We are all very familiar with the idea of corporate worship, the kind that happens on Sunday.  And we are even familiar with individual worship, a focused time of prayer and reading Scripture.  But, while the practice was common prior to mid-twentieth century.  It has fallen out of favor in the last few decades.

But should it be that way?  In other words, is it a preference that we can accept or deny and does Scripture have anything to say about this topic?

Malcolm Yarnel, and associate professor at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, gives us his analysis of family worship and it's Scriptural support.

"My Son, Be Strong in the Grace That is in Christ Jesus": The Baptist Family at Worship

Mention the New Age movement and you're likely to get amused condescension:  "Oh yes, crystals."  "Oh yes, astrology."  To many people, the New Age movement means trendy gimmicks and silly superstitions.  That should concern us.  For the New Age movement is more than a matter of this technique or that gimmick. What underlies all these surface phenomena is a way of looking at life, a philosophy, a world view, a faith.  And it is a faith hostile to Christian faith.

I can think of no better way to explain the New Age world view than by quoting extensively from a children's book I just read.  A classic, I might add. (And you thought you could trust the classics to be harmless?) It's entitled The Secret Garden, by Francis Hodgson Burnett.

Most of you who have children will probably recognize the title.  But how many of you noticed that about two-thirds of the way through the book, the author launches into a straightforward explication of Hindu pantheism? (Do you know what your children are reading?)

There is no one more important in a child's life than the child's father.  The father is irreplaceable and critical to the child's all around well being.  Fathers have an amazing responsibility to train and shape their children.

It is the dream of many fathers for their children to succeed in sports, particularly boys, for many reasons including: overcoming both internal and external obstacles, benefits of physical exertion, character building, and learning how to work with others.

So fathers often pour themselves into their children's success as they repetitiously drill the fundamentals with their child until they reach an age appropriate perfection.  If a child asks the father to throw the ball, kick the ball,bounce the ball, swim, ski, surf, etc, the father often happily, or if not happily, willingly agrees.  Many fathers will coach the team, drive the child up and down the state, stay all day during the tournament or swim meet, all in an effort to encourage and support the success of their child.

In her article, Survey: Churches Losing Youths Long Before College, Lillian Kwon, discusses Ken Ham's book Already Gone and the shocking findings from a survey he commissioned.

Kwon points out:

Does this surprise you?  Are you thinking, "That's simply not true!"?  

Saul had never met Jesus before and yet Jesus told him that when Saul killed Stephen and when he jailed the men and women who were Christian, Saul was hurting Jesus.  The pain that they felt, He felt. The suffering and hardship that they suffered, He suffered with them.  It was as though Jesus was standing beside His children, Himself being stoned; Himself being jailed.