“Anyone involved in Christian ministry knows how challenging it is to balance ministry and family responsibilities. Many demands pull leaders in different directions—making it easy to neglect one or the other, often without even realizing it. Writing from decades of counseling and personal ministry experience, Ajith Fernando points Christian leaders back to the most important aspect of their lives: their relationship with God. He then offers practical guidance for responding to real-life situations in the home, including disciplining children, dealing with disappointment, loving one’s spouse, and pursuing joy. This book presents Christian leaders with a healthy and God-centered understanding of family that leads to a flourishing home.” (From https://www.crossway.org/books/the-family-life-of-a-christian-leader-tpb/)
Here is a book filled with lots of good advice by a seasoned servant of God, whose heart is for all Christian leaders to enjoy the balance between family life and life at large, i.e. work, ministry and society. When this balance is not kept, usually the family of the Christian leader is heading towards a slippery slope.
The book’s starting chapter on God to be the first focus of the Christian Leader encapsulates the biggest action for family recovery from most issues they face. Then Ajith Fernando talks about this interesting topic of Crucifying Self and gives plenty of good examples and applications on how it fosters a healthy home. This section is a must read.
For every chapter of the book (13 chapters only), Ajith shares from God’s Word and gives lots of situational illustrations and applicational actions from his years of ministry experience working with people. You could literally see (or laugh) yourself in many of those illustrations he uses. It is a book filled with words of wisdom coming from a sage; it is a buffet treat of essential deep topics covering Lordship, Christian Living, Marriage, Unity, Conflicts, Parenting, etc. It is available for loan at our resource library.
Other titles by Ajith Fernando, available for loan at our resource library:
1. Jesus Driven Ministry
2. Leadership Lifestyle
3. Sensible Behaviour
4. The Call to Joy and Pain
This book review was written by Ho Chee Yoong Amos, November 2016.
