remember the brand of shoes you bought them or the level of sports they played. They will remember the sound of your voice reading the Psalms. They will remember the weight of your hand on their shoulder as you prayed. They will remember that no matter how chaotic the world was, there was always an "altar" at home.
Practical Steps for This Week
If you haven't had a family altar, or if yours has been "under repair" for a long time, don't let guilt stop you. Start today.
Gather the family: Be honest. Say, "I want our home to be a place where we honor God more intentionally. We’re going to start spending ten minutes together each night."
Pick a book of the Bible: Start with Mark or the Psalms. Keep it simple.
Set a time: Guard it fiercely for seven days.
Keep it "Short and Savory": It is better to have ten minutes of engaged worship than thirty minutes of bored frustration.
The family altar is where the giants of tomorrow are being prepared today. It is time to reclaim the domestic sanctuary. It is time to clear the clutter off the table, open the Word, and say with Joshua: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Layne McDonald, Ph.D., is an author, educator, and minister dedicated to helping believers ground their lives in biblical truth. With a background in theology and leadership, Dr. McDonald specializes in creating resources that foster spiritual growth, cultural discernment, and emotional healing. His work is rooted in the belief that the Word of God is the ultimate guide for navigating the complexities of modern life. Through his books and teaching, he aims to equip the Church to raise a generation of "giants" who are firm in their faith and vibrant in their witness for Jesus Christ.
The world is fighting for your child's attention 24/7: if you don't build an altar in your home today, what "god" will your children be worshiping by tomorrow?
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