Robbie Castleman

Got this as a gift from TNPC while we lived there on Recruiting Duty. Read this on Sunday mornings during the winter of 2020-2021. This book was especially helpful during COVID-19 when nurseries were not an option in church. It was enjoyable reading a chapter each Sunday morning before going to church to help me gain patience and understanding of the importance of worship for the boys, especially as Jeff started to be able to learn to listen and partake in worship with us. I would recommend this book to others with young children. I am glad I did not wait until they were older to read this and I may reread it someday as it contains advice and tips for parents with children of all ages.… (mer)

I have a confession: I have a standing bias against any book which has the word ‘essential’ in the title. I have several ‘essential’ books on my shelf, but I always think, “Essential? Really? I don’t know how I have made it this far in life without cracking open The Essential Schopenhauer or referencing often my copy of Lawrence Quirk’s essential biography of Joan Crawford.” Of course I am using the term essential narrowly. What authors (and publishers) have in mind is a distillation of the ideas, elements and basic characteristics of their subject. Even this doesn’t put me at ease because I always wonder what is being left out of such ‘essential’ descriptions and compilations.

My standing bias aside, I picked up Robbie Castleman’s New Testament Essentials because I have read her work appreciatively before (even reviewing a couple of her books here). Castleman is professor of biblical studies and theology at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Her previous works include a go-to-resource for parents wishing to shepherd their children through Sunday morning worship and pass on the essential aspects of the Christian faith (the book is aptly titled, Parenting in the Pew). Last year she released Story-Shaped Worship which delved deeply into the overarching biblical story and Christian history to help worship planners and liturgists enrich their Sunday services. Both books are on my essential reading list.

New Testament Essentials: Father, Son, Spirit and Kingdom is part of a series from IVP which includes Greg Ogden’s Leadership Essentials, Discipleship Essentials and The Essential Commandment, Daniel Myers’s Witness Essentials and Tremper Longman’s Old Testament Essentials. I own three of the other volumes but have yet to work through any of them ( I’m still trying to figure out if that’s really essential). So Castleman is my introduction to the series.

I have really enjoyed the twelve studies which she presents. In each of the studies she is sensitive to the operation of the Trinity, the outworking of the gospel in the church and the full in-breaking of God’s kingdom. The studies are organized into three sections. Part one examines the ‘revelation of God in Jesus Christ’ and focuses on Bible passages which explore Jesus, life, teaching, death, resurrection and the implications for us would-be-followers. Part two focuses on the ‘indwelling of God by the Holy Spirit in the church.’ These studies (study 6-8) explore how the Spirit’s presence binds believers to one another in counter-cultural ways. Part three examines the ‘present and coming Kingdom of God.’ This final section reflects on how citizens of Christs kingdom ought to love and serve one another and how our faithful witness to Christ is galvanized by our sure faith and hope of his return when creation and humanity is restored.

Each study focuses on a particular Bible passage (or two or three). The format for each study includes a ‘Bible Study Guide’ which asks questions to help you engage the text, a ‘Reading’ section where Castleman fills in historical background and provides theological insights on the text, a ‘Reading Study Guide’ which delves deeper into the passage and theme in light of the readings, another section which connects the passage to the Old Testament, and finally ‘The Ancient Story and Our Story’ which bridges the gap between the biblical world and our own. There are also book suggestions for digging deeper into each theme.

My approach to Bible study was shaped during my student years in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. There I learned an inductive approach to the Bible which moved from observations to interpretation, and finally application (OIA). This approach to Bible study makes you pay attention to the passage you are reading and ask perceptive questions of it. As a veteran leader of Bible studies, I have learned that the best insights into the text, are often the insights that participants come to themselves. That is the beauty of the workbook format of this book (in the Bible Study and Reading Study Guide sections). Castleman is gifted at asking questions which help readers dig into the text and discover its significance for life. She has many rich insights of her own and provides good historical background for each passage and fills in the canonical context with her readings, but I think my favorite part of this book was that she got me to engage passages directly and I connected the dots on some familiar passages in a way I hadn’t before. Her reading study guide also has suggestions for digging deeper into the Bible during your personal devotional time.

Back to my ‘essential’ objection: Does this book help us tap into the Essence of the New Testament? Is something significant left out? Castleman wears her theologian hat well and presents a robust account of God work of redemption in Christ, the community formed in Christ’s name and the hope of salvation. Of course there are passages and themes that could be explored that weren’t here. Castleman interacts with a broad swath of New Testament books but not ever book can be explored in a twelve-study workbook. Hebrews, John’s epistles, Jude, and several Pauline letters remain unexplored. But Castleman commends the slow, careful, humble, daily reading of the Word of God on her final page (150). In the end, I think she does a beautiful job of presenting a rich and full account of the gospel. She would have us put her book down and turn to the Bible for ourselves to fill in what gaps remain.

This is a book which is good for personal study, to be read in small groups or with a spiritual mentor. I think it will prove to be a helpful resource for discipleship. Perhaps I have to get around to working through the other essentials resources. I give this book four stars.

Notice of Material Connection: I received this book from IVP in exchange for my honest review.… (mer)

As a frazzled father of three, I know how hard church can be. While life at home is often pandemonium in church I feel like I have to reign those kids in. At the very least keep them from kicking the pew in front of them. Author Robbie Castleman challenges us parents to enlarge our vision of what our kids can experience in church. Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children into the Joy of Worship, now in its third edition, brings together Castleman’s skill as a theologian, and her experience raising her sons in church. This is a thoughtful book which challenges readers to invest in teaching kids to worship God (not just behave themselves) and leading them to a fresh encounter with God. Along the way Castleman shares insights, personal anecdotes and stories of how other parents have been able to ’parent in the pew.’


