resources for family devotion / worship
In addition to the resources listed below, please also check out the list of recommended storybook Bibles.
by Kate Hox, Joe Hox (Illustrator)
Children learn from the earliest age that Jesus loves them and that they should love him back, but do they really understand who Jesus is? In Who is Jesus?, Joe and Kate Hox combine illustrations and deep thoughts simply shared to bring forty word pictures of Jesus to life. Forty pictures of Jesus--twenty stories from the Old Testament and twenty stories from the New Testament--will guide family devotions and encourage rich conversations about who Jesus is, why he came to earth, and how we can get to know him now. The pictures tell stories about arks, rams caught in a thicket, snakes, sticks, rocks, shepherds, sheep, water, bread, and so much more. Each picture of Jesus includes a captivating illustration, a key verse to remember, Bible passages to discuss, a family devotion to read, reflection questions, and a song. Families will explore together the rich imagery of the Bible and learn about God's great love for his people through Jesus Christ his Son.
Who is Jesus? can be used any time throughout the year. This book is especially helpful to guide families through the forty days of Lent leading up to Easter.
by Jared Kennedy, Trish Mahoney
Understanding the different parts of a worship service can be confusing for any young child. One minute everyone is singing loudly, the next everyone is sitting and listening quietly. Sometimes the adults know something that should be said out loud, like, “Thanks be to God!” How did they know what to say? What is communion all about? And why does the pastor raise his hands and pray at the end of the service? Using the vision of Isaiah 6, God Made Me for Worship by Jared Kennedy focuses on teaching kids about the key liturgical movements in a worship gathering, including the call to worship, praise and adoration, confession, assurance and passing the peace, ministry of the Word and sacraments, and benediction and sending. This bright and colorful children’s book illustrated by Trish Mahoney celebrates how God reveals himself to his people in the movements of worship. All the parts of worship tell the story of the gospel, and since Jesus is the object of our worship, his story of redemption gives shape to our worship. The author guides parents to help their kids understand why we’re intentional about worship, encouraging them to engage—not just to manage behavior during a worship gathering, and invites children to respond to God along with the whole church body.
God Made Me for Worship is part of the God Made Me series which equips parents to have important, impactful conversations with their children, helping them to grow in understanding of God, themselves, and others. Each book in the series contains a special section just for parents and caregivers that provides biblical guidance and offers additional information and resources for talking about the topic addressed in the story.
Jason Helopoulos encourages the church to embrace the important part children play in the life of the church and unfolds the enormous blessings to be found in having them present in the worship services of the congregation. He points out how the struggles are temporary - whereas the blessings can be eternal.
In the history of the church, family worship has been one of the Christian family's strongest characteristics. In A Neglected Grace, Pastor Jason Helopoulos calls parents and church leaders to reclaim the practice of family worship. This indispensable means of grace directs our children to seek Christ daily, preparing them to go out into the world as fully functioning Christian adults, who love Christ and see all of life in relation to Him.
This short book offers parents practical guidance for leading their families in daily worship of God through reading Scripture, praying together, and singing songs. Includes an accessible discussion guide to use with the whole family. (88 pages)
by Susan Hunt, Richie Hunt
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Deuteronomy 6:6-7a Your children are a blessing from God. A gift that brings an abundance of joy and the privilege of teaching them God's ways. When they're young their potential to learn is amazing. And because actions and beliefs go hand in hand, the lessons they learn from you now will shape their lives forever. This wonderful book, with its easy-to-use story format, can help you teach the basic truths of the Christian faith to your children. They'll learn right along with Caleb and Cassie that God's ways are the best--and that even as kids, they can live for His glory every day.
by Susan Hunt
Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. -Psalm 119:11 Knowing the Bible can help you know God better. Here is a colorful, story-filled way for even the youngest child to take God's Word to heart--and learn the alphabet too! Presented in an easy-to-use story format that applies individual Bible verses to real-life situations, this illustrated book for 3- to 7-year-olds is perfect for reading to your children or grandchildren, and great for use in churches, Christian schools, Bible clubs, or home schools. It can also be easily adapted for family devotions with young children. The ABCs are building blocks to your child's formal education. And these verses are the building blocks of the soul--the building blocks that can lead to eternal life.
by Susan Hunt, Richie Hunt
B—Because your steadfast love is betterthan life, my lips will praise you. Psalm 63:3 The Psalms teach us to praise God as they talk about how great God really is! This colorfully illustrated children’s book presents a verse from Psalms alongside each letter of the alphabet with an engaging story—helping kids to memorize verses from the Psalms, learn their ABCs, grow in their relationship with God, and understand why God is worthy of our worship.
by Nancy Guthrie
Getting the kids to turn off the TV and video games is challenge enough--let alone gathering as a family to read and discuss the Bible! One Year of Dinner Table Devotions & Discussion Starters helps families start where they are already gathered together on a daily basis--around the dinner table. As the meal comes to a close, family members can take turns turning to the dinner-table devotion for that day, designed to be done together as a family in 10 to 15 minutes. The result is a meaningful daily discussion in which every family member can participate, drawing the whole family closer to God . . . and each other.
