Customer Reviews

Bound for Glory: A Practical Handbook For Raising a Victorious Family

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I recommend this book to those who are studying to raise a victorious family in the culture of God (as the subtitle reads, A Practical Handbook for Raising a Victorious Family), as long as they recognize the author's worldview and can compare it with the Scriptures. I've listened to a couple of R.C. Sproul Jr.'s worldview lectures as well as reading this book, and I enjoy him very much and, broadly speaking, agree with him. The main thrust of this book deals with understanding the family, its definition and purpose, based on a biblical understanding of the covenant. In the Bible, God always makes covenants with "you and your seed", not with individuals, thereby binding families together. Dr. Sproul examines the connection of the dominion mandate of Genesis ("Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the face of the earth.") with Jesus' command ("Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."). His premise is that we, as families, are in covenant with God, and our purpose is identified with the dominion mandate as we obey Jesus' command to make manifest the reign of the kingdom of God over all things. He examines, in turn (based on Scripture), the roles of the family as a whole, of the husband, of the wife, of the children, and of the church, and gives practical advice on the training and education of children. I enjoy his occasional gentle silliness--differentiating between a covenant and a contract, "Suppose Tolle Lege [his publisher] had offered me all the brussels sprouts I could eat, in exchange for this book. Would I have to take this deal?...Or suppose that I sent Tolle Lege a manuscript that consisted of hundreds of pages with `Families are good' repeated over and over. Would they have an obligation to publish the book?" His bio is "a page of tiny print that lists just about everything I've ever done that doesn't cause me great shame."
Please note that Dr. Sproul is a Reformed Presbyterian, and his beliefs are implicit and explicit throughout the book. He mentions teaching his children the Westminster Shorter Catechism and reciting the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed, the doctrines of original sin, election, and irresistible grace are mentioned or assumed, etc. However, as long as you read the book with this understanding clearly in mind, the principles are helpful and applicable. I was challenged by his explanation of the binding of families by God's covenants, having never thought of it that way before. It's a short read (149 pages), but it goes deep.