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Perspectives
Perspectives on Family Ministry: Three Views
In Perspectives on Family Ministry , Timothy Paul Jones makes the case that every church is called to some form of family ministry—but what he means by "family ministry" isn’t simply one more program to add to an already-packed schedule! According to Jones, the most effective family ministries involve refocusing every church process to engage parents in the process of discipling their children and to draw family members together instead of pulling them apart. Jones sets the stage with introductory chapters on the historical contexts and foundations of family ministry. Then, three effective practitioners show clearly how your church can make the transition to family ministry. Paul Renfro (pastor of discipleship at Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas) writes in favor of Family-Integrated Ministry, where the emphasis is on intergenerational discipleship. Brandon Shields (minister to high school students at Highview Baptist Church, a multi-site megachurch in Kentucky and Indiana) supports Family-Based Ministry—ministry that organizes programs according to ages and interests but also develops intentional activities and training events to bring families together. Jay Strother (minister to emerging generations at Brentwood Baptist Church in Tennessee) prefers Family-Equipping Ministry, maintaining age-organized ministry while reorganizing the congregation to call parents to become active partners in the discipleship of their children.
208 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
64 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Paul Jones
53 books52 followersTimothy Paul Jones is an American evangelical scholar known for his work in apologetics and family ministry. He serves as the C. Edwin Gheens Professor of Christian Family Ministry at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Jones has authored influential texts defending the historical reliability of the New Testament and has promoted a model of “family-equipping ministry,” which balances family discipleship with age-specific church programs. His apologetics have evolved from evidential to presuppositional approaches, emphasizing the role of the church’s moral witness and care for the marginalized. He has been recognized for books such as Misquoting Truth, How We Got the Bible, and In Church as It Is in Heaven, the latter promoting multiethnic church communities. Jones is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and has been praised as a leading voice in engaging both secular critics and intra-faith debates. He and his wife Rayann have four adopted children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 19, 2024
Great discussion on how family ministry ought to look in the local Church. There is a desperate need of reformation in the modern evangelical Church of the West in the area of family discipleship. I found the Family Integrated model and the Family Equipping model to be the most compelling. I would argue for a hybrid between the two. Family Integrated does a phenomenal job training and holding accountable men as the priests of the home to lead their wives and children in the Fear of the Lord. It also does an incredible job of unity within the Church reflecting the family of God. Family Equipping does a great job of emphasizing parents as the primary disciple makers of their children from the top down through messaging, programs, and encouragement. There major reform of segmentation keeps the Churches vision unified and focused, keeping it from functioning as a “mindless octopus”. The retention of segmented ministries displays mercy and compassion on broken families who have unbelieving parent(s) which is huge. The end goal must still be to work towards building the ideal design for God’s family and church displayed in the Integrated model.
March 1, 2021
Coming from different perspectives concerning family ministry, this book has been a great help in understanding the three models about family ministry. Family-integrated, family-based, and family-equipping have their own advantages and disadvantages.
The best is that Timothy Jones acknowledge the strengths of each model—which is also biblical—and considered applying these in an effective and efficient manner in the church contextually.
The best is that Timothy Jones acknowledge the strengths of each model—which is also biblical—and considered applying these in an effective and efficient manner in the church contextually.
March 31, 2017
I enjoy the format of the Perspective Series. I walk away feeling like I understand all sides of the issue and and not just my own personal paradigm. This book was no different and challenged to consider the purpose of children's and youth ministry in the church.
August 16, 2018
Helpful introduction on the topic
The dialogue between the different church leaders is so helpful. The conversation gives excellent perspective on how the leaders are clearly different from each other in their perspective and approach. It was encouraging to see a great deal of agreement, but eye-opening to see the differences in methodology. If we are not careful, it is our natural tendency to imagine everyone sees what we see, how we see it, and agrees on how to address what we all see. This book helped me to see a glaring problem I haven’t been seeing clearly enough. Great book.
The dialogue between the different church leaders is so helpful. The conversation gives excellent perspective on how the leaders are clearly different from each other in their perspective and approach. It was encouraging to see a great deal of agreement, but eye-opening to see the differences in methodology. If we are not careful, it is our natural tendency to imagine everyone sees what we see, how we see it, and agrees on how to address what we all see. This book helped me to see a glaring problem I haven’t been seeing clearly enough. Great book.
July 2, 2024
I loved this book!
I’m still not sure which of the three I think is the wisest approach, but it sure made me think a lot about the role of families in church and the role of youth ministry in general.
I’m still not sure which of the three I think is the wisest approach, but it sure made me think a lot about the role of families in church and the role of youth ministry in general.
