If anyone is looking for a good book on the subject of family visitation by sessions or consistories, I highly recommend Taking Heed to the Flock (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker BooK House, 1948) by Peter Y. DeJong (author of Crisis in the Reformed Churches: Essays in Commemoration of the Great Synod of Dort, 1618-1619, among other works). There is also a brief forward by Samuel Volbeda (author of The Pastoral Genius of Preaching, among other works).

The Table of Contents is as follows:

Foreward, by Professor S. Volbeda (5)
The Name and Nature of Family Visitation (11)
The History of Family Visitation (19)
The Scriptural Basis of Family Visitation (25)
The Scriptural Purpose of Family Visitation (31)
The Necessity of Family Visitation (39)
The Requisites of Family Visitation (47)
Objections to Family Visitation (55)
The Value of Family Visitation (65)
The Proper Practice of Family Visitation (71)
The Supreme Ideal of Family Visitation (83)

It can be read online here.

__________________
Andrew Myers
Husband of Jessica, Father of Jackson, Katie and Samuel
Member, Presbyterian Reformed Church of Northern Virginia
Warrenton, VA USA
Editor, The Matthew Poole Project

"Let your Morning Thoughts, and your last Evening Thoughts, be what shall become of you to all Eternity." -- Matthew Poole

P.Y. DeJong's book is excellent. A couple of other good books on the subject:

From House to House: Articles and Helps for Beginning Elders, W. Huizinga (The Reformed Guardian, No. 19)

The Glorious Work of Home Visits, Peter G. Feenstra (Winnipeg: Premier, 2000)

Both should be available from Inheritance Publications (you may have to inquire about the Huizinga book).

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Wes Bredenhof
Co-pastor, Langley Canadian Reformed Church
Langley, British Columbia
www.bredenhof.ca