"One Year of Dinner Table Devotions by Nancy Guthrie has been a great way for my family to consistently come together to read God's Word, discuss, and pray. It has a good balance of depth and accessibility for kids and adults. For us, we use it right before sleep. With the youngest reading the Bible verses, we have fun trying to guess where the Bible verses are from. Recommended age 7+ for the youngest member of the family.” —Gi Yoon-Huang, CTK member & parent
By Jessica Thompson
Children need more than behavior modification.They need the gospel. But every parent knows how hard it can be to communicate the truth of God’s Word and the message of God’s grace in a way that engages the hearts, minds, and affections of the little ones we love so much. Assisting parents with this high calling, Jessica Thompson offers us an alternative to merely telling our kids what they must do to please God and be a “good Christian.” Designed for the whole family, this collection of gospel-centered devotionals will help you teach your children to treasure and rely on Jesus more than anything else. Read two sample devotions.
"[My] kids pick it up on their own to go back to stories as it discusses emotions and challenging circumstances that are incredibly relatable for kids. It also uses very easy but rich language about how the gospel can be applied in the circumstances. I highly recommend it." —Lara Kastelein, CTK Nursery Coordinator
by Karyn Henley
Sword Fighting? Precisely! When Jesus was tempted, he reached for his sword—the written Word of God. Using the power of Scripture memory, this book will equip your elementary-age children to fight temptation and strengthen their character. But Is It Fun? Absolutely! Sword Fighting can be played as part of family or personal devotions and home-school Bible study to help child learn to use the Word of God in daily decision making.
"[Sword Fighting] is a companion to Henley's Day by Day Kid's Bible* (which is a chronological bible for kids that we have been reading at dinner for a few years now as it really has been encouraging to all of us). It has a weekly bible verse to memorize and daily readings that go along with the topic. A topic may be "kindness" or "self-control" or "responsibility." You do not need the bible to use the Sword Fighting devotional though.” —Lara Kastelein, CTK Nursery Coordinator
[*Note, inside the pages of Sword Fighting, this bible is referred to as God's Story Bible (its former title).]
by Marty Machowski
Transform Your Family with Ten Minutes a Day in the Gospel Story Christian parents know the importance of passing the gospel story on to their children, yet we live in a busy world filled with distractions. Schedules collide, there is homework and yard work and dishes and laundry, the car s oil should be changed, there are phone calls to make...and before you know it, everyone is getting to bed late again. The Bible can seem like a long story for an active family to read, but when you break it down into short sections, as Marty Machowski does, family devotions are easy to do. Long Story Short will help busy parents share with their children how every story in the Old Testament points forward to God s story of salvation through Jesus Christ. You won t find a more important focus for a family devotional than a daily highlighting of the gospel of grace. Clever stories and good moral lessons may entertain and even help children, but the gospel will transform children. The gospel is deep enough to keep the oldest and wisest parents learning and growing all their lives, yet simple enough to transform the heart of the first grader who has just begun to read. Ten minutes a day, five days a week is enough time to pass on the most valuable treasure the world has ever known. Long Story Short is a family devotional program designed to explain God s plan of salvation through the Old Testament and is suitable for children from preschool through high school.
by Marty Machowski
Easy-to-Use Devotional Helps Parents Share the Living Gospel Story! Old Story New makes it easy for parents to stay on the life-giving course of sharing the gospel story with their family. This second volume in Marty Machowski's family devotional series continues the gospel story begun in the Old Testament devotional, Long Story Short. Using the same effective ten-minute a day structure, it connects children to living gospel truth through 78 New Testament stories. Simple discussion questions (and answers) for each day's devotion help children understand and connect the story of salvation to their own lives. Old Story New, part of the Gospel Story for Kids program, is suitable for children from preschool through high school.
by Bruce A. Ware
Equips parents to guide their young children through all major doctrines in an understandable, chapter-a-day format. Sure, it's easy to teach your children the essentials of Christian theology when you're a theology professor. But what about the rest of us? With Big Truths for Young Hearts, Bruce Ware, (you guessed it!) a theology professor, encourages and enables parents of children 6-14 years of age to teach through the whole of systematic theology at a level their children can understand. Parents can teach their children the great truths of the faith and shape their worldviews early, based on these truths. The book covers ten topics of systematic theology, devoting several brief chapters to each subject, making it possible for parents to read one chapter per day with their children. With this non-intimidating format, parents will be emboldened to be their children's primary faith trainers-and perhaps learn a few things themselves along the way.
by Kenneth N. Taylor, Jenny Brake
Encourage your little ones to learn and grow with God with Everything a Child Should Know About God from bestselling author Kenneth N. Taylor. Designed for parents to read aloud to children, this hardbound book features whimsical illustrations throughout, each chapter has a brief explanation and a related question to pose to children. Dr. Taylor explains in child-friendly language the essential Bible truths you want your child to know, such as why Jesus came to earth and how the Holy Spirit helps us.