September 13, 2022
2022 reads: 18
Rating: 2 stars.
The debates in this book are a largely North American/Western issue. Each veers into pragmatism and seems overly dogmatic in their respective positions. The conversation is also couched within a framework of conservative gender roles, purity culture, and the 'culture wars' apparent in American evangelicalism.
For a better read check our Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop's The Compelling Community.
Rating: 2 stars.
The debates in this book are a largely North American/Western issue. Each veers into pragmatism and seems overly dogmatic in their respective positions. The conversation is also couched within a framework of conservative gender roles, purity culture, and the 'culture wars' apparent in American evangelicalism.
For a better read check our Mark Dever & Jamie Dunlop's The Compelling Community.
June 30, 2012
This book is a really helpful and thought provoking back-and-forth in the arena of ministry to children and youth. There are some excellent insights and biblical insights regarding the church's missionary responsibility to reach the lost, and the Christian family's responsibility to train their children to love and fear the Lord. Great read!
August 2, 2018
This examines the three most common views of family ministry: family-based, family-integrated, and family-equipping. All three views agree that the current predominant model of age-segregated ministry in the church is actually detrimental to families. Rather than removing children from their parents with highly specialized programs aimed at each specific age-group, the family ministry movement seeks to reestablish the parents as the primary spiritual leaders in their children's lives. However, the three views slightly disagree about how to accomplish that.
"Family-based ministry," following the lead of Mark DeVries and Reggie Joiner, is an effort to tweak the current predominant view of age-segregated ministry in the church. It seeks to add in inter-generational events to the church calendar and communicate more overtly to parents of their spiritual role. However, they keep age-segregated events, such as youth group, nursery, singles ministry, adult Bible study, etc. This view sees the other two views as being too restrictive in its scope, excluding non-traditional families, single parents, and children without Christian parents from their primary ministry objectives.
"Family-integrated ministry," following the lead of Voddie Baucham, seeks to move itself as far away as possible from the current predominant view. It abolishes all age-segregated ministries in the church and mingles together all generations. It sees the church primarily as a "family of families." There is no youth group, no nursery, no singles ministry, etc. All ages worship together on Sunday morning and all small groups have all generations present. The expectation is that the parents are expected to be the primary spiritual leader in their children's lives, and that message is reinforced by providing no alternative. The role of men serving as the spiritual leaders in their home and the discipline of family worship is strongly reinforced. Families are encouraged to "adopt" into their homes those who come from broken homes so that they may see what a healthy, functioning family looks like.
"Family-equipping ministry," following the lead of Randy Stinson and Timothy Paul Jones, seeks to provide a kind of mediating position between the last two views. It agrees with the integrated view that a radical restructuring of the church and all of its ministries is necessary, but it agrees with the family-based view that there is still some merit to some age-segregated ministries. Instead of abolishing all age-segregation, it seeks to ask at every level, "What is best for families? How do we help parents lead?" So it may maintain a youth group, a men's ministry, nursery, etc., but the aim of all of the ministries are the same--what can be done to equip families and parents to succeed?
In my view, the family-equipping model makes the most sense, although I am attracted to the family-integrated model. However, it seems that it would be very difficult to implement in most churches in America today and does seem to run the risk of just becoming a cloister of home-schooling families and nothing else.
"Family-based ministry," following the lead of Mark DeVries and Reggie Joiner, is an effort to tweak the current predominant view of age-segregated ministry in the church. It seeks to add in inter-generational events to the church calendar and communicate more overtly to parents of their spiritual role. However, they keep age-segregated events, such as youth group, nursery, singles ministry, adult Bible study, etc. This view sees the other two views as being too restrictive in its scope, excluding non-traditional families, single parents, and children without Christian parents from their primary ministry objectives.
"Family-integrated ministry," following the lead of Voddie Baucham, seeks to move itself as far away as possible from the current predominant view. It abolishes all age-segregated ministries in the church and mingles together all generations. It sees the church primarily as a "family of families." There is no youth group, no nursery, no singles ministry, etc. All ages worship together on Sunday morning and all small groups have all generations present. The expectation is that the parents are expected to be the primary spiritual leader in their children's lives, and that message is reinforced by providing no alternative. The role of men serving as the spiritual leaders in their home and the discipline of family worship is strongly reinforced. Families are encouraged to "adopt" into their homes those who come from broken homes so that they may see what a healthy, functioning family looks like.
