Memory Verse: "Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127:1. NIV.)

It is God Himself. He instituted the institution called marriage, Gen. 2:18; 1 Cor. 3:7.

Every structure or institution of life has a foundation. The Bible talks of two types in Matt. 7:24-27:

• False or sandy foundation;
• True or solid foundation.

Let us see 1 Cor. 3:6-7; 12-14; 12:14-26.

Each member of the family is an active participant in the Home Building Team. The Chief Supervisors in this team are the husband and the wife. However the Head Supervisor is the man – he will be held accountable on how this part of the Body of Christ (i.e. his home) is built. See Eph. 5:22-27; Eph. 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 3:1-13.

• The body of Christ is one though made up of different members, 1 Cor. 12:12-20. Likewise the home is one though made up of different members.
• Every member has got a specific role to perform. There is no room for competition or rivalry, 1 Cor. 12:21-25.
• When one member suffers, the whole body suffers, 1 Cor. 12:26.
• What "building materials" are to be employed in this Project, & what is the building’s Pattern?

The daily life, or the daily living, of individual members of the family constitutes the materials. In other words, their daily conduct determines the structure that emerges, Gal. 5:19-23; 1 Pet. 2:4-8; 2 Tim. 2:19-26.

• We have to engage in a daily individual fellowship with the Lord, Phil. 1:4-8; 1 Tim. 4:12.
• Develop a living family altar. (More of this in Lesson Outline 2.)
• All members of the family should attend the same Church so they all can pull in one direction.
• Realize you are saved to serve, 1 Pet. 2:9. So be actively involved in serving the Lord.
• The husband and wife should harmonize their visions, or callings, so they can complement each other in the Body of Christ.
• Let the Bible be your standard in all situations and circumstances of life, 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
• Pray & labor until all of your household are saved, Gen18:17-19; Josh.24:15; Acts16:31.
• Bring up your children in the way of the Lord, Prov. 22:6; 2 Tim. 3:14-15.
• Be hospitable and kind to strangers and the brethren, Gal. 6:9-10.
• Build with love, submission, fairness, purity, truth and honesty with one another, Phil. 4:8.
• Be a witnessing family; preach the Gospel, 2 Tim. 4:2; Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Cor. 5:17-20.
• Pray without ceasing, 1 Thess. 5:19.

The Family Altar is not necessarily a physical location or place in the home. Rather it represents the regular period for sharing the word of God together as a family, as well as the time to seek the face of God, and bear one another’s burdens in prayer to the Lord, 1 John 1:3; Gal. 6:1-2.

• What is the Essence or Purpose of the Family Altar?
• It is to point every member of the family to God as our Creator, Saviour, Lord, Comforter and Provider, Deut. 6:6-9; 28:1-14.
• To build love, unity, trust, care and togetherness in the family, Psalm 133:1.
• To encourage & strengthen individual members of the family, Rom.15:1; Heb.10:25; Gal. 6:2.
• To study the Bible systematically and to awaken everyone to their spiritual and secular responsibilities in the Church and in the society, respectively.
• It provides the forum for praying together, thereby putting into effect our potent weapon of the "prayer of agreement", Matt.18:19; Lev. 26:7-8.
• It is a forum where parents can set examples for the children – in prayer, evidence of their faith and trust in God Who they know as their All-in-all, their All-sufficient Father, etc.
• It provides the opportunity to instruct the children in the way of the Lord, Gen. 18:17-19; and 2 Tim. 1:5; 3:15. Contrast these with Eli’s efforts in 1 Sam. 2:22-25.
• What should be the frequency of the Family Altar?
• Due to the way we live our lives, it should ideally be early in the morning, or/and in the evening, but not so late in the day that the devil is only too glad to turn it into a sleeping session. The Bible does give examples of those who prayed early in the morning, as well as those who prayed in the evening or night, Job 1:5; Ps. 5:3; Mk. 1:35; Job. 35:10.
• What are the Contents of the Family Altar time?
• As a set period to draw near to God and seek His face, allot time to Praise and Worship Him, Read the Bible, Exhortations/Contributions around what was read, and Pray to Him.
• The man, as the Head of the Home, should lead, but without monopolizing every element of the fellowship. Others in the household should contribute and participate actively.
• A practical point is to ensure all who are there, including visitors, have Bibles to use.
• What Materials can we use?
• Hymnbooks and choruses can be used.
• There should be a pattern to reading he Bible. The family could follow one or more of the existing guides – "Every Day with Jesus", "Daily Bread", "Daily Guide", "Daily Power", etc. They could take a book and read a Chapter or so at a time. They could study a Bible Character, etc. Let there be a system, and not just a haphazard approach, or one that focuses on just a few favourite passages.
• What Family Altar is not
• It should not replace individual quiet time, when each member reads the Bible and Prays.
• It is not the time for marathon Biblical exposition, in the process of which some members begin to pray that the whole session may come to an end sooner than later.
• The husband and wife should still have their own private time of praying together for the family, during which sensitive issues affecting the family can be brought to the Lord,

All that men build independent of God are in vain. Dependence on God is the only sure way of building lasting homes and families. Indeed a family that prays together stays together.