Book Details
Jerry Pipes and Victor Lee, Family to Family: Families Making a Difference
(Wordsearch, 2018).
Book Summary
Family to Family is a great resource for parents or anyone who is looking to make a
difference within a family unit for the glory of God. The book emphasizes time and time again
just how important it is for evangelism and Jesus to start in the home. It enforces this in a
practical layout starting with focusing on what makes a healthy family and concluding with how
to take this message out into the world around the home. The book teaches families how to craft
a family mission statement and then use that to push evangelism out into the world. Overall the
theme is that it all starts at home and healthy families are paramount to the church and great
commission fulfillment.
Analysis of Book’s Strength
The Family to Family book sets out to accomplish the goal of teaching parents and the
church that evangelism starts in the home and is then sent out to the world. The book
encapsulates this idea and teaches it very well. It creates a compelling case for parents to
remember that they are the primary evangelizer within their own home. This point is reinforced
by also teaching the proper role of the church in this process. The reader is reminded that the
church is a resource for the family, but not a replacement. It shows well how the church works
alongside the family as they seek to accomplish evangelism together. I believe the overall goal of
the book was met and those reading will understand what the authors set out to accomplish. It
was easy to read and compelling from cover to cover.
Analysis of Book’s Weaknesses
Overall I feel the book was very strong and accomplished its goals so these may feel a
little nit picking. The connection between the family and the church was evident, but could have
been a little more developed. The goal of a healthy family is a family that must be involved in
the local church. This was presented, but could have been clearer for the reader with less
understanding. In a pastoral role I can read between the lines and understand what the author is
presenting, but for the lay person it could be more developed. I would not, nor do I believe the
author would want anyone to to read this book and feel they could accomplish everything they
need spiritually at home only and not within a local church as well.
Favorite Quotes
•It starts with mom and dad. Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train our children in the way they should
go, and when they are old they will not depart from that training. The verse says “should go,”
not “will go” and “when he is old” not “in all his days.” These qualifiers tell us we cannot
guarantee what choices our children will make. It is clear, however, that they are very likely to
make the right choices with the right guidance, and the responsibility for proper guidance is the
parents.
The overall theme of the book and chapter one start here. The guidance for children starts at the
home. The verse reminds us that just because parents do this it does not guarantee children will
follow in these ways. They remind us though that when parents do what the Bible commands
them to do then the chance of them going in the way of the Lord is likely.
•A healthy family has a stated purpose, intentionally passes the baton of faith to future
generations, and lives the Great Commission by being on mission in its community.
This statement could almost be the mission statement of the book. Chapter two dives into making
mission statements for a family, but this statement sets the bar. It reminds us that it all starts at
the home and then goes out into the world. The family unit has the opportunity to live out the
Great Commission.
•A family mission statement is a way for a healthy family to make Christ’s priorities its
priorities
Chapter two teaches families why a mission statement is important and how to craft one. Making
the priorities of Christ the priorities of the family is crucial. When a family does this they begin
to strive together in the direction of the Lord. It is important to see the phrase healthy family first,
the first chapter teaches how to become a healthy family. If an unhealthy family creates the
mission statement then chances are it will fall in the struggles they are already in.
•A family mission statement must not be just a set of words, but a description of a lifestyle—
one that is consistent with and reflective of the Word of God. If you serve Christ, you serve His
purposes.
Words are great, but without action they are worthless. Creating a family mission statement is
just the first step for a healthy family. The statement we craft as a family must be lived out in
who the family is. We serve Christ and his purposes above all else, even a mission statement.
•A key to helping your child through the process of deciding to live for Christ is that you be
well prepared.
Parents must be prepared. Parents must start and end their parenting days in the word and in
prayer. Our society is challenging enough, when Christian parents try to live the life they are
called to without preparing themselves they are setting up for failure. When a child is ready to
live for Christ, parents who have prepared will be able to further assist their child in the ways
they should go.
•The church can help your children, and it can help you raise your children. It cannot replace
you as a spiritual mentor.
