City News
  • Church
    • Church & Missions
    • 中文报道
    • Harvest Magazine
    • 《丰收》纪念特刊
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Culture
    • CityFamilies
    • Community
    • Eye On Society
    • Lifestyle
  • Perspective
  • Who We Are
  • Who We Are

City News

  • Church
    • Church & Missions
    • 中文报道
    • Harvest Magazine
    • 《丰收》纪念特刊
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Culture
    • CityFamilies
    • Community
    • Eye On Society
    • Lifestyle
  • Perspective
  • Who We Are
CHC AppChurch & MissionsEditors_PickPerspective

CFAM Family Devotion Night: Building Faith As A Family

By Zhen Ying Ee August 11, 2022
By Zhen Ying Ee August 11, 2022

City Harvest fathers, mothers and their children joined the HarvestKidz pastors and teachers to understand how to make family devotion fun. Pastoral supervisor Ee Zhen Ying shares her family’s experience.

It was the start of CHC’s CityFamilies (CFAM) conference—a session conducted by the HarvestKidz department to impart hands-on understanding and practice of what it is like to do devotion together as a family at home. My husband and I gathered our girls on Friday night (29 July) and got ready for “class”.

The moment we logged in to Zoom, we saw familiar faces from HarvestKidz: Pastor Eileen Toh, Pastor Lynn Tan and Pastoral Supervisor Anson Ang. The session started off with an exciting scavenger hunt, which sent my three girls (aged 8, 6 and 4) running helter-skelter throughout the entire house to locate the items needed to win the game.

Next came praise and worship: lifting up our praise to God together as a family was a wonderful experience. Seeing our daughters’ childlike faith and “more undignified than this” (2 Sam 6:22) dancing, shouting, and singing at the top of their voices, brought much joy to my heart.

MAKING FAMILY DEVOTION FUN

We settled down to the teaching. Pastor Lynn shared with us the importance and benefits of holding family devotion at home. She employed the acronym ABC: allow for meaningful conversations, build a foundation for spiritual growth and a Biblical worldview, and connect with our children.

I personally found the tips very helpful. In my family, devotion time is mostly reading a Bible story, having conversations about it, and then ending in prayer. Through the sharing, I was challenged to explore more options to engage my children through their senses—visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile—to make devotion time more relatable, fun and applicable to their daily lives. Doing so also helps my children to remember what they learnt.

We then entered into breakout rooms where different pastoral staff led us through how to make family devotion fun and interactive. It started off with a Bible lesson on Psalm 31:19. I realised that my eldest girl took lesson time very seriously. She took notes, listened attentively and made sure that her young sisters listened to the lesson well and did their first activity properly.

The second activity was more fun and kinesthetic. Teachers Connie Yong and Anson got us all to build a “tent” in the living room. We took our clothes rack, set it up as a frame for the tent, and covered it with blankets. Then we sat together as a family within the cosy “tent”. The teachers then got us to reflect on how we felt in the tent—did we feel worried or safe? What were some safe spaces we had in our lives? Thge teachers shared that we could run to God for safety whenever we are afraid, and encouraged us to think about God’s goodness in our lives.

Our girls started sharing that home is a safe space for them. They talked about how Daddy, Mummy, their grandparents and teachers are safe people to talk to. They also shared that they can pray to God and God will listen to them. With that, we ended with a word of prayer.

Later that night as we lay in bed, my husband and I took the conversation a little deeper with the girls and shared what fears and worries we had growing up, and how we trusted God through it all.

I’m thankful to God for our wonderful CFAM team, HarvestKidz teachers and volunteers for investing in our children’s lives. As parents, we are very grateful for the sacrifices they make every week, conducting the weekend services, preparing Bible lessons and activities, bussing the children to and from church, and even doing home visitations. The time, effort and love of these teachers and volunteers for our children are not in vain. The seeds sown into our children’s lives are so precious, and I know the Lord has a wonderful destiny for every child.

More than that, I’ve come to realise that my investment in my children’s spiritual values is equally, if not more important. Our family needs to take ownership of our own spiritual growth. We need to invest and inculcate faith in our children, especially in this day and age where Biblical values are challenged. Laying a strong foundation of Godly faith will help our children to navigate through life in future.

More importantly, it will help our next generation build a genuine, intimate relationship and personal walk with our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you, CFAM, for this initiative. We are blessed!

Anson AngCalvin ChooCFAM family devotionCityFamiliesConnie YongEe Zhen YingFamily devotionfamily devotion nightHarvestKidzhow to start family devotionhow to teach children spiritual disciplinesPastor Eileen TohPastor Lynn Tanteach your children well
0
FacebookTwitterWhatsappTelegram
Zhen Ying Ee

Related Articles

Looking Back On CHC At Hollywood Theatre: Singlehood...

May 6, 2023

Why We Must Be Good Stewards: Jeffrey Rachmat

February 27, 2023

2022: A Year Of Hope And Preparation

December 27, 2022

Children’s Day 2022: Champions In The Eyes Of...

October 21, 2022

Pastor Appreciation Month: Celebrating Pastor Eileen, Pastor Glordia,...

October 7, 2022

CFAM Conference 2022: Keeping Covenantal Family Relationships

August 11, 2022

CFAM Conference: Navigating Singlehood, Marriage And Parenting

August 8, 2022

Four Elements Of A Healthy Christian Family: Kong...

August 1, 2022

How To Pray For Your Children

July 22, 2022

Power Up Your Family Life At The Inaugural...

July 13, 2022

Cookout with Pastor Yong

Chap Chye



Claypot Rice



Osmanthus Jelly



Hainanese Pork Chop

City News Weekly

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube

© City News. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Notice | Terms