"Family-equipping ministry," following the lead of Randy Stinson and Timothy Paul Jones, seeks to provide a kind of mediating position between the last two views. It agrees with the integrated view that a radical restructuring of the church and all of its ministries is necessary, but it agrees with the family-based view that there is still some merit to some age-segregated ministries. Instead of abolishing all age-segregation, it seeks to ask at every level, "What is best for families? How do we help parents lead?" So it may maintain a youth group, a men's ministry, nursery, etc., but the aim of all of the ministries are the same--what can be done to equip families and parents to succeed?
In my view, the family-equipping model makes the most sense, although I am attracted to the family-integrated model. However, it seems that it would be very difficult to implement in most churches in America today and does seem to run the risk of just becoming a cloister of home-schooling families and nothing else.
November 4, 2025
Family Integrated Ministry: This view was proposed by Paul Renfro, and it keeps families together in all areas of church life, eliminating age segregation. Renfro argues that there is no biblical example of separating kids and parents, and that doing so is fragmenting discipleship since the parents (the father especially) are the God-ordained disciple makers. Pastors are meant to equip fathers for that task, and evangelism takes the form of hospitality within the home. Renfro’s key description of this view is: "The most distinctive characteristics of a family-integrated church are the absence of age-organized ministries and the expectation that parents-and particularly fathers-should be the primary disciple makers in their children's lives. Family-integrated churches do not have age-segregated youth ministry or children's ministry." (Page 108)
Family-Based Ministry: This view, suggested by Brandon Shields, has age-specific programming that families can do together, fostering discipleship and connection between generations. The church is the support structure for the parents as the main disciplers, while also providing discipleship to those parents through offering community and other adult mentors. This approach has stronger outreach potential as it maintains programs for non-traditional families. Shields' key quote is “Family-based ministry supports Christian families where they exist, while at the same time aggressively and intentionally engaging non-Christian families with the transforming message of Jesus Christ.” (174)
Family Equipping Ministry: Written by Jay Strother, this view keeps age-specific programming specifically designed to reinforce parents’ role as the primary disciple-makers and to encourage faith in the family. The Church and the home are “co-champions of discipleship,” where church leadership coaches parents to cement and catalyze all discipleship done through the church. Strother describes his view here: "Family-equipping churches retain some age-organized ministries but restructure their ministries to connect people across the generations and to partner with parents at every level of ministry so that parents are acknowledged, equipped, and held accountable for the discipleship of their children." (Page 248)
Family-Based Ministry: This view, suggested by Brandon Shields, has age-specific programming that families can do together, fostering discipleship and connection between generations. The church is the support structure for the parents as the main disciplers, while also providing discipleship to those parents through offering community and other adult mentors. This approach has stronger outreach potential as it maintains programs for non-traditional families. Shields' key quote is “Family-based ministry supports Christian families where they exist, while at the same time aggressively and intentionally engaging non-Christian families with the transforming message of Jesus Christ.” (174)
Family Equipping Ministry: Written by Jay Strother, this view keeps age-specific programming specifically designed to reinforce parents’ role as the primary disciple-makers and to encourage faith in the family. The Church and the home are “co-champions of discipleship,” where church leadership coaches parents to cement and catalyze all discipleship done through the church. Strother describes his view here: "Family-equipping churches retain some age-organized ministries but restructure their ministries to connect people across the generations and to partner with parents at every level of ministry so that parents are acknowledged, equipped, and held accountable for the discipleship of their children." (Page 248)
January 17, 2022
This book is helpful in exposing the reader to a few different perspectives concerning family discipleship based on the common convictions of the authority of Scripture, the necessity of male leadership, and the priority of discipling children in the home. In evaluating the methods, I found that I liked ideas from all three of the models and didn't subscribe fully to any of them.
I was disappointed in the quality of the discussion that arose from the presentation and responses format. I'm not sure if part of it had to do with the need to fill pages, but there were times where I wondered about the ability of the authors to read and understand each other instead of simply talking past one another. More than once an obvious straw man of another model is constructed to make a point. In addition the more an author was adament that their method should be applied, the more I felt like they were drinking deeply from the Kool Aid of their own perspective as opposed to laying out a clear, tight case from Scripture for their philosophy.
It seems to me the more foundational conversation that needed to take place was how far the regulative principle extends and how much freedom a church has to apply different ministry models in different contexts. I think a better discussion would have taken place if all the authors had a clearer unity on this issue before discussing the wisdom of applying different models.
One of the best sections to me for the current day is by Brandon Shields regarding the misappropriation of statistics to make tenuous correlations in order to prove a point. I think this probably happens a lot over a variety of topics, and I appreciated what he had to share regarding the often-stated statistics related to youth and Christianity.