In my personal ministry as a student pastor this is a quote that I see proven true time and time
again. Parents who see the church as a resource and assist have children who love the Lord and
seek his ways for their life. Parents who see the church as a babysitting resource often raise
children who see the church in the same way, a place to go when it is convenient. Parents must
be the first line in their childrens spiritual mentorship.
•Too often, fathers are involved in men’s Bible study, mothers in women’s Bible study, and
children in youth groups. There is nothing wrong with any of those things, but if each family
member is on a totally separate spiritual track, the family will not work well together.
A danger in any church is creating individual churches within the walls of one building. When
this happens families fail. The groups can be good, but the church needs a plan for it how it all
works together. This side of the ball is in the churches court. The church must prepare itself for
each of its groups to work together within the context of ministry and the family.
•It takes time to build relationships. You may have some immediate success in reaching others
for Christ, but there will always be relationships and circumstances that call for great patience.
Is it worth it to invest years in a relationship to see someone come to Christ? We can be
thankful that Christ is patient with us.
This is an important reminder. How can any man be the judge of how long it may take someone
else to come to Christ. Patience in the family and in evangelism is sometimes key. Yes, there are
days you get one opportunity to share Jesus with someone, but in the case of a family you
sometimes get years.
•An evangelistic block party involves identifying a neighborhood and providing a meal and
program. Activities that suit the people in the neighborhood and the facilities are arranged,
with special activities for children. Music is a vital part. A testimony or gospel message should
be provided.
This part of the book had incredible servant evangelism ideas. The idea of a block party is
something some churches still do very well today. The idea that this can be successful regardless
of socioeconomic factors is important to remember in planning. The most important reminder is
that sharing the gospel must take place.
•The healthy, on-mission family will make a conscious effort to integrate ministry and the
church. The missions-minded church will make that easy for the family.
This quote has a role for the church and family. The family seeking the things of the Lord will
seek out missional opportunities. The church must be a place that is creating those opportunities.
These do not have to be the huge opportunities all over the world, but can be opportunities within
the community such as the previously mentioned block party.
•More than just being commanded to pray, the Word of God makes it plain that we are to pray
for those who do not know Christ
An important part of a healthy family is a family that prays together. One thing we are
commanded to pray for individually and corporately is people that do not know Jesus. When we
do this we should pray for opportunities to share Jesus with these people as an individual,
church, or family.
•The call of our Lord is loud. The case of the demise of the North American family is alarming.
The Word of God makes it clear that the significance of mankind—and thus the family—is to
be found in our relationship with God the Father and in carrying out His will by His immense
power.
The war on the biblical family is not being waged by any focus group or government, but rather
the enemy. The enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy and his targets include the families in his
cross hairs. It starts with individual relationships with Christ and must pour into our family
relationships.
Lessons Learned from the Book
•A reminder of the role of the church in families is always timely and appreciated. I will take
away the reminder that it is the churches job to serve the families, not replace them in
anyway. The family unit must be first and foremost. The church must be a resource for the
family and push it to the top of its priority list. The church must be intentional in its
programming to create environments that bring the families together, not ostracize individual
members.
•As a young married man I learned many things to apply into my personal life. One of those
was the overall importance of a family mission statement. I understand that this is something
I need in my family now, before we add members to it. If my wife and I make this a priority
now it will be carried on into our children. I pray that the mission statement that we are now
crafting impacts our children and generations for the Gospel of Jesus.
•One lesson I learned a better idea of is the idea of local block parties. My current ministry
setting does these, but the reminder that they can be successful no matter what the
socioeconomic setting is was timely. I will seek to impact more communities with these
events, and keep the idea of families serving at them on the forefront.
•In my role as student pastor because of the focus of this text I want to strengthen my parent
ministry. I am in a new ministry context that has never had a large focus on parent
involvement. I need to make this a focus that seeks to create channels for onboarding parents
who desire to be involved in the spiritual walk of their children. These parents will be the key
to their students spiritual growth, I will be a resource.
•The final lesson I learned is the reminder that when a family does everything right children
do not always still go in the ways of the Lord, but it is not excuse. Chances are that child will
remain in the ways of the Lord. The fear that a child may go another way is not an excuse not
to start. This is a lesson I will apply personally in my life, and also teach to the parents
around my ministry.
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