Book Review: Gospel-Centered Family

by Pastor David

There is no shortage of books on parenting. Additionally, you can find “Gospel centered” anything on the Christian book market. Neither of those realities should keep you from reading Ed Moll and Tim Chester’s Gospel-Centered Family. I highly recommend this book because it is readable, practical, and most importantly driven by biblical principle.

Gospel-Centered Family is a short 92 pages long, and most chapters are around 6 pages. What that means is that you won’t get bogged down in a book that never seems to end. You’ll be able to pick it up and put it down often. Because, let’s face it, if you have kids you know you don’t have that many undistracted moments to read about parenting those same kids. Chester and Moll are British, so at times there are some funny word choices, but their writing style is direct, engaging, and easy to read. The book also makes effective use of topic headings and lists, which add to its readability.

Gospel-Centered Family is also practical. It’s almost more like a workbook, complete with Bible reading assignments in each chapter and questions for reflection. This book would work great in a small group setting, or for husbands and wives to work through together. Chester and Moll do a great job bringing careful biblical principle into direct application for parenting.

Finally, I recommend Gospel-Centered Family because of its careful biblical principles. Like most parenting books, this one will not answer every hypothetical or exact circumstance you’re facing. If you’re looking for a step-by-step how-to parent book, you’ll probably be disappointed in this one (and almost every other you look to as well). But what the book does a fantastic job at is directing your heart to the Gospel and its primary place in your family. I found myself challenged over and over to consider the principles the authors presented and to find ways to live it out in my family. Just to give you a taste, here are the main principles found in the twelve chapters.

Your family can show how great it is to live under God’s reign of love.

Knowing God is far more important than “succeeding” in life.

The biggest obstacle to good discipline is our own selfish hearts.

Trying to be a good parent will crush you if you don’t embrace grace.

Addressing the heart matters more than controlling behavior.

Don’t train your child to be a legalist.

Make sure you enjoy your children.

Teach your children about God in the context of everyday life.

Shape WHAT younger children watch and HOW older children watch.

Teach children to pray by praying with them.

We belong to two families.

Children are not the center of the world.

I think this book will challenge and grow you, so I highly encourage you to get a copy and read it. Press on in grace!