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Parent Resources
Here are some staff-recommended resources to help you grow in your parenting and understanding of culture and support you as you guide your children in their faith.
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Family Devotions
Bibles
Parenting
Marriage
Emotions
Culture & Technology
Sex, Dating & Sexuality
Fictional Books
Emotions
Books on Emotions
A Small Book for the Anxious Heart
Fear and anxiety are chronic struggles for many people that are only intensifying and increasing. Best-selling author Edward T. Welch shares the comfort and peace of Jesus in fifty brief readings for those who wrestle with fear.
A Small Book for Why We Hide
As humans, we are prone to insecurities, fear of failure, and regrets which we try to hide and cover up, resulting in isolation from both those around us and God. Through fifty devotionals, counselor Edward T. Welch shows us how God speaks with gentleness, depth, and hope that will lead us out of hiding and to live more openly, authentic, and regret-free.
A Small Book for A Big Problem
A Small Book about a Big Problem by biblical counselor and psychologist Edward T. Welch guides readers to look carefully at how their anger affects them and others through short, daily meditations.
In a fifty-day reading plan journey, Welch unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life’s difficulties.
In a fifty-day reading plan journey, Welch unpacks anger while encouraging and teaching readers to respond with patience to life’s difficulties.
A Small Book for the Hurting Heart
Grief may threaten to overtake us or destroy our joy. In this powerful devotional book, men and women will see Jesus Christ, the Man of Sorrows, who is well-acquainted with grief and sadness.
In His Hands
When your child or unborn baby is facing serious medical problems, it can be hard to know what to pray. The shock, uncertainty, and fear can mean that even though you want to cry out to God in prayer, your words just dry up.
The Moon is Always Round
Even young children want answers to the hard questions about God, the Bible, Jesus Christ and suffering. In The Moon Is Always Round, seminary professor and author Jonathan Gibson uses the vivid imagery of the moon to explain to children how God's goodness is always present, even when it might appear to be obscured by upsetting or difficult circumstances.
Culture & Technology
Books on Culture & Technology
Untrustworthy
Which media outlets will help me be a responsible news consumer? How do I know what is true and whom I can trust? What can I do to combat all the misinformation and how it's impacting people I love?
Secular Creed
You may have seen signs with some of these messages in your neighborhood. They offer us an all-or-nothing package deal in short, a secular creed.
Be Careful, Little Eyes
There were over 65.4 million pieces of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)in 2020 alone. There was also a 97.5% increase in online enticement reports reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in 2020.
Plugged In
Whether it's TV, Instagram stories or historical novels, we all consume culture. So it's important that we are neither bewitched by it buying into everything it tells us or bewildered by it lashing out in judgment or retreating into a Christian bubble.
Overplayed
This book offers good news for Christian parents stressed out by these questions and stretched thin by the demands of competitive youth sports. Learn practical ways to set boundaries and help kids gain healthy identities as beloved children of God--both on and off the field, and whether they win or lose.
Sex, Dating & Sexuality
Books on Sex, Dating & Sexuality
Secular Creed
You may have seen signs with some of these messages in your neighborhood. They offer us an all-or-nothing package deal in short, a secular creed.
Sex, Dating and Relationships
Considering the sex-crazed, hook-up based culture we live in―not to mention the ever-climbing divorce rate―it’s clear that we need a better understanding of sex, dating, and relationships. Pastors Gerald Hiestand and Jay Thomas give us a paradigm-shifting view of purity and relationships―a view that accounts for the biblical evidence and helps us guard against unnecessary heartache.
Additional Resources
Articles, blogs & more
Fictional Books
Clean, quality fiction
Little Pilgrim's Progress
Perceiving the need for a simpler version of a timeless classic, Helen Taylor faithfully adapted John Bunyan’s allegory of the Christian life, The Pilgrim’s Progress, for young readers—hoping to bring its treasury of wisdom nearer to children’s hearts and minds. That version has sold over 800,000 copies! It preserves the original plotlines of Bunyan’s classic while telling the story of Little Christian and Christiana in a way that kids can understand.
