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Family Guidance

The Family at Church

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This book contains guidance on two important areas of family life. First, it explains how we should prepare our families for public worship. Second, it addresses the subject of prayer meetings, their importance and the scriptural warrant for them. Dr. Beeke's approach involves a sketch of the past uses of such practices and a detailed exposition, in such a way, that the reader can apply it to everyday living. This book will help a family focus the Sabbath wherein it can truly be a delight to the soul.

Table of Contents:

Listening to Sermons

1. The Importance of Preaching

2. Preparing for the Preached Word

3. Receiving the Preached Word

4. Practicing the Preached Word

Attending Prayer meetings

5. The Need for Prayer Meetings

6. The Biblical Warrant for Prayer Meetings

7. The History of Prayer Meetings

8. The Purposes of Prayer Meetings

9. Implementing Prayer Meetings

10. The Importance of Prayer Meetings

Author Joel R. Beeke (Ph.D. Westminster Theological Seminary) is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editor of The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, and author of numerous books.

Endorsement "In The Family at Church, Dr. Beeke has given us valuable and judicious advice about listening to preaching and the need for corporate prayer...This book is more of the same; rich in pastoral advice, timely in biblical focus, and warm in fervent exhortation." - Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2004

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About the author

Joel R. Beeke

447 books349 followers
Dr. Joel R. Beeke serves as President and Professor of Systematic Theology, Church History, and Homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has been in the ministry since 1978 and has served as a pastor of his current church, Heritage Reformed Congregation, since 1986. He is also editor of the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited fifty books and contributed over fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. (1988) from Westminster Theological Seminary is in Reformation and Post-Reformation Theology. He is frequently called upon to lecture at Reformed seminaries and to speak at conferences around the world. He and his wife, Mary, have three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Zak Graves.
12 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2025
The majority of the book is more helpful for church leaders in planning corporate prayer, rather than being practical tips for families in attending corporate prayer, although that is present within some chapters.
Profile Image for Jimmy.
1,254 reviews49 followers
December 17, 2021
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!

Profile Image for William.
16 reviews20 followers
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May 29, 2010
I have completed my reading of the book The Family at Church: Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings written by Dr. Joel Beeke. In summary, this book was well written and offered wonderful exhortations in the two areas it speaks to from the heart of a pastor and brother in the Lord. I cannot recommend this short volume enough.
The book is divided into two sections. The first section deals with the importance of the preached Word of God and how it is the centerpiece of everything in the local church and, therefore, the lives of God’s people. In this section Dr. Beeke discusses why we need preaching, how to prepare to hear the Word of God preached, how to receive the Word of God preached, and how to apply it. This will be the subject of part one of this review.

Dr. Beeke dovetails off question #160 of the Westminster Larger Catechism in this first section of the book. The Larger Catechism states:

Question 160: What is required of those that hear the Word preached?
Answer: It is required of those that hear the Word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer; examine: What they hear by the Scriptures; receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind, as the Word of God; meditate, and confer of it; hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.

The Importance of Preaching

In this section Dr. Beeke repeatedly reminds us about the importance of hearing the Word of God preached. He draws on some quotes from John Calvin as well as illustrations from the Puritans as he works to exhort us about the need to hear the Word of God when it is preached from the pulpit as well as recognize the indescribable power of the preached Word. Dr. Beeke writes:

[The Puritans:] regarded the sixty-six books of Holy Scripture as the library of the Holy Spirit…Scripture was God speaking to His people as a father speaks to his children. In preaching, God gives His Word as truth and power. As truth, Scripture can be trusted for time and eternity. As power, Scripture is the instrument of transformation used by the Spirit of God to renew our minds. (p. 5)

We must be as willing, as were the Puritans, to see the wealth of truth and power. We need to hear God speaking to us through the fallible men He has ordained to deliver the sacred texts to us. When we realize anew that it is God speaking we then must be willing to be diligent listeners to the Word of God preached. Dr. Beeke reminds us most clearly of this vital and absolutely necessary function of the Church.

Preparing for the Preached Word

Dr. Beeke begins this section by laying out some practical suggestions on how to properly prepare for worship. I read somewhere that the Lord’s Day really begins on Saturday night especially in the area of preparation.

