Joel Beeke. The Family at Church. Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books, August 26, 2012. 80 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
Are you looking for a book that helps you to think about a Christian family in relations to the Church? This book might be for you. It is authored by Joel Beeke who is a minister and president of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. I enjoy Beeke’s pastoral heart with his writings in the past and also how he writes practically while also have a high view of God and worshipful spirit. This book was no different and I was edified. The book for some might seem to be rather short (coming in at 80 pages) nevertheless I thought it was helpful than some longer books on Christian family that I read.
The book is divided into two parts with each part consisting of several chapters. Part One is on Listening to Sermons and part two is on Attending Prayer Meetings. For part one there are four chapters with the first on the importance of preaching, chapter two is on preparing to hear the Word of God preached on the Lord’s Day, chapter three on receiving the Word and chapter four on practicing the Word of God. Part two begins with a chapter on the need for prayer meeting then a chapter on biblical warrant for prayer meeting. This is followed by chapter seven on the history of prayer meeting then a chapter on the purposes of prayer meeting. Chapter one is on implementing prayer meeting and chapter ten is on the importance of prayer meeting.
I wished the book could have covered other aspects of being a Christian family at church. Nevertheless I appreciated what Beeke has to say about listening to the preaching and also attending prayer meetings. Of the two portion in the book the part I most enjoyed was the part on prayer. I thought the chapter I learned the most was the chapter on the history of prayer meeting. Here its church history that’s presented but with the goal towards Christian piety. I learned a lot of how throughout history the Lord has used prayer meetings to spark revivals and work powerfully through the Church. I thought the book was worth purchasing for this chapter alone! I plan in the future to teach a lesson to my church on prayer meeting and this will definitely be a source along with the footnotes to other sources that I do want to track down and read from for myself. There’s also a helpful chapter on implementing prayer meeting and I enjoyed reading what was given as a template and suggestions. For me while I do enjoy church service on Sunday I nevertheless as a pastor enjoy prayer meeting actually more than preaching since I get to hear the prayers and words of God’s people in the congregation during prayer meeting. So I’m always thinking of ways to tinker and improve our prayer meeting but also change how we do prayer meeting from time to time so that members don’t see it as just a routine. So with this as my outlook I enjoyed reading the chapter on how prayer meeting is implemented. Such a wonderful help and after I finished the book I was thinking how there’s not many helpful books out there on corporate church prayer meeting and practical pointers on it. But that might also be due to the fact that I am personally ignorant of what resources are out there. Still this book was helpful. I recommend this!
How can one get this book?
The Family at Church
Thanks for the great review. This will be great for our church. I’ll get it for our library. Blessings.
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It is fantastic to find a Christian book to which we can relate and helps aid in our spiritual growth. Great review!
Thanks for reading this!!! Hope your day is going well sister, will get around to reading your blog today, last two days I have not been on WordPress as much as usual!
No worries and never any pressure! 🌲🌳🐻
Enjoyed this review, Jimmy, especially with regard to prayer meetings. Do you follow Beeke’s blog? http://www.joelbeeke.org/
Wow while I have read his books and heard his sermons I did not realized he blogs! Do you regularly read his blog??? Thanks! Have you heard or read things from Joel Beeke??
Heard of him, yep. Have not yet read his books though. Just happened to run across his blog.
Thanks for the review, Pastor Jim. I particularly remember the days of my youth when the eight members of our family would file into church and take up the third pew on the right directly underneath and elevated pulpit. Great memories!
Aww what a previous memory; this was back in Covina California???
West Covina, yes, Pastor Jim. The church is still there but the Christian school that my mom taught music at is long gone.
It is called Immanuel First Lutheran Church. I’m pretty sure it is still LCMS as I keep in touch with a friend who still goes there.
Thanks for the good review! I think I could have done a better job as a husband and father of incorporating spirituality into our family’s daily “routine” at home rather than compartmentalizing church and home. Interesting about prayer meetings. The churches I was a part of had prayer meeting on a weekday afternoon so only a few ladies attended.
Thanks for sharing that. It sobers me to pray and rely on God to shepherd my kids and wife. Moving our prayer meeting to after service was one of the best thing I think I did at my church though post pandemic it has taken a hit with the attendance. Still it’s better than years ago when I was the only one at prayer meetings at time…sitting there and waiting. How many did you haul today???
Just three tarps today and I’m grateful for the easy day after yesterday.
This is interesting about prayer meetings! Thanks for sharing!
You are welcome! I noticed you roll out two posts on Psalm 119 within a short time span; are you working on rolling them out since you decided you will publish them? =)
The mem stanza was MUCH easier to work through than the previous!!!! I am hoping to submit Nun this week as well. Honestly, my goal is to have this completed by the end of the year. We will be in FL next week for Thanksgiving and I doubt very much that I will work on it.
I genuinely appreciate your support! I need to research how to self-publish! If you have any tips, I would greatly appreciate it!
Great review Pastor. “Puritan Reformed” sounds interesting. From Dorahak’s comment, I visited Beeke’s blog too.
Thank you for introducing good books on living this Christian life. 🙂
Thanks! I think I need to review more practical books 📚. Thanks sister for reading this. How are you?
Good brother, thanks. The ‘little church’ we joined is growing! I’m encouraged, and believe the pastor is a godly man with a heart for God’s people and the lost.
Thank you for your prayers! Will remember to pray for you and your precious flock. 🙂
That is so encouraging to hear the church is growing!!! So encouraging!!!! Man I’m glad to hear that, this really made my day!!!
Thanks Pastor Jim for sharing your thoughts about this dynamic book. When participating in a small group with my church, one of the most blessed and meaningful moments was praying with others and for others.
You said “one of the most blessed and meaningful moments was praying with others and for others.” Wow I feel the same way too! Thanks for sharing that brother, hope your day is a blessing?
You are quite welcome! There is a humbleness in praying with others and for others which draws a person even closer to God and other believers.
Sounds like a great resource!
Wow families gotta read this