I just completed the book Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham. Don’t let the name fool you; it has absolutely nothing to do with the purpose driven garbage being peddled by the seeker-friendly mega-churches. In fact, I doubt that this book would be well received at such social club churches.
In the book, subtitled Doing What It Takes To Raise Sons And Daughters Who Walk With God, Voddie sounds the call for parents to take back their biblical responsibilities as the primary spiritual mentors and shepherds of their children. He also calls for the church to not only stop interfering and usurping parents’ authority, but to quit dividing and segregating the family: Baby goes in nursery, toddler in Sunday school class, teen in youth group, parents in main sanctuary. If we are to have a multi-generational family, it starts with the family, not the youth pastor.
I highly recommend this book to parents, expecting parents, pastors, youth pastors, Sunday school teachers, church nursery staff, and even teens and children.
You can purchase this book here.
Christ Alone Wyoming 
I had the privilege of meeting and hearing Voddie first hand when he came to my church to speak at a “Transforming Family Mission” conference. He is amazing. I thank God for men like Voddie who are not afraid to speak the truth. What he said was true and we would do well to take heed of what he says. Thankfully, he brought a whole stack of these books with him to good old Northern Ireland and hopefully a lot of people who came to the 3 days of him speaking and the Sunday he preached will have purchased a copy of this book. My copy is on my shelf waiting to be read in due course!!
R.P.
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We are in the middle of reading it and it is very good. I know the Lord has convicted my heart in other teaching series he has done so I’m sure He will in this book, as well!
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I have yet to find any reference in Scripture to being “driven” that is NOT punishment or judgment. I, therefore, am not in favor of anything in a church being “driven”. We are to be led by the Spirit of God – He will drive His enemies and lead His sheep.
Other than that, my wife and I absolutely thank God for Voddie and Paul – the elders at our new church – http://www.gracefamilybaptist.net/
This church is the most biblically sound church I’ve ever belonged to.
Here’s another review of Voddie’s book, providing a little more detail: http://www.9marks.org/partner/Article_Display_Page/0,,PTID314526|CHID598026|CIID2438258,00.html
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So far an excellent book. I would probably have written the review myself except I am only in the middle of it and The Pilgrim beat me to it! LOL
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Just a question….
Does he deal at all with families where the parents are unequally yoked?
From my experience, these types of books are wonderful for families where both parents are dedicated Christians, but aren’t really helpful when one parent is a dedicated Christian and the other is unconverted.
For instance, I would give anything to homeschool my kids, but my unconverted husband insists that they be in public school. So what am I to do? What would Mr. Baucham have me to do? Is my home a 2nd rate Christian home because I simply cannot do some of the things he thinks makes good Christian homes and families?
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This book should NOT be a wake up call to sound Christians in a bible teaching church!!!!! You should already be doing what the first several chapters encourage. However the Holier than Thou, Protectionism reads “Whitewashed Tomb” instead of “Good Neighbor” (Matthew 23:27-28, Luke 10:36-37.) This man’s focus is his fear and his worship is his own world. If you aren’t a hypocrite at home your children won’t look for a better way than yours. Whatever happened to The Great Commission? We are called to trust God. If Voddie is a true 5 point Calvinist TULIP and if he really believes it, why should he be so worried about his children? He shouldn’t have to tell others that a bible teaching youth group and children’s church is evil. No matter what happens to your children isn’t God still on the throne? Or maybe the good doctor doesn’t really trust God with his children and what Jesus said isn’t good enough for him either. So like most Christian authors he uses God’s Word for profit instead of teaching the bible in context. Buyer BE WARNED. God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. God will take care of your children just keep them abiding, walking, reading, discerning through the Word of God, and not the latest fad book.
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Amy,
I have both read this book and read Voddie Baucham’s new book “What He Must Be … if he wants to marry my daughter.” Especially with the last book, he focuses much on the Father’s role, yet even in an unequally yoked marriage, there is much to learn about parenting in them. But throughout both books he stresses that Christians should not marry non-Christians under any circumstances. When Christians willingly become unequally yoked, they have disobeyed the Lord and will suffer the consequences of disobedience. Nevertheless, the Lord is merciful, forgiving and offers grace to those He loves.
Occasionally one spouse will become a Christian after they are already married and the other spouse does not. In that instance then the believer must trust in the Lord and be obedient to the Lord.
