Connecting God and Family

​The theme of our 5th Annual Family Conference is “Connecting God and Family.” Deuteronomy 6:4-9 emphasizes the importance of making sure that the family is connected to God.  This connection to God is rooted in our love for God.  This love leads parents to obey the commands of God.  They are to be internalized, motivated by a deep, all-encompassing love for God.  Once the Word is internalized by parents, parents can then instill the Word of God in their children.  This instilling of the Word is done through everyday teachable moments.  When God’s word is in the hearts of parents, it comes out of the mouths of parents as they talk with their children.  The Word of God is to be a sweet aroma that fills the house and the hearts of a Christian family.   
There are a variety of ways that a family can be filled with the Word of God. 

• Set aside 15 minutes a week to have a family devotion.  An easy way to obtain materials for the family devotion is by taking the sermon notes, or lessons from Bible class and discussing them as a family. 
• When someone has a difficult day at school or work, turn to the word of God for perspective.  God’s words has real life answers to real life problems (2 Peter 1:3).
• Commit as a family to learning the verse of the week that appears in the bulletin.  Provide incentives for children to learn the verses.  Try having each person highlight in their Bible the verses they have learned.  This is a way to see the progress one is making in learning the word of God.
• Use Bible-related game apps and board games to make learning fun.  The next family game night could be Bible charades, name that tune, or some other game that helps to provide an educational and entertaining experience. 

What are some ways that you suggest getting the family connected to the word of God?  Please share them on our Marsalis Ave. Church of Christ Facebook page, or at ytmacc@gmail.com.