Family Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide

By Diana R. Garland

North American families are in crisis, and the need for family ministry is more evident than ever. In her many years of ministry, research and teaching, author Diana Garland has found that the strength of Christian families is rooted in their faith and nurtured in their congregations. Garland believes that Christian families gain strength in part because of their communities of faith. Twelve years after first coming to print, the award-winning Family Ministry has been given a significant makeover. In this new edition Garland takes a three-pronged approach to family ministry, which includes developing families grounded in Christian faith, helping families live the teachings of Jesus with one another, and equipping and supporting families as they learn to serve others. The insights gained are organized into four main sections:

• The Context for Family Ministry
• Family Formation
• Family Dynamics
• Leading Family Ministry

Garland examines and fully integrates the historical, sociological, theological and biblical contexts to understand the role and meaning of family in the life of Christians and the church. She perceptively connects these explorations with the social and cultural context of the early twenty-first century. Note: Because this ebook is large, please allow a little extra time to download after purchase.

• Language: English
• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Release date: Aug 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9780830863297

Diana R. Garland

Diana R. Garland (d. 2015) was inaugural dean of Baylor University's School of Social Work, which now bears her name. She was author, coauthor or editor of twenty-one books and more than one hundred academic articles. Some of her books include Flawed Families of the Bible: How God?s Grace Works through Imperfect Relationships, Family Ministry: A Comprehensive Guide and Why I Am a Social Worker: 25 Christians Tell Their Life Stories. She had served as editor of the Journal of Family and Community Ministries since 1993. Garland earned her undergraduate, master?s and doctoral degrees from the University of Louisville in Kentucky. For seventeen years she served as professor of Christian family ministry and social work at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and she also served as dean of the Carver School of Church Social Work and director of the Center for Family Ministries. Garland gave significant service to national social work organizations. She served many terms as president of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work and was a board member of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Social Work and a councilor for the Council on Social Work Education. She also served as first lady of Baylor University when her husband David Garland was named interim president from 2008 until 2010.

Reviews for Family Ministry

[sc4-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A massive book with so so many different helpful approaches. Garland's model for ministry is a Family Life ministry that is best described as a blend of the family-integrated model and Christian social services. Her biblical foundation of the family is excellent, but one does have to wonder about some practices which smack of liberal Protestant social gospel and lack a clear evangelistic message. I think there's value in helping others but when that helping lacks the Gospel then we have a problem as Christians.