Parent Resources
We believe in Jesus' great commission to go make disciples. And we believe that starts in the home with our own families. As parents, we know that spiritually leading and developing our kids is our most important responsibility. Well, that and keeping them alive. We also know, from experience, that's a lot easier said than done. Life happens. Distractions get in the way. "I'll do it tomorrow" turns into "next week" which turns into "I can't remember the last time we..."
Building spiritual rhythms and disciplines for your family can feel overwhelming and thus we put off starting or doing them. That's the evil one saying "you can't do it" or "it's too late" or "that's what the church is for." Those are lies.
You were created to do this. It's never too late to start. Even if your kids are 17. Just do something. Take one small step. And build on it. Something is better than nothing. And your kids are hungry for it. AND MAKE IT FUN!
The goal isn't producing seminary graduates. It's about creating simple, repeatable, Gospel-centered patterns for your family. And that's gonna look different for each family.
Also, consider getting together with another parent or two or five and talk about all this stuff together. We were meant to do life in community. And that includes this "discipling our kids" piece.
Find out more about our curriculum.
Below are some resources to help you get started or try something new or simply to encourage you as a parent. We'll continue to grow this list as we come across things we think will be helpful for you. And if YOU find something that has worked well for your family, let us know (steve.mercer@peninsulabible.org) and we'll consider adding it to the list.
Family Friendly Bibles:
The Action Bible (full ESV text or graphic novel style)
Daily Devotionals:
God's Story 365 (daily tear off calendar)
Tools:
ABC's of Theology (flashcards for ages 4-12)
New City Catechism (paper, digital and mobile app resources)
Books:
Beyond the Blue (books and children's messages from Jane Van Antwerp)
Teaching videos:
Right Now Media Kids library (the "What's in the Bible" series is really informative)
Blogs & websites:
Gather & Grow (devotionals and tools for family discipleship)
Parent Cue (encouragment for parents)
Jelly Telly (from creator of VeggieTales, "What's in the Bible" series, and more)
Faith Gateway (articles on spiritual parenting)
Worship music (used in PBF Kids):
Blue Box Ministries
Blue Box Ministries— PBF KIDS MESSAGES are based off of Jane Van Antwerp’s Blue Box Ministries. Some even come from her Blue Box Books, featuring delightful illustrations and easy-to-understand stories conveying the joy and love of our God. Each book ends with questions to think about and next steps for growing closer to Jesus.
God’s Plan For Us
The Gospel Project’s God’s Plan for Us—The gospel is the good news, the message about Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Use these simple prompts from PBF Kids’ curriculum provider to share the gospel with your kids.
Right Now Media
Christian Programming for Kids— Gain access to a huge library of discipleship content for pastors, leaders, small groups, adults, students and of course for kids!
King COVID and the Kids Who Cared
King Covid and the Kids Who Cared is a story about the novel coronavirus (nicknamed 'King Covid') and the superpower that kids can use to fight back! My hope is that the story might inform, encourage, and empower kids to take part in caring for themselves and others amid the pandemic that we're facing.
Anxiety Conversation Guide
Tips to help them navigate—When our kid’s anxiety is heightened, it’s common for us as parents to want to remove that discomfort. Find out how to help your elementary schooler confront their fears and develop their own tools for managing anxiety.
Morning Routines
10 morning routines to get your kids up and moving— These days it can be challenging to get your family out of bed and ready for the day, but having a consistent morning routine can help.
Family Games
These fun indoor family games are good alternatives when everyone is stuck inside— All of these are super simple so players of all ages can learn quickly! Family games are often more fun when everyone cooperates towards a common goal. Who doesn’t want to enjoy life just like a kid again.
Crazy fun Family Games
Silly games to help you bond—Make family time crazy fun with games! You can make a fun game up in any situation… but we’ve found 50 simple family games that you can play anywhere, with supplies you have around you!
Quick Games to play
Quick 5 minute Games— Don’t worry about your lack of board games or creativity, we’ve got you covered. This is a very simple list of games that require no special equipment!
Spiritual Formation Resources
Get more resources on spiritual formation from PBF— Peninsula Bible believes in Jesus' great commission to go make disciples. And we believe that starts in the home with our own families. As parents, we know that spiritually leading and developing our kids is our most important responsibility. This list of resources is about creating simple, repeatable, Gospel-centered patterns for your famiyl that are fun!
Spiritual Formation Recourse List »
Tiny Theologians
Tiny Theologians offers training tools that will help parents and children’s ministries pass on the Christian faith. Covering topics like theology, church history, missions, and discipleship, we pray these tools are a blessing as you seek to train the tiny theologians in your life.
Jesus Storybook Bible
The Jesus Storybook Bible tells that Story beneath all the stories in the Bible. From Noah to Moses to the great King David, every story points to a Child. The one upon whom everything would depend…
Kirby McCook and the Jesus Chronicles
Kirby McCook and the Jesus Chronicles— A 12-Year-Old’s Take on the Totally Unboring, Slightly Weird Stuff in the Bible, Including Fish Guts, Wrestling Moves, and Stinky Feet
The New City Catechism
The New City Catechism is a modern-day resource aimed at helping children and adults alike learn the core doctrines of the Christian faith via 52 questions and answers.
Kids Read Truth
Kids Read Truth— Equipping children with biblical literacy and instilling in them a love for God’s Word. Kids Read Truth creates resources designed to introduce kids ages 2–12 to God and Scripture, including study books, journals, card sets, and storybooks.
FOR PARENTS:
MOMPOSSIBLE
Get Practical Homeschooling Advice from Experts Who’ve Been There— MomPossible is a community of women who celebrate that the task of raising the next generation can not only be survived, but a place where we all thrive. This is an experienced homeschooling resource making homeschooling possible by encouraging, equipping and bringing out the best in one another.
Abide Christian Meditation
Meditate on God’s Word— Daily meditations and guides for Christians.Pick your favorite soothing background and a meditation length. Be led through God’s word and a time of prayer. Choose topics and guided series as well as bedtime stories for kids & adults!
Amy Gannett
Creator of Tiny Theologians and The Rooted Home— Amy Gannett believes you shouldn’t have to go to seminary to learn how to study and teach the Bible. God’s Word is for every single person, and every believer is called to be a student of the Scriptures. So she developed The Rooted Home which builds upon the Bible study principles of Take Root Seminars, and aims to put theologically-robust daily Bible studies in the hands of every student of the Word.
Let us know how we can help!