OK. From the outset, I guess it's best to say that we know the publishers well. They've gone to our church (Reformation Covenant Church) for many years, and we count the Forsters (John, Pam and their six children: Daniel, Joseph, Benjamin, Johanna, Bethany, and Susannah) as some of our dearest friends. So even if we didn't particularly care for their books (which is not the case), we still count them worthy of our support!
John and Pam Forster began Doorposts Publishing during the early 1990s with the mission to supply parents with Bible-based, parent-designed, family-tested products to help you apply Scripture in your home. Their products were developed out of their own needs and challenges as they raised their kids to be Godly adults.
Their kids are now grown, with all six of them married and five with children of their own (25 grandkids as of late 2024!). Their oldest son Daniel has taken on ownership and management of Doorposts (as well as serving as a deacon and working another full-time job), and his older kids now handle the shipping. John and Pam live with their second son Joseph on the property Pam inherited from her dad, and she spends much of her time tending her plants, reading and writing for her Bible study website Mama's Refill. Almost all of them continue in pursuing agrarian pursuits--raising animals, beekeeping, growing gardens--as well as other fun hobbies. The kids (and grandkids) stay close and celebrate holidays, baptisms, and numerous get-togethers and campouts together. They are generally contemplative and studious; they are diligent and conscientious; they put a lot of time into Bible study (they're not all serious though, they can be very funny!). They are committed to God's Word and don't care about presenting easy answers if they are not to be found in Scripture. In fact, their whole philosophy of child raising isn't easy. The foreword of For Instruction in Righteousness explains:
"First, if we are to serve God in training up godly men and women, we must be godly men and women ourselves. We must love our Lord and King with all our heart, soul, and might...
"Second, God's Word must be in our hearts. Scripture should be such an integral part of our being that it becomes the very warp into which all the rest of the fabric of life is woven. We must acknowledge His Word as the final authority in all areas of life...
"Third, we should see and apply Scriptural principles during the everyday occurences of life, and we should teach them to our children, both by words and by our example..."
Doorposts is all about training your children with God's word as you walk, as you lie down, as you rise up, writing it "on the doorposts of your house." That means parents have to work even harder than their children! The Forsters' materials are not flashy, they don't have any easy-to-use lesson plans or workbook pages. Instead, they provide an incredible amount of solid advice and great ideas for raising children—helping parents to consistently discipline sins, reward good behavior, and help their children biblically understand the difference.
More About the Forsters:
Did you find this review helpful?