Parenting is a job that continually requires adaptability, flexibility, and the development of new skills. One area in which Christian parents may want to grow is in their ability to join their children on the journey of faith. It can be difficult as a ministry leader to know how to help each family in our churches, and busy families don’t always have time to attend an event or activity. As you’re serving the parents in your church, you might find that they are looking for opportunities to grow in their ability to disciple their children. For some parents, a book or audiobook is the most accessible resource. But which book should you suggest to which parent? How can you help without overwhelming already busy parents? Our team has chosen these three books for their inspiration, creativity, and alignment with research & understanding of children’s spirituality. We’ve also thought carefully about who these books will serve. We hope this list helps you as you care for the parents in your church. You might consider purchasing these books as gifts to give parents at baptisms or baby dedications, creating a resource center in your kids’ ministry area and including these books, or starting a book club for parents to read and discuss these books together.
For the action-oriented parent
Author Traci Smith compares her book Faithful Families to a recipe book for family faith formation. For families who are ready to start experimenting with a variety of faith practices and find one that is the best fit for their family. Rather than trying to do every idea in the book, Smith suggests that families look through and find the practices that are appealing to them and then try those ideas out until they find one that fits. We love how Faithful Families includes practices for a variety of occasions and age ranges and how simple, quick, and doable they are. Some of our favorite ideas in this book include the Gratitude Cafe, where families are encouraged to set aside a weekly time to enjoy a treat and share things they are grateful for and cellphone prayers, in which families bring their phones and follow a series of prompts to pray for the world, friends, and family members.
Best for:
- Families with limited time
- Families with older children or teens
- Families with young children
- Families who want creative ideas they can implement right away
For the curious parent
Christianity Today’s Marriage and Parenting book of the year in 2023, Teach Your Children Well, provides an excellent foundation and inspiration for parents curious about how to nurture faith in their family’s life together. Author, pastor, and mother Sarah Cowan Johnson brings together research, faith development theory, and creativity to give parents a solid foundation for how faith is formed.
Best for:
- Parents who want to be inspired
- Families with children ages birth-12
- Families who want to understand how faith is formed
- Parents who like illustrations and diagrams
For the intentional parent
For parents who want to get deep into intentionally living their life as a family on mission, the book Belonging and Becoming can serve as a guide to reflect on how a family’s life lines up with God’s kingdom in a variety of areas. This book is for highly motivated parents who are interested in getting deep into how their family’s life reflects the kingdom of God. This book doesn’t prescribe practices but offers principles that can help parents consider what it would be like for families to grow together in faith given your particular context, location, etc. Families will be invited to consider what faithfulness to God looks like for their particular family members at this particular time of life.
Best for:
- Parents who are committed to orienting their family’s life around kingdom practices and principles
- Families with elementary, middle, or high school-aged children
- Parents who are willing to invest time and thought into shaping their family’s life together
Conclusion
Depending on the family’s needs, each of these books provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the family’s life of faith together, consider how they might love one another and love Jesus in their daily lives, learn a bit more about how faith grows, and be inspired about what each family might want to prioritize when it comes to experiencing faith together.