1. Before coming to God’s house to hear His Word, prepare yourself and your family with prayer.

2. Come with a hearty appetite for the Word.

3. Meditate on the importance of the preached Word as you enter God’s house.

4. Remember as you enter the house of God that you are entering a battleground.

5. Come with a loving, expectant faith (Ps 62:1, 5).

Most of us realize the importance of being prepared in whatever activity or enterprise we set our hands to accomplish. Few of us would think of going to a meeting or taking a test without first being prepared to do so. How we prepare for the preaching of the Word of God will dictate how we receive it and how we apply it. All of us could stand to be more prepared for our weekly worship with the living God. Dr. Beeke does a fine job in reminding us of the certain importance of being prepared. So instead of filling our minds with television and other such distractions on Saturday night we might be much better off by using that time to reflect and meditate on these suggestions and employ them with an attitude of prayer before we retire for the evening.

Receiving the Preached Word

James reminds us that we are to be doers of the Word of God (James 1.22) and we are often reminded of this but sometimes, in this reminder, we fail to realize that James states that we are to be hearers of the Word as well. He writes:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Jas 1:22). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

While we are to act on the Word of God, and this is certainly the point of the admonition, we first must hear it. Dr. Beeke offers some practical suggestions on the “how to’s” of properly hearing the Word of God preached.

1. Listen with an understanding, tender conscience (Matthew 13:3-23; Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-15).

2. Listen attentively to the preached Word (Luke 19.48).

3. Listen with submissive faith (James 1:21)

4. Listen with humility and serious self-examination (Isa. 66:2).

When we are hearing the word of God preached we are hearing divine instructions offered by the Great Physician. We are hearing His Word which is given for the health of our souls. As God’s people called to act on what we hear we need to employ items that will help us properly hear. Dr. Beeke’s recommendations are a great place to start.

Practicing the Preached Word

Of course we are not to be mere hearers of the Word of God but instead we are to be both hearers and doers. After working diligently to properly hear the Word we must then move to action and reflect on it for our lives. If the Scriptures are offered as food for our souls (and they are) then we must actually feed on it. A dinner has never satisfied a hungry stomach until it is ingested and digested. In this section Dr. Beeke offers some more practical suggestions of how to practice what we hear in the preaching of the Word of God.

1. Strive to retain and pray over what you have heard (Hebrews 2:1).

2. Familiarize yourself with the truths you have heard.

3. Put the sermon into action:

a. Listen carefully to sermons that teach us how to live.
b. Ask older, more experienced Christians how to live.
c. Thank God for all the you receive from sermons.
d. Lean upon the Holy Spirit.

Yes, hearing without practicing what we hear is useless. It does nothing. Yet this kind of hearing takes diligence and hard work. We can dovetail Dr. Beeke’s suggestions by simply spending more time on the Lord’s Day reflecting over the sermon and meditating on the truths that were preached as well as pray through and over the passages that were used in the sermon. Further, we can discuss them in conversation around the table as families sit to eat with one another or spouses can discuss the sermon together and pray over it. All of these are sound and practical suggestions that will help us hear and do what we hear in the preached Word of God.

As I read the first half of this small book I was reminded of my own short comings in these areas and how I often fail to be prepared to hear the Word of God and to actively listen with my heart and mind with the goal of putting them into practice. This first section was a great reminder (though at times painful to hear) as we labor as pilgrims in the journey. May God help us all to reflect deeply over these matters and employ them for God’s glory and our good.

