Reclaiming the Urban Family: How to Mobilize the Church as a Family Training Center

Practical family ministry for both the churched and the unchurched are the foundation of this book. African-American churches can help prevent dropouts from society and restore those who have dropped out. They can help strengthen single-parent homes and prevent divorce--but it needs the kind of vision and strategies Richardson describes. n nHands-on answers to the crises of urban homes. The problems urban families face--low income, drug abuse, divorce, gang involvement, domestic violence, and more--are devastating. But solutions exist in the local church that can transform troubled homes into places of love, security, hope, and growth. In Reclaiming the Urban Family, Dr. Willie Richardson gives pastors and leaders methods that can make inner-city churches a powerful force for restoring, training, and strengthening families, single-parent homes, and individuals. Using the principles and strategies described, the family training ministry of Dr. Richardson's own Christian Stronghold Baptist Church in Philadelphia has - Brought about a near-zero divorce rate - Produced strong marriages built on deep love bonds between couples - Helped numerous low- and moderate-income families become debt-free - Trained men to be competent husbands and fathers--and raised adult male membership in church to as high as 48 percent - Lowered the number of teenage pregnancies - Helped win to Christ those who have seen transformation in their loved ones. Reclaiming the Urban Family covers concerns as diverse as lay biblical counseling, singles and youth ministry, marriage preparation, occupational enrichment, single-parent households, evangelizing families, and more. Complete with a section of resources for African-American family ministries, it shows how local churches can become dynamic agents for building thriving homes and individuals and for evangelizing the unsaved.n