All-in-all, it's helpful to know the various models and philosophies that are out there about family ministry, and this discussion will introduce you to three that are trying to move past some of the weaknesses that have been observed in many evangelical churches.
I was disappointed in the quality of the discussion that arose from the presentation and responses format. I'm not sure if part of it had to do with the need to fill pages, but there were times where I wondered about the ability of the authors to read and understand each other instead of simply talking past one another. More than once an obvious straw man of another model is constructed to make a point. In addition the more an author was adament that their method should be applied, the more I felt like they were drinking deeply from the Kool Aid of their own perspective as opposed to laying out a clear, tight case from Scripture for their philosophy.
It seems to me the more foundational conversation that needed to take place was how far the regulative principle extends and how much freedom a church has to apply different ministry models in different contexts. I think a better discussion would have taken place if all the authors had a clearer unity on this issue before discussing the wisdom of applying different models.
One of the best sections to me for the current day is by Brandon Shields regarding the misappropriation of statistics to make tenuous correlations in order to prove a point. I think this probably happens a lot over a variety of topics, and I appreciated what he had to share regarding the often-stated statistics related to youth and Christianity.
All-in-all, it's helpful to know the various models and philosophies that are out there about family ministry, and this discussion will introduce you to three that are trying to move past some of the weaknesses that have been observed in many evangelical churches.
February 3, 2019
I've read my fair share of "counterpoint" books. Some are dry, academic and confusing in nature and some are helpful and move forward the conversation. This book falls within the latter category. Although the book is full of research and academic content, the subject matter is tangibly practical and, thus, I appreciate the contributor's particular layouts of their ecclesiology and theology of the family.
The structure of the criticism provided by all authors was very visible and easy to follow as well. That is not always the case in these types of books, so I appreciate it.
The one thing I lament is Paul Renfro's contentious contribution. Independently of which perspective is right or wrong, Renfro comes off as off-putting at times. As a reader, I felt I was reading more of a diatribe than a critique at times when I read Renfro's responses. That shouldn't be the case in these types of books. The other two contributors did not fall into this, though.
In any case, it was a fascinating conversation about a subject matter that is often neglected.
The structure of the criticism provided by all authors was very visible and easy to follow as well. That is not always the case in these types of books, so I appreciate it.
The one thing I lament is Paul Renfro's contentious contribution. Independently of which perspective is right or wrong, Renfro comes off as off-putting at times. As a reader, I felt I was reading more of a diatribe than a critique at times when I read Renfro's responses. That shouldn't be the case in these types of books. The other two contributors did not fall into this, though.
In any case, it was a fascinating conversation about a subject matter that is often neglected.
January 17, 2018
Each author gave a valid explanation of their ministry model. They each had some good insights in what the problem with the current model is and how they would fix it. When it came time to react to each other's points of view they seemed more determined to show why they had the only right way than to really observe the positive points the others shared. I think that like anyone, when we invest in a particular way of doing anything we eventually believe that it is the only right way. So while I will take some ideas from each of the individual authors, I am not convinced that any of them are right nor wrong, rather each way of doing family based ministry seems to have a particular place and group of believers where it is the right fit.
December 23, 2018
Good arguments put forward by each contributor, and all agree that family ministry in American churches is in need of reform.
I enjoyed the format of Perspectives more than the similar Counterpoints series by Zondervan because Perspectives spends more time introducing the topic and gave each contributor the final say to their arguments by allowing them to critique the critiques against their position. Overall this book, and probably series, comes off as more engaging than Counterpoints.
I enjoyed the format of Perspectives more than the similar Counterpoints series by Zondervan because Perspectives spends more time introducing the topic and gave each contributor the final say to their arguments by allowing them to critique the critiques against their position. Overall this book, and probably series, comes off as more engaging than Counterpoints.
March 31, 2019
This book outlines three very distinctive views on family ministry. Each author presents their point of view and the other two then get to ask questions and engage in a healthy dialogue. This is helpful for people in ministry to read in order to better understand how family ministry can be approached and improved.
June 9, 2025
An ok book. The responses to each view were helpful and contained some helpful things to think through (not having only young volunteers, creational capacities of children, balancing time commitments, etc.). But was generally underwhelmed by the chapters for each side...could've been more robust both Biblically and practically.
September 22, 2017
I really liked the "debate" style of this book. Each contributor wrote a chapter describing their preferred model of family ministry, then the other contributors debated the same model in the next chapter. It was a good way to get an all-views approach to family ministry, and I highly recommend.
