Life in the Father’s House by Wayne Mack and Dave Swavely

 

12 books every Christian should own and read

A series of book reviews used for the monthly church bulletin of 2013

 

Book no. 7: Life In The Father’s House: A Member’s Guide to the Local Church by Wayne Mack and Dave Swavely

 

As the title indicates this book is practical rather than Theological. In order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the church other books are also recommended such as The Church by Edmund Clowney; The Glorious Body of Christ by R. B. Kuiper; Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion and other systematic Theologies. However, for a straight forward practical look at what it means to belong to the church with its responsibilities and privileges this book is excellent. It is useful for all Christians but particularly those new to the faith.

 

Life in the Father’s House has its origins in the desperate need for Christians to be educated about the place of the church in the purposes of God. Arising out of the Jesus culture in the 1960’s came a rampant individualism which is still with us today. Christians speak of Jesus being their personal Saviour, and having a personal relationship with God, yet such concepts if not understood in light of God’s broader purposes can be counter- productive. While it is good to relish the personal relationship we have with God we should not neglect one of the most important means that God has established for us to grow – other Christians; the church.

 

The Biblical picture of salvation is that of believers being joined to Christ and also to one another. The chief burden of the apostles was the health of the churches – men and women, boys and girls, young and old, people from different walks of life working out their personal salvation together in local assemblies. This is what the authors of the book are also concerned with, the outworking of faith in the corporate context.

 

The book is divided into 10 easy-to-read chapters. The thread linking each chapter is “responsibility”. As Christians what are our responsibilities to the local church – the particular assembly which God has provided for us to belong to. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions making it suited for study groups as well as for personal use.

 

The book comes highly recommended by numerous Christian authors and pastors, some of whom are known to us as a church through the Truth of the Gospel Conference. I’ll let a couple of them have the final word.

 

“Whatever Dr Mack writes is going to be helpful because he opens his theme and the living Word coincidentally. Then he applies timeless truths freshly to the testings and understandings of Christians in our twenty-first century. That is especially so in this book” Geoff Thomas

 

Life in the Father’s House is medicine for the many ecclesiastical ills common today. Are you suffering from a spiritual malaise or a feverish distemper that threatens your church? Read this book and see what a difference it will make” Conrad Mbewe

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