The Pilgrim's Progress
Reading The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan can be a bit challenging even for the best of readers. Not so with this new, easy-to-read version that translates the original archaic language into simple conversational English allowing readers of all ages to easily navigate the most popular Christian allegory of all time.
Chronicles of Narnia Box Set
C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia has captivated readers of all ages for over sixty years, enchanting them with fantastical talking creatures, epic battles between good and evil, and magical doorways into new lands.
Wingfeather Saga Boxed Set
In a cottage near the edge of the cliffs above the Dark Sea of Darkness live three siblings: Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby. The trio unknowingly hold the secret to a lost legend and the Jewels of Anniera. But across the Dark Sea lurks an evil tyrant who plots the destruction of the land.
Parenting
Books on Parenting
Parenting Beyond Your Capacity
"Parenting Beyond Your Capacity provides us with a practical and revolutionary approach to the responsibility most of us find daunting: parenting. This book will equip you to be successful throughout your child's development." Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Community Church
Parenting: Gospel Principles
In the midst of folding laundry, coordinating carpool schedules, and breaking up fights, many parents get lost. Feeling pressure to do everything “right” and raise up “good” children, it’s easy to lose sight of our ultimate purpose as parents in the quest for practical tips and guaranteed formulas.
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Written for parents with children of any age, this insightful book provides perspectives and procedures for shepherding your child's heart into the paths of life. Shepherding a Child's Heart gives fresh biblical approaches to child rearing.
Habits of the Household
Discover simple habits and easy-to-implement daily rhythms that will help you find meaning beyond the chaos of family life as you create a home where kids and parents alike practice how to love God and each other.
Parenting in the Pew
Children are at church for the same reason as their parents: for the privilege of worshiping God. Worship, Castleman writes, is "the most important thing you can ever train your child to do." So with infectious passion, nitty-gritty advice and a touch of humor, she shows you how to help your children (from toddlers to teenagers) enter into worship.
Overplayed
This book offers good news for Christian parents stressed out by these questions and stretched thin by the demands of competitive youth sports. Learn practical ways to set boundaries and help kids gain healthy identities as beloved children of God--both on and off the field, and whether they win or lose.
Safeguards
Because children are vulnerable, they need to be protected. Instead of living in fear or denial, parents and caregivers can equip children to assess people and situations and model for them how to live by faith in a world where evil exists.
How to Lead Your Family: A Guide for Men Wanting to Be More
Becoming a godly husband and father isn’t about one heroic moment—it’s about showing up, every single day. For men looking to lead with strength and humility, this book offers a clear, biblical roadmap rooted in the life of Jesus Christ.
Family Devotional Books
Family Worship
Gathering together for worship is an indispensable part of your family’s spiritual life. It is a means for God to reveal himself to you and your loved ones in a powerful way.
Family Worship: Guidance Series
Dr. Beeke offers a heartfelt and solemn plea for families to return to Biblical, consistent and passionate family worship. With pastoral insight and care the author provides practical and valuable answers to the practice of family worship and at the same time addresses objections raised against it.
Training Hearts, Teaching Minds
This book of daily readings aids memorization by devoting six days and meditations to each question. It explains the catechism in simple language, includes key Scripture readings, and takes just a few moments each day, allowing time for discussion and review. Useful in the home, church, or classroom.
The Family at Church
This book contains guidance on two important areas of family life. First, it explains how we should prepare our families for public worship. Second, it addresses the subject of prayer meetings, their importance and the scriptural warrant for them.
Family Discipleship
Discipling your family can feel like an intimidating task, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming or complicated. With a simple plan in place, discipleship is something every parent can do.
Family Worship Bible Guide
Leading and nurturing your family as you seek to glorify God and encourage spiritual growth in your home is both God's command and your privilege. One of the best and most effective ways to do this is through intentional, worshipful, daily family devotions where the truths of God's life-changing Word are openly discussed chapter by chapter.
Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
Contains 101 readings on a variety of topics that will help you and your children look at the world in a new, fresh way.
