Building Stronger Families through Faith: 7 Practical Tips

The family is the most important institution in society. It's where we learn what it means to be human, where we develop our moral compass and our values, and where we make lasting friendships. As Christians, we've been given the incredible honor of being able to bring up our children in a faith-filled home.

There are so many ways that families can strengthen each other in their Christian journey together: by praying together; reading the bible together; making worship a priority (and not just Sunday mornings); spending time talking, laughing, playing together; and praying for each other.

Family can be some of the strongest support you have as you teach your children to grow in faith and build strong, vibrant families of their own in Christ.

Family is a source of strength, support, and love. The Bible says that "a man's best treasure is his mother" (Proverbs 31:10). Your children will grow up knowing how much they are cherished by God through your example of loving them unconditionally with all your heart!

Family is also a source of joy and laughter! Families who laugh together stay together! Taking time out each day for fun activities with your family will help keep everyone smiling as well as giving them something else to look forward to each day besides schoolwork or chores around the house; it's important that parents make sure their kids don't get too busy doing other things so they don't lose sight of what really matters most in life.

Here are some practical tips that you can build a stronger family through faith:

Pray together (Romans 8:28).

Prayer is a powerful tool. It can help you and your family grow in faith, deal with challenges, and be more grateful for the good things in your life.

Family prayer is a great way to strengthen your relationship with God and each other. If you are not used to praying as a family, start small and work up from there. You can pray before meals or bedtime, or even just ask God for help in finding an opportunity during the day when everyone has time on their hands (such as before church).

Make your prayer time together a priority. It can be hard to find time for God in our busy lives, but it is so important! We all need Him and He wants us to spend quality time with Him each day.

Prayer is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. It's great to have goals, but it's also important to know that God has your back. He will help you achieve those goals and will give you the strength you need when times get tough. Even if it's just a few minutes each day, just take time out for some quiet prayer time with God.

—Bible Verses about Prayer: Psalm 145:19; Luke 11:11; 1 John 5:14-15; Matthew 6:5-13

Practice this tip now: Set aside 15 minutes each morning before breakfast and 30 minutes each night before bedtime. During these times, take turns praying with each other as a family (if possible). You can pray together as a group or individually if you need some privacy while praying with your spouse or children.

Prioritizing family prayers can bring family members closer to God and each other. It fosters a sense of unity and strengthens the bond between family members.

Read the Bible together.

Encourage regular reading and discussion of the Bible, as a family. Reflecting on the messages and teachings can help strengthen your faith as a unit.

The Bible is the book of books, and it's important for every family to have a copy of it. But how do you go about reading it together? Here are some practical tips:

👉 Read the Bible as a family. There are many ways to read the Bible, but I believe that reading together as a family is one of the best ways to grow in faith and understanding.

👉 Read at least once a week or more often if possible (you can even set up regular times). Reading daily is ideal--but at least try for weekly!

👉 Use different translations depending on who's doing the reading so everyone understands what they're hearing/reading better than just using one version all the time. You might find yourself using several different versions throughout each year; this will help keep things interesting while also helping everyone learn more about God through His Word!

Translations that are easy to read and understand:

✅ New Living Translation (NLT)

✅ New International Version (NIV)

✅ Paraphrase (The Message or The Living Bible)

✅ Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Make worship a priority for your family.

When I first learned about how worship is one of the weapons that is used to fight off the enemy, I began to do it more often, more loudly, and more eagerly. Worship is similar to prayer. It calls on God, telling Him how we put Him first...we are trusting in Him and surrendering our situations to Him.

We don't fight against flesh but against principalities. Satan was a mighty Worship Leader in heaven. He hates it when we worship the Lord because He was once a great worship leader. When we begin to worship Our Heavenly Father, the enemy flees. They do not want to be around anything that worships the Lord. So worship your little hearts out and keep the enemy from gaining any ground around your family.

Worship is also one of the best ways to spend time together as a family. It gives us something we all share: love for God. In worshiping together, we show him our thanks for all He has done; this is called praise (Psalm 100). We also ask Him for things like guidance and forgiveness when we sin against Him (Psalm 66:18).

Another great thing about worship is that He speaks to us during our worship. The Holy Spirit inside of us hunger to worship, that is what we are to do...daily! Do not starve your spirit by keeping it from worshiping our creator. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us through worship.

Quality Time.

Find ways to incorporate faith into your daily routines. For example, discussing faith-related topics during meal times or using religious quotes or scriptures as daily affirmations.

Create an environment where family members can openly discuss their faith, doubts, and questions. Foster respectful conversations that encourage growth and understanding.

Family time is important. It's a great way to strengthen family bonds, spend quality time with your children, and teach them about God.

You can do this by spending time talking, laughing, and playing together as a family.

Encourage family members to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives, including their faith. Foster an attitude of gratitude through regular discussions or a gratitude journal.

Engage in family devotions or religious traditions: Incorporate family devotions or religious traditions into your routine. For example, observing religious holidays together, participating in religious rituals, or having family devotional time.

Attend church together.

Actively participating in church services as a family can deepen your shared faith experience. It provides an opportunity to learn and grow together spiritually. It also allows you to meet other families that are part of the body of Christ.

Serving in ministry together is also a great way to bond with your children and spouse. When your children see you serving in church, it helps develop that servant's heart in them. They will grow up also serving in the church and wanting to be part of a church body.

Make sure that the church you attend is a Bible-believing church. Get your family involved to strengthen your spiritual growth.

Serve others as a family.

This tip is a continuance of the last tip, attend church together. You can serve in a ministry at your local church and become part of your church family.

Engaging in service activities as a family can teach valuable lessons about compassion and empathy. Look for opportunities to volunteer together in your community or within your religious institution.

There are also ministries that allow each family member to attend individually and grow with other members in the church, for example, women's ministry, men's ministry, youth group (for the kids), and other ministries that allow you time to get to know others walking in the same faith.

Seek spiritual guidance and mentorship.

Encourage family members to seek spiritual guidance from religious leaders or mentors. Having a support system and someone to turn to can strengthen faith and provide guidance during challenging times.

For your children, this may be a great outlet for them to express their emotions or feelings. My son was able to speak with his youth pastor about things that he didn't feel comfortable talking with me about. He built relationships with other men in the church who prayed for him and took him under their wing. It was comforting to know that my son had wise spiritual leaders that he looked up to and could guide him in the right direction.

Another reason for mentorship is to help your children practice forgiveness and reconciliation. Your church family and your home should emphasize the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation within the family. Encourage family members to practice forgiveness and work towards reconciliation when conflicts arise.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it's important to remember that faith is a personal journey. The more you encourage your children to follow Jesus and live their lives in accordance with His teachings, the stronger their faith will become.

Remember, building stronger families through faith is a journey that requires continuous effort and nurturing. Embrace the process and support each other along the way.