Resources for Discipling Your Children

Thanks, Joe. Helpful stuff. We’ve used several of these as well, but there’s some new things here I’m not familiar with.

We’ve been using the Truth and Grace memory books since my oldest son was 2. Now that I’ve got three kids, however, it’s getting a bit burdensome to try to use it with each kid at their own level. I’ve been thinking about switching to a system in which we all memorize the same verses at the same time. 

Good stuff Joe.  Here are some things we like as well:

Kids Bibles

 

·        
The Jesus Storybook Bible
by Sally Lloyd Jones from Zondervan – excellent writing and illustrations which
present a Christ centered view of all of Scripture. 

·        
ESV Children’s Bible
from Crossway Books – the included front and back matter is also very good in
introducing theology with kids.

 

Theology Resources

 

·        
Desiring God for Kids – several great
resources for leading and blessing children. 
The ABCs of God, A Fathers Guide for Blessing His Children
are two helpful tools

·        
Book Series – Big Thoughts for
Little Thinkers – covering several important biblical and theological
subjects from the Gospel, the Mission, the Trinity and the Scripture.  Good for pre and early readers.

·        
Big Truths for Young Hearts
by Bruce Ware – Great book for teaching theological truths to your kids.  Can be used with anyone reading age and
above.

 

Books

 

·        
Biographies –
Read together as a family

·        
A Pilgrim’s Progress
by John Bunyan (unabridged for older kids)

·        
A Dangerous Journey
(Abridged version of Pilgrim’s Progress Illustrated for younger kids)

·        
The Tales of Beatrix Potter
(younger kids)

·        
Favorite Thornton Burgess Animal
Stories Boxed Sets by Thornton W. Burgess (younger kids)

·        
Sammy and His Shepherd by
Susan Hunt

·        
The Chronicles of Narnia by
C.S. Lewis (younger and older kids)

·        
Lord of the Rings
by JRR Tolkein (older kids)

·        
Logic Workbooks – Mind Benders
from http://www.criticalthinking.com/
- excellent resources to do with your kids to build critical thinking skills

 

Music

 

·        
Seeds of Praise – Family Worship with
well produced songs with direct lyrics from Scripture

·        
Catechism CD – We have some CDs that
reinforce and help teach a basic kids Catechism – google Whoo Made You online

 

More Mature Catechisms for Older Kids

 

·        
Heidelberg Catechism – http://www.reformed.org/documents/heidelberg.html

·        
A Baptist Catechism – http://www.desiringgod.org/AboutUs/OurDistinctives/ABaptistCatechism/ 

 

Helpful Media

 

·        
Torchlighters
–animated vignettes on people from church history -   http://chitorch.gospelcom.net/index.php/torchlighters/
- extras on the DVDs have good historical sketches

·        
Planet Earth
– http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/planetearth/
(a secular production from the BBC – has a low evolutionary undertone which is
not obnoxious – our family discussed Psalm 19, Gen 1:1, Psalm 24:1,2 before
watching these to center things in the doctrine of creation)

I’m finishing up my Doctorate at Southeastern right now on just this topic. I am more convinced than ever that the missing ingredient to “discipleship” is that the primary people to disciple children are paretns. However, what most people focus on in family worship is what the children need. The reality is it is the growth of father’s when they model the biblical pattern that I believe has the largest impact. In other words, think of you church leadership training if every dad in the leadership team opened and led in family devotions each week. Or take the evangelism “stuff” out there. Would churches really have evangelism 101 if dad’s thought it was their job to share their faith in front of their children in a manner that taught their children how to share. If father’s fulfilled their role in the family discipleship process and the five functions of the church happened in each home the local church would be transformed forever. I beleive the church has sinfully (with great intention) taken too much of the role of parents and parents have gladly let he church have it. Unfortunitally, when we don’t follow God’s pattern in any area (in this case discipleship) we get man made results. Family discipleship is the key to restoring true biblical discipleship in the church today!