Teaches children ages six and up about God’s love through word and image
Teaches children ages six and up about God’s love through word and image
The Big Picture Family Devotional
If you want to make regular devotions part of your family life but don’t know where to start, pick up this easy-to-use resource and start teaching your kids about the big picture of the Bible today!
The Ology
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.
Lectio for Families
Lectio for Families is a free resource to help you, as a whole family, read the Bible and explore faith through conversation and prayer together, every day. It is inspired by Lectio Divina, an old and beautiful way of reading the Bible, listening to God and praying, which has been used by Christians for centuries.
Beginning: Family Worship in Genesis
Christians are counter-cultural: our primary goal should not be to raise intelligent, successful, competent, and upright citizens, our primary concern ought to be for the good of our children’s souls - and so for God’s glory.
Wilderness: Family Worship in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy
The last four books of the Pentateuch pick up where Genesis left off, showing how God faithfully led Israel out of Egypt and dealt with them faithfully during forty years of wilderness wanderings. Use this simple, helpful guide to teach your children how the types and shadows of the Old Testament have pointed God's people of all times to Jesus, the ultimate deliverer of His people.
Fulfillment: Family Worship in Matthew, Luke, John, and Acts
Together, these first five books of the New Testament reveal how God kept the promises He made to Old Testament saints by giving His only begotten Son as light and life to the world. Learn how Jesus is the fulfillment of ancient hopes, establishing the kingdom of God and spreading it to the ends of the earth through His church.
Family Devotions
Bibles We Give
Study Bibles we give out to our kids
NIV, NLT, ESV, CSB, NKJV, NASV
Suggested Translations
Story Bibles
Suggested for younger kids
Big Picture Bible Verses
The Big Picture Story Bible
The Jesus Storybook Bible
First Bible Basics
Your family will love this unique board book! First Bible Basics goes beyond bible stories to actual theology. Each page features colorful, engaging artwork, and the 1-10 counting format reframes abstract, but vitally important biblical content in a way young children can understand and enjoy.
The Gospel
Each book in the Big Theology for Little Hearts series introduces a big idea from the Bible with concise definitions and engaging illustrations to help young minds gain a foundational understanding of God's word.
With each volume written to complement all the others, this series is designed to help children develop a cohesive framework of theology that includes God, creation, humanity, Jesus, and the gospel-allowing you to start having crucial conversations with your children as early as possible.
With each volume written to complement all the others, this series is designed to help children develop a cohesive framework of theology that includes God, creation, humanity, Jesus, and the gospel-allowing you to start having crucial conversations with your children as early as possible.
The Biggest Story Bible Storybook
The Bible is a BIG book about the BIGGEST story. Each page tells about the God who created the world, acted in history, and continues to act in the present. In this book, pastor Kevin DeYoung shares this grand story with children ages 6–12 through 104 short chapters.
Marriage
Books on Marriage
Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts
Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts is the most widely used marriage prep tool in the world. This is more than a book--it's an experience, especially when you use the his/her workbooks filled with more than 40 fun exercises. Get ready for deeper intimacy with the best friend you'll ever have.
Sacred Marriage
What if God designed marriage to make you holy instead of happy? What if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God? Uncover the ways that your marriage can become a doorway to a closer walk with God and with each other
The Meaning of Marriage
Based on the acclaimed sermon series by Timothy Keller, this book shows everyone—Christians, skeptics, singles, longtime married couples, and those about to be engaged—the vision of what marriage should be according to the Bible.
Marriage: 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to Make
When you say “I do,” you begin the journey of a lifetime― and you have dreams of that journey being perfect. But it won’t take long for expectations of the perfect marriage to fade away in the struggles of everyday life. A long-term, vibrant marriage needs to be grounded in something sturdier than romance―it needs the life-changing power of the gospel.
Parenting Support Groups
West Side Church hosts a support group for mothers looking to connect and grow in the faith through Mom to Mom. We also host a Foster & Adoption Support Group for those navigating the foster and adoption process.
Jason Webster
Family Pastor
If you have any questions or would like more resources on a specific situation or topic, please reach out to Pastor Jason for more support in what you and your family are walking through.
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