Castleman’s book begins with a plea for parents to ‘pay attention’ to their children, how they learn and how they can participate in worship. She argues that participation in worship is formative for children (and the rest of us). But she knows the challenge. In one witty chapter, she discusses ‘Worship BC and AD,’ that is, ‘before children’ and ‘after diapers.’ When we seek to enter into God’s presence our children may be a distraction. If we are not careful we will end up teaching our kids to be ‘quiet in church’ without really teaching them the meaning of worship and failing to participate in worship ourselves. Worship is about giving God his due glory, not about our own experience. God is not the least bit bothered by our kids participating (just ask Jesus).

From there Castleman explores the elements of worship and how to prepare your kids to participate. For those who worship on Sunday morning, this preparation often begins the night before (making sure kids get enough rest, are awake and ready for church, the tone you set for the day, etc.). Castleman provides various strategies for maximizing attentiveness to the sermon, getting kids to sing, pray and participate in the liturgy.

This edition updates the examples for a new generation (the original edition was published twenty years ago). Earlier editions talked about Castleman’s experience of training her own sons in worship. Those stories are still here, but now her sons are grown and are parenting their own children’ in the pew.’ Additionally there are examples from other parents she’s encountered at ‘parenting in the pew’ seminars and workshops.

What Castleman says here is really valuable. As Christians we were made to worship God and I believe our participation in corporate worship is formational. The vision she has for including kids in worship, preparing them for Sundays and cultivating attentiveness to the Word is commendable and I think right on target. She also communicates her vision of intergenerational ministry with wit and grace. I appreciate that while she has some clear directives (don’t bring a coloring book to distract your kids but seek instead to get them to participate) she also honors the differences in children’s personalities. If worship is about paying attention to God, teaching worship to our kids begins with paying attention to them.

Putting this book into practice may be challenging for parents if their church doesn’t have a vision for intergenerational ministry and the participation of kids in worship. My family and I are lucky enough to be a part of a church community which really values getting the kids involved in the worship service. Other churches in town do not have the same value. For parents seeking to carry out Castleman’s suggestions, they may find that they are kicking against the goads. There is enough in this book which challenges leaders to make the worship a more hospitable place for children but Castleman addresses the leadership challenge more directly in Story Shaped Worship (forthcoming IVP May 2013). Another challenge for parents is that some of Castleman’s suggestions work better for different developmental stages. Still parents of toddlers to teens can all benefit from this book.

I think this is a great book and would recommend it to both parents and ministry leaders. There are a lot of kids who grow up ‘quiet’ in church who later quietly leave out the backdoor. I think getting parents to invest in teaching their kids to worship and leading them to an encounter with God is necessary if we want our children to grow up in the faith. Pastoral leaders also need to properly care for children and families in their midst and encourage their spiritual growth. Castleman’s focus on worship is particularly refreshing. I give this book ★★★★.

Thank you to InterVarsity Press for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for this review.… (mer)

Parenting in the Pew: Guiding Your Children Into the Joy of Worship by Robbie Castleman. ELC library section 6 C: Church Growth: Worship/Symbolism/Families. Among all the excellent help and advice offered in this book, written by a minister’s wife and worship training mentor, one paragraph particularly stood out: its purpose is to train a child to worship, not to be quiet. Simply telling them to be quiet does not draw their attention to worship and what is taking place. This distinction is very important to a child. Quietness at certain times may enhance their ability to worship, but quietness is a means to this effort, not the end. Aha, I thought. She hit the nail on the head!
Training children to worship does not always enhance our sense of closeness to the Lord, especially at first. It can be hard on our nerves. We may think others our kids are distracting others (because they are sure distracting US!). Our feeling of connection to God during worship may be impoverished by the demands of parenting in the pew. Helping our children to concentrate on worship takes hundreds of ‘prompts” and can be exhausting. BUT this effort is also pleasing to God. And that is the thing to remember as you parent in the pew.
The first chapter is aptly titled, “Daddy, I’d like you to meet my children.” We are bringing our children to worship so they can meet God, their creator. Parenting in the pew can help children AND parents pay attention to what is really going on in worship – a win-win situation for all. Worship comprises a lot more than just “going to church and being good.” Proper behavior at church is worship: taking part in singing, paying attention to readings and sermon, silent and corporate prayer and declaration of the creed, taking part in and understanding the meaning of Holy Communion. We bring out children to church to learn to worship – to do these things.
Chapter 2 is cleverly called, “Worship bc and ad (before children and after diapers). It discusses the meaning and challenges of worship, our motivations for attending worship and for bringing our children to worship. Rather than sitting in the pew like rocks, she says parenting in the pew is to put those rocks out of work.
Chapter 3 discusses children’s readiness and ability to believe what cannot be seen, and their open, faith-filled responses. While some congregations send their kids out to children’s church or Sunday School, she asks us to recall that Jesus put a child in the midst of the disciples to get the disciples to pay attention. Kids often grasp ideas that a minister wants her entire congregation to grasp. The minister asks, rhetorically, “Who shall I send on this mission?” and a child pipes up, “I’ll go if my Mom will let me!!” This benefits everyone! Remember ELC’s own little Dalton Meyer singing an unprompted, “Jesus Loves Me”? This was Dalton’s gift to us all, and was the result of being parented in the pew as well as at home.
Later chapters discuss worship preparation (it begins on Saturday night), the tendency to keep our kids “busy” during worship with toys, snacks and books rather than encountering God (guilty of that one myself!), making a joyful noise (taking part in singing and listening to worship music), prayer, sermons, training children to worship who have learning disabilities, and nurturing a lifetime of worship skills.… (mer)