Book Trek 2018 - 15

Book:  Welcome to the Family:  A Fundamental Guide for Spirit-Filled Living. 

Author:  Kenneth E. Hagin (Kenneth Hagin, Sr.)

Info:  Copyright 1997.  Tulsa OK:  Rhema Bible Church

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 stars):  ✮✮✮✮ 
 

Where Acquired:  Part of the Bible Correspondence Course curriculum.

What it's about:  In this guide for the new Christian, Hagin introduces the reader to some fundamental concepts of faith-filled living.  Writing from the Pentecostal perspective, the author uses Scripture and practical examples to show the reader how to experience growth in his walk with Christ.

Favorite Quotes:

The New Birth is not: confirmation; church membership; water baptism; the taking of sacraments; observing religious duties; an intellectual reception of Christianity; orthodoxy of faith; going to church; saying prayers; reading the Bible; being moral; being cultured or refined; doing good deeds; doing your best or doing any of the many other things in which some people are trusting to save them. - p. 2

Faith is always expressed in words.  Faith must be released in words through your mouth. - p. 98

If you want to develop robust faith, then continually tell what the Lord is doing for you.  The more you talk about it, the more real He becomes to you.  The less you talk about it it, the less real He will be to you. - p. 101

When the word gains entrance into your heart–into your spirit–faith will be there automatically. You won’t have to seek; you won’t have to search. There will be no effort on your part. Faith will come unconsciously into your spirit as you feed upon and accept His words. - p. 136.

What I liked:

• Unlike some of Hagin's other books I've read, he makes it clear that living the Christian walk is a growing process. He offers his own life as an example, but informs the reader that his experience is over several decades of continued practice.
• The tone of the book was not only informative, but encouraging as well.
• The author uses a lot more Scripture as evidence, rather than relying on his own experience as the primary example.
• The advice in the book was on the practical side, rather than something ethereal that one cannot obtain.

What I didn't like:

• The text did get repetitive in some sections.
• There was a lack of needed citations for some of the information provided in the text.
• The only major criticism of this volume is that without meaning to, Hagin implies that a person who does not experience the phenomenon of speaking in tongues is not saved (born again).  He doesn't do a thorough job of differentiating between the rebirth of the human spirit by the infilling of the Spirit of Christ at salvation (II Corinthians 5:17), and the baptism (overflowing) of the Spirit (Acts 19:2-6).  This could be very confusing for a new believer and cause doubt where none is needed.

Takeaway:

Though I am not new to Christianity, I was quite encouraged by this book.  Hagin's words reminded me of areas where I'd grown a little lax.  Even if one does not subscribe to the Pentecostal elements contained in the volume, I would still recommend it to a new Christian interested in growing in faith.