by Nancy Guthrie
Best-selling author Nancy Guthrie and much loved illustrator Jenny Brake team up on this biblical theology of prayer for children. Nancy explains in child-friendly language 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.
by G. I Williamson
First Catechism is an effective tool for teaching the truths of the Reformed faith in simple, straightforward language. 150 questions and answers, illustrations to color, numbers to mark progress. 40 pages, 5x7.5 inches.
by Starr Meade
Nature reveals majestic truths about God—truths that help us know him better. God's Mighty Acts in Creation helps children recognize those wonders, and what they tell us about their Creator. As Starr Meade, author of Mighty Acts of God, guides young readers through the six days of creation, she points to how creation displays the wisdom and power of God. She also helps readers explore and apply other references to nature in the Bible by answering questions such as: What did Jesus mean when he claimed to be the true vine? How is all flesh like grass, and how should that affect the way we live? What was God revealing about himself when he made the sun stand still for Joshua? Each reading includes a key verse, stimulating questions, and engaging activities, all geared toward elementary-aged children. Whether parents use this book for family devotions or children read it for themselves, all will learn how God's glory, wisdom, sovereignty, and power are revealed in all of creation. This is a companion volume to God’s Mighty Acts in Salvation.
by Starr Meade
Long before we reach adulthood, the gospel ought to be shaping our lives. Paul taught the core truths of the gospel in his letter to the Galatians, and this collection of interactive readings for preteens applies those truths in understandable ways. Each reading begins with a key verse and then highlights one element of the gospel in everyday terms, followed by questions and activities that reinforce Paul’s teaching. Meade guides young readers to a full picture of God's saving work, as well as a real understanding of other doctrinal concepts such as justification by faith alone, the priority of Scripture, the requirements for apostleship, and the relationship between the old and new covenants. For parents and teachers who want to awaken young hearts to a lifelong commitment to the gospel, God's Mighty Acts in Salvation is a great resource. This is a companion volume to God's Mighty Acts in Creation.
by Starr Meade
In each generation, the church's most critical task is to uphold and proclaim the truth as it was delivered by the Lord. One important aspect of this task is the dililgent preparation of the church's children to continue to be the support pillar of the truth in the generation to come. With Training Hearts, and Teaching Minds, teaching the Shorter Catechism to your family has never been easier. This book of daily readings contains a question and answer from the catechism with six days' worth of devotional readings for each question (with 107 questions total). We must fulfill our responsibility now, so that we will be able to say with assurance, as Paul said to Timothy, "Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus."
Supplies two needs: (1) profitable, useable material for family devotions and (2) a practical guide for parents helping their children learn the catechism.
by Starr Meade
Starr Meade enables families with school-age children to participate in satisfying devotions together by taking them through The Heidelberg Catechism explaining its answers in short devotional readings accompanied by relevant Bible passages.
by Sally Michael
God's Promises
Help your young children to learn to trust in God's promises that are revealed throughout the Bible with this full-color, illustrated guide. Includes personal applications and suggestions for activities that will engage children as they learn. Excellent for early elementary-age children.
God’s Design
This full-color guide teaches children about God’s design for men and women. In easy-to-understand language, parents will be able to teach their children how God made us in his image, how sin distorts God’s good design, and how they can pursue godly manhood and womanhood. Each chapter explores what the Bible teaches about husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, marriage and singleness, and more. As children discover the beauty in God’s design, they will learn to be thankful for how they are made and to glorify God in how they treat others of the same and different gender. Each chapter includes application questions and activities.
God’s Names
An ideal tool for parents to teach their early elementary age children about God's character expressed through his names in the Bible. Each chapter ends with personal application and activity.
Includes helpful guide to enable parents engage in spiritual dialogue with their children, and also includes interactive elements to maintain attention and teach.
by Ruth Younts
Question: What do our kids need? Answer: They need wisdom. "Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom." Proverbs 4:7 Designed for parents or teachers to use with children from Grade K-4, twenty-three lessons illustrate qualities of wisdom and godliness. Each lesson is presented in a simple format with illustrations to capture the attention of the child, and supplemented at the back of the book with suggestions for teaching the lesson.
Every child of God - both adults and children - should work hard to show these traits more and more, because we love Jesus and want to be like him. That's easier said than done, isn't it? We struggle with sin every day, and we will fail. The lessons remind us that when we do, we will find forgiveness and the grace to continue to get wisdom at the foot of the Cross.
by Heather Molendyk
Like the wise man in Scripture, we want our children's spiritual foundations to run deep, providing stability and protection. With training to set their minds on God's truth and anchor them to resources that have strengthened the Church for centuries, our children can stand strong when their faith is tested by doubt and the storms of life.
Building Little Pillars equips them with strong supports! Through Bible memory, Bible stories, hands-on learning, and life applications of spiritual truths found in the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord’s Prayer, Building Little Pillars lays a firm foundation for covenant children as they begin their journey of faith.