Family Ministry in 1656

The idea of Family ministry is not new - I found this on Shawn L's Blog -

Richard Baxter Speaks on FAMILY WORSHIP/TRAINING CHILDREN
By Shawn L


Hello Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Richard Baxter in THE REFORMED PASTOR (1656),abridged and translated by my Pastor John Swanson

"How can a church be successful at building spiritual life in the people if that work is done by pastors alone? How can a church flourish spiritually if parents (especially fathers) neglect their duty of training their own children, when this is the primary way they can help their pastor? If God uses the work of a pastor or other leader to begin to awaken a person spiritually, a family that doesn't care about spiritual life, never seeks God in prayer together and spends all its time together pursuing pleasure in this world will often smother God's Word and always hinder it. However, if you could get parents to do their duty, what an abundance of good might be done! I plead with pastor and church leaders, therefore, if you desire the spiritual growth of the people in your church, do all you can to motivate and equip parents to seek God as a family in Bible reading, instruction (in doctrine), worship and prayer"