Family Devotional Resources

One of the great privileges we have as Christian parents is to point our children to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. One of the ways we can engage this calling is through reading and teaching the Scriptures. These resources are meant to be a help in this process. Some will likely fit better than others depending on your preferences and season of life. No matter if family devotion time is a regular practice in your home or something you are wanting to start, may you be encouraged to know that when the Word of the Lord is spoken, it does not come back empty. It will have an impact on both you and your child.

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Preschoolers

The Jesus Storybook Bible 
Author: Sally Lloyd Jones
This 352-page book, tells the Story beneath all the stories in the Bible, pointing to Jesus as our Savior. From the Old Testament through the New Testament, as the Story unfolds, children will clearly see that Jesus is at the center of God’s great story of salvation—and at the center of their story too.

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Elementary

The Big Picture Family Devotional 
Author: David R. Helm
This family devotional offers parents a year’s worth of material for teaching children ages six to ten about God’s plan of salvation for the world through Christ.

 

Line Upon Line (Volume 1) and Line Upon Line (Volume 2)
Author: F.L. Mortimer
These classic devotional books include daily segment starting with a devotional section, an activity section, the lesson itself, questions and finally a conclusion to wrap up the segment. (This is perfect for that age gap between picture-book Bible story books and older children, around 1st or 2nd grade. The stories are written in accessible language, but they are also full of biblical language and really point kids to the Bible.)

What Every Child Should Know About Prayer
Author: Nancy Guthrie
This book explains what prayer is, how and why we should pray, and the things we can pray about. There is a Bible verse for each topic, and a prayer for children to make their own. This book will introduce children to the gift of prayer and will encourage them to enjoy speaking to their father God.

Attributes of God 
An accessible, fun introduction to the basics of the faith, The ABCs of the Attributes of God are designed to bring the unchanging character of God to life for kids.  Children ages 4 to 12 will learn what it means that God is omnipotent, just, and all-knowing, and where we see each attribute in Scripture.

Cold-Case Christianity for Kids
Author: J. Warner Wallace
In Cold-Case Christianity for Kids, detective J. Warner Wallace draws readers into the thrill of high-stakes investigation by showing them how to think rather than telling them what to think. In this children’s companion to the bestselling Cold-Case Christianity, detective Wallace gets kids excited about testing witnesses, examining the evidence, and investigating the case for Christianity.

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Middle School

The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New 
Author: Marty Machowski
The Ology is a starting point to learning theology and aims to create a hunger and desire in children to learn more as they grow older. Designed for six-year-olds through preteens, this flexible resource includes built-in adaptations so the entire families can enjoy it together.

Long Story Short: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family to God   
Author: Marty Machowski
This is a great resource for families interested in doing a quick and easy family devotion that also has depth. At the beginning of this book, suggestions are made so the material can be adapted for children ages 6 to 15. Long Story Short is split into 78 weeks, each of which covers an Old Testament passage. Each week is divided into five days. Days one through four focus on reviewing the week’s scripture passage, with day three giving specific attention to how the passage connects with the gospel. Then on day five a passage from Psalm or one of the prophets is used to show how the verses point forward to Christ.

Old Story New: Ten-Minute Devotions to Draw Your Family Closer to God     
Author: Marty Machowski Foreward by Dr. Tedd Tripp 
This is a great resource for families interested in doing a quick and easy family devotion that also has depth. At the beginning of this book, suggestions are made so the material can be adapted for children ages 6 to 15. Old Story New is split into 78 weeks, each of which covers a New Testament passage. Each week is divided into five days so there is a lesson for each day Monday through Friday.

30 Days to Understanding the Bible 
If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word.

 

Big Words of The Bible 
This set of 20 flashcards help your little ones understand key vocabulary words in the original biblical languages, Greek and Hebrew. The front of each card has a helpful illustration and pronunciation guide. The back of each card has an example verse that shows how the word is used in context, and a concise definition that will help them grow in understanding the richness of the Scriptures.

ABCs of Theology
The ABCs of Theology Flash Cards are designed to bring theological concepts to life for kids. Children will learn what words like “Atonement”, “Gospel” and “Liturgy” mean and how they are rooted in Scripture.

 

Case for … Series for Kids 
This set contains five updated easy-to-understand editions of Lee Strobel’s bestsellers. Kids will find reliable answers for their inquiring minds and hearts. Includes the following titles: Case for Christ for Kids, Case for a Creator for Kids, Case for Faith for Kids, Case for Grace for Kids, and Case for Miracles for Kids.

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High School

Read the Bible together.

31-Day Devotionals for Life 

In the 31-Day Devotionals for Life series, biblical counselors and Bible teachers guide you through Scripture passages that speak to specific situations or struggles, helping you to apply God’s Word to your life in practical ways day after day.
(These are on a variety of topics that are really helpful to discuss as a family. We recommend the devotional on Money and recommend Megan Hill’s devotional on Contentment.)

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional 
Author: Paul David Tripp
365 Gospel-Centered Devotions for the Whole Year

 

 

Mere Christianity
Author: C.S. Lewis
In the classic Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, the most important writer of the 20th century, explores the common ground upon which all of those of Christian faith stand together. Bringing together Lewis’ legendary broadcast talks during World War Two from his three previous books The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality, Mere Christianity provides an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear this powerful apologetic for the Christian faith.

Cold-Case for Christianity
Author: J. Warner Wallace
Christianity could be defined as a “cold case”: it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence. In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs.

Surviving Religion 101
Author: Michael Kruger
Writing in the form of a letter to his college-age daughter, Michael Kruger’s Surviving Religion 101 takes a topical approach to examining some of the toughest questions Christian students encounter at secular universities.

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