Member Reviews
Reviewer 117981
Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes (IVP Academic, Oct 2025)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
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The gist
Imes completes her informal trilogy (Bearing God’s Name, Being God’s Image) with an expansive biblical-theology of the gathered people of God. She argues that the church is “God’s plan A - there is no plan B”—a global, inter-generational family whose primary vocation is to wait together for God to act, embodying his presence in the world. Along the way she punches holes in consumer-church metrics and growth hacks, inviting us to rediscover feasting, lament, and praise as the glue that binds a community.
What works
1. All-of-Scripture sweep. Imes marches from Genesis to Revelation, weaving together temples, tabernacles, family genealogies, Pentecost fire and eschatological hope. The scope is thrilling and gives readers a “whole-Bible” lens for ecclesiology.
2. Concrete vignettes. Stories of Rizpah’s vigil, Ruth’s loyalty, and Samuel's faith keep the theology embodied and pastoral.
3. Timely critiques. In an age of #ChurchToo scandals and de-churching statistics, Imes offers a constructive path: practice of lament, “festive kinship,” and cross-shaped service that resists both nationalist nostalgia and algorithmic individualism.
4. Accessible scholarship. As in her earlier books, the academic scaffolding never overwhelms the lay reader. Most chapters land with practical questions and group-discussion prompts. Perfect for a small-group study.
Where it drags
• Breadth over spark. Because Imes tries to touch every corner of the canon, individual chapters occasionally feel like brisk fly-overs. The crystalline focus of Bearing God’s Name (Sinai) and Being God’s Image (Imago Dei) is diffused here; the organizing metaphor of “family” can’t corral all the material with equal energy.
• Missing narrative ignition. The earlier volumes carried a “Whoa, I’ve never seen that before” moment around every corner; this one, while competent, rarely delivers that jaw-drop.
Choice quotes
• “The church is the community that reminds the world that God is God.”
• “Waiting together is our most important job.”
• “God is not looking for people who will do his work for him, but for those who will carry his presence.”
Who should read it
* Christians wondering whether church is still worth the bruises.
* Ministry leaders searching for a non-pragmatic, non-nostalgic ecclesiology.
* Small groups willing to wrestle with lament, justice and ethnic diversity.
The bottom line
Imes hasn’t quite recaptured the magic of her first two outings, but she still delivers a robust, scripturally rich portrait of the church that resists both cynicism and consumerism. If you’re after a fast plot or groundbreaking thesis, you may be left wanting. If you need a carefully stitched biblical tapestry that reminds you why showing up on Sunday still matters, this book is more than worth your time.
