John Carter – March 9, 2019
ISBN-13: 978-1-58134-929-0
2007
Purpose
To provide brief review of Voddie Baucham Jr.’s book Family Driven Faith- Doing What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters who walk with God.
Summary
Family Driven Faith is a 200 page book broken into 10 chapters. Baucham begins Family Driven Faith by establishing the problem that warrants writing this type of book. He then quickly moves to establish the theological issues that are at stake. An important aspect of this book is Baucham’s chapter devoted to identifying the prominent worldviews that are at odds with the biblical framework. The last portion of the book then concludes with the necessary implications of the theology established earlier in the book in the context of competing worldviews.
Response
Voddie Baucham Jr has written an offensive book. This is a good thing! Baucham competently handles the issues plaguing the church and our culture as it relates to children and families. The convictions held by Baucham are clearly evident throughout this book. But that is not the best part. The best part is that his convictions do not lead to tearing down of poorly designed frameworks and walking away laughing. The best part of this book is that Baucham establishes the need for biblical fidelity when raising children and then lays the framework for how that works in everyday life. Personally, and as a father, I wish I had read this book when it came out (which was two years after the birth of my first born).
The unfortunate downside of Family Driven Faith is that is raises the standard of the responsibility for parents and especially for father’s. Most frustrated parents and church leaders observe a problem and then ask, ‘how do we find an easy solution to this problem?’ This question fails to note the gravity of the problems, particularly as it relates to raising children. Baucham does not provide a framework for making parenting easier. Instead, he demonstrates the weightiness of biblical fidelity and the largeness of the task of obeying God to raise godly children. This alone will turn off anyone looking for simple and easy answers. Clearly, this is not a fault of the book, but the fault of lazy parenting.
Without reservation, this is a book that every pastor, or church leader who oversees children or family ministries needs to read. Baucham clearly demonstrates that many a church models for raising godly children has unmistakably missed the mark. As Baucham demonstrates, churches are losing the battle of raising godly children because churches have usurped the role of parents when it comes to raising children. And parents are perfectly okay with this. Baucham does not simply light the church on fire and walk away, instead he concentrates a great deal of energy to pointing out a better way forward.
Anyone can point out flaws. But too few are willing to participate in creating viable solutions to those flaws. Voddie Baucham Jr. competently points out flaws and then gracefully provides viable and biblically consistent solutions. As a husband, as a father, and as a pastor this book has had a deep and lasting impact on the way I view my roles as a man and my family. I highly recommend that every father read this book and compare it to the biblical mandate to raise godly children.
Musica Theologica 