In a few days I will turn my attention to the second half of this short book and discuss the importance of prayer meetings in the life of the child of God.
Profile Image for John Boyne.
153 reviews11 followers
March 6, 2025
Beeke's booklet on the family at church is an excellent read for parents with children of all ages. It serves as a great reminder of how important we need to make not only the church service but the church sermon not only in our own lives but also in our children's lives. I was convicted on many occasions while reading that I should devote more time in preparing and absorbing my pastor's sermon each Sunday. Modern day prayer meetings are called more often as small groups but don't let the name fool you. The importance of devoting a time for corporate prayer is paramount in the life of the Christian and something we all should do more of. Beeke provides helpful tips and encouragement on making that a reality.
Profile Image for Péricles Bessoni.
27 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2017
Bons lembretes da importância de se saber ouvir um sermão. Ele também aborda sobre reuniões de oração. Vale muito a pena.
Profile Image for Eliézer Salazar.
86 reviews4 followers
August 14, 2023
Another hit! Every Christian layperson and pastor should read this, and even consider giving out a copy to every member.
Profile Image for Felipe Sabino.
502 reviews33 followers
January 5, 2015
Livreto sobre um tema importantíssimo, mas (infelizmente) pouco abordado em nossos dias: como ouvir sermões. Existem literalmente milhares de livros sobre como pregar sermões, mas pouquíssimos sobre a igualmente importante tarefa de ouvir sermões. A segunda parte trata sobre o igualmente importante assunto da oração, especificamente sobre as reuniões de oração.
Infelizmente, a tradução e revisão deixou muito a desejar. Algumas frases simplesmente não têm sentido! Este livreto, de conteúdo excelente, merece ser bem revisado e então distribuído em todas as nossas igrejas.
3 reviews
January 15, 2026
Short encouraging book but not what I was hoping to have. While it is aimed at families I find that throughout the book it doesn't keep that audience in mind enough both in content and presentation. Language, phrasing, and historic quotations are largely too verbose to be immediately understandable for the families in my church that would most benefit from the message of the work. While I would love to be able pass these out to many families that is what prevents me.
81 reviews2 followers
September 2, 2020
This is useful as a sort of guidebook to give to young families who have just become interested in getting more out of sermons, and in promoting an interest in prayer meetings. But it is just as useful for those who have pondered these things for years, and prompts all of us to consider practical ways we can help ourselves and our families grow in applying sermons and in prayer.
Profile Image for Eric.
160 reviews
March 24, 2025
Beeke's scriptural observations and encouragements to involve children in the life of the church is excellent (i.e., sitting in the service to hear preaching and attend praying meetings). I was especially encouraged to see how Christians of the past (reformation era and puritans) prized the involvement of children—especially in how, at one time, children would have their own prayer meetings!
Profile Image for Stevie Lu.
4 reviews2 followers
January 7, 2018
Good book and really made me think a lot about corporate worship and congregational prayer meetings and how it pertains to the family. However I was hoping for more practical advice on "pew training" so to say.
Profile Image for William Schrecengost.
907 reviews33 followers
August 8, 2020
This was good. It was directed more for personal use than for guiding your family, which I was a little disappointed by. It had a lot of good advice in it. How to prepare yourself for Sunday worship and the importance of prayer meetings.
Profile Image for Chad Stuart.
127 reviews3 followers
September 10, 2022
The first section of the book on how to properly listen to sermons—which includes preparation and post sermon engagement, beyond the actual hearing of the sermon is beneficial.
Profile Image for Aaron Hand.
255 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, with its helpful insights on how to glorify God in "listening" to a sermon. Also the history of and helpful thoughts on prayer meetings was good. I liked this booklet.
Profile Image for Joshua Chipchase.
201 reviews1 follower
January 1, 2024
Solid biblical principles with good application. Both convicting and encouraging. All Christian families would benefit from reading this.
Profile Image for John.
56 reviews2 followers
April 3, 2014
Excellent title. Dr. Joel Beeke succinctly, yet sufficiently addresses the topic the family at church. The subtitle notes the two subareas of this topic that being Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings. For the first half he notes the importance of hearing the Word preached as well as how to do so with chapters on preparing to hear the Word, how to receive the Word, and how to practice the Word. In the second half he examines prayer meetings, their foundation, history, importance, etc. I highly recommend this to any Christian, in particular men who are husbands and fathers. This title goes well with Family Worship as both are in Joel Beeke's Family Guidance Series.
Profile Image for Scott Head.
193 reviews12 followers
August 2, 2017
Always a great read and well worth the few bucks it costs. The first half is all about the importance of preaching and how to gain from it, and I have leaned heavily on this book for my own preaching, writing, and lectures that touch on this topic. Dr. Beeke's works are many, yet this one seems to be among those I re-read or consult more frequently than any others.
Profile Image for Yobber.
29 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2021
Joel Beeke ha escrito un libro con tinta puritana que instruye a la familia sobre cómo recibir un mayor beneficio de los sermones (antes, durante y después de ellos), además de motivar las reuniones de oración congregacionales. Es un libro corto en extensión, pero profundo en sus intenciones. Después de leerlo individualmente lo leeremos con hermanos de la iglesia, lo amerita y lo recomiendo.
Profile Image for Michael Philliber.
Author 5 books70 followers
August 24, 2012
A short, edifying, simple read. The book breaks down into the 2 sections noted in the subtitle: I. Listening to Sermons; II. Attending Prayer Meetings. Chock full of helpful advice from Scripture and the Westminster Larger Catechism. Highly redommend.
Profile Image for Laura.
381 reviews10 followers
Want to read
May 29, 2009
The Family at Church: Listening to Sermons and Attending Prayer Meetings by Joel R. Beeke (2008)
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