1 Peter 3:1-2
1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives—
2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. ESV
We as women have to seriously watch that we do not become a hindrance to our husband’s by nagging and judging. I believe that Voddie Baucham would tell you that no matter what you should be respectful, obedient, and submissive to your husband and his wishes. A book by Martha Peace entitled “The Excellent Wife” is very helpful for women to see just how we sabotage our own families by not being obedient to the Lord in our response to our husband. Mrs. Peace has a chapter in her book entitled “Advice for Women Married to Unbelievers; Biblical Principles for a Wife to Follow,” which is the best I have read dealing with that issue.
Admittedly, your home is not the ideal situation but the Lord often uses less than ideal situations for His Glory:
Rahab the Harlot (Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Hebrews 11:31)
Abigail and her unbelieving husband Nabal (See 1 Samuel 25)
Timothy (Acts 16:1)
A single mother who practiced Buddhism raised even Voddie Baucham and his father was an absent father who used drugs.
I even came from a very broken, dysfunctional family (Roseanne the TV show when I was young looked like an ideal, wonderful family to me!)
Therefore, you see there is hope for even an unequally yoked family. You just must focus on being obedient to the Lord and let Him do the rest.
Praying this encourages you,
Berean Wife
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True Believer,
I have read both of Voddie Baucham’s latest books, heard him preach in person and have listened to many of his sermons. He is human as we all are and subject to sin like we all are. But in no way is he behaving as you said –
“This man’s focus is his fear and his worship is his own world.”
Have you actually read the book? Or listened to him?
Even David, a man after God’s own heart, lost most of his children to the world. He would have benefited from looking more closely at his parenting. David did not discipline his sons and an uncontrolled son defiled a sister, another committed murder and they destroyed the family. (I.e. Amnon, Absalom) Whether or not the Lord chooses to save a child there is a responsibility to raise them up to fear and honor the Lord.
While you are correct that that the Bible is sufficient for us to know how to train our children, many of us have never seen the Bible lived out, so we often need some help in picturing how a Christian family should live. I had an absent father, a working single mother, wild uncontrolled siblings, no supervision and learned everything from the public school and peers. Even the local church did little more than tell me about missionaries to Africa. I was wholly unprepared to live a life as a Christian wife and mother. My children whether saved or not will be better prepared to face the future and lead their families. The Lord is perfectly able and willing to save those He so chooses, but He will still hold us accountable for our actions in training, raising and protecting our children.
God is still on the throne and will ever be. He will also judge those who were in authority over others and failed lead appropriately. There is a difference between “worrying about your children” and training, guiding and protecting your children.
Respectfully striving to Berean in all I do,
Berean Wife
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I recently read this book and can easily say that the title is the only thing I have against it. I will buy copies for my grown children, as they are both contemplating marriage. They already have copies of Voddie’s “What He Must Be …”.
I never “always agree” with anyone – including myself. But it’s nearly daily that I find myself broken and lifted up by the teaching in our church, thankful to God for these two elders.
Anyone who spends any time around Voddie will see a man who is thankful to God, broken over his own sin, pleading with the Lord for continued mercy for him and his family. He takes nothing for granted, knowing only that God’s character is unchanging.
My wife and I gave away 4 copies of each of these two books (along with a CD of Voddie’s teaching on Biblical Manhood) to adult sons of dear friends of ours, praying for the Lord to bring them to repentance and faith and obedience – where anyone who loves the Lord should want to be.
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Amy,
I do believe that in chapter 6 of Voddie’s book, he addresses the single mother “with four children and two jobs, whose husband left her…..” in regards to not being able to homeschool her children. He addressed this issue with compassion, stating that he wished “there was an affordable educational alternative.” In your case, you do not have the choice to homeschool your children, therefore you are to be submissive to your husband and pray for your children’s protection as they are in public school. This is more honoring than forcing/nagging your husband to allow you to homeschool. Voodie is addressing families who CAN homeschool, but perhaps don’t see the need or don’t have the desire. Cheer up, the Lord understands your situation and is compassionate.
Although your husband is an unbeliever, he is still the leader of your home. Whether or not he permits you to do devotions with your kids, this book by Voddie is still a great book for you to read and pray that one day your family will model this, soley for God’s glory.
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