10 Books on Christian Parenting

Author Ann Benton writes this insightful book by drawing upon her experience teaching parenting skills classes in local schools. Many of her participants often commented, "This is great, where do you get this stuff?" She explained, "Actually, it’s from the Bible."

Rich with wisdom distilled from Ann’s popular seminars on parenting the next generation, Aren’t They Lovely When They're Asleep explores God’s instruction for being responsible parents and what that looks like in contrast to our increasingly child-centric society.

Many people didn’t grow up in a Christian home, and many more don’t consider their childhood experience a good model for raising a Christian family. Robert Wolgemuth presents this inspiring, practical book for parents with little history to draw upon who want to create a true Christian home.

Paul Tripp uncovers the heart issues affecting parents and their teenagers during the often chaotic adolescent years. With wit, wisdom, humility, and compassion, he shows parents how to seize the countless opportunities to deepen communication, learn, and grow with their teenagers.

Mother and author Gloria Furman explains that there’s no such thing as “just” a mom. Despite the routine tasks and mundane to-do lists, motherhood is anything but insignificant. God has designed motherhood as part of His greater plan to draw people to Himself—instilling all women, whether called to traditional mothering or not, with an eternal purpose in nurturing others.

When the Gospel transforms the live's of believers, they become radically changed. This change is perhaps no more clearly evident than in the relationships between husbands and wives, and between parents and children.

Author D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that this presents Christian families with a unique opportunity of bearing witness to God's love just by being different. Raising Children God's Way explores how leading by example may be one of the ways in which God will bring others to a knowledge of the truth.

Andrew and Rachel Wilson know what it means to live a life they never expected. As the parents of two children with special needs, their story mingles deep pain with deep joy in unexpected places. With raw honesty, they share the challenges they face on a daily basis—all the while teaching what it means to weep, worship, wait, and hope in the Lord. Rich with encouragement rooted in God's Word, this book offers help clinging to Jesus and fighting for joy when faced with an unexpected life.

It’s hard to overestimate the importance of the family, and that of fathers in particular. Consequently, Voddie Baucham has set out to teach men how to faithfully shepherd their families.

Derived from Baucham’s monthly meetings with men in his church, Family Shepherds calls men to accountability for their God-given responsibilities in their homes. Baucham’s clear style and practical approach will spur men to protect their marriage, raise kingdom-minded children, value the synergy between church and home, and navigate difficult family dynamics.

Pastor, author, father, and grandfather, John MacArthur, paints a clear picture of what biblical parenting looks like. Offering insight and counsel to parents, he outlines:

• Four helpful principles of communication
• Effective methods to discipline wisely and effectively, with positive results
• Simple principles for identifying, changing, and developing habits in children

MacArthur explains that when Christian parents understand and apply the simple principles set forth in Scripture, they can rise above the trends of secular society and raise children in a way that honors Christ, in any culture and under any circumstances.

If you struggle as a parent to read the Bible yourself, it's nearly impossible to pass a love for God's Word along to your children. That was Carrie Ward's story.

In Together: Growing Appetites for God, walk with Carrie as she journeys through the Bible with her small children one chapter a day. Learn how her children re-enact the Bible stories and see Scripture through the eyes of a child. Parents will learn how to impart God's truth to their children day by day and will see its transformative power on their families.

While catechisms are not as commonly used to teach children the Christian faith as in the past, learning the deep truths of Christianity using a catechism is an effective way to fully explore the many blessings that come from our God.

Terry Johnson is both a pastor and a father and his book establishes the Westminster Shorter Catechism as a wonderful teaching method for parents to use with their children, setting the catechism within the framework of personal holiness.