March 5, 2019
Family ministry is really on my mind and I want to see it well. I started out as a youth pastor and was trained in the strategy of dividing up the age group. This book examines different ways that churches can minister to families, some of which challenge traditional thinking.
July 12, 2020
Jones's chapters in the beginning had some interesting information about the development of youth culture and modern youth ministry. Renfro's chapter on family-integrated ministry was compelling. The rest of the book was forgettable.
December 22, 2023
This was required reading for my class, thus the three stars. However, it was very interesting because it gave three different models of family ministry and the authors went back and forth about the pros and cons. It did open my eyes to various ways churches can incorporate family ministry.
May 6, 2020
It's a NOT to all CONTEXT
Reading this book is a blessing and it speak to all CONTEXT and the words are true and mostly RELIABLE.
Reading this book is a blessing and it speak to all CONTEXT and the words are true and mostly RELIABLE.
March 31, 2021
Read the second edition from 2019.
September 15, 2021
What an amazing introduction to family ministry. I recommend this for anyone working with youth and children. Definitely a starting book that will get you hooked on the idea of family ministry
June 28, 2024
Helpful and fair outline of different family ministry models. All share the hope of discipling the family!
September 29, 2021
I DNF'd this book because the class I was reading it for didn't finish the book and, while it is a good book, I wasn't motivated enough to finish it on my own. This book is useful in explaining the different ways family ministry is done and the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
May 23, 2022
Found this format... interesting. Some good information for beginning to think about family ministry and what it might look like.
January 11, 2018
I enjoyed the format of this book. Great to read about different opinions.
March 27, 2025
I appreciate the way this book compared views and let proponents of each defend their own and comment on downfalls of others. That being said, these three views seem in practice to have a lot of overlap. I am not sure if I learned anything from this book other than the fact that some people are really into putting a name to their philosophy.
November 16, 2021
A great overview
I thought the entire book was very helpful. However, while I completely agree with the conclusion of this book and the premise of the conclusion and pursuing “diversity,” this term was never and is rarely defined. What is a diverse “enough” church? Is it a reflection of the community? What if your community isn’t significantly diverse, but you have the same ratio in your congregation as you do you local community? Then are you doing a good enough job?
This feels more like an attempted tag line rather than what should have been a very quality conclusion.
One other issue I have with this work, is a lot of the research content seems to be outdated. Knowing Barna has certainly done more research on the topics of youth and family it certainly would be nice to see those points updated to reflect the numbers.
Otherwise I cannot recommend this book more highly if you are looking for a plurality of perspectives. These seem to be the best overview of each way of looking at the subject.
I thought the entire book was very helpful. However, while I completely agree with the conclusion of this book and the premise of the conclusion and pursuing “diversity,” this term was never and is rarely defined. What is a diverse “enough” church? Is it a reflection of the community? What if your community isn’t significantly diverse, but you have the same ratio in your congregation as you do you local community? Then are you doing a good enough job?
This feels more like an attempted tag line rather than what should have been a very quality conclusion.
One other issue I have with this work, is a lot of the research content seems to be outdated. Knowing Barna has certainly done more research on the topics of youth and family it certainly would be nice to see those points updated to reflect the numbers.
Otherwise I cannot recommend this book more highly if you are looking for a plurality of perspectives. These seem to be the best overview of each way of looking at the subject.
July 26, 2010
I typically don't like "perspectives" books. I would rather consider one person's entire argument rather than going back and forth between multiple views. I like this book because all the contributors are on the same page about many aspects of student ministry. They all agree that the parents should be the primary spiritual influence on their children instead of a youth pastor or youth ministry. Youth ministry is meant to supplement a child's spiritual growth, not be the sole provider for the child's spiritual growth. The first three chapters talk about common ground that all three contributors agree on, which is possibly the best part of the book.
January 19, 2011
Perspectives on Family Ministry is what the title promises. Each of the authors presents a different view on age segregation (or lack of) in ministry and worship.
Overall I found the book to be a slight disappointment. Nevertheless, I gave Perspectives three stars for discussing a topic that is far too neglected in Evangelical churches. I would be delighted to see more written on this subject.
One positive contribution of this book in my life was to think through a question that Timothy Jones poses: Is it a sin to bore kids with the Gospel? I agree with Jones; this question needs to be revisited.
CB
Overall I found the book to be a slight disappointment. Nevertheless, I gave Perspectives three stars for discussing a topic that is far too neglected in Evangelical churches. I would be delighted to see more written on this subject.
One positive contribution of this book in my life was to think through a question that Timothy Jones poses: Is it a sin to bore kids with the Gospel? I agree with Jones; this question needs to be revisited.
CB
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews