01 · Begin here
What is the altar of the family?
An altar in the Old Testament was a place of worship, sacrifice, surrender, prayer, thanksgiving, and encounter with God. When we speak of the altar of the family, we use the altar as a metaphor for a home that continually surrenders its relationships, priorities, decisions, and future to Jesus Christ as Lord.
The family altar is therefore more than family devotions, prayer before meals, or attending church together. These are valuable expressions of faith, but the deeper question is: Is Jesus truly Lord of our home?
The family altar is not only what happens during family devotion; it is how the family lives after the devotion is over.
02 · Remember
Remember God's goodness
Before Joshua called Israel to choose whom they would serve, he reminded them of everything God had done. God had called Abraham, multiplied and protected his descendants, delivered Israel from Egypt, saved them at the Red Sea, protected them in the wilderness, defeated their enemies, and gave them a land they had not built or planted.
Then Joshua said, “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him.” Their commitment began with remembering God's faithfulness.
The same is true for our families. Before asking, “What should we do for God?” let us first remember, “What has God already done for us?” He has saved us, provided for us, protected us, carried us through difficult seasons, and remained faithful to our family.
Key verse · ESV“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.”
Joshua 24:14
What has God already done for our family that we sometimes forget to thank Him for?
03 · Resolve
Resolve to serve the Lord
After reminding Israel of God's faithfulness, Joshua called them to make a decision. He could not choose for every Israelite, but he could declare the direction of his own household: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
The family altar begins with a similar decision: “In this home, Jesus is Lord.” This means more than attending church, having family devotions, or praying together. These practices are expressions of a deeper commitment to allow Jesus to govern the life of the household.
When Jesus is Lord, the family learns to ask not simply, “What do we want?” but “What does Jesus want?” Not simply, “What is convenient?” but “What honors Christ?”
Key verse · ESV“But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15
What would it practically mean for our family to say, “We will serve the Lord”?
04 · Remove
Remove the idols
Joshua told Israel to “put away the gods” that had competed for their allegiance. We may not bow before statues today, but our families can still have idols. Money, career, success, children's achievements, comfort, entertainment, reputation, personal happiness, and even family itself can take God's rightful place.
These things are not necessarily bad. Many are good gifts from God. But a good gift becomes an idol when it takes the place of the Giver.
Jesus said that even our love for father, mother, son, or daughter must never come before our love for Him. He is not asking us to love our families less; He is teaching us to love Him first so that we can love our families rightly.
Key verse · ESV“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Matthew 10:37
What good thing in our family could become an idol if we allow it to take God's rightful place?
05 · Reflect
Reflect God's design for the family
If Jesus is Lord of our home, His lordship should be reflected in the way we treat one another. Husbands are called to love sacrificially as Christ loved the Church, wives are called to honor their husbands as unto the Lord, parents are called to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, and children are called to obey and honor their parents (Ephesians 5:25, 33; 6:1–4).
God's design for the family is not merely about roles; it is about relationships shaped by Christ. Our marriages, parenting, communication, conflicts, finances, decisions, and relationships should increasingly reflect His character.
Deuteronomy 6 reminds us that this faith is to be taught diligently to our children and woven into everyday life. The home is a place of discipleship. Our children will learn not only from what we teach them, but from what they repeatedly see in us.
The family altar is therefore not simply where our children hear about Jesus. It is where they see what following Jesus looks like.
Key verse · ESV“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way.”
Deuteronomy 6:7
What would change in our home if we truly allowed Jesus to shape the way we love, communicate, forgive, discipline, and make decisions?
06 · Respond
Remember. Resolve. Remove. Reflect.
The altar of the family begins by remembering God's goodness, resolving to serve Him, removing the idols that compete with Him, and reflecting His design in the way we live together.
Putting Jesus at the center does not mean our families will never experience conflict, financial difficulty, mistakes, or failure. It means that when those things happen, we know where to return.
- Return
Return to Jesus.
- Return
Return to His Word.
- Return
Return to prayer.
- Return
Return to grace.
- Return
Return to the cross.
“Jesus, You are Lord of this home.”
07 · Pray together
A prayer for the family altar
Father, thank You for Your goodness and faithfulness to our families. Help us remember what You have done, resolve to serve You, remove anything that takes Your place, and reflect Your character in our homes.
Teach us to love our spouses sacrificially, raise our children according to Your Word, honor one another, forgive one another, and make decisions that please You.
May our homes become places where Jesus is not merely welcomed, but where Jesus is Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Remember His goodness. Resolve to serve Him. Remove the idols. Reflect His design. “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
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Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.