GOSPEL-CENTERED FAMILY

This Thursday we will be launching into our new study, 'Gospel-Centered Family':

"Numerous books set out to help Christian parents in the challenging mission of raising their children well - so what's different about this one? Well, the answer's in the title! It's not about how the gospel fits into Christian family life, but how family life should fit into the gospel - God's greatest purpose for this universe, achieved in Christ.

Many books aim to raise up competent, balanced parents and well-trained, well-rounded children. But Tim Chester and Ed Moll focus on families growing God-knowing, Christ-confessing, grace-receiving, servant-hearted, mission-minded believers - adults and children together.

In twelve concise chapters, Gospel-Centered Family takes us through the major Bible principles for family life, challenging us to become the distinctively different people that God, through His gospel, calls us to be."

 Part One: A Gospel-Centred Family


1. Gospel-centred families
  - Your family can show how great it is to live under God’s reign of love.


2. Gospel-centred hopes
 - Knowing God is far more important than getting on in life.

Part Two: A Grace-Centred Family


3. Disciplining a parent’s heart
 - The biggest obstacle to good discipline is our own selfish hearts.


4. Grace for a parent’s heart - 
Trying to be a good parent will crush you if you don’t embrace grace.


5. Disciplining a child’s heart - 
Changing hearts matters more than controlling behaviour.


6. Grace for a child’s heart - 
Don’t train your child to be a legalist.


7. Children as a gift
 - Make sure you enjoy your children!

Part Three: A Word-Centred Family


8. Living the word
 - Teach your children about God in the context of everyday life.


9. The word and other voices
 - Shape what younger children watch and how older children watch.


10. Praying the word
 - Teach children to pray by praying with them.

Part Four: A Mission-Centred Family


11. A bigger family
 - We belong to two families.


12. A Serving Family
 - Children are not the centre of the world.

You may also like to read The Gospel Coalition's review of the book.  I hope you will be able to join us as we study God's word together and encourage one another as we build our own gospel-centered families.

Lucy