Resource Recommendations for Parenting and Family Devotions

Families invest an incredible amount of time and resources in their child’s education and development. We buy school supplies and books. We pay class fees. We run carpools to sports practices. We buy musical instruments and lessons. Some take on the work of instructing their kids at home. Others work long hours to pay for tuition at a private school. It’s no small task!

Amidst all that labor, it’s surprisingly easy to neglect the most important part of a child’s training – the spiritual instruction of their soul. Shaping your child’s understanding of and relationship with God falls into the nagging heap of things we know we should probably attend to but are not sure how to accomplish.

Here's our goal as Christian parents. We want our parenting approach to be governed by God’s Word and centered on the Word Made Flesh (Jesus). The Lord instructs us to teach his commands diligently to our children, to “talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut 6:7). He entrusts you, moms and dads, with the responsibility and privilege of holding up Christ’s glory to the next generation so they too may know and put their trust in him (Ps 78:6-7). Math matters. Understanding who Jesus is and what he requires of us matters infinitely more.

As we launch into another school year, allow me to recommend biblical resources in two categories. The first is books for parents that equip us to train our children as God would have us (parenting resources). The second is age-appropriate books for kids and parents to work through together that can help your child know and respond to God’s Word (devotional resources).

The books marked with an asterisk (*) below are currently available for purchase in our bookshop, and those without asterisks are on their way. All of the titles below are also hyperlinked to Amazon.

Parenting Resources

*Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family, by Paul Tripp ~ This is probably my #1 recommendation for a biblical summary of our job as parents.

*Shepherding a Child’s Heart, by Tedd Tripp ~ Focused on younger children.

Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens, by Paul Tripp ~ Focused on older children and teens.

Get Outta My Face, by Rick Horne ~ I love the way Rick provides practical, biblical guidance in parenting children who seem to have little to no interest in following Jesus. He knows parents are powerless to change a child’s heart. And he’s convinced Scripture equips us to stay engaged in training even outwardly rebellious kids.

Get Offa My Case, also by Rick Horne~ Focused on older children and teens.

*The Duties of Parents, by J.C. Ryle ~ What does a 19th century Anglican pastor have to say about the challenges of 21st century parenting? More than you might think!

Devotional Resources

*The Jesus Storybook Bible, by Sally Lloyd-Jones ~ (Ages 3-7) While there are places she takes a bit of creative license, I know of no better read-aloud book to help young children see Jesus on every page of Scripture. Even as an adult, I was deeply moved by so many abridged Bible stories describing the tender mercy of our God.

The Biggest Story Bible Storybook, by Kevin DeYoung ~ (Ages 7-10) The older elementary years are tricky. Kids have really grown out of picture-book Bibles, but are often not quite ready to digest Scripture unaided. I like how DeYoung basically does the same thing as Lloyd-Jones, but for an older target audience, introducing more complex theological concepts.

Exploring the Bible, by David Murray ~ (Ages 8-11) If your kids enjoy workbook-style learning, Murray’s devotional resources might be a good fit. He has kids read a short passage of Scripture and then gives them a few questions to answer with either a one-word blank or a short sentence or two. A child could certainly chug through the daily lessons in mindless fashion. That’s the downside. The upside is the potential to instill a sense for what kinds of questions we should be asking of Scripture while we read.

Meeting with Jesus, also by David Murray ~ (Ages 8-11)

The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New, by Marty Machowski ~ (Ages 8-10) The discipline of systematic theology – pulling together what the whole Bible says about a particular topic, like God’s sovereignty – shouldn’t be dry or boring. It should provoke worship! Marty does a great job introducing big-picture categories for who God is and works with a fantastic illustrator. You could even use this book as a read-aloud for some 6-7 year olds.

*Wise Up: 10 Minute Family Devotions in Proverbs, by Marty Machowski ~ (Ages 7-12) Each lesson consists of a short reading followed by a few discussion questions. You can literally read this word-for-word to your kids. Or you can use it as a launching point for conversations of your own. Also by Machowski in this series: Long Story Short: 10-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God and Listen Up: 10-Minute Family Devotions in the Parables.

The Gospel for Children: A Simple, Yet Complete Guide to Help Parents Teach Their Children the Gospel of Jesus Christ, by John Leuzarder ~ So many children grow up in a church context and never grasp the core message of the Christian faith. Leuzarder will help you avoid the mistake of filling their heads with lists of Bible stories and neglecting the most important story of all.

Fighter Verses for Kids ~ Desiring God Ministries has a fantastic smart-phone app complete with pictures and songs to help children memorize 75 Scripture passages about fundamental spiritual topics. Our boys managed to turn the list into quite the competition.

*The New City Catechism: 52 Questions and Answers for Our Hearts and Minds ~ The Gospel Coalition and Redeemer Presbyterian Church of New York worked together to coalesce the best of the historic, reformed catechisms to help younger and older believers grasp the essentials of the Christian faith in a memorable question and answer format. Note: There is an edition for adults and a simplified edition for kids. I’ll warn you, some of the songs in the kid’s version of the smart-phone app are dangerously catchy.

May the Lord bless you beyond all that you ask and imagine as you seek to train up your children in the ways of God.

Posted by Matthew Williams