Baxter believed that family worship is God's will, a conviction that profoundly shaped and motivated his pastoral ministry in Kidderminster. It is said that, at the beginning of his ministry, hardly one family to a street honored God in family worship; by the end of his ministry, there were streets on which every family upheld the practice.
In A Practical Theology of Family Worship, Jonathan Williams examines Baxter's context, the encouragements he gave for family worship, and his family-equipping ministry among the congregation. This study develops our understanding of this vital spiritual discipline among the Puritans. Yet it also draws out implications for family ministry in churches today.
Table of Contents:
1. The Blessings of Family Worship
2. Historical Examination of Baxter's Context as a Seventeenth-Century English Puritan
3. Baxter's Encouragement for Family Worship
4. Family Worship Brings Opportunities for Teaching the Word of God
5. Family Worship Fills the Home with Prayer and Praises
6. Baxter's Family-Equipping Ministry at Kidderminster
7. Implications for Today's Church and Family Ministry
Appendix 1: Further Encouragement for Family Worship
Appendix 2: A Sample Guide for Family Worship
Appendix 3: Opportunities for Reflection: Discussion Questions