I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review from Crossway Books in participation with Crossway’s Blog Review Program.

One thing in my experience that has been lacking far more greatly than it should is discipleship. While some families and churches do it well, it’s a staple that has sadly been left out of way too many churches and homes.

And discipleship begins at and needs to be rooted in the home.

Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones

While any and every time is right for discipleship, maybe there really has been no better time than now for a resource much like this. With all that the world and the church has experienced over the last few years, doesn’t it seem right that we should be talking about discipleship rooted at the family level, in the home?

For many of us though, that means we’re going to need some help. And help is what Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin set out to provide in Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home through Time, Moments, and Milestones.

What You Will Find Inside

For starters, as you would expect from both of these authors and from the publisher, Crossway, you’re going to get a resource that is grounded in Scripture. While I found that to be true, there were just a few points in this book where I felt Scripture could have been better explained. For example, partially quoting a verse and granting it blanket application actually takes that verse out of it’s context. The few times I encountered this in Family Discipleship were not ill-intended, but perhaps could have been treated with more care.

Family Discipleship is not a long book, about 175 pages, and is presented in 6 well laid-out chapters. Each chapter begins with a personal illustration or example from the writer, and moves into a time of discussion. The authors conclude chapters with a set of challenging and relevant questions.

These questions may be quite difficult for most people to wrestle with. Pastors like Chandler and Griffin do not sugar coat their words, and thankfully so! Unfortunately though, many teachers have forgotten how to do that in a caring way. However, the authors don’t just beat you up with convicting questions. Appropriately, they provide actionable steps and suggestions to actually put the ideas into motion and better disciple your family.

To be honest, I found the first chapter to be the stand-out one for me. I enjoyed the conversational writing and the direction they laid out from the start. The middle of the book did feel a little sluggish and at times I thought parts could have been omitted. However, the authors do maintain the focus and the integrity of their subject.

All in all, Family Discipleship is a valuable resource. The author’s illustrations and personal experiences alone provide much-needed conversation and thought on the subject of family discipleship. The questions and actionable steps they provide in each chapter are much needed in Christian families today.

Who is Family Discipleship for?

This book may not be my highest recommended one on the subject of discipleship, but because of the challenging, thought-provoking approach Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin take, along with genuine and realistic ideas you can use, I would recommend Family Discipleship for most Christian parents with children at home of any age.

While I would not suggest that this be your only resource on the matter of discipling your family, it is an appropriate book that will help you to ask some of the tough questions while providing ways forward for you and your family.

About the Authors

 Matt Chandler (BA, Hardin-Simmons University) serves as lead pastor of teaching at the Village Church in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Acts 29 Network. He lives in Texas with his wife, Lauren, and their three children.

 Adam Griffin (DEdMin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the lead pastor of Eastside Community Church in East Dallas, Texas. He previously served as an elder and spiritual formation pastor at the Village Church. Adam lives with his wife, Chelsea, and their three sons Oscar, Gus, and Theodore, in Dallas, Texas.