A Christian Home

A Christian Home is a warm and prayerful hymn text by Barbara B. Hart, written in 1964, that sets forth a deeply biblical vision of the home shaped and governed by the presence of Christ. Rather than presenting the Christian home as an idealized or sentimental picture, the hymn approaches family life as a sacred calling that must be consciously ordered around the lordship of Jesus Christ. Each stanza unfolds a spiritual petition, asking God to make the home a place where faith is lived out daily in word, attitude, and action.

The opening emphasis of the hymn reflects the truth of Psalm 127:1, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Hart acknowledges that a genuinely Christian home is not produced merely by good intentions, discipline, or affection, but by God’s active rule within the household. The hymn prays that Christ Himself would be the unseen but ever-present guest, shaping conversation, decisions, and relationships.

A central theme of the hymn is love expressed through humility and mutual submission. Echoing the instruction of Ephesians 5 and 6, Hart highlights patience, forgiveness, and unselfish service as marks of a home where Christ is honored. The text recognizes that family life involves daily pressures and personal weaknesses, yet it directs believers to seek grace for these ordinary struggles. In this way, the hymn offers both realism and hope, grounding domestic faithfulness in the sufficiency of God’s grace.

The hymn also emphasizes the formative power of a godly home. By calling for Scripture, prayer, and praise to dwell richly within the household, Hart aligns the hymn with Colossians 3:16. The home is portrayed as a place where children are nurtured in faith and where adults continue to grow in Christlikeness. This makes the hymn particularly suitable for family services, weddings, dedications, and teaching on Christian marriage and parenting.

A Christian Home endures as a gentle yet firm reminder that the Christian faith is meant to be lived out in the most intimate spaces of life. It calls believers to consecrate their homes to God’s purposes, trusting that His presence brings unity, stability, and spiritual fruit. In doing so, the hymn affirms that a Christ-centered home becomes a quiet but powerful testimony to the grace and truth of the gospel.